1 Samuel 17:1-19

Goliath's Challenge

1 Now 1the Philistines gathered their armies for battle; and they were gathered at Socoh which belongs to Judah, and they camped between 2Socoh and 3Azekah, in 4Ephes-dammim.
2 Saul and the men of Israel were gathered and camped in 5the valley of Elah, and drew up in battle array to encounter the Philistines.
3 The Philistines stood on the mountain on one side while Israel stood on the mountain on the other side, with the valley between them.
4 Then a champion * came out from the armies of the Philistines named 6Goliath, from 7Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span.
5 He had a bronze helmet on his head, and he was clothed with scale-armor which weighed five thousand shekels of bronze.
6 He also had bronze greaves on his legs and a 8bronze javelin slung between his shoulders.
7 9The shaft of his spear was like a weaver's beam, and the head of his spear weighed six hundred shekels of iron; 10his shield-carrier * also walked before him.
8 He 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 11servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves and let him come down to me.
9 "12If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will become your servants; but if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall become our servants and serve us."
10 Again the Philistine said, "13I defy the ranks of Israel this day; give me a man that we may fight together."
11 When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid.
12 Now David was 14the son of the 15Ephrathite of Bethlehem in Judah, whose name was Jesse, and 16he had eight sons. And Jesse was old in the days of Saul, advanced in years among men.
13 The three older sons of Jesse had gone 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.
14 18David was the youngest. Now the three oldest followed * Saul,
15 19but David went * back and forth from Saul 20to tend his father's flock at Bethlehem.
16 The Philistine came forward morning and evening for forty days and took his stand.
17 Then Jesse said to David his son, "21Take now for your brothers an ephah of this roasted grain and these ten loaves and run to the camp to your brothers.
18 "22Bring also these ten cuts of cheese to the commander of their thousand, 23and look into the welfare of your brothers, and bring back news of them.
19 "For Saul and they and all the men of Israel are in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines."

Cross References 23

  • 1. 1 Samuel 13:5
  • 2. Joshua 15:35; 2 Chronicles 28:18
  • 3. Joshua 10:10
  • 4. 1 Chronicles 11:13
  • 5. 1 Samuel 21:9
  • 6. 2 Samuel 21:19
  • 7. Joshua 11:22
  • 8. 1 Samuel 17:45
  • 9. 2 Samuel 21:19; 1 Chronicles 11:23
  • 10. 1 Samuel 17:41
  • 11. 1 Samuel 8:17
  • 12. 2 Samuel 2:12-16
  • 13. 1 Sam 17:26, 36, 45; 2 Samuel 21:21
  • 14. Ruth 4:22; 1 Samuel 16:18
  • 15. Genesis 35:19
  • 16. 1 Samuel 16:10, 11; 1 Chronicles 2:13-15
  • 17. 1 Sam 16:6, 8, 9
  • 18. 1 Samuel 16:11
  • 19. 1 Samuel 16:21-23
  • 20. 1 Samuel 16:11, 19
  • 21. 1 Samuel 25:18
  • 22. 1 Samuel 16:20
  • 23. Genesis 37:13, 14

Footnotes 10

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