Goliath Challenges the Israelites
1 The Philistines gathered for battle in Socoh, a town in Judah; they camped at a place called Ephes Dammim, between Socoh and Azekah. 2 Saul and the Israelites assembled and camped in Elah Valley, where they got ready to fight the Philistines. 3 The Philistines lined up on one hill and the Israelites on another, with a valley between them.
4 A man named Goliath, from the city of Gath, came out from the Philistine camp to challenge the Israelites. He was over nine feet tall 5 and wore bronze armor that weighed about 125 pounds and a bronze helmet. 6 His legs were also protected by bronze armor, and he carried a bronze javelin slung over his shoulder. 7 His spear was as thick as the bar on a weaver's loom, and its iron head weighed about fifteen pounds. A soldier walked in front of him carrying his shield. 8 Goliath stood and shouted at the Israelites, “What are you doing there, lined up for battle? I am a Philistine, you slaves of Saul! Choose one of your men to fight me. 9 If he wins and kills me, we will be your slaves; but if I win and kill him, you will be our slaves. 10 Here and now I challenge the Israelite army. I dare you to pick someone to fight me!” 11 When Saul and his men heard this, they were terrified.
David in Saul's Camp
12 David was the son of Jesse, who was an Ephrathite from Bethlehem in Judah. Jesse had eight sons, and at the time Saul was king, he was already a very old man. 13 His three oldest sons had gone with Saul to war. The oldest was Eliab, the next was Abinadab, and the third was Shammah. 14 David was the youngest son, and while the three oldest brothers stayed with Saul, 15 David would go back to Bethlehem from time to time, to take care of his father's sheep.
16 Goliath challenged the Israelites every morning and evening for forty days.
17 One day Jesse said to David, “Take a half-bushel of this roasted grain and these ten loaves of bread, and hurry with them to your brothers in the camp. 18 And take these ten cheeses to the commanding officer. Find out how your brothers are getting along and bring back something to show that you saw them and that they are well. 19 King Saul, your brothers, and all the other Israelites are in Elah Valley fighting the Philistines.”
20 David got up early the next morning, left someone else in charge of the sheep, took the food, and went as Jesse had told him to. He arrived at the camp just as the Israelites were going out to their battle line, shouting the war cry. 21 The Philistine and the Israelite armies took positions for battle, facing each other. 22 David left the food with the officer in charge of the supplies, ran to the battle line, went to his brothers, and asked how they were getting along. 23 As he was talking with them, Goliath came forward and challenged the Israelites as he had done before. And David heard him. 24 When the Israelites saw Goliath, they ran away in terror. 25 “Look at him!” they said to each other. “Listen to his challenge! King Saul has promised to give a big reward to the man who kills him; the king will also give him his daughter to marry and will not require his father's family to pay taxes.”
26 David asked the men who were near him, “What will the man get who kills this Philistine and frees Israel from this disgrace? After all, who is this heathen Philistine to defy the army of the living God?” 27 They told him what would be done for the man who killed Goliath.
28 Eliab, David's oldest brother, heard David talking to the men. He became angry with David and said, “What are you doing here? Who is taking care of those sheep of yours out there in the wilderness? You smart aleck, you! You just came to watch the fighting!”
29 “Now what have I done?” David asked. “Can't I even ask a question?” 30 He turned to another man and asked him the same question, and every time he asked, he got the same answer.
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. 40 He took his shepherd's stick and then picked up five smooth stones from the stream and put them in his bag. With his sling ready, he went out to meet Goliath.
David Defeats Goliath
41 The Philistine started walking toward David, with his shield bearer walking in front of him. He kept coming closer, 42 and when he got a good look at David, he was filled with scorn for him because he was just a nice, good-looking boy. 43 He said to David, “What's that stick for? Do you think I'm a dog?” And he called down curses from his god on David. 44 “Come on,” he challenged David, “and I will give your body to the birds and animals to eat.”
