1 Samuel

Tells about Samuel, the last judge, and the beginning of Israel's monarchy with King Saul and young David.

Chapter 17

1 Now the Philistines gathered together their armies to battle, and were gathered together at Shochoh, which belongeth to Judah, and pitched between Shochoh and Azekah, in Ephesdammim.

*Now, the Philistines brought their armies together for a fight at a place called Shochoh, which is part of Judah. They set up camp between Shochoh and Azekah, in a area named Ephesdammim.

2 And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together, and pitched by the valley of Elah, and set the battle in array against the Philistines.

*Saul and the Israeli soldiers met together near a valley called Elah. They prepared to fight against the Philistines.

3 And the Philistines stood on a mountain on the one side, and Israel stood on a mountain on the other side: and there was a valley between them.

*The Philistines were on one mountain, and Israel was on another mountain across from them, with a valley in between.

4 And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span.

*A big warrior named Goliath from the city of Gath came out of the Philistine camp. He was very tall, about seven feet and a bit more in height.

5 And he had an helmet of brass upon his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail; and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of brass.

*He wore a bronze helmet on his head and had a heavy armor coat. The coat weighed as much as 5,000 brass shekels.

6 And he had greaves of brass upon his legs, and a target of brass between his shoulders.

*He wore brass armor on his legs and a brass shield on his back.

7 And the staff of his spear was like a weaver’s beam; and his spear’s head weighed six hundred shekels of iron: and one bearing a shield went before him.

*His spear's staff was as thick as a loom bar, and the tip weighed as much as 600 iron coins. A person carrying a shield walked in front of him.

8 And he stood and cried unto the armies of Israel, and said unto them, Why are ye come out to set your battle in array? am not I a Philistine, and ye servants to Saul? choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me.

*He stood and called to the Israeli armies, asking them, "Why are you here to prepare for battle? Aren't I a Philistine, and aren't you serving Saul? Choose one of your men and let him come face me in combat."

9 If he be able to fight with me, and to kill me, then will we be your servants: but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then shall ye be our servants, and serve us.

*If he can beat and kill me, we'll be your servants. But if I win and kill him, you'll be our servants and work for us.

10 And the Philistine said, I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together.

*The Philistine challenged the Israeli army, saying "I dare any of your soldiers to come and fight me one-on-one."

11 When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid.

*When Saul and everyone in Israel heard what the Philistine said, they became very scared and worried.

12 Now David was the son of that Ephrathite of Bethlehemjudah, whose name was Jesse; and he had eight sons: and the man went among men for an old man in the days of Saul.

*Now David was the child of a man from Bethlehem named Jesse, who was also called Ephrathite. He had eight children. In the time when King Saul ruled, David was already an old man.

13 And the three eldest sons of Jesse went and followed Saul to the battle: and the names of his three sons that went to the battle were Eliab the firstborn, and next unto him Abinadab, and the third Shammah.

*The three oldest brothers of Jesse joined Saul in the fight. Their names were Eliab, the oldest, then Abinadab, and lastly, Shammah.

14 And David was the youngest: and the three eldest followed Saul.

*David was the youngest; the other three oldest brothers followed Saul.

15 But David went and returned from Saul to feed his father’s sheep at Bethlehem.

*But David left Saul and went back to take care of his dad's sheep in Bethlehem.

16 And the Philistine drew near morning and evening, and presented himself forty days.

*The Philistine came every morning and night for forty days in a row.

17 And Jesse said unto David his son, Take now for thy brethren an ephah of this parched corn, and these ten loaves, and run to the camp to thy brethren.

*Jesse told David, "Take some dried grain and ten loaves of bread for your brothers. Go quickly to their camp."

18 And carry these ten cheeses unto the captain of their thousand, and look how thy brethren fare, and take their pledge.

*Take these 10 cheeses to the leader of 1,000 people. Check on your friends and see if they're okay. Get their promise.

19 Now Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel, were in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines.

*Now Saul, along with his army, and all the people of Israel, were in a place called the Valley of Elah, where they were battling against the Philistines.

20 And David rose up early in the morning, and left the sheep with a keeper, and took, and went, as Jesse had commanded him; and he came to the trench, as the host was going forth to the fight, and shouted for the battle.

*In the morning, David got up early, and gave his sheep to a shepherd. He followed his father's instructions and went to the trench when the army was leaving for the fight. There, he loudly cheered for the battle.

21 For Israel and the Philistines had put the battle in array, army against army.

*For Israel and the Philistines prepared for war with their armies facing each other.

22 And David left his carriage in the hand of the keeper of the carriage, and ran into the army, and came and saluted his brethren.

*David gave his carriage to the caretaker and rushed to the soldiers. He greeted his family members.

23 And as he talked with them, behold, there came up the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the armies of the Philistines, and spake according to the same words: and David heard them.

*As David conversed with others, a champion appeared - Goliath from Gath, part of the Philistine army. He spoke similar words, and David heard him.

24 And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were sore afraid.

*When the Israelite men saw the man, they ran away and were very scared.

25 And the men of Israel said, Have ye seen this man that is come up? surely to defy Israel is he come up: and it shall be, that the man who killeth him, the king will enrich him with great riches, and will give him his daughter, and make his father’s house free in Israel.

*The men of Israel asked, "Have you seen this man coming? He has come to challenge us! If anyone kills him, the king will reward him with wealth, give him his daughter in marriage, and free his family's home in Israel."

26 And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the reproach from Israel? for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?

*And David asked the people around him, "What will happen to the person who kills this Philistine and removes disgrace from Israel? Because who is this uncircumcised Philistine to challenge the army of the living God?"

