1 Samuel 16-18
Complete Jewish Bible
16 Adonai said to Sh’mu’el, “How much longer are you going to go on grieving for Sha’ul, now that I have rejected him as king over Isra’el? Fill your horn with oil, and set out; I will send you to Yishai the Beit-Lachmi, because I have chosen myself a king from among his sons.” 2 Sh’mu’el said, “How can I go? If Sha’ul hears of it, he will have me killed.” Adonai said, “Take a female cow with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to Adonai.’ 3 Summon Yishai to the sacrifice. I will tell you what to do, and you are to anoint for me the person I point out to you.”
4 Sh’mu’el did what Adonai said and arrived at Beit-Lechem. The leaders of the city came trembling to meet him and asked, “Are you coming in peace?” 5 He answered, “In peace. I have come to sacrifice to Adonai. Consecrate yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice.” He consecrated Yishai and his sons and summoned them to the sacrifice. 6 When they had come, he looked at Eli’av and said, “This has to be Adonai’s anointed one, here before him.” 7 But Adonai said to Sh’mu’el, “Don’t pay attention to how he looks or how tall he is, because I have rejected him. Adonai doesn’t see the way humans see — humans look at the outward appearance, but Adonai looks at the heart.” 8 Then Yishai called Avinadav and presented him to Sh’mu’el; but he said, “Adonai hasn’t chosen this one either.” 9 Yishai presented Shammah; again Sh’mu’el said, “Adonai hasn’t chosen this one either.” 10 Yishai presented seven of his sons to Sh’mu’el; but Sh’mu’el told Yishai, “Adonai has not chosen these. 11 Are all your sons here?” Sh’mu’el asked Yishai. He replied, “There is still the youngest; he’s out there tending the sheep.” Sh’mu’el said to Yishai, “Send and bring him back, because we won’t sit down to eat until he gets here.” 12 He sent and brought him in. With ruddy cheeks, red hair and bright eyes, he was a good-looking fellow. Adonai said, “Stand up and anoint him; he’s the one.” 13 Sh’mu’el took the horn of oil and anointed him there in his brothers’ presence. From that day on, the Spirit of Adonai would fall upon David with power. So Sh’mu’el set out and went to Ramah.
14 Now the Spirit of Adonai had left Sha’ul; instead, an evil spirit from Adonai would suddenly come over him. 15 Sha’ul’s servants said to him, “Do you notice that there’s an evil spirit from God that suddenly comes over you? 16 Let our lord now command your servants who are here with you to look for a man who knows how to play the lyre. Then, if the evil spirit from God comes over you, he will play; and it will do you good.” 17 Sha’ul said to his servants, “Find me a man who can play well, and bring him to me.” 18 One of the young men answered, “Here, I’ve seen one of the sons of Yishai the Beit-Lachmi who knows how to play. He’s a brave soldier, he can fight, he chooses his words carefully and he’s pleasant-looking. Besides, Adonai is with him.” 19 So Sha’ul sent messengers to Yishai saying, “Send me David your son, who is out with the sheep.” 20 Yishai took a donkey, loaded it with bread, a bottle of wine and a kid, and sent them with David his son to Sha’ul. 21 David came to Sha’ul and presented himself to him. Sha’ul took a great liking to him and made him his armor-bearer. 22 Sha’ul sent a message to Yishai: “Please let David stay in my service, because I’m pleased with him.” 23 So it was that whenever the [evil] spirit from God came over Sha’ul, David would take the lyre and play it, with the result that Sha’ul would find relief and feel better, as the evil spirit left him.
17 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 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 P’lishtim occupied a position on one hill and Isra’el a position on another hill, with a valley between them.
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 He had a bronze helmet on his head, and he wore a bronze armor plate weighing 120 pounds. 6 He had bronze armor protecting his legs and a bronze javelin between his shoulders. 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 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 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 The P’lishti added, “I challenge Isra’el’s armies today — give me a man, and we’ll fight it out!” 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 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 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; the three oldest followed Sha’ul. 15 David went back and forth from Sha’ul to pasture his father’s sheep at Beit-Lechem. 16 Meanwhile, the P’lishti approached with his challenge every morning and evening for forty days.
