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15 Et dixit Samuel ad Saul: Me misit Dominus ut ungerem te in regem super populum ejus Israel: nunc ergo audi vocem Domini.

Haec dicit Dominus exercituum: Recensui quaecumque fecit Amalec Israeli: quomodo restitit ei in via cum ascenderet de AEgypto.

Nunc ergo vade, et percute Amalec, et demolire universa ejus: non parcas ei, et non concupiscas ex rebus ipsius aliquid, sed interfice a viro usque ad mulierem, et parvulum atque lactentem, bovem et ovem, camelum et asinum.

Praecepit itaque Saul populo, et recensuit eos quasi agnos: ducenta millia peditum, et decem millia virorum Juda.

Cumque venisset Saul usque ad civitatem Amalec, tetendit insidias in torrente.

Dixitque Saul Cinaeo: Abite, recedite, atque descendite ab Amalec, ne forte involvam te cum eo: tu enim fecisti misericordiam cum omnibus filiis Israel, cum ascenderent de AEgypto. Et recessit Cinaeus de medio Amalec.

Percussitque Saul Amalec ab Hevila donec venias ad Sur, quae est e regione AEgypti.

Et apprehendit Agag regem Amalec vivum: omne autem vulgus interfecit in ore gladii.

Et pepercit Saul et populus Agag, et optimis gregibus ovium et armentorum, et vestibus et arietibus, et universis quae pulchra erant, nec voluerunt disperdere ea: quidquid vero vile fuit et reprobum, hoc demoliti sunt.

10 Factum est autem verbum Domini ad Samuel, dicens:

11 Poenitet me quod constituerim Saul regem: quia dereliquit me, et verba mea opere non implevit. Contristatusque est Samuel, et clamavit ad Dominum tota nocte.

12 Cumque de nocte surrexisset Samuel ut iret ad Saul mane, nuntiatum est Samueli eo quod venisset Saul in Carmelum, et erexisset sibi fornicem triumphalem, et reversus transisset, descendissetque in Galgala. Venit ergo Samuel ad Saul, et Saul offerebat holocaustum Domino de initiis praedarum quae attulerat ex Amalec.

13 Et cum venisset Samuel ad Saul, dixit ei Saul: Benedictus tu Domino: implevi verbum Domini.

14 Dixitque Samuel: Et quae est haec vox gregum, quae resonat in auribus meis, et armentorum, quam ego audio?

15 Et ait Saul: De Amalec adduxerunt ea: pepercit enim populus melioribus ovibus et armentis ut immolarentur Domino Deo tuo, reliqua vero occidimus.

16 Ait autem Samuel ad Saul: Sine me, et indicabo tibi quae locutus sit Dominus ad me nocte. Dixitque ei: Loquere.

17 Et ait Samuel: Nonne cum parvulus esses in oculis tuis, caput in tribubus Israel factus es? unxitque te Dominus in regem super Israel,

18 et misit te Dominus in viam, et ait: Vade, et interfice peccatores Amalec, et pugnabis contra eos usque ad internecionem eorum?

19 Quare ergo non audisti vocem Domini: sed versus ad praedam es, et fecisti malum in oculis Domini?

20 Et ait Saul ad Samuelem: Immo audivi vocem Domini, et ambulavi in via per quam misit me Dominus, et adduxi Agag regem Amalec, et Amalec interfeci.

21 Tulit autem de praeda populus oves et boves, primitias eorum quae caesa sunt, ut immolet Domino Deo suo in Galgalis.

22 Et ait Samuel: Numquid vult Dominus holocausta et victimas, et non potius ut obediatur voci Domini? melior est enim obedientia quam victimae, et auscultare magis quam offerre adipem arietum.

23 Quoniam quasi peccatum ariolandi est, repugnare: et quasi scelus idololatriae, nolle acquiescere. Pro eo ergo quod abjecisti sermonem Domini, abjecit te Dominus ne sis rex.

24 Dixitque Saul ad Samuelem: Peccavi, quia praevaricatus sum sermonem Domini et verba tua, timens populum, et obediens voci eorum.

