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

¹ The Philistines assembled their army for battle. They were assembled at Socoh, which belongs to Judah, and they camped between Socoh and Azekah, in Ephes-dammim. ² Saul and the Israelis assembled and camped in the valley of Elah, where they set up their forces to meet the Philistines.

³ The Philistines were standing on the hill on one side while the Israelis were standing on the hill on the other side, with the valley between them. ⁴ A champion named Goliath from Gath came out from the Philistine camp. He was four cubits and a span tall, ⁵ wore a bronze helmet on his head, and wore bronze scale armor that weighed about 5,000 shekels. ⁶ He had bronze armor on his legs and carried a bronze javelin slung between his shoulders. ⁷ The shaft of his spear was like a weaver's beam and the iron point of his spear weighed 600 shekels. A man carrying his shield walked in front of him.

⁸ He stood still and called out to the ranks of Israel, "Why should you move into position for battle? Am I not a Philistine and you Saul's servants? Choose a man for yourselves to come down against me. ⁹ If he's able to fight me and strike me down, then we will become your servants; but if I prevail against him and strike him down, then you will become our servants and serve us." ¹⁰ The Philistine said, "I defy the ranks of Israel today. Send me one man and let's fight together." ¹¹ When Saul and all the Israelis heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and very frightened.