1 NOW the Philistines gathered together their armies to battle, and were gathered together at Shochoh, which belongeth to Judah, and pitched between Shochoh and Azekah, in Ephes-dammim.
2 And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together, and pitched by the valley of Elah, and set the battle in array against the Philistines.
3 And 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.
4 And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span.
5 And he had an helmet of brass upon his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail; and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of brass.
6 And he had greaves of brass upon his legs, and a target of brass between his shoulders.
7 And the staff of his spear was like a weaver’s beam; and his spear’s head weighed six hundred shekels of iron: and one bearing a shield went before him.
8 And he stood and cried unto the armies of Israel, and said unto them, Why are ye come out to set your battle in array? am not I a Philistine, and ye servants to Saul? choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me.
9 If he be able to fight with me, and to kill me, then will we be your servants: but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then shall ye be our servants, and serve us.
10 And the Philistine said, I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together.
11 When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid.
12 Now David was the son of that Ephrathite of Beth-lehem-judah, whose name was Jesse; and he had eight sons: and the man went among men for an old man in the days of Saul.
13 And the three eldest sons of Jesse went and followed Saul to the battle: and the names of his three sons that went to the battle were Eliab the firstborn, and next unto him Abinadab, and the third Shammah.
14 And David was the youngest: and the three eldest followed Saul.
15 But David went and returned from Saul to feed his father’s sheep at Beth-lehem.
16 And the Philistine drew near morning and evening, and presented himself forty days.
17 And Jesse said unto David his son, Take now for thy brethren an ephah of this parched corn, and these ten loaves, and run to the camp to thy brethren;
18 And carry these ten cheeses unto the captain of their thousand, and look how thy brethren fare, and take their pledge.
19 Now Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel, were in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines.
20 And David rose up early in the morning, and left the sheep with a keeper, and took, and went, as Jesse had commanded him; and he came to the trench, as the host was going forth to the fight, and shouted for the battle.
21 For Israel and the Philistines had put the battle in array, army against army.
22 And David left his carriage in the hand of the keeper of the carriage, and ran into the army, and came and saluted his brethren.
23 And as he talked with them, behold, there came up the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the armies of the Philistines, and spake according to the same words: and David heard them.
24 And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were sore afraid.
25 And the men of Israel said, Have ye seen this man that is come up? surely to defy Israel is he come up: and it shall be, that the man who killeth him, the king will enrich him with great riches, and will give him his daughter, and make his father’s house free in Israel.
26 And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the reproach from Israel? for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?
27 And the people answered him after this manner, saying, So shall it be done to the man that killeth him.
28 And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab’s anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle.
29 And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause?
30 And he turned from him toward another, and spake after the same manner: and the people answered him again after the former manner.
31 And when the words were heard which David spake, they rehearsed them before Saul: and he sent for him.
32 And David said to Saul, Let no man’s heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine.
33 And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.
34 And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father’s sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock:
35 And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him.
36 Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God.
37 David said moreover, The Lord that 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 unto David, Go, and the Lord be with thee.
38 And Saul armed David with his armour, and he put an helmet of brass upon his head; also he armed him with a coat of mail.
39 And David girded his sword upon his armour, and he assayed to go; for he had not proved it. And David said unto Saul, I cannot go with these; for I have not proved them. And David put them off him.
40 And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd’s bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine.
41 And the Philistine came on and drew near unto David; and the man that bare the shield went before him.
42 And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him: for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance.
43 And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.
44 And the Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field.
45 Then said David 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, whom thou hast defied.
46 This day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.
47 And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give you into our hands.
48 And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew nigh to meet David, that David hasted, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine.
49 And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth.
50 So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David.
51 Therefore David ran, and stood upon the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off his head therewith. And when the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they fled.
52 And the men of Israel and of Judah arose, and shouted, and pursued the Philistines, until thou come to the valley, and to the gates of Ekron. And the wounded of the Philistines fell down by the way to Shaaraim, even unto Gath, and unto Ekron.
53 And the children of Israel returned from chasing after the Philistines, and they spoiled their tents.
54 And David took the head of the Philistine, and brought it to Jerusalem; but he put his armour in his tent.
55 And when Saul saw David go forth against the Philistine, he said unto Abner, the captain of the host, Abner, whose son is this youth? And Abner said, As thy soul liveth, O king, I cannot tell.
56 And the king said, Inquire thou whose son the stripling is.
57 And as David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, Abner took him, and brought him before Saul with the head of the Philistine in his hand.
58 And Saul said to him, Whose son art thou, thou young man? And David answered, I am the son of thy servant Jesse the Beth-lehemite.