25 Sed nunc porta, quaeso, peccatum meum, et revertere mecum, ut adorem Dominum.

26 Et ait Samuel ad Saul: Non revertar tecum, quia projecisti sermonem Domini, et projecit te Dominus ne sis rex super Israel.

27 Et conversus est Samuel ut abiret: ille autem apprehendit summitatem pallii ejus, quae et scissa est.

28 Et ait ad eum Samuel: Scidit Dominus regnum Israel a te hodie, et tradidit illud proximo tuo meliori te.

29 Porro triumphator in Israel non parcet, et poenitudine non flectetur: neque enim homo est ut agat poenitentiam.

30 At ille ait: Peccavi: sed nunc honora me coram senioribus populi mei et coram Israel, et revertere mecum, ut adorem Dominum Deum tuum.

31 Reversus ergo Samuel secutus est Saulem: et adoravit Saul Dominum.

32 Dixitque Samuel: Adducite ad me Agag regem Amalec. Et oblatus est ei Agag, pinguissimus et tremens. Et dixit Agag: Siccine separat amara mors?

33 Et ait Samuel: Sicut fecit absque liberis mulieres gladius tuus, sic absque liberis erit inter mulieres mater tua. Et in frustra concidit eum Samuel coram Domino in Galgalis.

34 Abiit autem Samuel in Ramatha: Saul vero ascendit in domum suam in Gabaa.

35 Et non vidit Samuel ultra Saul usque ad diem mortis suae: verumtamen lugebat Samuel Saulem, quoniam Dominum poenitebat quod constituisset eum regem super Israel.

16 Dixitque Dominus ad Samuelem: Usquequo tu luges Saul, cum ego projecerim eum ne regnet super Israel? Imple cornu tuum oleo, et veni, ut mittam te ad Isai Bethlehemitem: providi enim in filiis ejus mihi regem.

Et ait Samuel: Quomodo vadam? audiet enim Saul, et interficiet me. Et ait Dominus: Vitulum de armento tolles in manu tua, et dices: Ad immolandum Domino veni.

Et vocabis Isai ad victimam, et ego ostendam tibi quid facias, et unges quemcumque monstravero tibi.

Fecit ergo Samuel sicut locutus est ei Dominus. Venitque in Bethlehem, et admirati sunt seniores civitatis occurrentes ei: dixeruntque: Pacificusne est ingressus tuus?

Et ait: Pacificus: ad immolandum Domino veni: sanctificamini, et venite mecum ut immolem. Sanctificavit ergo Isai et filios ejus, et vocavit eos ad sacrificium.

Cumque ingressi essent, vidit Eliab, et ait: Num coram Domino est christus ejus?

Et dixit Dominus ad Samuelem: Ne respicias vultum ejus, neque altitudinem staturae ejus: quoniam abjeci eum, nec juxta intuitum hominis ego judico: homo enim videt ea quae parent, Dominus autem intuetur cor.

Et vocavit Isai Abinadab, et adduxit eum coram Samuele. Qui dixit: Nec hunc elegit Dominus.

Adduxit autem Isai Samma, de quo ait: Etiam hunc non elegit Dominus.

10 Adduxit itaque Isai septem filios suos coram Samuele: et ait Samuel ad Isai: Non elegit Dominus ex istis.

11 Dixitque Samuel ad Isai: Numquid jam completi sunt filii? Qui respondit: Adhuc reliquus est parvulus, et pascit oves. Et ait Samuel ad Isai: Mitte, et adduc eum: nec enim discumbemus priusquam huc ille veniat.

12 Misit ergo, et adduxit eum. Erat autem rufus, et pulcher aspectu, decoraque facie: et ait Dominus: Surge, unge eum: ipse est enim.

13 Tulit ergo Samuel cornu olei, et unxit eum in medio fratrum ejus: et directus est spiritus Domini a die illa in David, et deinceps. Surgensque Samuel abiit in Ramatha.

