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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
6 And he had greaves of brass upon his legs, and a target of brass between his shoulders.
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.
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.
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.
10 And the Philistine said, I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together.
11 When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid.
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.
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.
14 And David was the youngest: and the three eldest followed Saul.
15 But David went and returned from Saul to feed his father's sheep at Bethlehem.
16 And the Philistine drew near morning and evening, and presented himself forty days.
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 of thy brethren;
18 And carry these ten cheeses unto the captain of their thousand, and look how thy brethren fare, and take their pledge.
19 Now Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel, were in the valley of Elah, fighting with 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.
21 For Israel and the Philistines had put the battle in array, army against army.
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.
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.
24 And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were sore afraid.
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.
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?
27 And the people answered him after this manner, saying, So shall it be done to the man that killeth 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.
29 And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause?
30 And he turned from him toward another, and spake after the same manner: and the people answered him again after the former manner.
31 And when the words were heard which David spake, they rehearsed them before Saul: and he sent for 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.
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.
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:
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.
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.
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.
38 And Saul armed David with his armor, and he put an helmet of brass upon his head; also he armed him with a coat of mail.
39 And David girded his sword upon his armor, 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.
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.
41 And the Philistine came on and drew near unto David; and the man that bare the shield went before 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.
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.
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.
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.
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 carcasses 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
53 And the children of Israel returned from chasing after the Philistines, and they spoiled their tents.
54 And David took the head of the Philistine, and brought it to Jerusalem; but he put 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.
56 And the king said, Inquire thou whose son the stripling 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.
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.
Chapter 17 of the book of 1 Samuel in the King James Version of the Holy Bible tells the famous story of David and Goliath. This chapter is one of the most well-known and beloved stories in the Bible, and it is often used as an example of courage, faith, and the power of God. In this chapter, we see the young shepherd boy David, who would later become the king of Israel, facing the giant Philistine warrior Goliath. The main themes of this chapter include faith, courage, and the power of God to overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles.
The chapter begins by setting the scene and introducing the two opposing sides. The Israelites, led by King Saul, are facing the Philistines in battle. The Philistines had gathered their army on one hill, while the Israelites were on another hill, with a valley between them. The Philistines had a secret weapon - Goliath, a giant man who was over nine feet tall and wore a coat of armor weighing 125 pounds. Goliath was a champion fighter, and he challenged the Israelites to send out their best warrior to fight him. The winner of this one-on-one battle would determine the outcome of the entire war.
The Israelites were terrified of Goliath and his challenge. They had no one who could match his strength and size. This is where we are introduced to David, the youngest son of Jesse, who was tending his father's sheep. David's three older brothers were among the Israelite soldiers, and David's father had sent him to bring them food and check on their well-being. When David arrived at the camp and heard Goliath's challenge, he was filled with righteous anger and a strong desire to defend the honor of God and his people.
David's faith and courage are the central themes of this chapter. Despite his young age and lack of experience in battle, David was confident that God would help him defeat Goliath. He tells Saul, "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" (1 Samuel 17:37). David's faith in God's power and protection is unwavering, and he believes that with God on his side, he can defeat any enemy.
David's courage is also evident in his willingness to face Goliath. While the rest of the Israelite army cowered in fear, David stepped forward and volunteered to fight the giant. He was not afraid of Goliath's size or strength because he knew that God was with him. As the saying goes, "courage is not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it." David's faith and courage allowed him to overcome his fear and take action to defend his people.
The power of God is another central theme of this chapter. Throughout the Bible, we see examples of God's power and ability to do the impossible. In the story of David and Goliath, we see how God uses a seemingly insignificant and inexperienced young boy to defeat a giant and save his people. The Bible often reminds us that "with God, all things are possible" (Matthew 19:26). This story serves as a powerful reminder that when we put our faith in God and trust in His power, we can overcome any obstacle or challenge that comes our way.
As David faces Goliath, he declares, "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" (1 Samuel 17:45). David recognizes that his strength and victory do not come from his own abilities but from God. He knows that it is not by his own might or power, but by the Spirit of God that he will defeat Goliath (Zechariah 4:6). This story highlights the truth that when we rely on God's power, we can accomplish great things.
The story of David and Goliath holds many lessons and meanings for us today. First and foremost, it reminds us of the power and faithfulness of God. No matter how big our problems may seem, God is bigger, and He is always with us to help us overcome them. We can have faith and courage in the face of adversity, knowing that God is on our side.
This story also teaches us the value of trusting in God's timing. David was not ready to face Goliath when he was a young shepherd boy. He had to go through many trials and experiences, such as defeating lions and bears, before he was ready to face a giant. In the same way, God often prepares us for the challenges we will face in the future by allowing us to go through smaller challenges in the present. We must trust in God's timing and be patient as He prepares us for what lies ahead.
Furthermore, the story of David and Goliath shows us that God can use anyone, regardless of their age, status, or background. David was the youngest son of a shepherd, not a trained warrior or a member of the royal family. Yet, God chose him to defeat Goliath and become the next king of Israel. This serves as a reminder that God does not look at our outward appearances or worldly qualifications, but at our hearts and our willingness to trust and obey Him.
The story of David and Goliath holds many valuable lessons for us today. It teaches us to have faith and courage in the face of adversity, to trust in God's power and timing, and to remember that God can use anyone to accomplish His purposes. This story also reminds us that our battles are not physical but spiritual, and we must put on the armor of God to stand against the enemy (Ephesians 6:10-18). It encourages us to face our fears and challenges with confidence, knowing that God is with us and will give us the strength and courage we need.
Furthermore, this story serves as a reminder that the battle belongs to the Lord (1 Samuel 17:47). We may face many challenges and enemies in our lives, but we must remember that ultimately, the victory is God's. We must trust in His power and sovereignty and not try to fight our battles in our own strength. As we see in the story of David and Goliath, when we put our faith in God, He will fight for us and give us the victory.
In conclusion, chapter 17 of the book of 1 Samuel in the King James Version of the Holy Bible tells the story of David and Goliath, a powerful and inspiring tale of faith, courage, and the power of God. This story serves as a reminder to us today that no matter how big our problems may seem, God is bigger, and He is always with us to help us overcome them. We must have faith and courage, trust in God's timing, and remember that the battle belongs to the Lord. As we face our own giants in life, may we be encouraged and inspired by the story of David and Goliath, knowing that with God on our side, we can overcome any obstacle and achieve great things for His glory.
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