The Valley of Elah at dawn: two long, low ridges face each other across a broad, flat valley of green wheat, a dry streambed of white stones winding down the middle, oaks on the slopes and thin threads of campfire smoke rising from each ridge.

The Book of

1 Samuel 17

For forty days a giant has mocked the armies of the living God. Then a shepherd boy arrives with bread and cheese.

58 verses≈ 12 min6 peopleBSB

Images are artistic interpretations.

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In this chapter

Where we are

1–7SamuelA boy who listened
8–15SaulA king like the nations
16–20David risesThe LORD looks at the heartChapter 17
21–27David huntedThe anointed one waits
28–31Saul fallsEndor and Gilboa

Goliath’s Challenge

Now the Philistines gathered their forces for war at Socoh in Judah, and they camped between Socoh and Azekah in Ephes-dammim. Saul and the men of Israel assembled and camped in the Valley of Elah, arraying themselves for battle against the Philistines.

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Evening, seen from behind Israelite soldiers on their ridge: across the broad Valley of Elah the Philistine camp of tents and campfires spreads along the opposite hill, the white streambed between.

The Philistines stood on one hill and the Israelites stood on another, with the valley between them.

Stylised map · locations approximate

On the map

The Valley of Elah

The Philistines camped “between Socoh and Azekah” on a ridge above the Valley of Elah, and Israel camped across the valley from them, about fifteen miles west of Bethlehem, where David came from. Goliath was “from Gath.” When he fell, Israel chased the Philistines “to the entrance of Gath and to the gates of Ekron.” Ephes-dammim and the Shaaraim road are uncertain, and Socoh and Gath are probable sites.

And Goliath stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, “Why do you come out and array yourselves for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not servants of Saul? Choose one of your men and have him come down against me. If he is able to fight me and kill me, then we will be your servants. But if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our servants and work for us.”

1 Samuel 17:10

On hearing the words of the Philistine, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and greatly afraid.

David Accepts the Challenge

On a hill road below Bethlehem, three older brothers with spears walk away toward the war, while the youth David stays on the slope with the flock, watching them go.

Family line

Jesse’s eight sons

- Eliab
- Abinadab
- Shammah
- David
An Ephrathite of Bethlehem
Now David was the son of a man named Jesse, an Ephrathite from Bethlehem of Judah who had eight sons. And in the days of Saul, Jesse was old and well along in years. The three older sons of Jesse had followed Saul into battle: The firstborn was Eliab, the second was Abinadab, and the third was Shammah. And David was the youngest.
tending his father’s sheep
The three oldest had followed Saul,
but David went back and forth from Saul to tend his father’s sheep in Bethlehem.

For forty days the Philistine came forward every morning and evening to take his stand.

One day Jesse said to his son David, “Take this ephah of roasted grain and these ten loaves of bread for your brothers and hurry to their camp. Take also these ten portions of cheese to the commander of their unit. Check on the welfare of your brothers and bring back an assurance from them. They are with Saul and all the men of Israel in the Valley of Elah, fighting against the Philistines.”

Sunrise on the Israelite ridge: a line of soldiers with spears and round shields shouts the battle cry, while the youth David, just arrived behind them, sets down a sack of roasted grain and a bundle of loaves; far across the valley a huge figure steps out from the Philistine ranks.

So David got up early in the morning, left the flock with a keeper, loaded up, and set out as Jesse had instructed him. He reached the camp as the army was marching out to its position and shouting the battle cry. And Israel and the Philistines arrayed in formation against each other.

Then David left his supplies in the care of the quartermaster and ran to the battle line. When he arrived, he asked his brothers how they were doing. And as he was speaking with them, suddenly the champion named Goliath, the Philistine from Gath, came forward from the ranks of the Philistines and shouted his usual words, which David also heard.

When all the men of Israel saw Goliath, they fled from him in great fear.

0:41

Narrated by Bob Souer · BSB audio, public domain

The Israelites

Now the men of Israel had been saying, “Do you see how this man keeps coming out to defy Israel? To the man who kills him the king will give great riches. And he will give him his daughter in marriage and exempt his father’s house from taxation in Israel.”

David

David asked the men who were standing with him, “What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Just who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?”

The Israelites

The people told him about the offer, saying, “That is what will be done for the man who kills him.”