14 Spiritus autem Domini recessit a Saul, et exagitabat eum spiritus nequam a Domino.

15 Dixeruntque servi Saul ad eum: Ecce spiritus Dei malus exagitat te.

16 Jubeat dominus noster, et servi tui qui coram te sunt quaerent hominem scientem psallere cithara, ut quando arripuerit te spiritus Domini malus, psallat manu sua, et levius feras.

17 Et ait Saul ad servos suos: Providete ergo mihi aliquem bene psallentem, et adducite eum ad me.

18 Et respondens unus de pueris, ait: Ecce vidi filium Isai Bethlehemitem scientem psallere, et fortissimum robore, et virum bellicosum, et prudentem in verbis, et virum pulchrum: et Dominus est cum eo.

19 Misit ergo Saul nuntios ad Isai, dicens: Mitte ad me David filium tuum, qui est in pascuis.

20 Tulit itaque Isai asinum plenum panibus, et lagenam vini, et haedum de capris unum, et misit per manum David filii sui Sauli.

21 Et venit David ad Saul, et stetit coram eo: at ille dilexit eum nimis, et factus est ejus armiger.

22 Misitque Saul ad Isai, dicens: Stet David in conspectu meo: invenit enim gratiam in oculis meis.

23 Igitur quandocumque spiritus Domini malus arripiebat Saul, David tollebat citharam, et percutiebat manu sua, et refocillabatur Saul, et levius habebat: recedebat enim ab eo spiritus malus.

17 Congregantes autem Philisthiim agmina sua in praelium, convenerunt in Socho Judae: et castrametati sunt inter Socho et Azeca in finibus Dommim.

Porro Saul et filii Israel congregati venerunt in Vallem terebinthi, et direxerunt aciem ad pugnandum contra Philisthiim.

Et Philisthiim stabant super montem ex parte hac, et Israel stabat supra montem ex altera parte: vallisque erat inter eos.

Et egressus est vir spurius de castris Philisthinorum nomine Goliath, de Geth, altitudinis sex cubitorum et palmi:

et cassis aerea super caput ejus, et lorica squamata induebatur. Porro pondus loricae ejus, quinque millia siclorum aeris erat:

et ocreas aereas habebat in cruribus, et clypeus aereus tegebat humeros ejus.

Hastile autem hastae ejus erat quasi liciatorium texentium: ipsum autem ferrum hastae ejus sexcentos siclos habebat ferri: et armiger ejus antecedebat eum.

Stansque clamabat adversum phalangas Israel, et dicebat eis: Quare venistis parati ad praelium? numquid ego non sum Philisthaeus, et vos servi Saul? eligite ex vobis virum, et descendat ad singulare certamen.

Si quiverit pugnare mecum, et percusserit me, erimus vobis servi: si autem ego praevaluero, et percussero eum, vos servi eritis, et servietis nobis.

10 Et aiebat Philisthaeus: Ego exprobravi agminibus Israel hodie: date mihi virum, et ineat mecum singulare certamen.

11 Audiens autem Saul et omnes Israelitae sermones Philisthaei hujuscemodi, stupebant, et metuebant nimis.

12 David autem erat filius viri Ephrathaei, de quo supra dictum est, de Bethlehem Juda, cui nomen erat Isai, qui habebat octo filios, et erat vir in diebus Saul senex, et grandaevus inter viros.

13 Abierunt autem tres filii ejus majores post Saul in praelium: et nomina trium filiorum ejus qui perrexerunt ad bellum, Eliab primogenitus, et secundus Abinadab, tertiusque Samma.

14 David autem erat minimus. Tribus ergo majoribus secutis Saulem,

15 abiit David, et reversus est a Saul ut pasceret gregem patris sui in Bethlehem.

16 Procedebat vero Philisthaeus mane et vespere, et stabat quadraginta diebus.

17 Dixit autem Isai ad David filium suum: Accipe fratribus tuis ephi polentae, et decem panes istos, et curre in castra ad fratres tuos,

18 et decem formellas casei has deferes ad tribunum: et fratres tuos visitabis, si recte agant: et cum quibus ordinati sunt, disce.

