1 Samuel 17:5-38

5He had a bronze helmet on his head, and he was clothed with scale-armor 1which weighed five thousand shekels of bronze. 6He also had bronze 2greaves on his legs and a 3bronze javelin slung between his shoulders. 74The shaft of his spear was like a weaver’s beam, and the head of his spear weighed six hundred shekels of iron; 5his shield-carrier also walked before him. 8He stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel and said to them, “Why do you come out to draw up in battle array? Am I not the Philistine and you 6servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves and let him come down to me. 97If he is able to fight with me and 8kill me, then we will become your servants; but if I prevail against him and 9kill him, then you shall become our servants and serve us.” 10Again the Philistine said, “10I defy the ranks of Israel this day; give me a man that we may fight together.” 11When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid.

12Now David was 11the son of 12the 13Ephrathite of Bethlehem in Judah, whose name was Jesse, and 14he had eight sons. And 15Jesse was old in the days of Saul, advanced in years among men. 13The three older sons of Jesse had 16gone after Saul to the battle. And 17the names of his three sons who went to the battle were Eliab the firstborn, and the second to him Abinadab, and the third Shammah. 1418David was the youngest. Now the three oldest followed Saul, 1519but David went back and forth from Saul 20to tend his father’s flock at Bethlehem. 16The Philistine came 21forward morning and evening for forty days and took his stand.

17Then Jesse said to David his son, “22Take now for your brothers an ephah of this roasted grain and these ten loaves and run to the camp to your brothers. 1823Bring also these ten cuts of cheese to the commander of their thousand, 24and look into the welfare of your brothers, and bring back 25news of them. 19For Saul and they and all the men of Israel are in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines.”

20So David arose early in the morning and left the flock with a keeper and took the supplies and went as Jesse had commanded him. And he came to the 26circle of the camp while the army was going out in battle array shouting the war cry. 21Israel and the Philistines drew up in battle array, army against army. 22Then David left his 27baggage in the 28care of the baggage keeper, and ran to the battle line and entered in order to greet his brothers. 23As he was talking with them, behold, the champion, the Philistine from Gath named Goliath, was coming up from the army of the Philistines, and he spoke 29these same words; and David heard them.

24When all the men of Israel saw the man, they fled from him and were greatly afraid. 25The men of Israel said, “Have you seen this man who is coming up? Surely he is coming up to defy Israel. And it will be that the king will enrich the man who kills him with great riches and 30will give him his daughter and make his father’s house 31free in Israel.”

26Then David spoke to the men who were standing by him, saying, “What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away 32the reproach from Israel? For who is this 33uncircumcised Philistine, that he should 34taunt the armies of 35the living God?” 27The people 36answered him in accord with this word, saying, “37Thus it will be done for the man who kills him.”

28Now Eliab his oldest brother heard when he spoke to the men; and 38Eliab’s anger burned against David and he said, “Why have you come down? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your insolence and the wickedness of your heart; for you have come down in order to see the battle.” 29But David said, “What have I done now? Was it not just a 39question?” 30Then he turned 40away from him to another and 41said the same thing; and the people answered the same thing as 42before.

31When the words which David spoke were heard, they told them 43to Saul, and he sent for him. 32David said to Saul, “44Let no man’s heart fail on account of him; 45your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.” 33Then Saul said to David, “46You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are but a youth while he has been a warrior from his youth.” 34But David said to Saul, “Your servant was tending his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and took a lamb from the flock, 35I went out after him and 47attacked him, and 48rescued it from his mouth; and when he rose up against me, I seized him by his beard and 49struck him and killed him. 36Your servant has 50killed both the lion and the bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, since he has taunted the armies of the living God.” 37And David said, “51The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” And Saul said to David, “52Go, and may the Lord be with you.” 38Then Saul clothed David with his garments and put a bronze helmet on his head, and he clothed him with armor.