Goliath Challenges the Israelites
1 The Philistines gathered for battle in Socoh, a town in Judah; they camped at a place called Ephes Dammim, between Socoh and Azekah. 2 Saul and the Israelites assembled and camped in Elah Valley, where they got ready to fight the Philistines. 3 The Philistines lined up on one hill and the Israelites on another, with a valley between them.
4 A man named Goliath, from the city of Gath, came out from the Philistine camp to challenge the Israelites. He was over nine feet tall 5 and wore bronze armor that weighed about 125 pounds and a bronze helmet. 6 His legs were also protected by bronze armor, and he carried a bronze javelin slung over his shoulder. 7 His spear was as thick as the bar on a weaver's loom, and its iron head weighed about fifteen pounds. A soldier walked in front of him carrying his shield. 8 Goliath stood and shouted at the Israelites, “What are you doing there, lined up for battle? I am a Philistine, you slaves of Saul! Choose one of your men to fight me. 9 If he wins and kills me, we will be your slaves; but if I win and kill him, you will be our slaves. 10 Here and now I challenge the Israelite army. I dare you to pick someone to fight me!” 11 When Saul and his men heard this, they were terrified.
David in Saul's Camp
12 David was the son of Jesse, who was an Ephrathite from Bethlehem in Judah. Jesse had eight sons, and at the time Saul was king, he was already a very old man. 13 His three oldest sons had gone with Saul to war. The oldest was Eliab, the next was Abinadab, and the third was Shammah. 14 David was the youngest son, and while the three oldest brothers stayed with Saul, 15 David would go back to Bethlehem from time to time, to take care of his father's sheep.
16 Goliath challenged the Israelites every morning and evening for forty days.
17 One day Jesse said to David, “Take a half-bushel of this roasted grain and these ten loaves of bread, and hurry with them to your brothers in the camp. 18 And take these ten cheeses to the commanding officer. Find out how your brothers are getting along and bring back something to show that you saw them and that they are well. 19 King Saul, your brothers, and all the other Israelites are in Elah Valley fighting the Philistines.”
20 David got up early the next morning, left someone else in charge of the sheep, took the food, and went as Jesse had told him to. He arrived at the camp just as the Israelites were going out to their battle line, shouting the war cry. 21 The Philistine and the Israelite armies took positions for battle, facing each other. 22 David left the food with the officer in charge of the supplies, ran to the battle line, went to his brothers, and asked how they were getting along. 23 As he was talking with them, Goliath came forward and challenged the Israelites as he had done before. And David heard him. 24 When the Israelites saw Goliath, they ran away in terror. 25 “Look at him!” they said to each other. “Listen to his challenge! King Saul has promised to give a big reward to the man who kills him; the king will also give him his daughter to marry and will not require his father's family to pay taxes.”
26 David asked the men who were near him, “What will the man get who kills this Philistine and frees Israel from this disgrace? After all, who is this heathen Philistine to defy the army of the living God?” 27 They told him what would be done for the man who killed Goliath.
28 Eliab, David's oldest brother, heard David talking to the men. He became angry with David and said, “What are you doing here? Who is taking care of those sheep of yours out there in the wilderness? You smart aleck, you! You just came to watch the fighting!”
29 “Now what have I done?” David asked. “Can't I even ask a question?” 30 He turned to another man and asked him the same question, and every time he asked, he got the same answer.
31 Some men heard what David had said, and they told Saul, who sent for him. 32 David said to Saul, “Your Majesty, no one should be afraid of this Philistine! I will go and fight him.”
33 “No,” answered Saul. “How could you fight him? You're just a boy, and he has been a soldier all his life!”
34 “Your Majesty,” David said, “I take care of my father's sheep. Any time a lion or a bear carries off a lamb, 35 I go after it, attack it, and rescue the lamb. And if the lion or bear turns on me, I grab it by the throat and beat it to death. 36 I have killed lions and bears, and I will do the same to this heathen Philistine, who has defied the army of the living God. 37 The Lord has saved me from lions and bears; he will save me from this Philistine.”
“All right,” Saul answered. “Go, and the Lord be with you.” 38 He gave his own armor to David for him to wear: a bronze helmet, which he put on David's head, and a coat of armor. 39 David strapped Saul's sword over the armor and tried to walk, but he couldn't, because he wasn't used to wearing them. “I can't fight with all this,” he said to Saul. “I'm not used to it.” So he took it all off. 40 He took his shepherd's stick and then picked up five smooth stones from the stream and put them in his bag. With his sling ready, he went out to meet Goliath.