19 Saul autem, et illi, et omnes filii Israel, in Valle terebinthi pugnabant adversum Philisthiim.

20 Surrexit itaque David mane, et commendavit gregem custodi: et onustus abiit, sicut praeceperat ei Isai. Et venit ad locum Magala, et ad exercitum, qui egressus ad pugnam vociferatus erat in certamine.

21 Direxerat enim aciem Israel, sed et Philisthiim ex adverso fuerant praeparati.

22 Derelinquens ergo David vasa quae attulerat sub manu custodis ad sarcinas, cucurrit ad locum certaminis, et interrogabat si omnia recte agerentur erga fratres suos.

23 Cumque adhuc ille loqueretur eis, apparuit vir ille spurius ascendens, Goliath nomine, Philisthaeus de Geth, de castris Philisthinorum: et loquente eo haec eadem verba audivit David.

24 Omnes autem Israelitae, cum vidissent virum, fugerunt a facie ejus, timentes eum valde.

25 Et dixit unus quispiam de Israel: Num vidistis virum hunc, qui ascendit? ad exprobrandum enim Israeli ascendit. Virum ergo qui percusserit eum, ditabit rex divitiis magnis, et filiam suam dabit ei, et domum patris ejus faciet absque tributo in Israel.

26 Et ait David ad viros qui stabant secum, dicens: Quid dabitur viro qui percusserit Philisthaeum hunc, et tulerit opprobrium de Israel? quis enim est hic Philisthaeus incircumcisus, qui exprobravit acies Dei viventis?

27 Referebat autem ei populus eumdem sermonem, dicens: Haec dabuntur viro qui percusserit eum.

28 Quod cum audisset Eliab frater ejus major, loquente eo cum aliis, iratus est contra David, et ait: Quare venisti, et quare dereliquisti pauculas oves illas in deserto? Ego novi superbiam tuam, et nequitiam cordis tui: quia ut videres praelium, descendisti.

29 Et dixit David: Quid feci? numquid non verbum est?

30 Et declinavit paululum ab eo ad alium: dixitque eumdem sermonem. Et respondit ei populus verbum sicut prius.

31 Audita sunt autem verba quae locutus est David, et annuntiata in conspectu Saul.

32 Ad quem cum fuisset adductus, locutus est ei: Non concidat cor cujusquam in eo: ego servus tuus vadam, et pugnabo adversus Philisthaeum.

33 Et ait Saul ad David: Non vales resistere Philisthaeo isti, nec pugnare adversus eum, quia puer es: hic autem vir bellator est ab adolescentia sua.

34 Dixitque David ad Saul: Pascebat servus tuus patris sui gregem, et veniebat leo vel ursus, et tollebat arietem de medio gregis:

35 et persequebar eos, et percutiebam, eruebamque de ore eorum: et illi consurgebant adversum me, et apprehendebam mentum eorum, et suffocabam, interficiebamque eos.

36 Nam et leonem et ursum interfeci ego servus tuus: erit igitur et Philisthaeus hic incircumcisus quasi unus ex eis. Nunc vadam, et auferam opprobrium populi: quoniam quis est iste Philisthaeus incircumcisus, qui ausus est maledicere exercitui Dei viventis?

37 Et ait David: Dominus qui eripuit me de manu leonis, et de manu ursi, ipse me liberabit de manu Philisthaei hujus. Dixit autem Saul ad David: Vade, et Dominus tecum sit.

38 Et induit Saul David vestimentis suis, et imposuit galeam aeream super caput ejus, et vestivit eum lorica.

39 Accinctus ergo David gladio ejus super vestem suam, coepit tentare si armatus posset incedere: non enim habebat consuetudinem. Dixitque David ad Saul: Non possum sic incedere, quia non usum habeo. Et deposuit ea,

40 et tulit baculum suum, quem semper habebat in manibus: et elegit sibi quinque limpidissimos lapides de torrente, et misit eos in peram pastoralem quam habebat secum, et fundam manu tulit: et processit adversum Philisthaeum.