45 David answered, “You are coming against me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the Israelite armies, which you have defied. 46 This very day the Lord will put you in my power; I will defeat you and cut off your head. And I will give the bodies of the Philistine soldiers to the birds and animals to eat. Then the whole world will know that Israel has a God, 47 and everyone here will see that the Lord does not need swords or spears to save his people. He is victorious in battle, and he will put all of you in our power.”
48 Goliath started walking toward David again, and David ran quickly toward the Philistine battle line to fight him. 49 He reached into his bag and took out a stone, which he slung at Goliath. It hit him on the forehead and broke his skull, and Goliath fell face downward on the ground. 50 And so, without a sword, David defeated and killed Goliath with a sling and a stone! 51 He ran to him, stood over him, took Goliath's sword out of its sheath, and cut off his head and killed him.
When the Philistines saw that their hero was dead, they ran away. 52 The men of Israel and Judah shouted and ran after them, pursuing them all the way to Gath and to the gates of Ekron. The Philistines fell wounded all along the road that leads to Shaaraim, as far as Gath and Ekron. 53 When the Israelites came back from pursuing the Philistines, they looted their camp. 54 David got Goliath's head and took it to Jerusalem, but he kept Goliath's weapons in his own tent.
David Is Presented to Saul
55 When Saul saw David going out to fight Goliath, he asked Abner, the commander of his army, “Abner, whose son is he?”
“I have no idea, Your Majesty,” Abner answered.
56 “Then go and find out,” Saul ordered.
57 So when David returned to camp after killing Goliath, Abner took him to Saul. David was still carrying Goliath's head. 58 Saul asked him, “Young man, whose son are you?”
“I am the son of your servant Jesse from Bethlehem,” David answered.
Dāvids un Goliāts
1 Filistieši pulcināja spēkus karam. Viņi sapulcējās Soho, kas Jūdā, un uzslēja nometni Efes-Damīmā starp Soho un Azēku. 2 Sauls un israēlieši sapulcējās, uzslēja nometni Ēlas ielejā un izkārtojās kaujai pret filistiešiem. 3 Filistieši nostājās vienā kalnā, israēlieši nostājās otrā kalnā, un starp tiem bija ieplaka. 4 No filistiešu nometnes iznāca spēkonis, vārdā Goliāts, no Gatas. Viņš bija sešas olektis un sprīdi garš. 5 Galvā tam bija vara bruņucepure, un viņš bija tērpies zvīņu bruņās. Bruņu svars bija pieci tūkstoši vara šekeļu. 6 Vara lielu aizsargi uz kājām un vara pīķis pār muguru. 7 Viņa šķēpa kāts kā audēja riestava un šķēpa smaile – seši simti šekeļu dzelzs. Tam pa priekšu gāja vairognesējs. 8 Viņš nostājās un sauca Israēla rindām: “Ko jūs te esat nostājušies kaujai? Vai es neesmu filistietis un jūs – Saula vergi? Izraugieties kādu vīru, kas nāks lejā pie manis! 9 Ja viņš mani pārspēs cīņā un nokaus, mēs būsim jūsu vergi, bet, ja es pārspēšu viņu un nokaušu, jūs būsiet mūsu vergi un vergosiet mums!” 10 Un filistietis teica: “Es šodien izaicinu Israēla rindas, dodiet man kādu vīru, ka sākam cīņu!” 11 Sauls un viss Israēls klausījās filistieša vārdos iztrūkušies un nobijušies.
12 Dāvids bija dēls efrātietim, kas no Betlēmes Jūdā un kam vārdā Jišajs, un tam bija astoņi dēli. Saula laikā šis vīrs bija jau diezgan vecs. 13 Trīs vecākie Jišaja dēli gāja līdzi Saulam karā, un šo trīs dēlu vārdi ir: pirmdzimtais Elīābs, otrs – Abīnādāvs, trešais – Šamma. 14 Dāvids bija jaunākais. Trīs vecākie bija devušies līdzi Saulam. 15 Dāvids gan gāja pie Saula, gan nāca atpakaļ ganīt sava tēva avis Betlēmē. 16 Bet filistietis nāca no rīta un vakarā un dižojās tā četrdesmit dienas.
