17 At that time, the Philistines gathered their army divisions together ready for battle. They assembled at Sokoh in Yehudah, and camped between Sokoh and Azekah in Efes-Dammim. 2 Sha’ul and the Israeli warriors gathered and camped in the Elah valley, then they arranged themselves for battle against the Philistines. 3 So the Philistines stood on one hill and the Israelis on the opposite hill, with the valley between them.

4 Then the Philistines sent a champion out from their camp to represent them. His name was Goliat and he came from Gat, and he was almost three metres[fn] tall. 5 He wore a bronze helmet, and his body armour had overlapping plates weighing a total of some fifty-five kilograms. 6 He had bronze armour on his legs, and a bronze plate[fn] between his shoulders. 7 The wooden shaft of his spear was like a weaver’s beam and his spear time weighed around seven kilograms. His shield-bearer walked in front of him. 8 Goliat stood there and called out to the Israeli warriors, “Why have you all come out to line up for battle? Now, I’m down here as a Philistine, and all of you are Sha’ul’s slaves, so choose a man for yourselves and let him come down here to fight me. 9 If he’s able to fight with me and kill me, then we’ll become your slaves. But if I’m the winner and kill him, then you’ll all become our slaves and work for us.” 10 Then he said, “I personally scoff at Israel’s lines today. Give me a man so we can fight together.” 11 When Sha’ul and the Israelis heard all that, they were discouraged and very afraid.