1Now the Philistines gathered together their armies to battell, and were gathered together at Shochoh, which belongeth to Iudah, and pitched betweene Shochoh and Azekah, in Ephes-Dammim.

2And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together, and pitched by the valley of Elah, and set the battell in aray against the Philistines.

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

4 And there went out a champion out of the campe of the Philistines, named Goliath of Gath: whose height was sixe cubites and a span.

5And he had an helmet of brasse vpon his head, and he was armed with a coate of male: and the weight of the coat was fiue thousand shekels of brasse.

6And he had greaues of brasse vpon his legs, and a target of brasse betweene his shoulders.

7And the staffe of his speare was like a weauers beame, and his speares head weighed sixe hundred shekels of yron: and one bearing a shield, went before him.

8And hee stood and cried vnto the armies of Israel, and said vnto them, Why are yee come out to set your battell in aray? am not I a Philistine, and you seruants to Saul? chuse you a man for you, and let him come downe to me.

9If he be able to fight with mee, and to kill me, then will we be your seruants: but if I preuaile against him, and kill him, then shall yee be our seruants, and serue vs.

10And the Philistine said, I defie the armies of Israel this day; giue me a man, that we may fight together.

11When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid.

12 Now Dauid was the sonne of that Ephrathite of Bethlehem Iudah, whose name was Iesse, and hee had eight sonnes: and the man went among men for an old man in the dayes of Saul.

13And the three eldest sonnes of Iesse went, and followed Saul to the battell: and the names of his three sonnes that went to the battell, were, Eliab the first borne, and next vnto him, Abinadab, and the third, Shammah.

14And Dauid was the yongest: and the three eldest followed Saul.

15But Dauid went, and returned from Saul, to feed his fathers sheepe at Bethlehem.

16And the Philistine drewe neere, morning and euening, and presented himselfe forty dayes.

17And Iesse said vnto Dauid his sonne, Take now for thy brethren an ephah of this parched corne, and these ten loaues, and run to the campe to thy brethren.

18And carie these ten cheeses vnto the Captaine of their thousand, and looke how thy brethren fare, and take their pledge.

19Now Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel were in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines.

20 And Dauid rose vp earely in the morning, and left the sheepe with a keeper, and tooke, and went, as Iesse had commanded him; and he came to the trench, as the host was going forth to the fight, and shouted for the battell.

21For Israel and the Philistines had put the battel in aray, army against armie.

22And Dauid left his cariage in the hand of the keeper of the cariage, and ranne into the armie, and came and saluted his brethren.

23And as he talked with them, behold, there came vp the champion (the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name) out of the armies of the Philistines, and spake according to the same words: and Dauid heard them.

24And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were sore afraid.

25And the men of Israel said, Haue yee seene this man that is come vp? Surely to defie Israel is he come vp: and it shall be that the man who killeth him, the king wil enrich him with great riches, and will giue him his daughter, and make his fathers house free in Israel.

26And Dauid spake to the men that stood by him, saying; What shall bee done to the man that killeth this Philistine; and taketh away the reproch from Israel? for who is this vncircumcised Philistine, that he should defie the armies of the liuing God?

27And the people answered him after this maner, saying, So shall it be done to the man that killeth him.

28 And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake vnto the men, and Eliabs anger was kindled against Dauid, and he said, Why camest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheepe in the wildernesse? I know thy pride, and the naughtinesse of thine heart; for thou art come downe, that thou mightest see the battell.

29And Dauid saide, What haue I now done? Is there not a cause?

30 And hee turned from him towards another, and spake after the same maner: and the people answered him againe after the former maner.

31And when the words were heard which Dauid spake, they rehearsed them before Saul: and he sent for him.

32 And Dauid said to Saul, Let no mans heart faile, because of him: thy seruant will goe and fight with this Philistine.

33And Saul said to Dauid, Thou art not able to goe against this Philistine, to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of warre from his youth.

34And Dauid said vnto Saul, Thy seruant kept his fathers sheepe, and there came a Lyon, and a Beare, and tooke a lambe out of the flocke:

35And I went out after him, and smote him, and deliuered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him.

