1 Samuel 17

1Now the Philistines gathering together their troops to battle, assembled at Socho of Juda, and camped between Socho and Azeca in the borders of Dommim.

2And Saul and the children of Israel being gathered together came to the valley of Terebinth, and they set the army in array to fight against the Philistines.

3And the Philistines stood on a mountain on the one side, and Israel stood on a mountain on the other side: and there was a valley between them.

4And there went out a man baseborn from the camp of the Philistines named Goliath, of Geth, whose height was six cubits and a span:

5And he had a helmet of brass upon his head, and he was clothed with a coat of mail with scales, and the weight of his coat of mail was five thousand sicles of brass:

6And he had greaves of brass on his legs, and a buckler of brass covered his shoulders.

7And the staff of his spear was like a weaver’s beam, and the head of his spear weighed six hundred sicles of iron: and his armourbearer went before him.

8And standing he cried out to the bands of Israel, and said to them: Why are you come out prepared to fight? am not I a Philistine, and you the servants of Saul? Choose out a man of you, and let him come down and fight hand to hand.

9If he be able to fight with me, and kill me, we will be servants to you: but if I prevail against him, and kill him, you shall be servants, and shall serve us.

10And the Philistine said: I have defied the bands of Israel this day: Give me a man, and let him fight with me hand to hand.

11And Saul and all the Israelites hearing these words of the Philistine were dismayed, and greatly afraid.

12Now David was the son of that Ephrathite of Bethlehem Juda before mentioned, whose name was Isai, who had eight sons, and was an old man in the days of Saul, and of great age among men.

13And his three eldest sons followed Saul to the battle: and the names of his three sons that went to the battle, were Eliab the firstborn, and the second Abinadab, and the third Samma.

14But David was the youngest. So the three eldest having followed Saul,

15David went, and returned from Saul, to feed his father’s flock at Bethlehem.

16Now the Philistine came out morning and evening, and presented himself forty days.

17And Isai said to David his son: Take for thy brethren an ephi of frumenty, and these ten loaves, and run to the camp to thy brethren.

18And carry these ten little cheeses to the tribune: and go see thy brethren, if they are well: and learn with whom they are placed.

19But Saul, and they, and all the children of Israel were in the valley of Terebinth fighting against the Philistines.

20David therefore arose in the morning, and gave the charge of the flock to the keeper: and went away loaded as Isai had commanded him. And he came to the place of Magala, and to the army, which was going out to fight, and shouted for the battle.

21For Israel had put themselves in array, and the Philistines who stood against them were prepared.

22And David leaving the vessels which he had brought, under the care of the keeper of the baggage, ran to the place of the battle and asked if all things went well with his brethren.

23And as he talked with them, that baseborn man whose name was Goliath, the Philistine, of Geth, shewed himself coming up from the camp of the Philistines: and he spoke according to the same words, and David heard them.

24And all the Israelites when they saw the man, fled from his face, fearing him exceedingly.

25And some one of Israel said: Have you seen this man that is come up, for he is come up to defy Israel. And the man that shall slay him, the king will enrich with great riches, and will give him his daughter, and will make his father’s house free from tribute in Israel.

26And David spoke to the men that stood by him, saying: What shall be given to the man that shall kill this Philistine, and shall take away the reproach from Israel? for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?

27And the people answered him the same words saying: These things shall be given to the man that shall slay him.

28Now when Eliab his eldest brother heard this, when he was speaking with others, he was angry with David, and said: Why earnest thou hither? and why didst thou leave those few sheep in the desert? I know thy pride, and the wickedness of thy heart: that thou art come down to see the battle.

29And David said: What have I done? is there not cause to speak?

30And he turned a little aside from him to another: and said the same word. And the people answered him as before.

31And the words which David spoke were heard, and were rehearsed before Saul.

32And when he was brought to him, he said to him: Let not any man’s heart be dismayed in him: I thy servant will go, and will fight against the Philistine.

33And Saul said to David: Thou art not able to withstand this Philistine, nor to fight against him: for thou art but a boy, but he is a warrior from his youth.

