David Accepts the Challenge

12 Now David was the son of a man named Jesse, an Ephrathite from Bethlehem of Judah who had eight sons in the days of Saul. And Jesse was old and well along in years.[fn] 13 The three older sons of Jesse had followed Saul into battle: The firstborn was Eliab, the second was Abinadab, and the third was Shammah. 14 And David was the youngest.

The three oldest had followed Saul, 15 but David went back and forth from Saul to tend his father’s sheep in Bethlehem.

16 For forty days the Philistine came forward every morning and evening to take his stand.

17 One day Jesse said to his son David, “Take this ephah of roasted grain [fn] and these ten loaves of bread for your brothers and hurry to their camp. 18 Take also these ten portions of cheese to the commander of their unit. Check on the welfare of your brothers and bring back an assurance from them.[fn] 19 They are with Saul and all the men of Israel in the Valley of Elah, fighting against the Philistines.”

20 So David got up early in the morning, left the flock with a keeper, loaded up, and set out as Jesse had instructed him. He reached the camp as the army was marching out to its position and shouting the battle cry. 21 And Israel and the Philistines arrayed in formation against each other.

22 Then David left his supplies in the care of the quartermaster and ran to the battle line. When he arrived, he asked his brothers how they were doing. 23 And as he was speaking with them, suddenly the champion named Goliath, the Philistine from Gath, came forward from the Philistines and shouted his usual words, which David also heard.

24 When all the men of Israel saw Goliath, they fled from him in great fear.

25 Now the men of Israel had been saying, “Do you see this man who keeps coming out to defy Israel? To the man who kills him the king will give great riches. And he will give him his daughter in marriage and exempt his father’s house from taxation in Israel.”

26 David asked the men who were standing with him, “What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Just who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?”

27 The people told him about the offer, saying, “That is what will be done for the man who kills him.”

28 Now when David’s oldest brother Eliab heard him speaking to the men, his anger burned against David. “Why have you come down here?” he asked. “And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride and wickedness of heart—you have come down to see the battle!”

29 “What have I done now?” said David. “Was it not just a question?” 30 Then he turned from him toward another and asked about the offer, and those people answered him just as the first ones had answered.

31 Now David’s words were overheard and reported to Saul, who called for him.

32 And David said to Saul, “Let no man’s heart fail on account of this Philistine. Your servant will go and fight him!”

33 But Saul replied, “You cannot go out against this Philistine to fight him. You are just a boy, and he has been a warrior from his youth.”

34 David replied, “Your servant has been tending his father’s sheep, and whenever a lion or a bear came and carried off a lamb from the flock, 35 I went after it, struck it down, and delivered the lamb from its mouth. If it reared up against me, I would grab it by its fur, strike it down, and kill it. 36 Your servant has killed lions and bears; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God.”

37 David added, “The LORD, who delivered me from the claws of the lion and the bear, will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.”

“Go,” said Saul, “and may the LORD be with you.”