27 And the people answered him after this manner, saying, So shall it be done to the man that killeth him.

*And the people replied, "The same will happen to the person who kills him."

28 And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab’s anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle.

*Eliab, David's oldest brother, heard him talking to the men. Eliab became angry with David and asked why he came there and who he left the sheep with. He knew David was proud and had a bad heart, and thought David came to watch the fight.

29 And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause?

*And David asked, "What have I done now? Isn't there a reason?"

30 And he turned from him toward another, and spake after the same manner: and the people answered him again after the former manner.

*He turned to someone else and spoke the same way. The people responded again as they did before.

31 And when the words were heard which David spake, they rehearsed them before Saul: and he sent for him.

*When David spoke these words, they told Saul about it. Saul then asked for David to come to him.

32 And David said to Saul, Let no man’s heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine.

*David told Saul, "Don't let anyone be scared because of this guy. I, your servant, will go and fight him."

33 And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.

*Saul told David, "You can't fight that Philistine. You're just a young guy, and he's been a warrior since he was little."

34 And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father’s sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock:

*David told Saul that he watched his father's sheep. One day, a lion and a bear attacked and took a lamb from the group of sheep.

35 And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him.

*So, I followed him and took what he had in his mouth away. Then, when he tried to attack me again, I grabbed his beard and hit him, killing him.

36 Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God.

*Your servant killed both a lion and a bear. Now this uncircumcised Philistine will be like them because he has challenged the army of the living God.

37 David said moreover, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the LORD be with thee.

*David added, "The Lord saved me from the lion and the bear, and He will save me from this Philistine." Saul told David, "Go, and may the Lord be with you."

38 And Saul armed David with his armour, and he put an helmet of brass upon his head; also he armed him with a coat of mail.

*Saul gave David his armor to wear, putting a bronze helmet on his head and a protective coat too.

39 And David girded his sword upon his armour, and he assayed to go; for he had not proved it. And David said unto Saul, I cannot go with these; for I have not proved them. And David put them off him.

*David fastened his sword to his armor and tried to leave, but he couldn't because he hadn't tested the gear. David told Saul, "I can't go like this," as he removed the armor.

40 And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd’s bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine.

*He grabbed his staff and picked five polished rocks from the stream, putting them in a shepherd's pouch, also known as a scrip. He had his sling ready too. Then, he approached the Philistine.

41 And the Philistine came on and drew near unto David; and the man that bare the shield went before him.

*The Philistine approached David, and the shield-carrier walked ahead of him.

42 And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him: for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance.

*When the Philistine saw David, he didn't think much of him because David was just a young man, with a nice skin tone, and a good-looking face.

43 And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.

*The Philistine asked David, "Why do you approach me with sticks like you would a dog?" He also cursed David using his own gods.

44 And the Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field.

*The Philistine told David, "Come here, and I'll let birds and wild animals eat you alive."

45 Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.

*Then David told the Philistine, "You're coming at me with a sword, a spear, and a shield. But I'm coming at you in the name of the LORD of the heavenly armies, the God of Israel, who you've challenged."

46 This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.

*Today, the LORD will hand you over to me, and I will kill you, taking your head from you. Then, I'll give the remains of the Philistine army to the birds and wild animals, so everyone on earth knows there is a God in Israel.

47 And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD’s, and he will give you into our hands.

*And everyone here will understand that the LORD doesn't save using swords and spears; the fight belongs to Him, and He will make them fall into our grasp.

48 And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came, and drew nigh to meet David, that David hastened, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine.

*When the Philistine approached to fight David, David quickly ran to his soldiers to face the Philistine.

49 And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth.

*David reached into his bag, grabbed a stone, threw it, hitting the Philistine in the forehead. The stone sank deep into his forehead, causing him to fall face-first on the ground.

50 So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David.

*David won against the Philistine using just a sling and a stone, hitting and killing him. He didn't have a sword when he did this.

51 Therefore David ran, and stood upon the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off his head therewith. And when the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they fled.

*So, David chased and stood against the Philistine, grabbed his sword and pulled it from its case, then killed him and cut off his head. When the other Philistines saw their leader was killed, they ran away.

52 And the men of Israel and of Judah arose, and shouted, and pursued the Philistines, until thou come to the valley, and to the gates of Ekron. And the wounded of the Philistines fell down by the way to Shaaraim, even unto Gath, and unto Ekron.

*The men from Israel and Judah stood up, shouted, and chased the Philistines until they reached the valley near Ekron's gates. Many injured Philistines collapsed along the way from Shaaraim to Gath and Ekron.

53 And the children of Israel returned from chasing after the Philistines, and they spoiled their tents.

*The Israelite kids stopped pursuing the Philistines and ruined their camps.

54 And David took the head of the Philistine, and brought it to Jerusalem; but he put his armour in his tent.

*David cut off the Philistine's head and took it to Jerusalem. He left his armor in his tent.

55 And when Saul saw David go forth against the Philistine, he said unto Abner, the captain of the host, Abner, whose son is this youth? And Abner said, As thy soul liveth, O king, I cannot tell.

*When Saul saw David face the Philistine, he asked Abner, the leader, "Who is this young man?" Abner replied, "I swear, Mr. King, I don't know."

56 And the king said, Enquire thou whose son the stripling is.

*The king asked, "Find out who the young man's father is."

57 And as David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, Abner took him, and brought him before Saul with the head of the Philistine in his hand.

*When David finished fighting the Philistines, Abner grabbed him and showed him to Saul while holding the Philistine's head.

58 And Saul said to him, Whose son art thou, thou young man? And David answered, I am the son of thy servant Jesse the Bethlehemite.

*Saul asked, "Who are you, young man?" And David replied, "I am the son of your servant Jesse from Bethlehem."

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