17 Jišajs teica savam dēlam Dāvidam: “Ej, paņem priekš saviem brāļiem ēfu grauzdumu un šīs desmit maizes un steidz pie brāļiem uz nometni. 18 Bet šos desmit siera gabalus aiznes virsniekam, kas pār tūkstoti. Nodod sveicienus saviem brāļiem un pārnes ziņas no viņiem, 19 viņi kopā ar Saulu un visiem Israēla vīriem Ēlas ielejā karo ar filistiešiem.” 20 Rīta agrumā Dāvids atstāja ganu avis pieskatīt, ņēma nesamo un devās ceļā, kā Jišajs bija licis. Kad viņš sasniedza nometni, kareivji devās uz kaujas ierindu, kliegdami kara saucienu. 21 Israēls un filistieši nostājās kaujas ierindās viens otram pretī. 22 Dāvids atstāja savas lietas mantu uzraugam, skrēja uz kaujas ierindu un apsveicinājās ar brāļiem. 23 Kamēr viņš ar tiem runāja, redzi, filistiešu spēkonis Goliāts no Gatas nāca augšā no filistiešu ierindas un runāja savu sakāmo, un Dāvids to dzirdēja. 24 Bet visi Israēla vīri, šo vīru ieraugot, lielās bailēs bēga no viņa. 25 Un israēlieši runāja: “Vai redzat to vīru, kas te kāpj augšā? Viņš nāk izaicināt Israēlu! To vīru, kurš viņu nokaus, ķēniņš apdāvinās ar bagātīgām dāvanām un dos tam par sievu savu meitu, un viņa tēva namu atbrīvos no nodevām Israēlā.” 26 Tad Dāvids prasīja vīriem, kas stāvēja viņam līdzās: “Ko darīs tam vīram, kas nokaus šo filistieti un paglābs Israēlu no kauna? Kas gan ir šis neapgraizītais filistietis, ka viņš izaicina dzīvā Dieva kaujas ierindu?” 27 Un ļaudis viņam atkārtoja tos vārdus un teica: “Tā darīs tam vīram, kurš viņu nokaus!” 28 Viņa vecākais brālis Elīābs dzirdēja viņu runājam ar vīriem un aizsvilās dusmās pret Dāvidu. Viņš teica: “Kāpēc tu nāc te lejā? Kam tu atstāji tās dažas avis tuksnesī? Es zinu, ka tu esi iedomīgs un negantu sirdi! Tu nāc te lejā tikai tāpēc, lai noskatītos cīņu!” 29 Bet Dāvids atbildēja: “Ko tad es esmu izdarījis? Vai tad nevar pat paprasīt?” 30 Un viņš novērsās no tā un uzrunāja kādu citu ar tiem pašiem vārdiem, un ļaudis viņam atbildēja tāpat kā iepriekš. 31 To, ko Dāvids teica, bija dzirdējuši un atstāstījuši Saulam, un tas lika viņu atvest. 32 Dāvids teica Saulam: “Lai vīriem viņa dēļ nesašļūk dūša – tavs kalps ies un cīnīsies ar šo filistieti!” 33 Sauls teica Dāvidam: “Tu nevari iet cīnīties pret šo filistieti, jo esi vēl zēns, bet viņš ir karavīrs kopš jaunības.”
34 Bet Dāvids sacīja Saulam: “Tavs kalps bija gans sava tēva avīm; kad nāca lauva vai lācis un nesa no ganāmpulka prom jēru, 35 es metos tam pakaļ, pieveicu to un izglābu jēru no tā žokļiem. Kad tie slējās pret mani, es tos grābu aiz bārdas, pieveicu un nonāvēju. 36 Tavs kalps ir kāvis gan lauvu, gan lāci, un ar šo neapgraizīto filistieti būs tāpat kā ar tiem, jo viņš ir izaicinājis dzīvā Dieva kaujas ierindu.”
