The Philistine said to David, “Am I a dog, that you are coming after me with sticks?” ¹  Then the Philistine cursed David by his gods.

The Philistine drew steadily closer to David to attack him, while David quickly ran toward the battle line to attack the Philistine. ¹ 

¹ David prevailed over the Philistine with just the sling and the stone. He struck down the Philistine and killed him. David did not even have a sword in his hand. ² 

So when David returned from striking down the Philistine, Abner took him and brought him before Saul. He still had the head of the Philistine in his hand.

Meanwhile for forty days the Philistine approached every morning and evening and took his position.

When Saul and all the Israelites ¹  heard these words of the Philistine, they were upset and very afraid.

¹ The Philistine kept coming closer to David, with his shield bearer walking in front of him.

David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem, ¹  and he put Goliath’s ²  weapons in his tent.

He inquired of the Lord for him and gave him provisions. He also gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.”

David asked the men who were standing near him, “What will be done for the man who strikes down this Philistine and frees Israel from this humiliation? ¹  For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he defies the armies of the living God?”

Then the Philistine said, “I defy Israel’s troops this day! Give me a man so we can fight ¹  each other!”

As he was speaking with them, the champion named Goliath, the Philistine from Gath, was coming up from the battle lines of the Philistines. He spoke the way he usually did, ¹  and David heard it.

David said to Saul, “Don’t let anyone be discouraged. ¹  Your servant will go and fight this Philistine!”

Your servant has struck down both the lion and the bear. This uncircumcised Philistine will be just like one of them. ¹  For he has defied the armies of the living God!”

When the Philistine looked carefully at David, he despised him, for he was only a ruddy and handsome boy.

The Philistine said to David, “Come here to me, so I can give your flesh to the birds of the sky and the wild animals of the field!” ¹ 

Goliath ¹  stood and called to Israel’s troops, ²  “Why do you come out to prepare for battle? Am I not the Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose ³  for yourselves a man so he may come down ⁴  to me!

But Saul replied to David, “You aren’t able to go against this Philistine and fight him! You’re just a boy! He has been a warrior from his youth!”

David went on to say, “The Lord who delivered me from the lion and the bear will also deliver me from the hand of this Philistine!” Then Saul said to David, “Go! The Lord will be with you.” ¹ 

He took his staff in his hand, picked out five smooth stones from the stream, placed them in the pouch ¹  of his shepherd’s bag, took his sling in hand, and approached the Philistine.