41 Ibat autem Philisthaeus incedens, et appropinquans adversum David, et armiger ejus ante eum.

42 Cumque inspexisset Philisthaeus, et vidisset David, despexit eum. Erat enim adolescens, rufus, et pulcher aspectu.

43 Et dixit Philisthaeus ad David: Numquid ego canis sum, quod tu venis ad me cum baculo? Et maledixit Philisthaeus David in diis suis:

44 dixitque ad David: Veni ad me, et dabo carnes tuas volatilibus caeli et bestiis terrae.

45 Dixit autem David ad Philisthaeum: Tu venis ad me cum gladio, et hasta, et clypeo: ego autem venio ad te in nomine Domini exercituum, Dei agminum Israel quibus exprobrasti

46 hodie, et dabit te Dominus in manu mea, et percutiam te, et auferam caput tuum a te: et dabo cadavera castrorum Philisthiim hodie volatilibus caeli, et bestiis terrae, ut sciat omnis terra quia est Deus in Israel,

47 et noverit universa ecclesia haec, quia non in gladio nec in hasta salvat Dominus: ipsius enim est bellum, et tradet vos in manus nostras.

48 Cum ergo surrexisset Philisthaeus, et veniret, et appropinquaret contra David, festinavit David et cucurrit ad pugnam ex adverso Philisthaei.

49 Et misit manum suam in peram, tulitque unum lapidem, et funda jecit, et circumducens percussit Philisthaeum in fronte: et infixus est lapis in fronte ejus, et cecidit in faciem suam super terram.

50 Praevaluitque David adversum Philisthaeum in funda et lapide, percussumque Philisthaeum interfecit. Cumque gladium non haberet in manu David,

51 cucurrit, et stetit super Philisthaeum, et tulit gladium ejus, et eduxit eum de vagina sua: et interfecit eum, praeciditque caput ejus. Videntes autem Philisthiim quod mortuus esset fortissimus eorum, fugerunt.

52 Et consurgentes viri Israel et Juda vociferati sunt, et persecuti sunt Philisthaeos usque dum venirent in vallem, et usque ad portas Accaron: cecideruntque vulnerati de Philisthiim in via Saraim, et usque ad Geth, et usque ad Accaron.

53 Et revertentes filii Israel postquam persecuti fuerant Philisthaeos, invaserunt castra eorum.

54 Assumens autem David caput Philisthaei, attulit illud in Jerusalem: arma vero ejus posuit in tabernaculo suo.

55 Eo autem tempore quo viderat Saul David egredientem contra Philisthaeum, ait ad Abner principem militiae: De qua stirpe descendit hic adolescens, Abner? Dixitque Abner: Vivit anima tua, rex, si novi.

56 Et ait rex: Interroga tu, cujus filius sit iste puer.

57 Cumque regressus esset David, percusso Philisthaeo, tulit eum Abner, et introduxit coram Saule, caput Philisthaei habentem in manu.

58 Et ait ad eum Saul: De qua progenie es, o adolescens? Dixitque David: Filius servi tui Isai Bethlehemitae ego sum.

The Lord Rejects Saul as King

15 Samuel said to Saul, “I am the one the Lord sent to anoint(A) you king over his people Israel; so listen now to the message from the Lord. This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘I will punish the Amalekites(B) for what they did to Israel when they waylaid them as they came up from Egypt. Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally(C) destroy[a] all that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys.’”

So Saul summoned the men and mustered them at Telaim—two hundred thousand foot soldiers and ten thousand from Judah. Saul went to the city of Amalek and set an ambush in the ravine. Then he said to the Kenites,(D) “Go away, leave the Amalekites so that I do not destroy you along with them; for you showed kindness to all the Israelites when they came up out of Egypt.” So the Kenites moved away from the Amalekites.

Then Saul attacked the Amalekites(E) all the way from Havilah to Shur,(F) near the eastern border of Egypt. He took Agag(G) king of the Amalekites alive,(H) and all his people he totally destroyed with the sword. But Saul and the army spared(I) Agag and the best of the sheep and cattle, the fat calves[b] and lambs—everything that was good. These they were unwilling to destroy completely, but everything that was despised and weak they totally destroyed.

10 Then the word of the Lord came to Samuel: 11 “I regret(J) that I have made Saul king, because he has turned(K) away from me and has not carried out my instructions.”(L) Samuel was angry,(M) and he cried out to the Lord all that night.

