David and Goliath

17 Now the Philistines ^vgathered their armies for battle. And they were gathered at ^wSocoh, which belongs to Judah, and encamped between Socoh and ^xAzekah, in ^yEphes-dammim. 2 And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered, and encamped in ^zthe Valley of Elah, and drew up in line of battle against the Philistines. 3 And the Philistines stood on the mountain on the one side, and Israel stood on the mountain on the other side, with a valley between them. 4 And there came out from the camp of the Philistines a champion named ^aGoliath of ^bGath, whose height was six¹ cubits² and a span. 5 He had a helmet of bronze on his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail, and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels³ of bronze. 6 And he had bronze armor on his legs, and a ^cjavelin of bronze slung between his shoulders. 7 The shaft of his spear was like a weaver’s beam, and his spear’s head weighed six hundred shekels of iron. ^dAnd his shield-bearer went before him. 8 He stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, “Why have you come out to draw up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and ^eare you not servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me. 9 If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants. But if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our servants ^fand serve us.” 10 And the Philistine said, ^g“I 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 ^hthe son of an ⁱEphrathite of Bethlehem in Judah, ^jnamed Jesse, ^kwho had eight sons. In the days of Saul the man was already old and advanced in years.⁴ 13 The three oldest sons of Jesse had followed Saul to the battle. And ^lthe names of his three sons who went to the battle were Eliab the firstborn, and next to him Abinadab, and the third Shammah. 14 ^mDavid was the youngest. The three eldest followed Saul, 15 but David went back and forth from Saul ⁿto feed his father’s sheep at Bethlehem. 16 For forty days the Philistine came forward and took his stand, morning and evening.

17 And Jesse said to David his son, “Take for your brothers an ephah⁵ of this parched grain, and these ten loaves, and carry them quickly to the camp to your brothers. 18 ^oAlso take these ten cheeses to the commander of their thousand. ^pSee if your brothers are well, and bring some token from them.”

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 early in the morning and left the sheep with a keeper and took the provisions and went, as Jesse had commanded him. And he came to ^qthe encampment as the host was going out to the battle line, shouting the war cry. 21 And Israel and the Philistines drew up for battle, army against army. 22 And David left the ^rthings in charge of the keeper of the ^rbaggage and ran to the ranks and went and greeted his brothers. 23 As he talked with them, behold, ^sthe champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, came up out of the ranks of the Philistines and spoke ^tthe same words as before. And David heard him.

24 All the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him and were much afraid. 25 And the men of Israel said, “Have you seen this man who has come up? Surely he has come up to ^udefy Israel. And the king will enrich the man who kills him with great riches ^vand will give him his daughter and make his father’s house free in Israel.” 26 And David said to the men who stood by him, “What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away ^wthe reproach from Israel? For who is this ^xuncircumcised Philistine, that he should ^udefy the armies of ^ythe living God?” 27 And the people answered him in the same way, ^z“So shall it be done to the man who kills him.”

28 Now Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spoke to the men. And Eliab’s anger was kindled against David, and he said, “Why have you come down? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your presumption and the evil of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle.” 29 And David said, “What have I done now? Was it not but a word?” 30 And he turned away from him toward another, and spoke ^bin the same way, and the people answered him again as before.

31 When the words that David spoke were heard, they repeated them before Saul, and he sent for him. 32 And David said to Saul, ^c“Let no man’s heart fail because of him. ^dYour servant will go and fight with this Philistine.” 33 And Saul said to David, “You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him, for you are but a youth, and he has been a man of war from his youth.” 34 But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep sheep for his father. And when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb from the flock, 35 I went after him and struck him and delivered it out of his mouth. And if he arose against me, I caught him by his beard and struck him and killed him. 36 Your servant has struck down both lions and bears, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, ^efor he has defied the armies of the living God.” 37 And David said, ^f“The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” And Saul said to David, “Go, ^gand the Lord be with you!”

38 Then Saul clothed David with his armor. He put a helmet of bronze on his head and clothed him with a coat of mail, 39 and David strapped his sword over his armor. And he tried in vain to go, for he had not tested them. Then David said to Saul, “I cannot go with these, for I have not tested them.” So David put them off. 40 Then he took his staff in his hand and chose five smooth stones from the brook and put them in his shepherd’s pouch. His sling was in his hand, and he approached the Philistine.

41 And the Philistine moved forward and came near to David, ^hwith his shield-bearer in front of him. 42 And when the Philistine looked and saw David, he disdained him, for he was but a youth, ⁱruddy and handsome in appearance. 43 And the Philistine said to David, “Am I ^ja dog, that you come to me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44 The Philistine said to David, “Come to me, and I will give your flesh ^kto the birds of the air and to the beasts of the field.” 45 Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with ^la javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, ^ewhom you have defied. 46 This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head. ^mAnd I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day ⁿto the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth, ^othat all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, 47 and that all this assembly may know that ^pthe Lord saves not with sword and spear. ^qFor the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give you into our hand.”