34And David said to Saul: Thy servant kept his father’s sheep, and there came a lion, or a bear, and took a ram out of the midst of the flock:

35And I pursued after them, and struck them, and delivered it out of their mouth: and they rose up against me, and I caught them by the throat, and I strangled and killed them.

36For I thy servant have killed both a lion and a bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be also as one of them. I will go now, and take away the reproach of the people: for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, who hath dared to curse the army of the living God?

37And David said: The Lord who delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said to David: Go, and the Lord be with thee.

38And Saul clothed David with his garments, and put a helmet of brass upon his head, and armed him with a coat of mail.

39And David having girded his sword upon his armour, began to try if he could walk in armour: for he was not accustomed to it. And David said to Saul: I cannot go thus, for I am not used to it. And he laid them off,

40And he took his staff, which he had always in his hands: and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them into the shepherd’s scrip, which he had with him, and he took a sling in his hand, and went forth against the Philistine.

41And the Philistine came on, and drew nigh against David, and his armourbearer before him.

42And when the Philistine looked, and beheld David, he despised him. For he was a young man, ruddy, and of a comely countenance.

43And the Philistine said to David: Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with a staff? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.

44And he said to David: Come to me, and I will give thy flesh to the birds of the air, and to the beasts of the earth.

45And David said to the Philistine: Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, which thou hast defied.

46This day, and the Lord will deliver thee into my hand, and I will slay thee, and take away thy head from thee: and I will give the carcasses of the army of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air, and to the beasts of the earth: that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.

47And all this assembly shall know, that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear: for it is his battle, and he will deliver you into our hands.

48And when the Philistine arose and was coming, and drew nigh to meet David, David made haste, and ran to the fight to meet the Philistine.

49And he put his hand into his scrip, and took a stone, and cast it with the sling, and fetching it about struck the Philistine in the forehead: and the stone was fixed in his forehead, and he fell on his face upon the earth.

50And David prevailed over the Philistine, with a sling and a stone, and he struck, and slew the Philistine. And as David had no sword in his hand,

51He ran, and stood over the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath, and slew him, and cut off his head. And the Philistines seeing that their champion was dead, fled away.

52And the men of Israel and Juda rising up shouted, and pursued after the Philistines till they came to the valley and to the gates of Accaron, and there fell many wounded of the Philistines in the way of Saraim, and as far as Geth, and as far as Accaron.

53And the children of Israel returning, after they had pursued the Philistines, fell upon their camp.

54And David taking the head of the Philistine brought it to Jerusalem: but his armour he put in his tent.

55Now at the time that Saul saw David going out against the Philistines, he said to Abner the captain of the army: Of what family is this young man descended, Abner? And Abner said: As thy soul liveth, O king, I know not.

56And the king said: Inquire thou, whose son this man is.

57And when David was returned, after the Philistine was slain, Abner took him, and brought him in before Saul, with the head of the Philistine in his hand.

58And Saul said to him: Young man, of what family art thou? And David said: I am the son of thy servant Isai the Bethlehemite.

1Congregantes autem Philisthiim agmina sua in prælium, convenerunt in Socho Judæ: et castrametati sunt inter Socho et Azeca in finibus Dommim.

2Porro Saul et filii Israël congregati venerunt in Vallem terebinthi, et direxerunt aciem ad pugnandum contra Philisthiim.

3Et Philisthiim stabant super montem ex parte hac, et Israël stabat supra montem ex altera parte: vallisque erat inter eos.

4Et egressus est vir spurius de castris Philisthinorum nomine Goliath, de Geth, altitudinis sex cubitorum et palmi:

5et cassis ærea super caput ejus, et lorica squamata induebatur. Porro pondus loricæ ejus, quinque millia siclorum æris erat:

6et ocreas æreas habebat in cruribus, et clypeus æreus tegebat humeros ejus.

7Hastile autem hastæ ejus erat quasi liciatorium texentium: ipsum autem ferrum hastæ ejus sexcentos siclos habebat ferri: et armiger ejus antecedebat eum.