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 bring these ten cheeses to their field officer. Find out if your brothers are well, and bring back some token from them. 19 Sha’ul and your brothers, with all the army of Isra’el, are in the Elah Valley, fighting the P’lishtim.”
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 Isra’el and the P’lishtim had set up their battle lines facing each other. 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 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 soldiers from Isra’el saw the man, they all ran away from him, terrified. 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 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 people answered with what they had been saying, adding, “That’s what will be done for the man who kills him.” 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 said, “What have I done now? I only asked a question.” 30 He turned away from him to someone else and asked the same question, and the people gave him the same answer.
31 David’s words were overheard and told to Sha’ul, who summoned him. 32 David said to Sha’ul, “No one should lose heart because of him; your servant will go and fight this P’lishti.” 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 The P’lishti, with his shield-bearer ahead of him, came nearer and nearer to David. 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 After chasing the P’lishtim, the army of Isra’el returned and plundered their camp.
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 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 this boy is.” 57 As 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 Sha’ul asked him, “Young man, whose son are you?” David answered, “I am the son of your servant Yishai the Beit-Lachmi.”
18 By the time David had finished speaking to Sha’ul, Y’honatan found himself inwardly drawn by David’s character, so that Y’honatan loved him as he did himself. 2 That day, Sha’ul took David into his service and would not let him go home to his father’s house any more. 3 Y’honatan made a covenant with David, because he loved him as he did himself. 4 Y’honatan removed the cloak he was wearing and gave it to David, his armor too, including his sword, bow and belt. 5 David would go out, and no matter where Sha’ul sent him, he was successful. Sha’ul put him in charge of the fighting men; all the people thought it good, and so did Sha’ul’s servants.
6 As David and the others were returning from the slaughter of the P’lishti, the women came out of all the cities of Isra’el to meet King Sha’ul, singing and dancing joyfully with tambourines and three-stringed instruments. 7 In their merrymaking the women sang,
“Sha’ul has killed his thousands,
but David his tens of thousands.”
8 Sha’ul became very angry, because this song displeased him. He said, “They give David credit for tens of thousands, but me they give credit for only thousands. Now all he lacks is the kingdom!” 9 From that day on, Sha’ul viewed David with suspicion.
10 The following day an evil spirit from God came powerfully over Sha’ul, so that he fell into a frenzy in the house. David was there, playing his lyre as on other occasions. This time Sha’ul had his spear in his hand; 11 and he threw the spear, thinking, “I will pin David to the wall!” But David dodged out of the way twice. 12 Sha’ul became afraid of David, because Adonai was with him and had left Sha’ul. 13 Therefore Sha’ul put him at a distance from himself by making him commander over a thousand; his goings and comings became public knowledge. 14 David had great success in all his ways; Adonai was with him. 15 When Sha’ul saw how very successful he was, he became afraid of him. 16 But all Isra’el and Y’hudah loved David, because they knew about all his campaigns.
17 Sha’ul said to David, “Here is my older daughter Merav. I will give her to you as your wife; only continue displaying your courage for me, and fight Adonai’s battles.” Sha’ul was thinking, “I don’t dare touch him, so let the P’lishtim do away with him.” 18 David’s response to Sha’ul was, “Who am I, that I should become the king’s son-in-law? I don’t have any kind of a life, and my father’s family has no rank in Isra’el.” 19 However, when it was time for Merav Sha’ul’s daughter to be given to David, she was given to Adri’el the Mecholati as his wife. 20 But Mikhal Sha’ul’s daughter fell in love with David. They told Sha’ul, and it pleased him. 21 Sha’ul said, “I’ll give her to him, so that she can entrap him, and the P’lishtim can do away with him.” So Sha’ul said to David, “Today you will become my son-in-law through the second [daughter].” 22 Sha’ul ordered his servants to speak privately with David and say, “Look, the king is pleased with you, and all his servants like you; so become the king’s son-in-law.” 23 Sha’ul’s servants said this to David; but David replied, “Do you think being the king’s son-in-law is something to be treated so casually, given that I’m a poor man without social standing?” 24 Sha’ul’s servants reported back to him how David had responded. 25 Sha’ul said, “Here’s what you are to say to David: ‘The king doesn’t want any dowry; he wants a hundred foreskins of the P’lishtim, so that he can have vengeance on the king’s enemies.” For Sha’ul was hoping to have David killed by the P’lishtim. 26 When his servants said these words to David, it pleased David to become the king’s son-in-law. Even before the time [for him to be married], 27 David got up and set out, he and his men, and killed two hundred men of the P’lishtim. He brought their foreskins and gave all of them to the king in order to become the king’s son-in-law. Then Sha’ul gave him Mikhal his daughter as his wife.
