³² Then Samuel said, “Bring me Agag king of the Amalekites.”

Agag came to him in chains.^[a] And he thought, “Surely the bitterness of death is past.”

³³ But Samuel said,

And Samuel put Agag to death before the Lord at Gilgal.

³⁴ Then Samuel left for Ramah,^(B) but Saul went up to his home in Gibeah^(C) of Saul. ³⁵ Until the day Samuel^(D) died, he did not go to see Saul again, though Samuel mourned^(E) for him. And the Lord regretted^(F) that he had made Saul king over Israel.

¹⁵ Saul’s attendants said to him, “See, an evil spirit from God is tormenting you. ¹⁶ Let our lord command his servants here to search for someone who can play the lyre.^(A) He will play when the evil spirit from God comes on you, and you will feel better.”

¹⁷ So Saul said to his attendants, “Find someone who plays well and bring him to me.”

¹⁸ One of the servants answered, “I have seen a son of Jesse^(B) of Bethlehem who knows how to play the lyre. He is a brave man and a warrior.^(C) He speaks well and is a fine-looking man. And the Lord is with^(D) him.”

¹⁹ Then Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me your son David, who is with the sheep.^(E)”

David and Goliath

17 Now the Philistines gathered their forces for war and assembled^(A) at Sokoh in Judah. They pitched camp at Ephes Dammim, between Sokoh^(B) and Azekah.^{(C) 2} Saul and the Israelites assembled and camped in the Valley of Elah^(D) and drew up their battle line to meet the Philistines. ³ The Philistines occupied one hill and the Israelites another, with the valley between them.

⁴ A champion named Goliath,^(E) who was from Gath, came out of the Philistine camp. His height was six cubits and a span.^{[a] 5} He had a bronze helmet on his head and wore a coat of scale armor of bronze weighing five thousand shekels^[b]; ⁶ on his legs he wore bronze greaves, and a bronze javelin^(F) was slung on his back. ⁷ His spear shaft was like a weaver’s rod,^(G) and its iron point weighed six hundred shekels.^[c] His shield bearer^(H) went ahead of him.

⁸ Goliath stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, “Why do you come out and line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose^(I) a man and have him come down to me. ⁹ If he is able to fight and kill me, we will become your subjects; but if I overcome him and kill him, you will become our subjects and serve us.” ¹⁰ Then the Philistine said, “This day I defy^(J) the armies of Israel! Give me a man and let us fight each other.^(K)” ¹¹ On hearing the Philistine’s words, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified.

¹² Now David was the son of an Ephrathite^(L) named Jesse,^(M) who was from Bethlehem^(N) in Judah. Jesse had eight^(O) sons, and in Saul’s time he was very old. ¹³ Jesse’s three oldest sons had followed Saul to the war: The firstborn was Eliab;^(P) the second, Abinadab;^(Q) and the third, Shammah.^{(R) 14} David was the youngest. The three oldest followed Saul,