36Thy seruant slew both the Lyon and the Beare: and this vncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the liuing God.

37Dauid saide moreouer, The Lord that deliuered me out of the paw of the Lyon, and out of the pawe of the Beare, he will deliuer me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said vnto Dauid, Goe, and the Lord be with thee.

38 And Saul armed Dauid with his armour, and hee put an helmet of brasse vpon his head, also he armed him with a coat of male.

39And Dauid girded his sword vpon his armour, and he assayed to goe, for he had not proued it: and Dauid said vnto Saul, I cannot goe with these: for I haue not proued them. And Dauid put them off him.

40And hee tooke his staffe in his hand, and chose him fiue smoothe stones out of the brooke, and put them in a shepheards bag which he had, euen in a scrip, and his sling was in his hande, and he drew neere to the Philistine.

41And the Philistine came on and drew neere vnto Dauid, and the man that bare the shield, went before him.

42And when the Philistine looked about, and saw Dauid, hee disdained him: for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and of a faire countenance.

43And the Philistine said vnto Dauid, Am I a dog, that thou commest to me with staues? and the Philistine cursed Dauid by his gods.

44And the Philistine said to Dauid, Come to me, and I will giue thy flesh vnto the foules of the aire, and to the beasts of the field.

45Then said Dauid to the Philistine, Thou commest to mee with a sword, and with a speare, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the Name of the Lord of hostes, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.

46This day wil the Lord deliuer thee into mine hand, and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee, and I wil giue the carkeises of the host of the Philistines this day vnto the foules of the aire, and to the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.

47And all this assembly shal know that the Lord saueth not with sword & speare (for the battell is the Lords ) and he will giue you into our hands.

48And it came to passe when the Philistine arose, and came, and drewe nigh to meet Dauid, that Dauid hasted, and ran toward the armie to meete the Philistine.

49And Dauid put his hande in his bag, and tooke thence a stone, and slang it, & smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunke into his forehead, and he fell vpon his face to the earth.

50So Dauid preuailed ouer the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him, but there was no sword in the hande of Dauid.

51Therefore Dauid ran and stood vpon the Philistine, and tooke his sword, and drewe it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off his head therewith. And when the Philistines sawe their champion was dead, they fled.

52And the men of Israel, and of Iudah arose, and shouted, and pursued the Philistines, vntill thou come to the valley, and to the gates of Ekron: and the wounded of the Philistines fell downe by the way to Shaaraim, euen vnto Gath, and vnto Ekron.

53And the children of Israel returned from chasing after the Philistines, and they spoiled their tents.

54And Dauid tooke the head of the Philistine, and brought it to Ierusalem, but he put his armour in his tent.

55 And when Saul sawe Dauid goe forth against the Philistine, he sayd vnto Abner the captaine of the hoste, Abner, whose sonne is this youth? And Abner said, As thy soule liueth, O king, I cannot tell.

56And the king said, Enquire thou whose sonne the stripling is.

57And as Dauid returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, Abner tooke him, & brought him before Saul, with the head of the Philistine in his hand.

58And Saul saide to him, Whose sonne art thou, thou yong man? And Dauid answered, I am the sonne of thy seruant Iesse, the Bethlehemite.

I == Josh 15:35 ; 1st Sam 13:5 ; 1st Chr 11:13 ; 2nd Chr 28:18

IV == Josh 11:22 ; 2nd Sam 21:19

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

VII == 2nd Sam 21:19

 

 

VIII == 1st Sam 8:17

 

 

 

IX == 1st Sam 11:1

 

X == 1st Sam 16:26 ; 2nd Sam 21:21

 

 

 

XII == Gen 35:19 ; Ruth 4:22 ; 1st Sam 16:1 , 8, 10-11 ; 17:58 ; 1st Chr 2:13-15

XIII == 1st Sam 16:6 , 8-9 ; 1st Chr 2:13

 

 

 

 

XV == 1st Sam 16:19

 

 

 

 

 

XVIII == Gen 37:14

 

 

 

 

XX == 1st Sam 26:5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XXIII == 1st Sam 17:8

 

 

 

 

 

XXV == Josh 15:16

 

 

 

 

XXVI == Deut 5:26 ; 1st Sam 11:2 ; 14:6 ; 17:10

 

 

XXVII == 1st Sam 17:25

 

XXVIII == Gen 37:4 , 8 , 11 ; Matt 10:36

 

 

 

 

 

XXIX == 1st Sam 17:17

XXX == 1st Sam 17:26-27

 

 

 

 

XXXII == Deut 20:1 , 3 : 1st Sam 16:18

XXXIII == Num 13:31 ; Deut 9:2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XXXVII == 1st Sam 20:13 ; 1st Chr 22:11 , 16 ; Ps 18:16-17 ; 63:7 ; 77:11 ; 2nd Cor 1:10 ; 2nd Tim 4:17-18

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XLII == 1st Sam 16:12 ; Ps 123:3-4 ; 1st Cor 1:27-28

XLIII == 1st Sam 24:14 ; 2nd Sam 3:8 ; 9:8 ; 16:9 ; 2nd Kings 8:13XLIV == 1st Kings 20:10-11

 

 

XLV == 1st Sam 17:10 ; 2nd Sam 22:33 , 35 ; Ps 124:8 ; 125:1 ; 2nd Cor 10:4 ; Heb 11:33-34

 

XLVI == Deut 28:26 ; Josh 4:24 ; 1st Kings 8:43 ; 18:36 ; 2nd Kings 19:19 ; Isa 52:10

 

 

XLVII == 2nd Chr 20:15 ; Ps 44:6-7 ; Hos 1:7 ; Zech 4:6

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

l == Judg 3:31 ; 15:15 ; 1st Sam 21:9 ; 2nd Xam 23:21

 

LI == Heb 11:34

 

 

 

 

LII == Josh 15:36

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LV == 1s Sam 16:21-22

 

 

 

LVII == 1st Sam 17:54

 

 

LVIII == 1st Sam 17:12

 

 

 

1 The Philistines rallied their forces for battle at Socoh in Judah and camped between Socoh and Azekah at Ephes-dammim.

2 Saul and the Israelites also gathered and camped in the Vale of the Terebinth, drawing up their battle line to meet the Philistines.

3 The Philistines were stationed on one hill and the Israelites on an opposite hill, with a valley between them.

4 A champion named Goliath of Gath came out from the Philistine camp; he was six and a half feet tall.

5 He had a bronze helmet on his head and wore a bronze corselet of scale armor weighing five thousand shekels,

6 and bronze greaves, and had a bronze scimitar slung from a baldric.

7 The shaft of his javelin was like a weaver's heddle-bar, and its iron head weighed six hundred shekels. His shield-bearer went before him.

8 He stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel: "Why come out in battle formation? I am a Philistine, and you are Saul's servants. Choose one of your men, and have him come down to me.

9 If he beats me in combat and kills me, we will be your vassals; but if I beat him and kill him, you shall be our vassals and serve us."

10 The Philistine continued: "I defy the ranks of Israel today. Give me a man and let us fight together."

11 Saul and all the men of Israel, when they heard this challenge of the Philistine, were dismayed and terror-stricken.

12 (David was the son of an Ephrathite named Jesse, who was from Bethlehem in Judah. He had eight sons, and in the days of Saul was old and well on in years.

13 The three oldest sons of Jesse had followed Saul to war; these three sons who had gone off to war were named, the first-born Eliab, the second son Abinadab, and the third Shammah.

14 David was the youngest. While the three oldest had joined Saul,

15 David would go and come from Saul to tend his father's sheep at Bethlehem.

16 (Meanwhile the Philistine came forward and took his stand morning and evening for forty days.

17 (Now Jesse said to his son David: "Take this ephah of roasted grain and these ten loaves for your brothers, and bring them quickly to your brothers in the camp.

18. Also take these ten cheeses for the field officer. Greet your brothers and bring home some token from them.

19 Saul, and they, and all Israel are fighting against the Philistines in the Vale of the Terebinth."

20 Early the next morning, having left the flock with a shepherd, David set out on his errand, as Jesse had commanded him. He reached the barricade of the camp just as the army, on their way to the battleground, were shouting their battle cry.

21 The Israelites and the Philistines drew up opposite each other in battle array.

22 David entrusted what he had brought to the keeper of the baggage and hastened to the battle line, where he greeted his brothers.

23 While he was talking with them, the Philistine champion, by name Goliath of Gath, came up from the ranks of the Philistines and spoke as before, and David listened.

24 When the Israelites saw the man, they all retreated before him, very much afraid.

25 The Israelites had been saying: "Do you see this man coming up? He comes up to insult Israel. If anyone should kill him, the king would give him great wealth, and his daughter as well, and would grant exemption to his father's family in Israel."