28 Sha’ul saw and understood that Adonai was with David and that Mikhal Sha’ul’s daughter loved him. 29 This only made Sha’ul the more afraid of David, so that Sha’ul became David’s enemy for the rest of his life.
30 The leaders of the P’lishtim would attack; but whenever they attacked, David was more successful than any of Sha’ul’s servants; so that David acquired a great reputation.
Shmuel Alef 16-18
Orthodox Jewish Bible
16 And Hashem said unto Shmuel, Ad mosai wilt thou mourn for Sha’ul, seeing I have rejected him as Melech al Yisroel? Fill thine keren with shemen, and go, I will send thee to Yishai of Beit-Lechem: for I have provided Me a melech among his banim.
2 And Shmuel said, How can I go? If Sha’ul hear it, he will kill me. And Hashem said, Take an eglat bakar (heifer of the herd) with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to Hashem.
3 And call Yishai to the zevach, and I will show thee what thou shalt do; umashachta (and thou shalt anoint) unto Me him whom I say unto thee.
4 And Shmuel did that which Hashem spoke, and came to Beit-Lechem. And the zekenim of the town trembled at his coming, and said, Comest thou in shalom?
5 And he said, Shalom; I am come to sacrifice unto Hashem; set yourselves apart as kodesh, and come with me to the zevach. And he set apart as kodesh Yishai and his banim, and called them to the zevach.
6 And it came to pass, when they were come, that he [Shmuel] took one look at Eliav, and said, Surely Hashem’s Moshiach is before Him.
7 But Hashem said unto Shmuel, Look not on his mareh (appearance), or on the height of his stature; because I have rejected him; for Hashem seeth not as HaAdam seeth; for HaAdam looketh at the einayim (eyes, outward form); Hashem looketh at the lev.
8 Then Yishai called Avinadav, and made him pass before Shmuel. And he said, Neither hath Hashem chosen this.
9 Then Yishai made Shammah to pass by. And he said, Neither hath Hashem chosen this.
10 Again, Yishai made his shivat banim to pass before Shmuel. And Shmuel said unto Yishai, these Hashem hath not bachar (chosen).
11 And Shmuel said unto Yishai, Are here all thy ne’arim (boys)? And he said, There remaineth yet the katan (small, young), and, hinei, ro’eh batzon (tending the flock) is he. And Shmuel said unto Yishai, Send and get him; for we will not sit down [to eat] till he come here.
12 And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was adomoni (ruddy, of healthy red complexion) and withal of a yafeh countenance, and good-looking. And Hashem said, Arise, meshachehu (anoint him); ki zeh hu (for this is he).
13 Then Shmuel took the keren of shemen, v’yimshach (and anointed) him in the midst of his achim; and the Ruach [Hakodesh] of Hashem came upon Dovid from that day forward. So Shmuel rose up, and went to Ramah.
14 But the Ruach [Hakodesh] of Hashem departed from Sha’ul, and a ruach ra’ah from Hashem terrified and overwhelmed him [Sha’ul].
15 And the avdei Sha’ul said unto him, Hinei now, a ruach Elohim ra’ah terrifieth and overwhelmeth thee.
16 Let adoneinu now command thy avadim, which are before thee, to seek out an ish, who is a menagen (player) on the kinnor (harp); and it shall come to pass, when the ruach Elohim ra’ah is upon thee, that he shall play with his yad, and thou shalt be tov (better, well).
17 And Sha’ul said unto his avadim, Look for me now an ish that can play well, and bring him to me.
18 Then answered one of the ne’arim, and said, Hinei, I have seen a ben of Yishai of Beit-Lechem, that is skillful in playing, and a gibbor chayil and an ish milchamah prudent in matters, and an ish to’ar (handsome man), and Hashem is with him.
19 Wherefore Sha’ul sent malachim unto Yishai, and said, Send me Dovid binecha, which is with the tzon.
20 And Yishai took a chamor laden with lechem, and a skin of yayin, and a gedi (young goat), and sent them by Dovid bno unto Sha’ul.
21 And Dovid came to Sha’ul, and stood before him; and he loved him greatly; and he became his no’se kelim (armor-bearer).
22 And Sha’ul sent to Yishai, saying, Let Dovid, now, stand before me; for he hath found chen (favor) in my eyes.
23 And it came to pass, when the ruach Elohim was upon Sha’ul, that Dovid took the kinnor, and played with his yad; so Sha’ul was relieved, and was tov, and the ruach hara’ah departed from him.
17 Now the Pelishtim gathered together their machanot (camps, military forces), for milchamah and were gathered together at Shochoh, which belongeth to Yehudah, and encamped between Shochoh and Azekah, in Ephes Dammim.
2 And Sha’ul and the Ish Yisroel were gathered together, and encamped by the Emek (valley) of Elah, and drew up in battle array against the Pelishtim (Philistines).
3 And the Pelishtim stood on the har on the one side, and Yisroel stood on the har on the other side; and there was a gey between them.
4 And there went out an Ish HaBenayim [i.e., a middleman champion whose single combat saves the day and decides the victor] out of the machanot of the Pelishtim, shmo Golyat (Goliath), of Gat, whose height was shesh cubits and a span.
5 And he had a kova (helmet) of nechoshet upon his rosh, and he was wearing a coat of mail armor; and the weight of the coat of armor was five thousand shekels of nechoshet.
6 And he had mitzchah (greaves, i.e., leg plate armor) of nechoshet upon his legs, and a kidron (javelin) of nechoshet [slung] between his shoulders.
7 And the khetz (shaft) of his khanit (spear) was like a weaver’s beam; and his spear’s blade weighed six hundred barzel (iron) shekels; and the no’se tzinnah (great shield bearer) walked ahead of him.
8 And he stood and cried out unto the ma’arkhot Yisroel (ranks of Israel), and said unto them, Why are ye come out to line up for milchamah? Am not I a Philistine, and ye avadim of Sha’ul? Choose you an ish 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 avadim; but if I prevail over him, and kill him, then shall ye be to us for avadim, and serve us.
10 And the Philistine said, I defy the maarkhot Yisroel this day; give me ish, that we may fight together.
11 When Sha’ul and kol Yisroel heard those divrei haPelishti, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid.
12 Now Dovid was the ben ish of that Ephrati from Beit-Lechem Yehudah, shmo Yishai; and he had shmoneh banim; and the ish [Yishai] was zaken in the days of Sha’ul, advanced in age among anashim.
13 And the shloshet Bnei Yishai hagedolim went and followed Sha’ul to the milchamah; and the shem of his three banim that went to the milchamah were Eliav the bechor, and mishneh unto him Avinadav, and hashelishi (the third) Shammah.
14 And Dovid was the katan; and the shloshah hagedolim followed Sha’ul.
15 But Dovid went and returned from Sha’ul to tend tzon aviv at Beit-Lechem.
16 And the Pelishti drew near morning and evening, and presented himself arba’im yom.
17 And Yishai said unto Dovid bno, Take now for thy achim an ephah of this roasted grain, and these ten lechem, and run to the machaneh of thy achim;
18 And carry these ten charitzei hecholov (cuts of milk, hence cheeses) unto the sar of their elef (unit, thousand), and look how thy achim fare for shalom, and take their arvut (pledge).
19 Now Sha’ul, and they, and all the Ish Yisroel, were in the Emek (Valley) of Elah (Oak), fighting with the Pelishtim (Philistines).