David Defeats Goliath
41 The Philistine started walking toward David, with his shield bearer walking in front of him. He kept coming closer, 42 and when he got a good look at David, he was filled with scorn for him because he was just a nice, good-looking boy. 43 He said to David, “What's that stick for? Do you think I'm a dog?” And he called down curses from his god on David. 44 “Come on,” he challenged David, “and I will give your body to the birds and animals to eat.”
45 David answered, “You are coming against me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the Israelite armies, which you have defied. 46 This very day the Lord will put you in my power; I will defeat you and cut off your head. And I will give the bodies of the Philistine soldiers to the birds and animals to eat. Then the whole world will know that Israel has a God, 47 and everyone here will see that the Lord does not need swords or spears to save his people. He is victorious in battle, and he will put all of you in our power.”
48 Goliath started walking toward David again, and David ran quickly toward the Philistine battle line to fight him. 49 He reached into his bag and took out a stone, which he slung at Goliath. It hit him on the forehead and broke his skull, and Goliath fell face downward on the ground. 50 And so, without a sword, David defeated and killed Goliath with a sling and a stone! 51 He ran to him, stood over him, took Goliath's sword out of its sheath, and cut off his head and killed him.
When the Philistines saw that their hero was dead, they ran away. 52 The men of Israel and Judah shouted and ran after them, pursuing them all the way to Gath and to the gates of Ekron. The Philistines fell wounded all along the road that leads to Shaaraim, as far as Gath and Ekron. 53 When the Israelites came back from pursuing the Philistines, they looted their camp. 54 David got Goliath's head and took it to Jerusalem, but he kept Goliath's weapons in his own tent.
David Is Presented to Saul
55 When Saul saw David going out to fight Goliath, he asked Abner, the commander of his army, “Abner, whose son is he?”
“I have no idea, Your Majesty,” Abner answered.
56 “Then go and find out,” Saul ordered.
57 So when David returned to camp after killing Goliath, Abner took him to Saul. David was still carrying Goliath's head. 58 Saul asked him, “Young man, whose son are you?”
“I am the son of your servant Jesse from Bethlehem,” David answered.
Goliat ma toko Ovaisrael
1 Ovafilisti va woronganisira ovimbumba vyawo vyovita mOsoko, tji tji ri otjOvajuda, nave tono ozondanda zawo pokati ka Soko na Aseka mOefes-Damim. 2 Saul nOvaisrael wina va worongana nave tono ozondanda zawo mOtjanatjomimbonde, nave rirongerere okurwisa Ovafilisti. 3 NOvafilisti va kuramene keṋe yondundu imwe, nOvaisrael va kuramene keṋe yondundu yarwe, tjandje nao otjana tji ri pokati kawo.
4 Nu pa ri omurumendu wena Goliat, ngwa zire kotjihuro Gat; neye wa pita mozondanda zOvafilisti na katoka Ovaisrael. Eye wa ri noure wozometa mangara ndatu 5 nu wa ri nekori rongoporo kotjiuru, nombanda yongoporo motjari, ndja ri nondjinda yozokirograma mangara omirongo vitano na hambombari. 6 Komarama we kwa ri ovitjizikize vyongoporo, nu aa tjindi enga rongoporo kotjiṱuve. 7 Omupiṋe wenga re wa ṱekire pomuti wetemba, nomuzi waro wa ri nondjinda yozokirograma mangara hambombari. Nomutjinde woruvao rwe aa kayenda komurungu we. 8 Goliat wa kuramene na ravaere kOvaisrael, mba kuramene motuteto, na tja ku wo: “Mamu ungura tjike mbo, mwe rirongerere ovita poo? Ami owami Omufilisti, neṋe oweṋe ovakarere va Saul! Toororeye umwe weṋu e ye tu rwe! 9 Eye tje ndji havere ne ndji zepa, eṱe matu rire ovakarere veṋu, nami tji mbe mu havere ne mu zepa, eṋe mamu rire ovakarere vetu.” 10 NOmufilisti ngwi wa hungira komurungu a tja: “Ndinondi me toko Ovaisrael mba kurama motuteto! Ndji toororereye omurumendu umwe tu rwe.” 11 Nu Saul nOvaisrael avehe tji va zuva omambo wOmufilisti ngwi, va uruma nave tira tjinene.