12 Early in the morning Samuel got up and went to meet Saul, but he was told, “Saul has gone to Carmel.(N) There he has set up a monument(O) in his own honor and has turned and gone on down to Gilgal.”

13 When Samuel reached him, Saul said, “The Lord bless you! I have carried out the Lord’s instructions.”

14 But Samuel said, “What then is this bleating of sheep in my ears? What is this lowing of cattle that I hear?”

15 Saul answered, “The soldiers brought them from the Amalekites; they spared the best of the sheep and cattle to sacrifice to the Lord your God, but we totally destroyed the rest.”

16 “Enough!” Samuel said to Saul. “Let me tell you what the Lord said to me last night.”

“Tell me,” Saul replied.

17 Samuel said, “Although you were once small(P) in your own eyes, did you not become the head of the tribes of Israel? The Lord anointed you king over Israel. 18 And he sent you on a mission, saying, ‘Go and completely destroy those wicked people, the Amalekites; wage war against them until you have wiped them out.’ 19 Why did you not obey the Lord? Why did you pounce on the plunder(Q) and do evil in the eyes of the Lord?”

20 “But I did obey(R) the Lord,” Saul said. “I went on the mission the Lord assigned me. I completely destroyed the Amalekites and brought back Agag their king. 21 The soldiers took sheep and cattle from the plunder, the best of what was devoted to God, in order to sacrifice them to the Lord your God at Gilgal.”

22 But Samuel replied:

“Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices
    as much as in obeying the Lord?
To obey is better than sacrifice,(S)
    and to heed is better than the fat of rams.
23 For rebellion is like the sin of divination,(T)
    and arrogance like the evil of idolatry.
Because you have rejected(U) the word of the Lord,
    he has rejected you as king.”

24 Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned.(V) I violated(W) the Lord’s command and your instructions. I was afraid(X) of the men and so I gave in to them. 25 Now I beg you, forgive(Y) my sin and come back with me, so that I may worship the Lord.”

26 But Samuel said to him, “I will not go back with you. You have rejected(Z) the word of the Lord, and the Lord has rejected you as king over Israel!”

27 As Samuel turned to leave, Saul caught hold of the hem of his robe,(AA) and it tore.(AB) 28 Samuel said to him, “The Lord has torn(AC) the kingdom(AD) of Israel from you today and has given it to one of your neighbors—to one better than you.(AE) 29 He who is the Glory of Israel does not lie(AF) or change(AG) his mind; for he is not a human being, that he should change his mind.”

30 Saul replied, “I have sinned.(AH) But please honor(AI) me before the elders of my people and before Israel; come back with me, so that I may worship the Lord your God.” 31 So Samuel went back with Saul, and Saul worshiped the Lord.

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

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

33 But Samuel said,

“As your sword has made women childless,
    so will your mother be childless among women.”(AJ)

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

34 Then Samuel left for Ramah,(AK) but Saul went up to his home in Gibeah(AL) of Saul. 35 Until the day Samuel(AM) died, he did not go to see Saul again, though Samuel mourned(AN) for him. And the Lord regretted(AO) that he had made Saul king over Israel.

Samuel Anoints David

16 The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn(AP) for Saul, since I have rejected(AQ) him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil(AR) and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse(AS) of Bethlehem. I have chosen(AT) one of his sons to be king.”

But Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears about it, he will kill me.”

The Lord said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show(AU) you what to do. You are to anoint(AV) for me the one I indicate.”

Samuel did what the Lord said. When he arrived at Bethlehem,(AW) the elders of the town trembled(AX) when they met him. They asked, “Do you come in peace?(AY)

Samuel replied, “Yes, in peace; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate(AZ) yourselves and come to the sacrifice with me.” Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.

When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab(BA) and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed stands here before the Lord.”

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance,(BB) but the Lord looks at the heart.”(BC)

Then Jesse called Abinadab(BD) and had him pass in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, “The Lord has not chosen this one either.” Jesse then had Shammah(BE) pass by, but Samuel said, “Nor has the Lord chosen this one.” 10 Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, “The Lord has not chosen these.” 11 So he asked Jesse, “Are these all(BF) the sons you have?”

