New Century Version NCV
The Complete Jewish Bible CJB
1 The Philistines gathered their armies for war. They met at Socoh in Judah and camped at Ephes Dammim between Socoh and Azekah.
1
The P'lishtim rallied their troops for war, assembling at Sokhoh in Y'hudah and setting up camp between Sokhoh and 'Azekah in Efes-Damim.
2 Saul and the Israelites gathered in the Valley of Elah and camped there and took their positions to fight the Philistines.
2
Sha'ul and the men of Isra'el assembled, set up camp in the Elah Valley and drew up their battle line opposite the P'lishtim.
3 The Philistines controlled one hill while the Israelites controlled another. The valley was between them.
3
The P'lishtim occupied a position on one hill and Isra'el a position on another hill, with a valley between them.
4 The Philistines had a champion fighter from Gath named Goliath. He was about nine feet, four inches tall. He came out of the Philistine camp
4
There came out a champion from the camp of the P'lishtim named Golyat, from Gat, who was nine feet nine inches tall.
5 with a bronze helmet on his head and a coat of bronze armor that weighed about one hundred twenty-five pounds.
5
He had a bronze helmet on his head, and he wore a bronze armor plate weighing 120 pounds.
6 He wore bronze protectors on his legs, and he had a bronze spear on his back.
6
He had bronze armor protecting his legs and a bronze javelin between his shoulders.
7 The wooden part of his larger spear was like a weaver's rod, and its blade weighed about fifteen pounds. The officer who carried his shield walked in front of him.
7
The shaft of his spear was as big as a weaver's beam, and the iron spearhead weighed fifteen pounds. His shield-bearer went ahead of him.
8 Goliath stood and shouted to the Israelite soldiers, "Why have you taken positions for battle? I am a Philistine, and you are Saul's servants! Choose a man and send him to fight me.
8
He stood and yelled at the armies of Isra'el, "Why come out and draw up a battle line? I'm a P'lishti, and you are servants of Sha'ul, so choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me.
9 If he can fight and kill me, we will be your servants. But if I can kill him, you will be our servants."
9
If he can fight me and kill me, we'll be your slaves; but if I beat him and kill him, you will become slaves and serve us."
10 Then he said, "Today I stand and dare the army of Israel! Send one of your men to fight me!"
10
The P'lishti added, "I challenge Isra'el's armies today - give me a man, and we'll fight it out!"
11 When Saul and the Israelites heard the Philistine's words, they were very scared.
11
When Sha'ul and all Isra'el heard those words of the P'lishti, they were shaken and terrified.
12 Now David was the son of Jesse, an Ephrathite from Bethlehem in Judah. Jesse had eight sons. In Saul's time Jesse was an old man.
12
Now David was the son of that Efrati from Beit-Lechem in Y'hudah named Yishai. He had eight sons; and in the time of Sha'ul he was old - the years had taken their toll.
13 His three oldest sons followed Saul to the war. The first son was Eliab, the second was Abinadab, and the third was Shammah.
13
Yishai's three oldest sons had followed Sha'ul to battle; the names of his three sons who went to battle were Eli'av the firstborn, next to him Avinadav, and the third Shammah.
14 David was the youngest. Jesse's three oldest sons followed Saul,
14
David was the youngest; the three oldest followed Sha'ul.
15 but David went back and forth from Saul to Bethlehem, where he took care of his father's sheep.
15
David went back and forth from Sha'ul to pasture his father's sheep at Beit-Lechem.
16 For forty days the Philistine came out every morning and evening and stood before the Israelite army.
16
Meanwhile, the P'lishti approached with his challenge every morning and evening for forty days.
17 Jesse said to his son David, "Take this half bushel of cooked grain and ten loaves of bread to your brothers in the camp.
17
Yishai said to David his son, "Please take your brothers five bushels of this roasted grain and these ten loaves of bread; hurry, and carry them to your brothers at the camp.
18 Also take ten pieces of cheese to the commander and to your brothers. See how your brothers are and bring back some proof to show me that they are all right.
18
Also bring these ten cheeses to their field officer. Find out if your brothers are well, and bring back some token from them.
19 Your brothers are with Saul and the army in the Valley of Elah, fighting against the Philistines."
19
Sha'ul and your brothers, with all the army of Isra'el, are in the Elah Valley, fighting the P'lishtim."
20 Early in the morning David left the sheep with another shepherd. He took the food and left as Jesse had told him. When David arrived at the camp, the army was going out to their battle positions, shouting their war cry.
20
David got up early in the morning, left the sheep with a helper, took his load and set out, as Yishai had ordered him. He arrived at the barricade of the camp just as the troops were going out to their battle stations and shouting the war cry.
21 The Israelites and Philistines were lining up their men to face each other in battle.
21
Isra'el and the P'lishtim had set up their battle lines facing each other.
22 David left the food with the man who kept the supplies and ran to the battle line to talk to his brothers.
22
David left his equipment in charge of the equipment guard, ran to the troops, went to his brothers and asked if they were well.
23 While he was talking with them, Goliath, the Philistine champion from Gath, came out. He shouted things against Israel as usual, and David heard him.
23
As he was talking with them, there came the champion, the P'lishti from Gat named Golyat, from the ranks of the P'lishtim, saying the same words as before; and David heard them.
24 When the Israelites saw Goliath, they were very much afraid and ran away.
24
When the soldiers from Isra'el saw the man, they all ran away from him, terrified.
25 They said, "Look at this man! He keeps coming out to challenge Israel. The king will give much money to whoever kills him. He will also let whoever kills him marry his daughter. And his father's family will not have to pay taxes in Israel."
25
The soldiers from Isra'el said [to each other], "You saw that man who just came up? He has come to challenge Isra'el. To whoever kills him, the king will give a rich reward; he'll also give him his daughter and exempt his father's family from all service and taxes in Isra'el."
26 David asked the men who stood near him, "What will be done to reward the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the shame from Israel? Who does this uncircumcised Philistine think he is? Does he think he can speak against the armies of the living God?"
26
David said to the men standing with him, "What reward will be given to the man who kills this P'lishti and removes this disgrace from Isra'el? Who is this uncircumcised P'lishti anyway, that he challenges the armies of the living God?"
27 The Israelites told David what would be done for the man who would kill Goliath.
27
The people answered with what they had been saying, adding, "That's what will be done for the man who kills him."
28 When David's oldest brother Eliab heard David talking with the soldiers, he was angry with David. He asked David, "Why did you come here? Who's taking care of those few sheep of yours in the desert? I know you are proud and wicked at heart. You came down here just to watch the battle."
28
Eli'av his oldest brother heard when David spoke to the men, and it made Eli'av angry at him. He asked, "Why did you come down here? With whom did you leave those few sheep in the desert? I know how conceited you are and how wicked your heart is! You just came down to watch the fighting."
29 David asked, "Now what have I done wrong? Can't I even talk?"
29
David said, "What have I done now? I only asked a question."
30 When he turned to other people and asked the same questions, they gave him the same answer as before.
30
He turned away from him to someone else and asked the same question, and the people gave him the same answer.
31 Yet what David said was told to Saul, and he sent for David.
31
David's words were overheard and told to Sha'ul, who summoned him.
32 David said to Saul, "Don't let anyone be discouraged. I, your servant, will go and fight this Philistine!"
32
David said to Sha'ul, "No one should lose heart because of him; your servant will go and fight this P'lishti."
33 Saul answered, "You can't go out against this Philistine and fight him. You're only a boy. Goliath has been a warrior since he was a young man."
33
Sha'ul said to David, "You can't go to fight this P'lishti -you're just a boy, and he has been a warrior from his youth!"
34 But David said to Saul, "I, your servant, have been keeping my father's sheep. When a lion or bear came and took a sheep from the flock,
34
David answered Sha'ul, "Your servant used to guard his father's sheep. When a lion or a bear would come and grab a lamb from the flock,
35 I would chase it. I would attack it and save the sheep from its mouth. When it attacked me, I caught it by its fur and hit it and killed it.
35
I would go after it, hit it, and snatch the lamb from its mouth; and if it turned on me, I would catch it by the jaw, smack it and kill it.
36 I, your servant, have killed both a lion and a bear! This uncircumcised Philistine will be like them, because he has spoken against the armies of the living God.
36
Your servant has defeated both lions and bears, and this uncircumcised P'lishti will be like one of them, because he has challenged the armies of the living God."
37 The Lord who saved me from a lion and a bear will save me from this Philistine." Saul said to David, "Go, and may the Lord be with you."
37
Then David said, "ADONAI, who rescued me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, will rescue me from the paw of this P'lishti!" Sha'ul said to David, "Go; may ADONAI be with you."
38 Saul put his own clothes on David. He put a bronze helmet on his head and dressed him in armor.
38
Sha'ul dressed David in his own armor - he put a bronze helmet on his head and gave him armor plate to wear.
39 David put on Saul's sword and tried to walk around, but he was not used to all the armor Saul had put on him. He said to Saul, "I can't go in this, because I'm not used to it." Then David took it all off.
39
David buckled his sword on his armor and tried to walk, but he wasn't used to such equipment. David said to Sha'ul, "I can't move wearing these things, because I'm not used to them." So David took them off.
40 He took his stick in his hand and chose five smooth stones from a stream. He put them in his shepherd's bag and grabbed his sling. Then he went to meet the Philistine.
40
Then he took his stick in his hand and picked five smooth stones from the riverbed, putting them in his shepherd's bag, in his pouch. Then, with his sling in his hand, he approached the P'lishti.
41 At the same time, the Philistine was coming closer to David. The man who held his shield walked in front of him.
41
The P'lishti, with his shield-bearer ahead of him, came nearer and nearer to David.
42 When Goliath looked at David and saw that he was only a boy, tanned and handsome, he looked down on David with disgust.
42
The P'lishti looked David up and down and had nothing but scorn for what he saw - a boy with ruddy cheeks, red hair and good looks.
43 He said, "Do you think I am a dog, that you come at me with a stick?" He used his gods' names to curse David.
43
The P'lishti said to David, "Am I a dog? Is that why you're coming at me with sticks?"- and the P'lishti cursed David by his god.
44 He said to David, "Come here. I'll feed your body to the birds of the air and the wild animals!"
44
Then the P'lishti said to David, "Come here to me, so I can give your flesh to the birds in the air and the wild animals."
45 But David said to him, "You come to me using a sword and two spears. But I come to you in the name of the Lord All-Powerful, the God of the armies of Israel! You have spoken against him.
45
David answered the P'lishti, "You're coming at me with a sword, a spear and a javelin. But I'm coming at you in the name of ADONAI-Tzva'ot, the God of the armies of Isra'el, whom you have challenged.
46 Today the Lord will hand you over to me, and I'll kill you and cut off your head. Today I'll feed the bodies of the Philistine soldiers to the birds of the air and the wild animals. Then all the world will know there is a God in Israel!
46
Today ADONAI will hand you over to me. I will attack you, lop your head off, and give the carcasses of the army of the P'lishtim to the birds in the air and the animals in the land. Then all the land will know that there is a God in Isra'el,
47 Everyone gathered here will know the Lord does not need swords or spears to save people. The battle belongs to him, and he will hand you over to us."
47
and everyone assembled here will know that ADONAI does not save by sword or spear. For this is ADONAI's battle, and he will hand you over to us."
48 As Goliath came near to attack him, David ran quickly to meet him.
48
When the P'lishti got up, approached and came close to meet David, David hurried and ran toward the army to meet the P'lishti.
49 He took a stone from his bag, put it into his sling, and slung it. The stone hit the Philistine and went deep into his forehead, and Goliath fell facedown on the ground.
49
David put his hand in his bag, took out a stone, and hurled it with his sling. It struck the P'lishti in his forehead and buried itself in his forehead, so that he fell face down on the ground.
50 So David defeated the Philistine with only a sling and a stone. He hit him and killed him. He did not even have a sword in his hand.
50
Thus David defeated the P'lishti with a sling and a stone, striking the P'lishti and killing him; but David had no sword in his hand.
51 Then David ran and stood beside him. He took Goliath's sword out of its holder and killed him by cutting off his head. When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they turned and ran.
51
Then David ran and stood over the P'lishti, took his sword, drew it out of its sheath, and finished killing him, cutting off his head with it. When the P'lishtim saw that their hero was dead, they fled.
52 The men of Israel and Judah shouted and chased the Philistines all the way to the entrance of the city of Gath and to the gates of Ekron. The Philistines' bodies lay on the Shaaraim road as far as Gath and Ekron.
52
The men of Isra'el and Y'hudah got up, shouting, and pursued the P'lishtim all the way to Gat and the gates of 'Ekron. The wounded P'lishtim fell down all along the road from Sha'arayim to Gat and 'Ekron.
53 The Israelites returned after chasing the Philistines and robbed their camp.
53
After chasing the P'lishtim, the army of Isra'el returned and plundered their camp.
54 David took Goliath's head to Jerusalem and put Goliath's weapons in his own tent.
54
David took the head of the P'lishti and brought it to Yerushalayim, but he put the armor of the P'lishti in his tent.
55 When Saul saw David go out to meet Goliath, Saul asked Abner, commander of the army, "Abner, who is that young man's father?" Abner answered, "As surely as you live, my king, I don't know."
55
When Sha'ul saw David go out to fight the P'lishti, he said to Avner, the army's commander, "Avner, whose son is this boy?""By your life, O king," Avner replied, "I don't know."
56 The king said, "Find out whose son he is."
56
The king said, "Find out whose son this boy is.
57 When David came back from killing Goliath, Abner brought him to Saul. David was still holding Goliath's head.
57
David returned from killing the P'lishti, Avner took him and brought him to Sha'ul with the head of the P'lishti in his hand.
58 Saul asked him, "Young man, who is your father?" David answered, "I am the son of your servant Jesse of Bethlehem."
58
Sha'ul asked him, "Young man, whose son are you?" David answered, "I am the son of your servant Yishai the Beit-Lachmi."
Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.