1 Samuel 17:1-11 - The Philistine Champion Taunts Israel

¹ Now the Philistines gathered their armies for battle and were assembled at Socoh, which belongs to Judah; and they camped between Socoh and Azekah, in Ephes-dammim. ² Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together and they camped in the Valley of Elah, and assembled in battle formation to meet the Philistines.

³ The Philistines were standing on the mountain on one side and Israel was standing on the mountain on the other side, with the valley between them. ⁴ Then a champion came out from the camp of the Philistines named Goliath of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. ⁵ He had a bronze helmet on his head, and wore a coat of scale-armor (overlapping metal plates) which weighed 5,000 shekels of bronze. ⁶ He had bronze shin protectors on his legs and a bronze javelin hung between his shoulders. ⁷ The [wooden] shaft of his spear was like a weaver’s beam; the blade-head of his spear weighed six hundred shekels of iron. And a shield-bearer walked in front of him.

⁸ Goliath stood and shouted to the battle lines of Israel, saying to them, “Why have you come out to draw up for battle? Am I not the Philistine and are you not servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves and have him come down to me. ⁹ If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will become your servants; but if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall become our servants and serve us.” ¹⁰ Again the Philistine said, “I defy the battle lines of Israel this day; give me a man so that we may fight together.” ¹¹ When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid.