War with the Philistines. Goliath challengeth Israel. He is slain by
David.
17:1. Now the Philistines gathering together their troops to battle,
assembled at Socho of Juda: and camped between Socho and Azeca, in the
borders of Dommim.
17:2. And 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.
17:3. 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.
17:4. And there went out a man baseborn from the camp of the
Philistines, named Goliath, of Geth, whose height was six cubits and a
span:
17:5. And 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:
17:6. And he had greaves of brass on his legs, and a buckler of brass
covered his shoulders.
17:7. And 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.
17:8. And 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.
17:9. If 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.
17:10. And 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.
17:11. And Saul and all the Israelites hearing these words of the
Philistine, were dismayed, and greatly afraid.
17:12. Now 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.
17:13. And 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:
17:14. But David was the youngest. So the three eldest having followed
Saul,
17:15. David went, and returned from Saul, to feed his father’s flock
at Bethlehem.
17:16. Now the Philistine came out morning and evening, and presented
himself forty days.
17:17. And 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,
17:18. And carry these ten little cheeses to the tribune: and go see
thy brethren, if they are well: and learn with whom they are placed.
17:19. But Saul, and they, and all the children of Israel, were in the
valley of Terebinth, fighting against the Philistines.
17:20. David, 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.
17:21. For Israel had put themselves in array, and the Philistines who
stood against them were prepared.
17:22. And 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.
17:23. And 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,
17:24. And all the Israelites, when they saw the man, fled from his
face, fearing him exceedingly.
17:25. And 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.
17:26. And 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?
17:27. And the people answered him the same words, saying: These things
shall be given to the man that shall slay him.
17:28. Now when Eliab his eldest brother heard this, when he was
speaking with others, he was angry with David, and said: Why camest
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.
17:29. And David said: What have I done? is there not cause to speak?
17:30. And he turned a little aside from him to another: and said the
same word. And the people answered him as before.
17:31. And the words which David spoke were heard, and were rehearsed
before Saul.
17:32. And when he was brought to Saul, 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.
17:33. And 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.
17:34. And 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:
17:35. And 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.
17:36. For 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?
17:37. And 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.
17:38. And Saul clothed David with his garments, and put a helmet of
brass upon his head, and armed him with a coat of mail.
17:39. And 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,
17:40. And 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.
17:41. And the Philistine came on, and drew nigh against David, and his
armourbearer went before him.
17:42. And when the Philistine looked, and beheld David, he despised
him. For he was a young man, ruddy, and of a comely countenance.
17:43. And 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.
17:44. And 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.
17:45. And 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.
17:46. This 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.
17:47. And 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.
17:48. And 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.
17:49. And 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.
17:50. And 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,
17:51. He 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.
17:52. And 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.
17:53. And the children of Israel returning, after they had pursued the
Philistines, fell upon their camp.
17:54. And David taking the head of the Philistine, brought it to
Jerusalem: but his armour he put in his tent.
17:55. Now 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.
17:56. And the king said: Inquire thou, whose son this young man is.
17:57. And 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.
17:58. And Saul said to him: Young man, of what family art thou? And
David said: I am the son of thy servant Isai the Bethlehemite.