8Stansque clamabat adversum phalangas Israël, et dicebat eis: Quare venistis parati ad prælium? numquid ego non sum Philisthæus, et vos servi Saul? eligite ex vobis virum, et descendat ad singulare certamen.

9Si quiverit pugnare mecum, et percusserit me, erimus vobis servi: si autem ego prævaluero, et percussero eum, vos servi eritis, et servietis nobis.

10Et aiebat Philisthæus: Ego exprobravi agminibus Israël hodie: date mihi virum, et ineat mecum singulare certamen.

11Audiens autem Saul et omnes Israëlitæ sermones Philisthæi hujuscemodi, stupebant, et metuebant nimis.

12David autem erat filius viri Ephrathæi, de quo supra dictum est, de Bethlehem Juda, cui nomen erat Isai, qui habebat octo filios, et erat vir in diebus Saul senex, et grandævus inter viros.

13Abierunt autem tres filii ejus majores post Saul in prælium: et nomina trium filiorum ejus qui perrexerunt ad bellum, Eliab primogenitus, et secundus Abinadab, tertiusque Samma.

14David autem erat minimus. Tribus ergo majoribus secutis Saulem,

15abiit David, et reversus est a Saul ut pasceret gregem patris sui in Bethlehem.

16Procedebat vero Philisthæus mane et vespere, et stabat quadraginta diebus.

17Dixit autem Isai ad David filium suum: Accipe fratribus tuis ephi polentæ, et decem panes istos, et curre in castra ad fratres tuos,

18et decem formellas casei has deferes ad tribunum: et fratres tuos visitabis, si recte agant: et cum quibus ordinati sunt, disce.

19Saul autem, et illi, et omnes filii Israël, in Valle terebinthi pugnabant adversum Philisthiim.

20Surrexit itaque David mane, et commendavit gregem custodi: et onustus abiit, sicut præceperat ei Isai. Et venit ad locum Magala, et ad exercitum, qui egressus ad pugnam vociferatus erat in certamine.

21Direxerat enim aciem Israël, sed et Philisthiim ex adverso fuerant præparati.

22Derelinquens ergo David vasa quæ attulerat sub manu custodis ad sarcinas, cucurrit ad locum certaminis, et interrogabat si omnia recte agerentur erga fratres suos.

23Cumque adhuc ille loqueretur eis, apparuit vir ille spurius ascendens, Goliath nomine, Philisthæus de Geth, de castris Philisthinorum: et loquente eo hæc eadem verba audivit David.

24Omnes autem Israëlitæ, cum vidissent virum, fugerunt a facie ejus, timentes eum valde.

25Et dixit unus quispiam de Israël: Num vidistis virum hunc, qui ascendit? ad exprobrandum enim Israëli ascendit. Virum ergo qui percusserit eum, ditabit rex divitiis magnis, et filiam suam dabit ei, et domum patris ejus faciet absque tributo in Israël.

26Et ait David ad viros qui stabant secum, dicens: Quid dabitur viro qui percusserit Philisthæum hunc, et tulerit opprobrium de Israël? quis enim est hic Philisthæus incircumcisus, qui exprobravit acies Dei viventis?

27Referebat autem ei populus eumdem sermonem, dicens: Hæc dabuntur viro qui percusserit eum.

28Quod cum audisset Eliab frater ejus major, loquente eo cum aliis, iratus est contra David, et ait: Quare venisti, et quare dereliquisti pauculas oves illas in deserto? Ego novi superbiam tuam, et nequitiam cordis tui: quia ut videres prælium, descendisti.

29Et dixit David: Quid feci? numquid non verbum est?

30Et declinavit paululum ab eo ad alium: dixitque eumdem sermonem. Et respondit ei populus verbum sicut prius.

31Audita sunt autem verba quæ locutus est David, et annuntiata in conspectu Saul.

32Ad quem cum fuisset adductus, locutus est ei: Non concidat cor cujusquam in eo: ego servus tuus vadam, et pugnabo adversus Philisthæum.

