The Philistine said to David, &#8220;Am I a dog, that you are coming after me with sticks?&#8221;<n id="1" /> Then the Philistine cursed David by his gods.

<p class="bodytext">The Philistine drew steadily closer to David to attack him, while David quickly ran toward the battle line to attack the Philistine.<n id="1" />

<n id="1" /><p class="bodytext">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.<n id="2" />

<p class="bodytext">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.

<p class="bodytext">Meanwhile for forty days the Philistine approached every morning and evening and took his position.

When Saul and all the Israelites<n id="1" /> heard these words of the Philistine, they were upset and very afraid.p>

<n id="1" /><p class="bodytext">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,<n id="1" /> and he put Goliath&#8217;s<n id="2" /> weapons in his tent.p>

He inquired of the <sc>Lordsc> for him and gave him provisions. He also gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.&#8221;p>

<p class="bodytext">David asked the men who were standing near him, &#8220;What will be done for the man who strikes down this Philistine and frees Israel from this humiliation?<n id="1" /> For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he defies the armies of the living God?&#8221;

Then the Philistine said, &#8220;I defy Israel&#8217;s troops this day! Give me a man so we can fight<n id="1" /> each other!&#8221;

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,<n id="1" /> and David heard it.

<p class="bodytext">David said to Saul, &#8220;Don&#8217;t let anyone be discouraged.<n id="1" /> Your servant will go and fight this Philistine!&#8221;

Your servant has struck down both the lion and the bear. This uncircumcised Philistine will be just like one of them.<n id="1" /> For he has defied the armies of the living God!&#8221;

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

The Philistine said to David, &#8220;Come here to me, so I can give your flesh to the birds of the sky and the wild animals of the field!&#8221;<n id="1" />p>

<p class="bodytext">Goliath<n id="1" /> stood and called to Israel&#8217;s troops,<n id="2" /> &#8220;Why do you come out to prepare for battle? Am I not the Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose<n id="3" /> for yourselves a man so he may come down<n id="4" /> to me!

But Saul replied to David, &#8220;You aren&#8217;t able to go against this Philistine and fight him! You&#8217;re just a boy! He has been a warrior from his youth!&#8221;p>

David went on to say, &#8220;The <sc>Lordsc> who delivered me from the lion and the bear will also deliver me from the hand of this Philistine!&#8221; Then Saul said to David, &#8220;Go! The <sc>Lordsc> will be with you.&#8221;<n id="1" />p>

He took his staff in his hand, picked out five smooth stones from the stream, placed them in the pouch<n id="1" /> of his shepherd&#8217;s bag, took his sling in hand, and approached the Philistine.p>