1 Samuel 17:31-39

Good News Translation

³¹ Some men heard what David had said, and they told Saul, who sent for him. ³² David said to Saul, “Your Majesty, no one should be afraid of this Philistine! I will go and fight him.”

³³ “No,” answered Saul. “How could you fight him? You're just a boy, and he has been a soldier all his life!”

³⁴ “Your Majesty,” David said, “I take care of my father's sheep. Any time a lion or a bear carries off a lamb, ³⁵ I go after it, attack it, and rescue the lamb. And if the lion or bear turns on me, I grab it by the throat and beat it to death. ³⁶ I have killed lions and bears, and I will do the same to this heathen Philistine, who has defied the army of the living God. ³⁷ The Lord has saved me from lions and bears; he will save me from this Philistine.”

“All right,” Saul answered. “Go, and the Lord be with you.” ³⁸ He gave his own armor to David for him to wear: a bronze helmet, which he put on David's head, and a coat of armor. ³⁹ David strapped Saul's sword over the armor and tried to walk, but he couldn't, because he wasn't used to wearing them. “I can't fight with all this,” he said to Saul. “I'm not used to it.” So he took it all off.