33Et ait Saul ad David: Non vales resistere Philisthæo isti, nec pugnare adversus eum, quia puer es: hic autem vir bellator est ab adolescentia sua.

34Dixitque David ad Saul: Pascebat servus tuus patris sui gregem, et veniebat leo vel ursus, et tollebat arietem de medio gregis:

35et persequebar eos, et percutiebam, eruebamque de ore eorum: et illi consurgebant adversum me, et apprehendebam mentum eorum, et suffocabam, interficiebamque eos.

36Nam et leonem et ursum interfeci ego servus tuus: erit igitur et Philisthæus hic incircumcisus quasi unus ex eis. Nunc vadam, et auferam opprobrium populi: quoniam quis est iste Philisthæus incircumcisus, qui ausus est maledicere exercitui Dei viventis?

37Et ait David: Dominus qui eripuit me de manu leonis, et de manu ursi, ipse me liberabit de manu Philisthæi hujus. Dixit autem Saul ad David: Vade, et Dominus tecum sit.

38Et induit Saul David vestimentis suis, et imposuit galeam æream super caput ejus, et vestivit eum lorica.

39Accinctus ergo David gladio ejus super vestem suam, cœpit tentare si armatus posset incedere: non enim habebat consuetudinem. Dixitque David ad Saul: Non possum sic incedere, quia non usum habeo. Et deposuit ea,

40et tulit baculum suum, quem semper habebat in manibus: et elegit sibi quinque limpidissimos lapides de torrente, et misit eos in peram pastoralem quam habebat secum, et fundam manu tulit: et processit adversum Philisthæum.

41Ibat autem Philisthæus incedens, et appropinquans adversum David, et armiger ejus ante eum.

42Cumque inspexisset Philisthæus, et vidisset David, despexit eum. Erat enim adolescens, rufus, et pulcher aspectu.

43Et dixit Philisthæus ad David: Numquid ego canis sum, quod tu venis ad me cum baculo? Et maledixit Philisthæus David in diis suis:

44dixitque ad David: Veni ad me, et dabo carnes tuas volatilibus cæli et bestiis terræ.

45Dixit autem David ad Philisthæum: Tu venis ad me cum gladio, et hasta, et clypeo: ego autem venio ad te in nomine Domini exercituum, Dei agminum Israël quibus exprobrasti

46hodie, et dabit te Dominus in manu mea, et percutiam te, et auferam caput tuum a te: et dabo cadavera castrorum Philisthiim hodie volatilibus cæli, et bestiis terræ, ut sciat omnis terra quia est Deus in Israël,

47et noverit universa ecclesia hæc, quia non in gladio nec in hasta salvat Dominus: ipsius enim est bellum, et tradet vos in manus nostras.

48Cum ergo surrexisset Philisthæus, et veniret, et appropinquaret contra David, festinavit David et cucurrit ad pugnam ex adverso Philisthæi.

49Et misit manum suam in peram, tulitque unum lapidem, et funda jecit, et circumducens percussit Philisthæum in fronte: et infixus est lapis in fronte ejus, et cecidit in faciem suam super terram.

50Prævaluitque David adversum Philisthæum in funda et lapide, percussumque Philisthæum interfecit. Cumque gladium non haberet in manu David,

51cucurrit, et stetit super Philisthæum, et tulit gladium ejus, et eduxit eum de vagina sua: et interfecit eum, præciditque caput ejus. Videntes autem Philisthiim quod mortuus esset fortissimus eorum, fugerunt.

52Et consurgentes viri Israël et Juda vociferati sunt, et persecuti sunt Philisthæos usque dum venirent in vallem, et usque ad portas Accaron: cecideruntque vulnerati de Philisthiim in via Saraim, et usque ad Geth, et usque ad Accaron.

53Et revertentes filii Israël postquam persecuti fuerant Philisthæos, invaserunt castra eorum.

54Assumens autem David caput Philisthæi, attulit illud in Jerusalem: arma vero ejus posuit in tabernaculo suo.