David mozondanda za Saul
12 David wa ri omuzandu wa Isai, ngwa ri Omuefrat wa Betlehem mOjuda. Isai wa ri novazandu hambondatu, nu oruveze ndwi Saul ngunda e ri ombara, Isai tjandje wa kurupa tjinene. 13 Novazandu ve imba ovanene vetatu va ire puna Saul kovita. Ingwi erumbi wa ri Eliab, nomukwao oAbinadab, nu ingwi outjatatu wa ri Sama. 14 David ongwa ri ongero, nu imba omarumbi we ngunda ave kara puna Saul, 15 ingwi David aa i kObetlehem okukarisa ozonḓu zaihe.
16 Omuhuka nongurova aihe, oure womayuva omirongo vine, Goliat tjandje u toka Ovaisrael.
17 Eyuva rimwe Isai wa tja nai komuzandu we David: “Kambura otjiyaha tjimwe tjovikokotwa vyondjinda yozokirograma omurongo mbya ngarurwa, nozomboroto omurongo nḓa, nu vi twara tjimanga komarumbi woye mbe ri kovita mozondanda za Saul. 18 Nu twaerera ozongahera zovitungwi vyomaere omurongo nḓa komuhongore weyovi, nu katjiwe kutja omarumbi woye ve ri vi, nu u kaeterere otjiṋa tji matji raisa kutja we ve munu nu ve ri nawa. 19 Ombara Saul nomarumbi woye novarumendu avehe vOvaisrael mave rwisa Ovafilisti mOtjanatjomimbonde.”
20 David wa sekama omuhuka omunene wependukirwa na sye po omundu okuṱakamisa ozonyanda; eye wa toora ovikurya na i otja Isai pe mu rakiza. Eye wa kavaza kozondanda, Ovaisrael tji va ri pokuyenda kovita amave tono ombimbi. 21 Novimbumba vyOvaisrael vyovita na imbi vyOvafilisti vya kuramene potuveze twavyo twomarwiro. 22 Nu David wa yandja ovikurya mbya eterera komutjevere womitwaro na tupuka kotuteto twomarwiro. Nu tja kavaza ngo, wa kapura omarumbi we kutja ve ri vi. 23 David ngunda ama hungire na wo, Goliat arire tja ryama komurungu na toko Ovaisrael tjimuna indu tje tjita aruhe, nu David we mu zuva. 24 NOvaisrael tji va muna Goliat, va tupuka tjandje mave mu tira. 25 Nowo va tja nai: “Omurumendu ngwa rondo mbo mwe mu munu? Eye weya okutoka Ovaisrael. Nu ingwi ngu me mu zepa, ombara mai mu pe outumbe ounene nomuatje wayo okukupa, nu mai kutura eṱunḓu re arihe kokusuta otjouhona mOisrael.”
26 David otja pura ovarumendu, mba kuramene pu ye, a tja: “Omurumendu ngu ma zepa Omufilisti ngwi nokukutura Ovaisrael komanyekerero nga ma pewa tjike? Nu hapo Omufilisti omunavisenginina ngwi, omukendu, kutja ma yenene okunyekerera otjimbumba tjovita tja Ndjambi omunamuinyo?” 27 Nowo ve mu raera imbi mbi mavi tjitwa komundu ngu ma zepa Goliat.
28 Erumbi re Eliab wa zuva David ama hungire puna ovarumendu. Neye otja pindikira David tjinene, na tja: “Hapo, we ere tjike nguno? Nozonḓu mokuti onguza we ze esa na uṋe? Ami me tjiwa oupikapike nouhahu woye. Ove weya okutarera ovita uriri.”
29 Nu David wa pura a tja: “Nambano mba ungura tjike? Ami mba pura uriri.” 30 Neye wa vingurukira komurumendu warwe na pura epuriro tjingero; novarumendu avehe eye mba pura ve mu zira omambo tjingewo.
31 Ovandu tji va zuu omambo David nga hungire, arire tji va raere Saul, neye wa raa kutja David e ye ku ye. 32 David arire tja tja ku Saul: “Kape na umwe ngu ma sokutira Omufilisti ngo! Ami, omukarere woye, me vanga okukemurwisa.”
33 Saul arire tja ziri a tja: “Ove ko nakuyenena okukarwisa Omufilisti ngwi, ove tjinga au ri okaṱiṱi, neye e ri omurumendu wovita okuza koumutanda we!”
34 David otja tja nai ku Saul: “Ami, omukarere woye, ee risire tate ozonyanda; nu tji pe ya ongeyama poo ongu nai hakana onyanda morupanda, 35 ee i teza, e i tono ne hakana onyanda ndji motjinyo tjayo, nu tji ye ndji pirukire, ee i kambura momurenge, ne i tono e i zepa. 36 Ami, omukarere woye, ee zepa ozongeyama nozongu, nu opunga ame tjiti kOmufilisti ngwi omunavisenginina, eye tjinga e nyekerera otjimbumba tjovita tja Ndjambi omunamuinyo.” 37 David wa hungira komurungu a tja: “Muhona ngwe ndji yama mozonyara zozongeyama nozongu, eye wina me ndji yama momake wOmufilisti ngwi.”
