1Now the Philistines gathered their armies for battle. And they were gathered at Socoh, which belongs to Judah, and encamped between Socoh and Azekah, in Ephes-dammim.

2And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered, and encamped in the Valley of Elah, and drew up in line of battle against the Philistines.

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

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

5He had a helmet of bronze on his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail, and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of bronze.

6And he had bronze armor on his legs, and a javelin of bronze slung between his shoulders.

7The shaft of his spear was like a weaver's beam, and his spear's head weighed six hundred shekels of iron. And his shield-bearer went before him.

8He stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, "Why have you come out to draw up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me.

9If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants. But if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our servants and serve us."

10And the Philistine said, "I defy the ranks of Israel this day. Give me a man, that we may fight together."

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

12Now David was the son of an Ephrathite of Bethlehem in Judah, named Jesse, who had eight sons. In the days of Saul the man was already old and advanced in years.

13The three oldest sons of Jesse had followed Saul to the battle. And the names of his three sons who went to the battle were Eliab the firstborn, and next to him Abinadab, and the third Shammah.

14David was the youngest. The three eldest followed Saul,

15but David went back and forth from Saul to feed his father's sheep at Bethlehem.

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

17And Jesse said to David his son, "Take for your brothers an ephah of this parched grain, and these ten loaves, and carry them quickly to the camp to your brothers.

18Also take these ten cheeses to the commander of their thousand. See if your brothers are well, and bring some token from them."

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

20And David rose early in the morning and left the sheep with a keeper and took the provisions and went, as Jesse had commanded him. And he came to the encampment as the host was going out to the battle line, shouting the war cry.

21And Israel and the Philistines drew up for battle, army against army.

22And David left the things in charge of the keeper of the baggage and ran to the ranks and went and greeted his brothers.

23As he talked with them, behold, the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, came up out of the ranks of the Philistines and spoke the same words as before. And David heard him.