55Eo autem tempore quo viderat Saul David egredientem contra Philisthæum, ait ad Abner principem militiæ: De qua stirpe descendit hic adolescens, Abner? Dixitque Abner: Vivit anima tua, rex, si novi.

56Et ait rex: Interroga tu, cujus filius sit iste puer.

57Cumque regressus esset David, percusso Philisthæo, tulit eum Abner, et introduxit coram Saule, caput Philisthæi habentem in manu.

58Et ait ad eum Saul: De qua progenie es, o adolescens? Dixitque David: Filius servi tui Isai Bethlehemitæ ego sum.

1Now the Philistines, gathering their troops for battle, assembled at Socoh of Judah. And they made camp between Socoh and Azekah, within the borders of Dammim.

2But Saul and the sons of Israel, having gathered together, went to the Valley of Terebinth. And they positioned the army so as to fight against the Philistines.

3And the Philistines were standing on a mountain on the one side, and Israel was standing on a mountain on the other side. And there was a valley between them.

4And there went out from the camp of the Philistines, a man of illegitimate birth, named Goliath of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a palm.

5And he had a helmet of brass upon his head, and he was clothed with a breastplate of scales. Moreover, the weight of his breastplate was five thousand shekels of brass.

6And he had plates of brass on his lower legs, and a small shield of brass was covering his shoulders.

7Now the shaft of his spear was like the beam used by a weaver. And the iron of his spear held six hundred shekels of iron. And his armor bearer went before him.

8And standing still, he cried out to the battle lines of Israel, and he said to them: “Why have you arrived, prepared for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose one man from among you, and let him descend to do battle alone.

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

10And the Philistine was saying: “I have reproached the troops of Israel today. Present a man to me, and let him undertake a fight against me alone.”

11And Saul and all the Israelites, hearing these words of the Philistine in this manner, were stupefied and exceedingly afraid.

12Now David was the son of an Ephrathite man, the one mentioned above, from Bethlehem of Judah, whose name was Jesse. He had eight sons, and during the days of Saul, he was an elderly man, and of great age among men.

13Now his three eldest sons followed Saul into battle. And the names of his three sons, who went to the battle, were Eliab, the firstborn, and the second, Abinadab, and the third Shammah.

14But David was the youngest. Therefore, when the three eldest had followed Saul,

15David went away from Saul, and he returned, so that he might pasture the flock of his father at Bethlehem.

16Truly, the Philistine advanced morning and evening, and he stood forth, for forty days.

17Now Jesse said to his son David: “Take, for your brothers, an ephah of cooked grain, and these ten loaves, and hurry to the camp, to your brothers.

18And you shall carry these ten little cheeses to the tribune. And visit your brothers, to see if they are doing well. And learn with whom they have been stationed.”

19But they were in the valley of Terebinth, with Saul and all the sons of Israel, fighting against the Philistines.

20And so, David rose up in the morning, and he commended the flock to the caretaker. And he went away burdened, just as Jesse had instructed him. And he went to the place of the battle line, and to the army, which, in going out to fight, was shouting in the conflict.

21For Israel had positioned their troops, but the Philistines also had prepared themselves against them.

22Then, leaving the items that he had brought under the hand of the keeper of baggage, David ran to the place of the conflict. And he was asking if all was going well with his brothers.

23And while he was still speaking with them, there appeared the man of spurious descent, whose name was Goliath, the Philistine of Gath, ascending from the camp of the Philistines. And he was speaking in these same words, which David heard.

24Then all the Israelites, when they had seen the man, fled from his face, fearing him greatly.

25And someone of Israel said: “Have you seen this man, who has risen up. For he ascended in order to reproach Israel. Therefore, the man who will strike him down, the king will enrich with great wealth, and will give to him his daughter, and will cause his father’s house to be free of tribute in Israel.”

26And David spoke to the men who were standing with him, saying: “What will be given to the man who will have struck down this Philistine, and who will have taken away the disgrace from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should reproach the soldiers of the living God?”

27Then the people repeated to him the same words, saying, “These things shall be given to the man who will have struck him down.”

