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.
David ta dipaa Goliat
1 NOvafilisti va ongela omatanga avo ovakwaita va ka homone, ndele va ongala puSogo shomuJuda ndele va onga onhanda pokati kaSogo naAseka muEfes-Dammim. 2 Ndelenee Saul novalumenhu Ovaisraeli va ongala ndele va onga onhanda mefilu laEla, ndele va tanda ombinga va taalela Ovafilisti; 3 nOvafilisti va li komhunda kombinga yavo nOvaisraeli va li komhunda kombinga yavo, nefilu la li pokati kavo. 4 Opo nee meenhanda dOvafilisti omwa dja umwe, a deuka, ofule yokulwa, edina laye Goliat womuGat. Oule waye wa li omaludimbo ahamano noule weke. 5 Komutwe waye kwa li embale loshikushu, nokwa djala oshikutu shoipwakotolwa yoshivela, oudjuu woshikutu shoshivela wa li eekilograma omilongo nhano na heyali doshikushu. 6 Komaulu aye okwa djala oshikelelifovela shitwima nopokati komapepe eonga loshikushu. 7 Oshihengo sheonga laye sha li shi fike pongala yomushi, noudjuu wefo leonga laye wa li u fike peekilograma heyali doshikushu, nomuhumbati woshikelelifo shaye e mu pitila komesho. 8 Ndele ye okwa ehena ko ndee ta ingida ta ti kOvaisraeli ava va tanda ombinga ndee te va lombwele: “Omolwashike mwe uya mu tande ombinga? Ame ndishi Omufilisti, nye ovapiya vaSaul? Hoololeni omulumenhu umwe ne uye kwaame. 9 Ye ngeenge ta dulu okulwa naame nokudipaa nge, fye ohatu ka ninga ovapika veni. Ndelenee ame ngeenge handi mu taataa noku mu dipaa, nye mu nokuninga ovapika vetu noku tu longela. 10 Omufilisti ta ti vali: Onena eli nda sheka omatanga Ovaisraeli. Pei nge omulumenhu umwe ndi shiive okulwa naye.” 11 Saul nOvaisraeli aveshe eshi va uda eendjovo odo dOmufilisti, ova haluka ndele va tila unene. 12 Ndelenee David okwa li omona wOmuefrat womuBetlehem shomuJuda, edina laye Isai. Ye okwa li e na ovana ovamati vahetatu, ndele pefimbo laSaul omulumenhu ou okwa li a kulupa, omido daye da li dihapu. 13 Ndelenee ovana ovamati ovakulunhu vatatu vaIsai va ya naSaul molwoodi. Nomadina ovana ovo ovakulunhu vatatu va ya molwoodi, a li: Eliab, oshiveli, nondenge yaye Abinadab, naau e mu shikula Samma. 14 David okwa li onghelo. Ndele venya ovamwaina ovakulunhu vatatu va shikula Saul. 15 Ndelenee pomafimbo amwe David a dja puSaul nokwa ya kuBetlehem koufita weedi daxe.
16 Ndelenee Omufilisti okwa ehena po omafiku omilongo nhee, ongula nonguloshi ndee ta kala ofika. 17 Opo nee Isai a lombwela omona waye David: “Kufa eekilograma omulongo doilya ya fengwa nomingome edi omulongo ndele di twala diva kovamwaxo konhanda. 18 Ndelenee omingome edi omulongo domashini di twaalela omukulunhu weyovi, ndele u nokupula nhumbi ovamwaxo ve li, ndele pewa oshidimbulukifo kuvo u shi ete. 19 Ndele Saul naavenya novalumenhu aveshe Ovaisraeli va lwifa Ovafilisti mefilu laEla.” 20 Ndele ongula inene David okwa pyakuduka: Okwa yandja eedi komufita, a kufa omutengi ndee ta i ngaashi Isai e mu lombwela. Ndele ye eshi a fika konhanda yomatemba, ovakwaita va tanda ombinga ndele va mbuyaana. 21 Ovaisraeli ngaashi yo Ovafilisti va taalelafana va tanda ombinga. 22 Opo nee David a yandja omutengi waye komunangeli womatemba nokwa tondokela nokweendelela konhele yolwoodi. Ye eshi e uya ko, a pula ovamwaxe nhumbi ve li. 23 Ndele fimbo ta popi navo, Omufilisti wokuGat, edina laye Goliat, ou a deuka mokulwa, okwa dja mongudu yOvafilisti, ndee ta popi eendjovo tuu dinya, ndele David e di uda. 24 Ndelenee ovalumenhu aveshe Ovaisraeli eshi va mona omulumenhu ou, ove mu ya onhapo shaashi vo va tila unene. 25 Novalumenhu Ovaisraeli tava ti: “Omu wete omulumenhu ou ta di oko? Ye te uya okusheka Israel. Nohamba tai ka yandja komulumenhu ou te mu dipaa oupuna muhapu. Ndele tai mu pe omona wayo okakadona a ninge omwalikadi waye, ndele te mu mangulula mo mokuyandja efendelo.”
