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loved him greatly, and he became his armor- 12 Now David was the son of that Ephrathite of
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bearer. Then Saul sent to Jesse, saying, “Please Bethlehem Judah, whose name was Jesse, and
let David stand before me, for he has found who had eight sons. And the man was old,
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favor in my sight.” And so it was, whenever the advanced in years, in the days of Saul. The
spirit from God was upon Saul, that David would three oldest sons of Jesse had gone to follow
take a harp and play it with his hand. Then Saul Saul to the battle. The names of his three sons
would become refreshed and well, and the dis- who went to the battle were Eliab the first-
tressing spirit would depart from him. born, next to him Abinadab, and the third
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Now the Philistines gathered their Shammah. David was the youngest. And the
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17 armies together to battle, and were gath- three oldest followed Saul. But David occa-
ered at Sochoh, which belongs to Judah; they sionally went and returned from Saul to feed
encamped between Sochoh and Azekah, in his father’s sheep at Bethlehem.
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Ephes Dammim. And Saul and the men of Israel 16 And the Philistine drew near and present-
were gathered together, and they encamped in ed himself forty days, morning and evening.
the Valley of Elah, and drew up in battle array 17 Then Jesse said to his son David, “Take
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against the Philistines. The Philistines stood on now for your brothers an ephah of this dried
a mountain on one side, and Israel stood on a grain and these ten loaves, and run to your
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mountain on the other side, with a valley brothers at the camp. And carry these ten
between them. cheeses to the captain of their thousand, and
see how your brothers fare, and bring back
news of them.” Now Saul and they and all the
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men of Israel were in the Valley of Elah, fight-
ing with the Philistines.
17:4 champion. Literally, “the man between 20 So David rose early in the morning, left the
two.” An appropriate appellation as Goliath sheep with a keeper, and took the things and
stood between the two armies and offered his went as Jesse had commanded him. And he
challenge to a “duel”of hand-to-hand combat, came to the camp as the army was going out
the outcome of which would settle the battle to the fight and shouting for the battle. For
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for both sides. six cubits and a span. One Israel and the Philistines had drawn up in bat-
cubit measures approximately 18 inches and tle array, army against army. And David left
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one span about 9 inches, making Goliath
about 9 feet 9 inches in height. his supplies in the hand of the supply keeper,
ran to the army, and came and greeted his
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brothers. Then as he talked with them, there
was the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Go-
4 And a champion went out from the camp of liath by name, coming up from the armies of
the Philistines, named Goliath, from Gath, the Philistines; and he spoke according to the
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whose height was six cubits and a span. He same words. So David heard them. And all
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had a bronze helmet on his head, and he was the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled
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armed with a coat of mail, and the weight of from him and were dreadfully afraid. So the
the coat was five thousand shekels of bronze. men of Israel said, “Have you seen this man
6 And he had bronze armor on his legs and a who has come up? Surely he has come up to
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bronze javelin between his shoulders. Now defy Israel; and it shall be that the man who
the staff of his spear was like a weaver’s beam, kills him the king will enrich with great rich-
and his iron spearhead weighed six hundred es, will give him his daughter, and give his
shekels; and a shield-bearer went before him. father’s house exemption from taxes in Israel.”
8 Then he stood and cried out to the armies of 26 Then David spoke to the men who stood
Israel, and said to them, “Why have you come by him, saying, “What shall be done for the
out to line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, man who kills this Philistine and takes away
and you the servants of Saul? Choose a man the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncir-
for yourselves, and let him come down to me. cumcised Philistine, that he should defy the
9 If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then armies of the living God?”
we will be your servants. But if I prevail against 27 And the people answered him in this man-
him and kill him, then you shall be our ser- ner, saying, “So shall it be done for the man
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vants and serve us.” And the Philistine said, who kills him.”
“I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a 28 Now Eliab his oldest brother heard when
man, that we may fight together.” When Saul he spoke to the men; and Eliab’s anger was
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and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, aroused against David, and he said, “Why did
they were dismayed and greatly afraid. you come down here? And with whom have you
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