David Challenges Goliath. ³² Then David spoke to Saul: “My lord should not lose heart. Let your servant 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 (A)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 chase after it, attack it, and snatch the prey from its mouth. If it attacked me, I would seize it by the throat, strike it, and kill it. ³⁶ Your servant has killed both a lion and a bear. This uncircumcised Philistine will be as one of them, because he has insulted the armies of the living God.”

³⁷ David continued: “The same Lord who delivered me from the claws of the lion and the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” Saul answered David, “Go! the Lord will be with you.”^(B)

Preparation for the Encounter. ³⁸ Then Saul dressed David in his own tunic, putting a bronze helmet on his head and arming him with a coat of mail. ³⁹ David also fastened Saul’s sword over the tunic. He walked with difficulty, however, since he had never worn armor before. He said to Saul, “I cannot go in these, because I am not used to them.” 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 in hand, he approached the Philistine.

David’s Victory. ^41 [a]With his shield-bearer marching before him, the Philistine advanced closer and closer to David. ⁴² When he sized David up and saw that he was youthful, ruddy, and handsome in appearance, he began to deride him. ⁴³ He 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 feed your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field.”^{(C) 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 whom 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 feed your dead body and the dead bodies of the Philistine army to 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 belongs to the Lord, who shall deliver you into our hands.”^(D)

⁴⁸ The Philistine then moved to meet David at close quarters, while David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet 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 on his face to the ground. ⁵⁰ Thus David triumphed over the Philistine with sling and stone; he struck the Philistine dead, and did it without a sword in his hand.^{(E) 51} Then David ran and stood over him; with the Philistine’s own sword which he drew from its sheath he killed him, and cut off his head.^(F)

Flight of the Philistines. When the Philistines saw that their hero was dead, they fled. ⁵² Then the men of Israel and Judah sprang up with a battle cry and pursued them 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 When they returned from their pursuit of the Philistines, the Israelites looted their camp. ^54 (G)David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem; but he kept Goliath’s armor in his own tent.^[b]