“There is still the youngest,” Jesse answered. “He is tending the sheep.”(BG)

Samuel said, “Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives.”

12 So he(BH) sent for him and had him brought in. He was glowing with health and had a fine appearance and handsome(BI) features.

Then the Lord said, “Rise and anoint him; this is the one.”

13 So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed(BJ) him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord(BK) came powerfully upon David.(BL) Samuel then went to Ramah.

David in Saul’s Service

14 Now the Spirit of the Lord had departed(BM) from Saul, and an evil[d] spirit(BN) from the Lord tormented him.(BO)

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.(BP) 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(BQ) of Bethlehem who knows how to play the lyre. He is a brave man and a warrior.(BR) He speaks well and is a fine-looking man. And the Lord is with(BS) him.”

19 Then Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me your son David, who is with the sheep.(BT) 20 So Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread,(BU) a skin of wine and a young goat and sent them with his son David to Saul.

21 David came to Saul and entered his service.(BV) Saul liked him very much, and David became one of his armor-bearers. 22 Then Saul sent word to Jesse, saying, “Allow David to remain in my service, for I am pleased with him.”

23 Whenever the spirit from God came on Saul, David would take up his lyre and play. Then relief would come to Saul; he would feel better, and the evil spirit(BW) would leave him.

David and Goliath

17 Now the Philistines gathered their forces for war and assembled(BX) at Sokoh in Judah. They pitched camp at Ephes Dammim, between Sokoh(BY) and Azekah.(BZ) Saul and the Israelites assembled and camped in the Valley of Elah(CA) and drew up their battle line to meet the Philistines. The Philistines occupied one hill and the Israelites another, with the valley between them.

A champion named Goliath,(CB) who was from Gath, came out of the Philistine camp. His height was six cubits and a span.[e] He had a bronze helmet on his head and wore a coat of scale armor of bronze weighing five thousand shekels[f]; on his legs he wore bronze greaves, and a bronze javelin(CC) was slung on his back. His spear shaft was like a weaver’s rod,(CD) and its iron point weighed six hundred shekels.[g] His shield bearer(CE) went ahead of him.

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(CF) a man and have him come down to me. 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(CG) the armies of Israel! Give me a man and let us fight each other.(CH) 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(CI) named Jesse,(CJ) who was from Bethlehem(CK) in Judah. Jesse had eight(CL) 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;(CM) the second, Abinadab;(CN) and the third, Shammah.(CO) 14 David was the youngest. The three oldest followed Saul, 15 but David went back and forth from Saul to tend(CP) his father’s sheep(CQ) at Bethlehem.

16 For forty days the Philistine came forward every morning and evening and took his stand.

17 Now Jesse said to his son David, “Take this ephah[h](CR) of roasted grain(CS) and these ten loaves of bread for your brothers and hurry to their camp. 18 Take along these ten cheeses to the commander of their unit. See how your brothers(CT) are and bring back some assurance[i] from them. 19 They are with Saul and all the men of Israel in the Valley of Elah, fighting against the Philistines.”

20 Early in the morning David left the flock in the care of a shepherd, loaded up and set out, as Jesse had directed. He reached the camp as the army was going out to its battle positions, shouting the war cry. 21 Israel and the Philistines were drawing up their lines facing each other. 22 David left his things with the keeper of supplies,(CU) ran to the battle lines and asked his brothers how they were. 23 As he was talking with them, Goliath, the Philistine champion from Gath, stepped out from his lines and shouted his usual(CV) defiance, and David heard it. 24 Whenever the Israelites saw the man, they all fled from him in great fear.

25 Now the Israelites had been saying, “Do you see how this man keeps coming out? He comes out to defy Israel. The king will give great wealth to the man who kills him. He will also give him his daughter(CW) in marriage and will exempt his family from taxes(CX) in Israel.”

26 David asked the men standing near him, “What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace(CY) from Israel? Who is this uncircumcised(CZ) Philistine that he should defy(DA) the armies of the living(DB) God?”