26 David now said to the men standing by: "What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and frees Israel of the disgrace? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine in any case, that he should insult the armies of the living God?"

27 They repeated the same words to him and said, "That is how the man who kills him will be rewarded."

28 When Eliab, his oldest brother, heard him speaking with the men, he grew angry with David and said: "Why did you come down? With whom have you left those sheep in the desert meanwhile? I know your arrogance and your evil intent. You came down to enjoy the battle!"

29 David replied, "What have I done now? - I was only talking."

30 Yet he turned from him to another and asked the same question; and everyone gave him the same answer as before.

31 The words that David had spoken were overheard and reported to Saul, who sent for him.)

32 Then David spoke to Saul: "Let your majesty not lose courage. I am at your service to go and fight this Philistine."

33 But Saul answered David, "You cannot go up against this Philistine and fight with him, for you are only a youth, while he has been a warrior from his youth."

34 Then David told Saul: "Your servant used to tend his father's sheep, and whenever a lion or bear came to carry off a sheep from the flock,

35 I would go after it and attack it and rescue the prey from its mouth. If it attacked me, I would seize it by the jaw, strike it, and kill it.

36 Your servant has killed both a lion and a bear, and this uncircumcised Philistine will be as one of them, because he has insulted the armies of the living God."

37 David continued: "The LORD, who delivered me from the claws of the lion and the bear, will also keep me safe from the clutches of this Philistine." Saul answered David, "Go! the LORD will be with you."

38 Then Saul clothed David in his own tunic, putting a bronze helmet on his head and arming him with a coat of mail.

39 David also girded himself with Saul's sword over the tunic. He walked with difficulty, however, since he had never tried armor before. He said to Saul, "I cannot go in these, because I have never tried them before." So he took them off.

40 Then, staff in hand, David selected five smooth stones from the wadi and put them in the pocket of his shepherd's bag. With his sling also ready to hand, he approached the Philistine.

41 With his shield-bearer marching before him, the Philistine also advanced closer and closer to David.

42 When he had sized David up, and seen that he was youthful, and ruddy, and handsome in appearance, he held him in contempt.

43 The Philistine said to David, "Am I a dog that you come against me with a staff?" Then the Philistine cursed David by his gods

44 and said to him, "Come here to me, and I will leave your flesh for the birds of the air and the beasts of the field."

45 David answered him: "You come against me with sword and spear and scimitar, but I come against you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel that you have insulted.

46 Today the LORD shall deliver you into my hand; I will strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will leave your corpse and the corpses of the Philistine army for the birds of the air and the beasts of the field; thus the whole land shall learn that Israel has a God.

47 All this multitude, too, shall learn that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves. For the battle is the LORD'S, and he shall deliver you into our hands."

48 The Philistine then moved to meet David at close quarters, while David ran quickly toward the battle line in the direction of the Philistine.

49 David put his hand into the bag and took out a stone, hurled it with the sling, and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone embedded itself in his brow, and he fell prostrate on the ground.

50 (Thus David overcame the Philistine with sling and stone; he struck the Philistine mortally, and did it without a sword.)

51 Then David ran and stood over him; with the Philistine's own sword (which he drew from its sheath) he dispatched him and cut off his head.When they saw that their hero was dead, the Philistines took to flight.

52 Then the men of Israel and Judah, with loud shouts, went in pursuit of the Philistines to the approaches of Gath and to the gates of Ekron, and Philistines fell wounded along the road from Shaaraim as far as Gath and Ekron.

53 On their return from the pursuit of the Philistines, the Israelites looted their camp.

54 David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem; but he kept Goliath's armor in his own tent.

55 (When Saul saw David go out to meet the Philistine, he asked his general Abner, "Abner, whose son is that youth?" Abner replied, "As truly as your majesty is alive, I have no idea."

56 And the king said, "Find out whose son the lad is."

57 So when David returned from slaying the Philistine, Abner took him and presented him to Saul. David was still holding the Philistine's head.