20 And Dovid rose up early in the boker, and left the tzon with a shomer (watchman), and loaded up, and embarked, as Yishai had commanded him; and he came to the camp, as the army was going forth to the fight and shouted for the milchamah (battle).
21 For Yisroel and the Pelishtim took their positions, ma’arakhah (battle array) facing ma’arakhah.
22 And Dovid left his supplies in the yad of the shomer hakelim (supply master), and ran into the ma’arakhah (battle line), and came and gave shalom greeting to his achim.
23 And as he talked with them, hinei, there came up the Ish HaBenayim Golyat HaPelishti shmo, from Gat, out of the lines of the Pelishtim, and spoke according to these words; and Dovid heard them.
24 And all the Ish Yisroel, when they saw the ish, fled from before him, and were greatly afraid.
25 And the Ish Yisroel said, Have ye seen this ish that is come up? Surely to defy Yisroel is he come up; and it shall be, that the ish who killeth him, the melech will give ashires gadol and will give him bitto (his daughter) [in marriage], and bais aviv make khofshi b’Yisroel (free, tax-exempt in Israel).
26 And Dovid spoke to the anashim that stood by him, saying, What shall be done for the ish that killeth this Pelishti, and taketh away the cherpah (reproach) from Yisroel? For who is this Pelishti hearel (uncircumcised Philistine) that he should defy the ma’arkhot Elohim Chayyim (arrayed battle forces of the living G-d)?
27 And HaAm answered him after this manner, saying, So shall it be done to the ish that killeth him.
28 And Eliav achiv hagadol heard when he spoke unto the anashim; and af Eliav was kindled against Dovid, and he said, Why camest thou down hither? And with whom hast thou left those few tzon in the midbar? I know thy zadon (presumptuousness), and the evil of thine levav; for thou art come down l’ma’an (in order that) thou mightest watch the milchamah.
29 And Dovid said, What have I done now? It was only a davar (word) [I said], wasn’t it?
30 And he turned from him toward another, and spoke after the same manner; and HaAm answered him again according to the davar harishon (the previous word).
31 And when the devarim (words) were heard which Dovid spoke, they rehearsed them before Sha’ul: and he sent for him.
32 And Dovid said to Sha’ul, Let no lev adam fail because of him; thy eved will go and fight with this Pelishti.
33 And Sha’ul said to Dovid, Thou art not able to go against this Pelishti to fight with him: for thou art but a na’ar (boy), and he an ish milchamah (man of war) from his youth.
34 And Dovid said unto Sha’ul, Thy eved is ro’eh (shepherd) of tzon of aviv, and there came the ari, and the dov, and carried off seh out of the eder (flock):
35 And I went out after him, and struck him, and saved out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught hold by his zakan (beard), and struck him, and killed him.
36 Thy eved slaughtered both the ari and the dov: and this Pelishti hearel (uncircumcised Philistine) shall be as one of them, seeing he hath charaf (taunted, defied, disgraced) the maarkhot Elohim Chayyim.
37 Dovid said moreover, Hashem that saved me out of the paw of the ari, and out of the paw of the dov, He will save me out of the yad of this Pelishti. And Sha’ul said unto Dovid, Go, and Hashem be with thee.
38 And Sha’ul dressed Dovid with his armor-clothes, put a kova of nechoshet upon his rosh; also he dressed him with a coat of mail armor.
39 And Dovid girded his cherev over his armor-clothes, and he tried to walk; for lo nissah (he had not tested, proved) it. And Dovid said unto Sha’ul, I cannot go with these; for lo nissti (I have not proved them). And Dovid took them off him.
40 And he took his makel (stick, staff) in his yad, and chose him chamishah chalukei avanim (five smooth stones) out of the nachal (brook), and put them in a keli haro’im (shepherd’s bag) which he had, even in a wayfarer’s bag; and his kela (slingshot) was in his yad; and he drew near to the Pelishti.