48 When the Philistine arose and came and drew near to meet David, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine. 49 And David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone and slung it and struck the Philistine on his forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the ground.

50 So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him. There was no sword in the hand of David. 51 Then David ran and stood over the Philistine ^rand took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him and cut off his head with it. When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, ^sthey fled. 52 And the men of Israel and Judah rose with a shout and pursued the Philistines as far as Gath⁶ and the gates of ^tEkron, so that the wounded Philistines fell on the way from ^uShaaraim as far as ^vGath and Ekron. 53 And the people of Israel came back from chasing the Philistines, and they plundered their camp. 54 And David took ^wthe head of the Philistine ^xand brought it to Jerusalem, but he put his armor in his tent.

55 As soon as Saul saw David go out against the Philistine, he said to Abner, ^ythe commander of the army, “Abner, ^zwhose son is this youth?” And Abner said, ^a“As your soul lives, O king, I do not know.” 56 And the king said, “Inquire whose son the boy is.” 57 And as soon as David returned from the striking down of the Philistine, Abner took him, and brought him before Saul ^bwith the head of the Philistine in his hand. 58 And Saul said to him, “Whose son are you, young man?” And David answered, ^c“I am the son of your servant Jesse the Bethlehemite.”

David and Jonathan’s Friendship

18 As soon as he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan ^dloved him as his own soul. 2 And Saul took him that day ^eand would not let him return to his father’s house. 3 Then Jonathan made a covenant with David, because ^dhe loved him as his own soul. 4 And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, and his armor, and even his sword and his bow and his belt. 5 And David went out ^fand was successful wherever Saul sent him, so that Saul set him over the men of war. And this was good in the sight of all the people and also in the sight of Saul’s servants.

Saul’s Jealousy of David

6 As they were coming home, when David returned from striking down the Philistine, ^gthe women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with songs of joy, and with musical instruments.¹ 7 And the women ^hsang to one another as they celebrated,

8 And Saul was very angry, and this saying displeased him. He said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed thousands, and what more can he have but ^jthe kingdom?” 9 And Saul eyed David from that day on.

10 The next day ^ka harmful spirit from God rushed upon Saul, and ^lhe raved within his house while David was ^mplaying the lyre, as he did day by day. ⁿSaul had his spear in his hand. 11 And Saul ^ohurled the spear, for he thought, “I will pin David to the wall.” But David evaded him twice.

12 ^pSaul was afraid of David because ^qthe Lord was with him ^rbut had departed from Saul. 13 So Saul removed him from his presence and made him a commander of a thousand. ^sAnd he went out and came in before the people. 14 And David ^thad success in all his undertakings, ^qfor the Lord was with him. 15 And when Saul saw that ^the had great success, he stood in fearful awe of him. 16 ^uBut all Israel and Judah loved David, for he went out and came in before them.

David Marries Michal

17 Then Saul said to David, “Here is ^vmy elder daughter Merab. ^wI will give her to you for a wife. Only be valiant for me ^xand fight the Lord’s battles.” For Saul thought, “Let not my hand be against him, ^ybut let the hand of the Philistines be against him.” 18 And David said to Saul, ^z“Who am I, and who are my relatives, my father’s clan in Israel, that I should be son-in-law to the king?” 19 But at the time when Merab, Saul’s daughter, should have been given to David, she was given to ^aAdriel the ^bMeholathite for a wife.

20 Now ^vSaul’s daughter Michal ^cloved David. And they told Saul, and the thing pleased him. 21 Saul thought, “Let me give her to him, that she may ^dbe a snare for him ^eand that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” Therefore Saul said to David a second time,^{2 f}“You shall now be my son-in-law.” 22 And Saul commanded his servants, “Speak to David in private and say, ‘Behold, the king has delight in you, and all his servants love you. Now then become the king’s son-in-law.’” 23 And Saul’s servants spoke those words in the ears of David. And David said, ^g“Does it seem to you a little thing to become the king’s son-in-law, since I am a poor man and have no reputation?” 24 And the servants of Saul told him, “Thus and so did David speak.” 25 Then Saul said, “Thus shall you say to David, ‘The king desires no ^hbride-price except a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, ⁱthat he may be avenged of the king’s enemies.’” ^jNow Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines. 26 And when his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to be the king’s son-in-law. ^kBefore the time had expired, 27 David arose and went, ^lalong with his men, and killed two hundred of the Philistines. ^mAnd David brought their foreskins, which were given in full number to the king, that he might become the king’s son-in-law. And Saul gave him his daughter Michal for a wife. 28 But when Saul saw and knew that ⁿthe Lord was with David, ^oand that Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved him, 29 Saul was even more afraid of David. So Saul was David’s enemy continually.

