1 Samuel 17:1-11

1The Philistines gathered their troops for battle. They assembled at Socoh in Judah. They camped in Ephes Dammim, between Socoh and Azekah.

2Saul and the Israelite army assembled and camped in the valley of Elah, where they arranged their battle lines to fight against the Philistines.

3The Philistines were standing on one hill, and the Israelites on another hill, with the valley between them.

4Then a champion came out from the camp of the Philistines. His name was Goliath; he was from Gath. He was close to seven feet tall.

5He had a bronze helmet on his head and was wearing scale body armor. The weight of his bronze body armor was five thousand shekels.

6He had bronze shin guards on his legs, and a bronze javelin was slung over his shoulders.

7The shaft of his spear was like a weaver’s beam, and the iron point of his spear weighed six hundred shekels. His shield bearer was walking before him.

8Goliath stood and called to Israel’s troops, “Why do you come out to prepare for battle? Am I not the Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose for yourselves a man so he may come down to me!

9If he is able to fight with me and strike me down, we will become your servants. But if I prevail against him and strike him down, you will become our servants and will serve us.”

10Then the Philistine said, “I defy Israel’s troops this day! Give me a man so we can fight each other!”

11When Saul and all the Israelites heard these words of the Philistine, they were upset and very afraid.