Just who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?

1 Samuel 17:26

Now when David’s oldest brother Eliab heard him speaking to the men, his anger burned against David.

Eliab

“Why have you come down here?” he asked. “And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride and wickedness of heart—you have come down to see the battle!”

David

“What have I done now?” said David. “Was it not just a question?”

Then he turned from him toward another and asked about the offer, and those people answered him just as the first ones had answered.

Question

Quick question

Every day Israel’s army lined up, shouted the battle cry, and then ran when the giant came out.

For how many days did the Philistine come forward to take his stand?

Now David’s words were overheard and reported to Saul, who sent for him.

David

And David said to Saul, “Let no man’s heart fail on account of this Philistine. Your servant will go and fight him!”

Saul

But Saul replied, “You cannot go out against this Philistine to fight him. You are just a boy, and he has been a warrior from his youth.”

David

David

David replied, “Your servant has been tending his father’s sheep, and whenever a lion or a bear came and carried off a lamb from the flock, I went after it, struck it down, and delivered the lamb from its mouth. If it reared up against me, I would grab it by its fur, strike it down, and kill it.

Your servant has killed lions and bears; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God.”

1 Samuel 17:37

“Go,” said Saul, “and may the LORD be with you.”

Reflect

The LORD who delivered me

David faced the giant by remembering the lion and the bear: “The LORD, who delivered me from the claws of the lion and the bear, will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” Write down one time God brought you through. How does remembering it help you face what is in front of you now?

David Slays Goliath

Inside a tent in Israel's camp: the youth David stands awkwardly in Saul's too-large tunic, a heavy bronze helmet slipping over his brow and a sword strapped on, trying to take a step, while tall Saul in his dark crimson cloak watches.

Then Saul clothed David in his own tunic, put a bronze helmet on his head, and dressed him in armor. David strapped his sword over the tunic and tried to walk, but he was not accustomed to them.

“I cannot walk in these,” David said to Saul. “I am not accustomed to them.” So David took them off.

And David took his staff in his hand, selected five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag. And with his sling in hand, he approached the Philistine.

Now the Philistine came closer and closer to David, with his shield-bearer before him. When the Philistine looked and saw David, he despised him because he was just a boy, ruddy and handsome.

“Am I a dog,” he said to David, “that you come at me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. “Come here,” he called to David, “and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field!”

1 Samuel 17:45

This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand. This day I will strike you down, cut off your head, and give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds of the air and the creatures of the earth. Then the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. And all those assembled here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s, and He will give all of you into our hands.”

As the Philistine started forward to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him. Then David reached into his bag, took out a stone, and slung it, striking the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground.

Thus David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone

1 Samuel 17:50

David ran and stood over him. He grabbed the Philistine’s sword and pulled it from its sheath and killed him, and he cut off his head with the sword. When the Philistines saw that their hero was dead, they turned and ran.

Morning on the far ridge: the Philistine camp abandoned, tents collapsed, cooking pots overturned, a dropped round shield and a feathered headdress in the dust; far off, small figures of Israelites gathering spoil.

Then the men of Israel and Judah charged forward with a shout and pursued the Philistines to the entrance of Gath and to the gates of Ekron. And the bodies of the Philistines were strewn along the Shaaraim road to Gath and Ekron.

When the Israelites returned from their pursuit of the Philistines, they plundered their camps.

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

Saul

As Saul had watched David going out to confront the Philistine, he said to Abner the commander of the army, “Abner, whose son is this young man?”

Abner

“As surely as you live, O king,” Abner replied, “I do not know.”

Saul

“Find out whose son this young man is!” said the king.

So when David returned from killing the Philistine, still holding his head in his hand, Abner took him and brought him before Saul.

Saul

“Whose son are you, young man?” asked Saul.

David

“I am the son of your servant Jesse of Bethlehem,” David replied.

I am the son of your servant Jesse of Bethlehem

1 Samuel 17:58

Pray

The battle is the LORD’s

David told the whole valley that “it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s.” Thank God that He saves His people Himself. Ask Him for courage to speak and act in His name when His honor is mocked, and to trust the God who has delivered you before.

You’ve experienced

1 Samuel 17

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A verse to carry with you

You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD of Hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.

1 Samuel 17:45

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