30 ^pThen the commanders of the Philistines came out to battle, and as often as they came out ^qDavid had more success than all the servants of Saul, so that his name was highly esteemed.

Saul Tries to Kill David

19 And Saul spoke to Jonathan his son and to all his servants, that they should kill David. ^rBut Jonathan, Saul’s son, delighted much in David. 2 And Jonathan told David, “Saul my father seeks to kill you. Therefore be on your guard in the morning. Stay in a secret place and hide yourself. 3 And I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are, and I will speak to my father about you. And if I learn anything I will tell you.” 4 And Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father and said to him, “Let not the king ^ssin against his servant David, because he has not sinned against you, and because his deeds have brought good to you. 5 For ^the took his life in his hand ^uand he struck down the Philistine, ^vand the Lord worked a great salvation for all Israel. You saw it, and rejoiced. Why then will you sin against ^winnocent blood by killing David without cause?” 6 And Saul listened to the voice of Jonathan. Saul swore, ^x“As the Lord lives, he shall not be put to death.” 7 And Jonathan called David, and Jonathan reported to him all these things. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence ^yas before.

8 And there was war again. And David went out and fought with the Philistines and struck them with a great blow, so that they fled before him. 9 ^zThen a harmful spirit from the Lord came upon Saul, as he sat in his house with his spear in his hand. ^aAnd David was playing the lyre. 10 ^bAnd Saul sought to pin David to the wall with the spear, but he eluded Saul, so that he struck the spear into the wall. And David fled and escaped that night.

11 ^cSaul sent messengers to David’s house to watch him, that he might kill him in the morning. But Michal, David’s wife, told him, “If you do not escape with your life tonight, tomorrow you will be killed.” 12 ^dSo Michal let David down through the window, and he fled away and escaped. 13 Michal took ^ean image¹ and laid it on the bed and put a pillow of goats’ hair at its head and covered it with the clothes. 14 And when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, “He is sick.” 15 Then Saul sent the messengers to see David, saying, “Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may kill him.” 16 And when the messengers came in, behold, ^ethe image was in the bed, with the pillow of goats’ hair at its head. 17 Saul said to Michal, “Why have you deceived me thus and let my enemy go, so that he has escaped?” And Michal answered Saul, “He said to me, ‘Let me go. ^fWhy should I kill you?’”

18 Now David fled and escaped, and he came to Samuel at ^gRamah and told him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and lived at Naioth. 19 And it was told Saul, “Behold, David is at Naioth in Ramah.” 20 Then Saul sent messengers to take David, and when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as head over them, ^hthe Spirit of God came upon the messengers of Saul, ⁱand they also prophesied. 21 When it was told Saul, he sent other messengers, ⁱand they also prophesied. And Saul sent messengers again the third time, ⁱand they also prophesied. 22 Then he himself went to Ramah and came to the great well that is in Secu. And he asked, “Where are Samuel and David?” And one said, “Behold, they are at Naioth in ^gRamah.” 23 And he went there to Naioth in Ramah. ^jAnd the Spirit of God came upon him also, and as he went he prophesied until he came to Naioth in Ramah. 24 ^kAnd he too stripped off his clothes, and he too prophesied before Samuel and lay naked all that day and all that night. Thus it is said, ^l“Is Saul also among the prophets?”

Jonathan Warns David

20 Then David fled from Naioth ^min Ramah and came and said before Jonathan, “What have I done? What is my guilt? And what is my sin before your father, that he seeks my life?” 2 And he said to him, “Far from it! You shall not die. Behold, my father does nothing either great or small without disclosing it to me. And why should my father hide this from me? It is not so.” 3 But David vowed again, saying, “Your father knows well that ⁿI have found favor in your eyes, and he thinks, ‘Do not let Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved.’ But truly, ^oas the Lord lives and ^pas your soul lives, there is but a step between me and death.” 4 Then Jonathan said to David, “Whatever you say, I will do for you.” 5 David said to Jonathan, “Behold, tomorrow is ^qthe new moon, and I should not fail to sit at table with the king. But let me go, ^rthat I may hide myself in the field till the third day at evening. 6 ^sIf your father misses me at all, then say, ‘David earnestly asked leave of me to run ^tto Bethlehem his city, for there is a yearly ^usacrifice there for all the clan.’ 7 If he says, ‘Good!’ it will be well with your servant, but if he is angry, then know that ^vharm is determined by him. 8 Therefore deal kindly with your servant, ^wfor you have brought your servant into a covenant of the Lord with you. ^xBut if there is guilt in me, kill me yourself, for why should you bring me to your father?” 9 And Jonathan said, “Far be it from you! If I knew that ^vit was determined by my father that harm should come to you, would I not tell you?” 10 Then David said to Jonathan, “Who will tell me if your father answers you roughly?” 11 And Jonathan said to David, “Come, let us go out into the field.” So they both went out into the field.