26 Opo nee David a pula ovalumenhu ava va kala ofika puye ndee ta ti: “Omulumenhu ou ta dipaa Omufilisti ou, ndee ta kombo po ohoni muIsrael, ota ka pewa shike? Osheshi Omufilisti ou ina pita etanda, omushike ngeno, eshi ta sheke omatanga ovakwaita vaKalunga omunamwenyo?” 27 Novakwaita tave mu lombwele ngaashi venya: Osho omulumenhu ou te mu dipaa, ta ka ningilwa. 28 Omukulu waye Eliab, eshi e mu uda ta popi novalumenhu, Eliab okwa handukila David ndee ta ti: “Omolwashike we uya oku: Nolyelye wa fiila okaufita keedi mombuwa? Oupwidi woye nowii womutima woye ondi u shii, shaashi we uya okutala olwoodi.” 29 Ndee David ta ti: “Ame onda ninga shike? Onda pula ashike.” 30 Ndele ye okwa dja po puye nokwa ya kuvamwe, ndee ta popi eendjovo tuu odo, novakwaita ve mu nyamukula paendjovo dotete. 31 Vo eshi va uda eendjovo odo David ta popi, ndele ve di shiivifila Saul. Ye okwe mu ifana.
32 Ndele David okwa lombwela Saul, ndee ta ti: Ovalumenhu vaha shushume molwawinya. Omupiya woye ta ka ya okulwifa Omufilisti winya. 33 Ndelenee Saul okwa nyamukula David: “Ito dulu okuya kOmufilisti ou noku mu lwifa, osheshi ove omunyasha, ndelenee winya omukwaita okudja kounyasha waye.”
34 Opo nee David ta ti kuSaul: “Omupiya woye okwa li koufita weedi daxe, ndele onghoshi ile emwangha eshi le uya ndee tali kwata mo odi ndee tali i nayo, 35 ame nde i shikula ndele handi i denge poshi ndele handi i nakula mokanya kalo. Ndele lo eshi la nhukila nge, ame nde li kwata keendjedi dalo nde li denga poshi ndele nde li dipaa. 36 Omupiya woye a dipaa onghoshi nemwangha, nOmufilisti ou ina pita etanda ta ka ningwa naanaa ngaashi imwe yomwaadinya, shaashi ye a sheka omatanga ovakwaita vaKalunga. 37 David ta ti vali: Omwene ou a xupifa nge meenyala donghoshi nomeenyala demwangha, Ye ota ka xupifa nge yo meke lOmufilisti ou.” Opo nee Saul ta ti kuDavid: “Inda, Omwene na kale naave!” 38 Ndele Saul okwa dika David oshikutu shaye shoita nokwa tula komutwe waye embale loshikushu, noshikutu shoshikushu okwe mu dika. 39 Ndele David okwa djala eongamukonda laye kombada yoikutu yaye, ndele a hetekela okweenda, osheshi ine shi hetekela nande shito, David ta ti kuSaul: “Ame itandi dulu okweenda nayo, osheshi inandi shi hetekela nande shito.” Ndele David okwe i lidula. 40 Opo nee ye okwa kwata oshiumbifo shaye meke laye nokwe likongela mokamulonga oumanya vatano va lalakana nokwe va xwekela mo mokakutu kaye e ka kwete mokakutu koshiumbifo. Ndele oshiumbifo shaye osha li meke laye, ye ta ehene popepi nOmufilisti.