27 They repeated to him what they had been saying and told him, “This is what will be done for the man who kills him.”

28 When Eliab, David’s oldest brother, heard him speaking with the men, he burned with anger(DC) at him and asked, “Why have you come down here? And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the wilderness? I know how conceited you are and how wicked your heart is; you came down only to watch the battle.”

29 “Now what have I done?” said David. “Can’t I even speak?” 30 He then turned away to someone else and brought up the same matter, and the men answered him as before. 31 What David said was overheard and reported to Saul, and Saul sent for him.

32 David said to Saul, “Let no one lose heart(DD) on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him.”

33 Saul replied,(DE) “You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a young man, and he has been a warrior from his youth.”

34 But David said to Saul, “Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep. When a lion(DF) or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, 35 I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized(DG) it by its hair, struck it and killed it. 36 Your servant has killed both the lion(DH) and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. 37 The Lord who rescued(DI) me from the paw of the lion(DJ) and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.”

Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with(DK) you.”

38 Then Saul dressed David in his own(DL) tunic. He put a coat of armor on him and a bronze helmet on his head. 39 David fastened on his sword over the tunic and tried walking around, because he was not used to them.

“I cannot go in these,” he said to Saul, “because I am not used to them.” So he took them off. 40 Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine.

41 Meanwhile, the Philistine, with his shield bearer(DM) in front of him, kept coming closer to David. 42 He looked David over and saw that he was little more than a boy, glowing with health and handsome,(DN) and he despised(DO) him. 43 He said to David, “Am I a dog,(DP) that you come at me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44 “Come here,” he said, “and I’ll give your flesh to the birds(DQ) and the wild animals!(DR)

45 David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin,(DS) but I come against you in the name(DT) of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.(DU) 46 This day the Lord will deliver(DV) you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses(DW) of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world(DX) will know that there is a God in Israel.(DY) 47 All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword(DZ) or spear that the Lord saves;(EA) for the battle(EB) is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.”

48 As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him. 49 Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground.

50 So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling(EC) and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him.

51 David ran and stood over him. He took hold of the Philistine’s sword and drew it from the sheath. After he killed him, he cut(ED) off his head with the sword.(EE)

When the Philistines saw that their hero was dead, they turned and ran. 52 Then the men of Israel and Judah surged forward with a shout and pursued the Philistines to the entrance of Gath[j] and to the gates of Ekron.(EF) Their dead were strewn along the Shaaraim(EG) road to Gath and Ekron. 53 When the Israelites returned from chasing the Philistines, they plundered their camp.

54 David took the Philistine’s head and brought it to Jerusalem; he put the Philistine’s weapons in his own tent.

55 As Saul watched David(EH) going out to meet the Philistine, he said to Abner, commander of the army, “Abner,(EI) whose son is that young man?”

Abner replied, “As surely as you live, Your Majesty, I don’t know.”

56 The king said, “Find out whose son this young man is.”

57 As soon as David returned from killing the Philistine, Abner took him and brought him before Saul, with David still holding the Philistine’s head.

58 “Whose son are you, young man?” Saul asked him.

David said, “I am the son of your servant Jesse(EJ) of Bethlehem.”

Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 15:3 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by totally destroying them; also in verses 8, 9, 15, 18, 20 and 21.
  2. 1 Samuel 15:9 Or the grown bulls; the meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.
  3. 1 Samuel 15:32 The meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.
  4. 1 Samuel 16:14 Or and a harmful; similarly in verses 15, 16 and 23
  5. 1 Samuel 17:4 That is, about 9 feet 9 inches or about 3 meters
  6. 1 Samuel 17:5 That is, about 125 pounds or about 58 kilograms
  7. 1 Samuel 17:7 That is, about 15 pounds or about 6.9 kilograms
  8. 1 Samuel 17:17 That is, probably about 36 pounds or about 16 kilograms
  9. 1 Samuel 17:18 Or some token; or some pledge of spoils
  10. 1 Samuel 17:52 Some Septuagint manuscripts; Hebrew of a valley