41 And the Pelishti came on and drew near unto Dovid; and the ish, the no’se hatzinnah, went ahead of him.
42 And when the Pelishti squinted and saw Dovid, he despised him: for he was but a na’ar (boy), and admoni (ruddy), and yafeh mareh (good-looking).
43 And the Pelishti said unto Dovid, Am I a kelev (dog), that thou comest to me with maklot (sticks)? And the Pelishti cursed Dovid by his g-ds.
44 And the Pelishti said to Dovid, Come to me, and I will give thy basar unto the oph hashomayim, and to the behemat hasadeh.
45 Then said Dovid to the Pelishti, Thou comest against me with a cherev (sword), and with a khanit (spear), and with a kidon (javelin); but I come against thee b’Shem Hashem Tzva’os Elohei Ma’arkhot Yisroel, whom thou hast defied.
46 This day will Hashem hand thee over into mine yad; and I will strike thee down, and take thine rosh from thee; and I will give the peger machaneh Pelishtim this day unto the oph hashomayim, and to the chayyat ha’aretz; that kol ha’aretz may know that there is Elohim in Yisroel.
47 And kol hakahal hazeh shall know that Hashem yehoshi’a (saveth) not with cherev or khanit; for the milchamah is Hashem’s, and He will give you (plural) into yadenu (our hands).
48 And it came to pass, when the Pelishti arose, and came, and drew nigh to meet Dovid, that Dovid hastened, and ran toward the ma’arakhah (battle line) to meet the Pelishti.
49 And Dovid put his yad in his keli (bag), and took from there an even (stone), and slung it, and struck the Pelishti in his metzach (forehead), that the even (stone) sunk into his metzach; and he fell upon his face to the ground.
50 So Dovid prevailed chazak over the Pelishti with a sling and with an even (stone), and struck down the Pelishti, and killed him; but there was no cherev in the yad Dovid.
51 Therefore Dovid ran, and stood over the Pelishti, and took hold of his cherev, and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slaughtered him, v’yikhrat (and cut off [See Daniel 9:26, Moshiach yikaret (will be cut off) but in Daniel the phrase means “Moshiach will be violently killed”) his rosh therewith. And when the Pelishtim saw their gibbor was dead, they fled.
52 And the Anshei Yisroel and of Yehudah arose, and shouted, and pursued the Pelishtim, until thou come to the gey (valley), and to the Sha’arei Ekron. And the challei Pelishtim fell by the derech to Shaarayim, even unto Gat, and unto Ekron.
53 And the Bnei Yisroel returned from chasing after the Pelishtim, and they plundered their machanot.
54 And Dovid took the rosh of the Pelishti, and brought it to Yerushalayim; but he put his kelim (weapons) in his ohel.
55 And when Sha’ul saw Dovid go forth to meet the Pelishti, he said unto Avner, the sar hatzavah, Avner, whose ben is this na’ar? And Avner said, As thy nefesh liveth, O Melech, I cannot tell.
56 And the Melech said, Inquire thou whose ben this elem (young man) is.
57 And as Dovid returned from the slaughter of the Pelishti, Avner took him, and brought him before Sha’ul with the rosh of the Pelishti in his yad.
58 And Sha’ul said to him, Whose ben art thou, na’ar? And Dovid answered, I am the ben avdecha Yishai of Beit-Lechem.
18 And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Sha’ul, that the nefesh Yonatan was kashur (tied together) with the nefesh Dovid, and Yonatan loved him as his own nefesh.
2 And Sha’ul drafted him that day, and would let him return no more to the bais aviv.
3 Then Yonatan and Dovid made a brit (covenant), because he loved him as his own nefesh.
4 And Yonatan stripped himself of the me’il (robe) that was upon him, and gave it to Dovid, and his middah [war garments], even to his cherev, and to his keshet, and to his khagor (belt).
5 And Dovid went out whithersoever Sha’ul sent him, and prospered; and Sha’ul set him over the anshei hamilchamah, and he was accepted in the sight of kol HaAm, and also in the sight of the avdei Sha’ul.
6 And it came to pass as they came, when Dovid was returned from the slaughter of the Pelishti, that the nashim came out of all towns of Yisroel, singing and dancing, to meet Sha’ul HaMelech, with tambourines, with simchah, and with cymbals.