41 NOmufilisti yo okwa ehena popepi naDavid, omuhumbati woshikelelifo shaye e mu pitila komesho. 42 Omufilisti eshi a tala ko nokwa mona David, ye okwe mu dina, shaashi ye okwa li omunyasha muwa nolupe liwa. 43 NOmufilisti ta pula David: “Aame ombwa hamba, ove eshi to uya kwaame noshiti?” NOmufilisti okwa tuka David nokwaana koikalunga yaye. 44 Omufilisti okwa lombwela vali David ndele ta ti: “Ila oku kwaame, opo ndi yandje ombelela yoye keedila dokeulu nokoinamwenyo yomomufitu.” 45 Ndelenee David ta ti kOmufilisti: “Ove to uya kwaame u neongamukonda neonga nomukonda, ndelenee ame handi uya kwoove medina lOmwene womatanga ovakwaita, Kalunga komatanga Ovaisraeli, ou we mu sheka. 46 Onena eli Omwene te ku yandje meke lange, opo ndi ku dipae ndele ndi kufe po omutwe woye ndele ndi shiive okuyandja oimhu yovakwaita Ovafilisti keedila dokeulu nokoifitukuti yokombada yedu, opo edu alishe li shiive nokutya, Israel e naKalunga. 47 Opo nee ongudu ei inene tai ka shiiva nokutya, Omwene ita xupifa neongamukonda neonga. Osheshi olwoodi olOmwene, ndele Ye ote ke mu yandja momake etu.” 48 Omufilisti eshi e lilongekida nokwa ehena popepi naDavid, David okwa tondokela diva konhele yolwoodi okushakeneka Omufilisti. 49 Ndele David okwa tula mo eke laye mokakutu nokwa kufa mo okamanya, nokwa kupula nokwa yasha Omufilisti mombaba yoshipala, okamanya ka ya mo mombaba yoshipala, ndele ye okwa wila poshi noshipala sha twa medu. 50 Osho ngaha hano David okwa finda Omufilisti noshiumbifo nokamanya. Ndele okwa dipaa Omufilisti noshiumbifo nokamanya, Ndele okwa dipaa Omufilisti nande meke laDavid kamwa li nande eongamukonda. 51 Opo nee David a tondoka unene nokwa kala ofika pOmufilisti nokwa kufa eongamukonda laye, e li pweya mo moshilaleko nokwe mu dipaa, ndele okwa teta ko nalo omutwe waye. Ovafilisti eshi va mona nokutya, omuladi wavo a fya, ova ya onhapo. 52 Opo nee ovalumenhu Ovaisraeli nOvajuda va fikama tava kaluka ndele va shikula Ovafilisti fiyo okoshivelo shaGat nofiyo okoivelo yaEkron, Ovafilisti ova dipawa va nangala mondjila okudja kuSaaraim fiyo okuGat naEkron. 53 Opo nee ovana vaIsrael va aluka ko kokutaataa Ovafilisti ndele va tikisha onhanda yavo. 54 Ndele David okwa kufa omutwe wOmufilisti nokwe u twala kuJerusalem, ndelenee oiti yaye e i tula metwali laye. 55 Saul eshi a mona David ta i a ka shakeneke Omufilisti ta ti kuAbner, ondjai: “Abner omulumenhu winya omunyasha, oye omona walyelye?” Ndele Abner ta nyamukula: “Oshili, ngaashi ove tatekulu ohamba u nomwenyo, ame nghi shi shii!” 56 Ndele ohamba tai ti: “Pula hano omunyasha ou, ye omona walyelye?” 57 Ndele David eshi a ehena po, ye eshi a dipaa Omufilisti, Abner okwe mu kufa ndee te mu twala koshipala shaSaul, fimbo ye e nomutwe wOmufilisti meke laye. 58 Ndele Saul te mu pula: “Omunyasha oove omona walyelye?” Ndele David ta ti: “Omona womupiya woye Isai, Omubetlehem.”