28Now when Eliab, his eldest brother, had heard this, as he was speaking with the others, he became angry against David, and he said: “Why did you come here? And why did you leave behind those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride and the wickedness of your heart, that you have come down so that you might see the battle.”

29And David said: “What have I done? Is there any word against me?”

30And he turned away from him a little, toward another. And he asked the same question. And the people responded to him as before.

31Now the words that David had spoken were heard and reported in the sight of Saul.

32When he had been led to Saul, he said to him: “Let no one lose heart over him. I, your servant, shall go and fight against the Philistine.”

33And Saul said to David: “You are not able to withstand this Philistine, nor to fight against him. For you are a boy, but he has been a warrior from his boyhood.”

34And David said to Saul: “Your servant was pasturing the flock of his father. And there approached a lion or a bear, and it took a ram from the midst of the flock.

35And I pursued after them, and I struck them, and I rescued from their mouth. And they rose up against me. And I caught them by the throat, and I strangled and killed them.

36For I, your servant, have killed both lion and bear. And so this uncircumcised Philistine, too, will be like one of them. Now I will go and take away the reproach of the people. For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, who has dared to curse the army of the living God?”

37And David said, “The Lord who rescued me from the hand of the lion, and from the hand of the bear, he himself will free me from the hand of this Philistine.” Then Saul said to David, “Go, and may the Lord be with you.”

38And Saul clothed David with his garments. And he placed a helmet of brass upon his head, and he clothed him with a breastplate.

39Then David, having girded his sword over his armor, began to see if he could walk in the armor. But he was not accustomed to it. And David said to Saul: “I cannot move about in this way. For I am not used to it.” And he put them aside.

40And he took up his staff, which he held always in his hands. And he chose for himself five very smooth stones from the torrent. And he put them into the shepherd’s bag that he had with him. And he took up a sling in his hand. And he went out against the Philistine.

41And the Philistine, advancing, went and drew near against David. And his armor bearer was before him.

42And when the Philistine had seen and considered David, he despised him. For he was a youth, ruddy and of handsome appearance.

43And the Philistine said to David, “Am I a dog, that you approach against me with a staff?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.

44And he said to David, “Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air, and to the beasts of the earth.”

45But David said to the Philistine: “You approach me with sword, and spear, and shield. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, which you have reproached.

46Today, the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down. And I will take your head from you. And today, I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air, and to the beasts of the earth, so that all the earth may know that God is with Israel.

47And this entire assembly will know that the Lord does not save by sword, nor by spear. For this is his war, and he will deliver you into our hands.”

48Then, when the Philistine had risen up, and was approaching, and was drawing near against David, David hurried and ran to the fight against the Philistine.

49And he put his hand into his bag, and took out one stone. And swinging it around, he cast it with the sling and struck the Philistine on the forehead. And the stone became imbedded in his forehead. And he fell on his face, upon the ground.

50And David prevailed against the Philistine with a sling and a stone. And he struck and killed the Philistine. But since David held no sword in his hand,

51he ran and stood over the Philistine, and he took his sword, and withdrew it from the sheath. And he killed him and cut off his head. Then the Philistines, seeing that their strongest man was dead, fled away.

52And the men of Israel and Judah, rising up, shouted and pursued after the Philistines, even until they arrived at the valley and as far as the gates of Ekron. And many wounded among the Philistines fell on the way of Shaaraim, and as far as Gath, and as far as Ekron.

53And the sons of Israel, returning after they had pursued the Philistines, invaded their camp.

54Then David, taking up the head of the Philistine, brought it to Jerusalem. Yet truly, he placed his armor in his own tent.

55Now at the time that Saul had seen David going out against the Philistines, he said to Abner, the leader of the military, “From what stock is this youth descended, Abner?” And Abner said, “As your soul lives, O king, I do not know.”

56And the king said, “You shall inquire as to whose son this boy may be.”

57And when David had returned, after the Philistine had been struck down, Abner took him, and brought him before Saul, having the head of the Philistine in his hand.

58And Saul said to him, “Young man, from what ancestry are you?” And David said, “I am the son of your servant Jesse of Bethlehem.”