37 Un Dāvids piebilda: “Kungs izglāba mani no lauvas un lāča ķetnām, viņš izglābs mani arī no filistieša rokas.” Un Sauls teica Dāvidam: “Ej, Kungs ir ar tevi!” 38 Sauls ietērpa Dāvidu savā kaujas tērpā, lika tam galvā vara bruņucepuri un ietērpa viņu bruņās. 39 Dāvids apjoza zobenu virs kaujas tērpa un lūkoja staigāt, bet viņš nebija tā pieradis. Dāvids teica Saulam: “Es nevaru paiet, jo neesmu tā pieradis.” Un Dāvids to novilka. 40 Viņš paņēma rokā nūju, upmalā izraudzījās piecus gludus akmeņus un ielika tos gana somas kabatā, un lingu rokā gāja pretī filistietim. 41 Filistietis staigāja šurpu turpu un pienāca tuvu Dāvidam, bet viņa vairoga nesējs gāja tam pa priekšu. 42 Filistietis paskatījās, ieraudzīja Dāvidu un noniecināja viņu, jo tas bija tikai glīts sārtvaidzis zēns. 43 Filistietis teica Dāvidam: “Vai es suns, ka tu nāc pret mani ar nūju?” Un filistietis lādēja Dāvidu pie saviem dieviem. 44 Filistietis teica Dāvidam: “Panāc man šurp, es tavu miesu atdošu debesu putniem un lauka zvēriem!”
45 Bet Dāvids atbildēja filistietim: “Tu nāc pret mani ar zobenu, šķēpu un pīķi, bet es nāku pret tevi ar Pulku Kunga, Israēla karaspēka Dieva, vārdu, jo tu viņu esi izaicinājis. 46 Kungs šodien liks tevi manās rokās, un es tevi nokaušu un nošķelšu tev galvu. Filistiešu karapulka līķus es šodien atdošu debesu putniem un zemes radībai, lai visa zeme zina, ka Israēlam ir Dievs. 47 Lai visi šeit sapulcētie zina, ka ne jau ar zobenu vai šķēpu Kungs glābj, jo šis ir Kunga karš, un viņš jūs nodos mūsu rokās.” 48 Filistietis nāca virsū Dāvidam, un Dāvids žigli skrēja uz kaujas ierindu filistietim pretī. 49 Dāvids iebāza roku somā, izņēma no tās akmeni, lingoja un trāpīja filistietim pierē. Akmens ietriecās viņam pierē, un viņš nokrita ar seju pie zemes. 50 Tā Dāvids pievārēja filistieti ar lingu un akmeni – Dāvids filistieti pieveica un nonāvēja bez zobena. 51 Tad Dāvids pieskrējis nostājās pie filistieša, ņēma viņa zobenu, izvilka no maksts un nobeidza viņu – nocirta viņam galvu. Redzēdami, ka viņu spēkavīrs pagalam, filistieši bēga. 52 Israēla un Jūdas vīri cēlās, kliedza un dzinās pakaļ filistiešiem līdz pat ieplakai un Ekronas vārtiem. Nokautie filistieši palika uz Šaaraimas ceļa līdz pat Gatai un Ekronai. 53 Atgriezušies no filistiešu vajāšanas, Israēla dēli izlaupīja viņu nometni. 54 Dāvids ņēma filistieša galvu un atnesa uz Jeruzālemi, bet viņa ieročus nolika savā teltī.
55 Kad Sauls redzēja Dāvidu izejam pretī filistietim, viņš prasīja karaspēka virspavēlniekam Abnēram: “Abnēr, kā dēls ir šis zēns?” Un Abnērs atbildēja: “Dzīva tava dvēsele, ķēniņ, kā lai es to zinu?!” 56 Un ķēniņš teica: “Izjautā, kā dēls ir šis jauneklis!”
57 Un, tiklīdz Dāvids atgriezās, nokāvis filistieti, Abnērs ņēma un aizveda viņu pie Saula – vēl ar filistieša galvu rokās. 58 Sauls viņam jautāja: “Kā dēls tu esi, zēn?” Un Dāvids atbildēja: “Tava kalpa betlēmieša Jišaja dēls.”