58 Saul then asked him, "Whose son are you, young man?" David replied, "I am the son of your servant Jesse of Bethlehem."

v 1-3. We don’t know how many years after David played for Saul that this battle takes place. The Philistines invaded Israel, and when Saul counter attacked, the Philistines took positions on the hill toward Socoh, south of the valley of Elah, and Israel toward Azekah on the north.

v 4-7. Goliath was a descendant of the Anakim giants which Joshua defeated, Josh. 11:21,22. He was nine foot nine, his armor 125 # and the head of his spear 15 #. This heavy a spear he would carry on his shoulders.  Greaves were shin guards on his boots. Target is later spoken of as a shield, but here, a short sword.

 

 

v 8-11. When battles were at a stalemate, as this had been for forty days, v 16, armies at times selected champions who would decide the outcome in this manner. The Israelites were sure they would be defeated if an individual had to fight Goliath. However, the Philistines had no intention of keeping their word, as they did not surrender but fled, v 51,52.

 

 

v 12-16. David’s father was older than most men of that day, well beyond military age, but he had sent his three oldest to battle. Idleness is the “Devil’s workshop”, but now Saul is more active and doesn’t need David’s soothing music. David could have stayed in court, no doubt, but responsibly went back to care for his father’s sheep.

 

 

 

 

 

v 17-19. David was given nearly a bushel of ripening grain which was parched, and the loaves and cheeses to carry (run) without the aid of a donkey. The cheese was for the officer to distribute. Jesse was probably concerned for both the physical and moral well being of his sons. The pledge was some small thing, such as a lock of hair or nail, to send back to show that they were all right and David had done his job.

v 20-27. Leaving the sheep with a caretaker, David arose early and made haste to get to the encampment as the fighting was beginning. Leaving his goods with the baggage keeper, he hurried to check on his brothers just as Goliath presented his daily defiance of Israel. The men fled from him in fear and called David’s attention to him, telling what awards there would be for killing Goliath, riches, the king’s daughter, and his family exempt from tax and military service. David as a shepherd had a close relationship with God, and was outraged that  Goliath would defy the armies of God.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

v 28. Eliab was shamed that he had not stood against Goliath, and took out his anger on his little brother, making four false accusations against him.

 

 

v 29. David’s soft answer to turn away wrath, Prov. 15:1, was perhaps a greater feat even than his victory over Goliath.

v 30,31. David asked again, perhaps not so much to make sure of the reward, but that someone would report his zeal to the king, which they did.

v 32-37. If Saul still had the Spirit of the Lord, he might have conquered Goliath, but David tactfully says “no man”. Saul objected to David’s lack of training compared to Goliath, but David assures him that God would deliver him from this heathen Philistine just as he had from the lion and the bear. Then Saul gave his permission.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

v 38-40. David rejected Saul’s heavy armor for his usual weapons, a sling, stones and  staff. Some ridiculously claim that David took five stones, one for Goliath and one for each of his four brothers who might avenge him. David probably wasn’t even aware of his brothers. Shepherds normally carried five stones. It was just as normal for people of that day to carry several stones as it is today to wear an ammo belt. In action they held a second one in their other hand as a spare, even if their accuracy was within a hair breadth, Jud. 20:16.
41-44. Goliath was insulted and infuriated to see an obvious shepherd youth advancing toward him like toward a dog, and cursed David by his gods.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

v 46,47. David was not intimidated, but returned the threat with a statement of triumph and testimony before all that it was the Lord who would bring deliverance.

 

 

 

v 48-54. This  was probably no pebble, because military slingers used rocks nearly as large as a baseball, very deadly. After killing Goliath by a blow in the only open place in his armor, David ran and used Goliath’s own sword to cut off his head. This spurred the other Israelites on and they killed and pursued the enemy for miles until they reached their walled cities for protection, then took much booty. The context infers that David did not proceed further in battle, but gathered up his spoils. He may have had in mind at this point that he needed to be getting back to his father. Context of the following verses indicate Saul must have left pursuit of the Philistines to his commanders,  It is unclear when David put Saul’s armor in his tent or if one was immediately provided, but the sword was later put in the tabernacle, 21:9.  Likewise his head was not taken to Jerusalem that day, because he took it first to Saul, v 57. v 55-58. Some say David was  not recognized because he was no longer a minstrel boy, but a young man with a beard. More likely, Saul is simply asking who the father is, because he would not have remembered that. He would need to know in order to make the father’s house free in Israel. However, Saul did not carry through on any of those promises. As commented on

v 54, this is the day Goliath’s head was brought to Saul. He may have exhibited it in Jerusalem later as a warning to Jebusites and others who sought to rebel against Israel.