Saul wa tja nai ku David: “Osemba, twende, nu Muhona nga kare puna ove!” 38 Saul arire tja zarisa David ozombanda ze zovita, okutja ekori rongoporo nozombanda zongoporo. 39 David we rivaranga nengaruvyo ra Saul ngunda e nozombanda zovita na roro okukawondja, nungwari kaa sora, eye tjinga e hiye ze iririra okuzezara. Neye wa tja ku Saul: “Ami hi nokusora okurwa nozombanda nḓa. Hiye ze iririra.” David otje ze hukura azehe. 40 Neye wa toora okati ke kouṱuta, na paha omawe yetano omaheze moruramba, ne ye twa mondjaṱu ye youṱuta; neye wa ri nokangarena ke meke tja kahakaena na Goliat.
David ma zepa Goliat
41 NOmufilisti wa yendayenda okuya popezu na David, nomutjinde woruvao rwe aa ka wondja momurungu we. 42 Omufilisti tja era omeho we na munu David, arire tje mu nyengura, tjinga a ri omuzandu omuṱiṱi wombunikiro ombwa nowomuhapo omuwa. 43 Neye wa ravaera ku David a tja: “Okati okaye ngo? Mo tjangovasi owami ombwa?” Neye wa ravaerera David osengiro koomukuru vovisenginina. 44 NOmufilisti wa ravaera komurungu na tja ku David: “Indjo uri ku ami, mbi yandje onyama yoye kozonḓera na kovipuka ovinyondorore!”
45 David wa zira a tja: “Ove we ndji yendere nengaruvyo nenga notjikatana, nungwari ami mbe ku yendere mena ra Muhona Omunamasaaehe, Ndjambi wovimbumba vya Israel vyovita, ngu wa nyekerera. 46 Ndinondi Muhona me ku twa meke randje; ami me ku zepa, ne ku kondo otjiuru, nu me yandja omitundu vyotjimbumba tjOvafilisti tjovita kozonḓera na kovipuka ovinyondorore, ehi arihe ri tjiwe kutja Ovaisrael ve na Ndjambi. 47 Nu auhe weṋu ma munu kutja Muhona ke nakuhepa omangaruvyo nomanga okuyama otjiwaṋa tje. Eye u kara noutoṋi motjirwa, nu me mu yandja amuhe momake wetu.”
48 Goliat wa uta okukayenda okuhungama David rukwao, nu David wa tupuka tjimanga koṋa komarwiro wOvafilisti okukemurwisa. 49 David wa hakahana okunana ewe mondjaṱu, e ri yumbu nokangarena na vete Omufilisti; newe ra nyaa otjipara tje, neye arire tja u onḓurumika. 50 Komuhingo mbwi otja zepa Goliat nokangarena newe, nokuhinengaruvyo. 51 David wa kakurama kombanda yOmufilisti na nana engaruvyo ra Goliat motjihweka, ne mu kondo otjiuru.
NOvafilisti tji va muna kutja ombangaṋe yawo ya koka, otji va tupuka. 52 Ovaisrael nOvajuda va rambera Ovafilisti ondjira aihe nga kOgat na komivero vya Ekron amave ravaere. Nomitundu vyOvafilisti vya saravara pehi mondjira ndji yenda kOsaaraim nga kOgat na Ekron. 53 NOvaisrael va kotoka tji va za nokurambera Ovafilisti, nave huura ozondanda zawo. 54 David wa twara otjiuru tja Goliat kOjerusalem, nungwari imbi ovirwise vya Goliat we vi ṱizira mondanda ye omuini.
David ma etwa ku Saul
55 Saul tja muna David ama i okukarwisa Goliat, arire tja pura ku Abner, omuhongore we wovita, a tja: “Abner, omuzandu ngwi owauṋe?”
Abner arire tja ziri nai: “Tjiri, mbara, ami hi mu i!”
56 Saul wa rakiza a tja: “Kemupure kutja eye omuzandu wauṋe?”
57 David tja kotoka kozondanda, tja za nokuzepa Goliat, Abner we mu twara ku Saul; David tjandje wa tjindi otjiuru tja Goliat. 58 Saul we mu pura a tja: “Muzandu, oove omuatje wauṋe?”
David wa zira a tja: “Owami omuzandu womukarere woye Isai wa Betlehem.”