7 And the nashim answered one another as they played, and said, Sha’ul hath slain his alafim, and Dovid his revavot (myriads).
8 And Sha’ul was very angry, and the saying was displeasing in his eyes and he said, They have ascribed unto Dovid revavot, and to me they have ascribed but alafim; and what can he have more but the maluchah (kingship)?
9 And there was jealous suspicion in the way Sha’ul eyed Dovid from that day forward.
10 And it came to pass on the next day, that the ruach Elohim ra’ah came upon Sha’ul, and he prophesied inside the bais; and Dovid made [kinnor] music with his yad, as at other times; and there was a khanit in the yad Sha’ul.
11 And Sha’ul hurled the khanit; for he said, I will pin Dovid even to the wall with it. And Dovid escaped his presence twice.
12 And Sha’ul was afraid of Dovid, because Hashem was with him, and was departed from Sha’ul.
13 Therefore Sha’ul removed him from him, and made him his sar elef; and he went out and came in before HaAm.
14 And Dovid was maskil (successful) in kol drakhim of him; and Hashem was with him.
15 Wherefore when Sha’ul saw that he was maskil me’od, he was afraid of him.
16 But kol Yisroel and Yehudah loved Dovid, because he went out and came in before them.
17 And Sha’ul said to Dovid, Hinei bitti hagedolah Merav, her will I give thee as isha; only be thou ben chayil (valiant) for me, and fight Hashem’s milchamot. For Sha’ul said, Let not mine yad be upon him, but let the yad Pelishtim be upon him.
18 And Dovid said unto Sha’ul, Who am I? And what is my life, or the mishpakhat avi in Yisroel, that I should be Choson to HaMelech?
19 But it came to pass at the time when Merav Bat Sha’ul should have been given to Dovid, that she was given as isha unto Adriel the Mecholati.
20 And Michal Bat Sha’ul loved Dovid; and they told Sha’ul, and the thing was yashar in [Sha’ul’s] eyes.
21 And Sha’ul said, I will give him her, that she may be a mokesh to him, and that the yad Pelishtim may be against him. Wherefore Sha’ul said to Dovid, Thou shalt this day become Choson to me by one of my two.
22 And Sha’ul commanded his avadim, saying, Commune with Dovid privately, and say, Hinei, HaMelech hath chafetz (delight) in thee, and all his avadim love thee; now therefore be Choson to HaMelech.
23 And the avadim of Sha’ul spoke those devarim in the ears of Dovid. And Dovid said, Seemeth it a light thing in your eyes to become Choson to HaMelech, seeing that I am a poor man, and lightly esteemed?
24 And the avadim of Sha’ul told him, saying, According to these words spoke Dovid.
25 And Sha’ul said, Thus shall ye say to Dovid, HaMelech has chafetz (desire) for not any mohar (dowry, bride price) but a hundred arelot (foreskins) of the Pelishtim, to be avenged of the oyevei HaMelech. But Sha’ul schemed to make Dovid fall by the yad Pelishtim.
26 And when his avadim told Dovid these devarim, it pleased Dovid well to be Choson of HaMelech; and the yamim [leading up to the duedate of the arelot] were not expired.
27 Wherefore Dovid arose and went, he and his anashim, and slaughtered of the Pelishtim (Philistines) two hundred ish; and Dovid brought their arelot, and they gave them in full count to HaMelech, that he might be the Choson of HaMelech. And Sha’ul gave him Michal bitto as isha.
28 And Sha’ul saw and knew that Hashem was with Dovid, and that Michal Bat Sha’ul loved him.
29 And Sha’ul was yet the more afraid of Dovid; and Sha’ul became oyev to Dovid kol hayamim.
30 Then the sarim of the Pelishtim went forth [to fight]; and it came to pass, after they went forth, that Dovid prospered [in military success] more than all the avadim (officers) of Sha’ul; so that shmo became esteemed as of good reputation.
Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2002, 2003, 2008, 2010, 2011 by Artists for Israel International