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.
Goliati unotanga Baiziraela
1 Ndizo Bafilisitiya bakakubunganyila babhayani babo ngwa, bakakubunganila ku Soko mu Juda. Bakakotokela mu Efesidamimu, pakati kwe Soko ne Azeka. 2 Saulo ne Baiziraela bakakubungana bekotokela mu nkuku we Elaya, bakabumba zwikwata kubhayana ne Bafilisitiya. 3 Bafilisitiya bakabe bali mu limwe duthu, Baiziraela bali mu limwe, bakalonga nkuku pakati kwabo. 4 Ipapo kukabhuda gwelemba mu mishasha ye Bafilisitiya linoyi Goliati, we ku Gati, we bulefu gungabe thambo dzili thatu. 5 Wakabe akaambala hwutshe ye phangula mu nsholo, akaambala tjiambalo tje phangula tjinonga ikwapa tje hamba, kulema kwatjo kwakabe kuli shekele dzili zwiwulu zwishanu (5 000) zwe phangula. 6 Mu makumbo awe wakabe ana zwivikisi zwe phangula ne thumo le phangula pakati kwe mathudzi awe. 7 Lukombo gwe thumo lile gwakabe gulizana ne lutungo, kulema kwe nsholo we thumo lile kwakabe kuli shekele dzili mazana matathatu (600) e phangula. Nsengi we tjiviki tjitje wakabe akantungamila. 8 Wakama kamimilila ku miphatho ye Baiziraela kati, “Apa mabhudilani makazwilulwamisila ngwa kene? Apa anditeli Nfilisitiya imi kene? Imwi amutemuli balanda ba Saulo kene? Muzwishalulile nlume, azhe kundili. 9 Ha angatubula gwa nami ebe endibulaya, towobe balanda benyu, koga andingankulila ambulaya, mowobe balanda bedu mukatishingila.” 10 Nfilisitiya iwoyu kabe eti, “Nasi ndotjotja miphatho ye Iziraela! Mundipe nlume, kuti tibhayane.” 11 Kwakati Saulo ne Baiziraela bose behwa matama e Nfilisitiya iwoyu, bakashweshwana bakatja kwazo.
12 Dafite wakabe ali nkololo wa Jesi we Nfurati we Bhetelehema mu Juda, wakabe ana bakololo bali zhanakadzi (8). Mu misi ya Saulo wakabe atjikwegula abe ne makole manjinji. 13 Bakololo ba Jesi batatu bahwola bakabe batobela Saulo ku ngwa. Awa ndiwo mazina abo, we mbano wakabe eyi Eliabu, etobegwa ndi Abinadabu we butatu eyi Shama. 14 Dafite wakabe ali iye kologwe, bahwola batatu bakatobela Saulo, 15 koga Dafite wakabe egala esiya Saulo enofudza pkhwizi dza tate babe ku Bhetelehema. 16 Kwakabe mazhuba ali makumi manna (40) Nfilisitiya iwoyu ebhuda ema pa lubazhe mangwanana ne madekwana. 17 Jesi kadwa nkololo uwe Dafite kati, “Tolela bakulu babo hwomwana ye nkakhwa we mathunde ne zwiwunga zwili gumi, uzwisengele tjinyolotjo ku mishasha ku bakulu babo. 18 Utolelanye ne tjatjile dzili gumi unopa nlauli wabo we babhayani bali tjiwulu (1 000). Ubabone bakulu babo, ngono ubhuzwe se kwabanomuka kudwa ku bali.”
19 Bakabe bana Saulo, ne balume bose be Iziraela, bali mu nkuku we Ela begwa ne Bafilisitiya. 20 Dafite wakabinduka kutji mangwanana, akasiya pkhwizi ne nlisi, katola mbuba, kayenda sekwa adwiwa ndi Jesi. Wakaswika ku mishasha ewana babhayani beyenda ku bugwilo, bakalonga mima ye ngwa. 21 Baiziraela ne Bafilisitiya bakabe bali mile bakalingisana zwikwata zwakapinilana. 22 Dafite wakasiya ntolo uwe mu maboko e nlindi we thundu, kalabukila ku zwikwata, kanodumilisa bakulu babe. 23 Wakati atjalebeleka nabo, gwelemba le Nfilisitiya we Gati, linodang'wa Goliati, likabhudila patjena kudwa mu zwikwata zwe Bafilisitiya, kabgwilulula matama awe e mazhuba wose. Ngono Dafite akanhwa. 24 Balume bose be Iziraela bose, bakabe beti abebona nlume iwoyo, bakantshetshemba, bakabe ne kutja kukulu kwazo. 25 Baiziraela bakabe beti, “Apa mombona nlume iwoje kene? Tjoselele wazhila kuwolengudza Iziraela. Nlume ungabulaya Nfilisitiya iwoyu, mambo banowonfumisa kusikushoma, bebuya benlobodza nkololokadzi wabo, kakale ne nsha wa tate babe unowobe ne sununguko mu Iziraela.” 26 Dafite wakabhuzwa babhayani baakabe alimile nabo kati, “Apa nlume unowobulaya Nfilisitiya iwoyu ebuya edusa Iziraela shoni unowoshingigwani kene? Iye ndiye ani, Nfilisitiya iwoyu usakathumbigwa, unolengudza babhayani be Ndzimu unotjila kene?” 27 Babhayani bakan'dabila nge hwi ling'ompela beti, “Unowotogwa sekwa kungatogwa nlume wabulaya Goliati.”
28 Nkulu uwe Eliabu kanhwa elebeleka ne babhayani, kan'gwadzila moyo kwazo, kambhuzwa kati, “Wazhilani ngeno, wasiya pkhwizi idzedzije dzisingana naani mu tjilambanyika kene? Ndoziba mazwikudzo awo nenge bukukutu gwe moyo uwo, wazhila iko kuwolingilila ngwa.”
29 Dafite kadabila eti, “Ndathamani sangwenu? Kunlandu kuti ndilebeleke?” 30 Katendebuka kalinga ku mmwe, kalebazwe sekwa aleba kutanga, ngono bathu bakan'dabila sekwa adabigwa kutanga.
31 Tjakalebgwa ndi Dafite tjakahwika, tjikabikigwa Saulo, Saulo kantumila bathu bakan'dana. 32 Dafite kadwa Saulo kati, “Kusitongobe ne unopela moyo ngekwe Nfilisitiya iwoyo, nlanda wenyu unonobhayana naye.”
33 Saulo kashandula Dafite eti, “Aungatubule kunogwa ne Nfilisitiya iwoyu, ngobe iwe utji mbisana ntjetjana, iye tjinga kwaakabe n'gwi kudwa mu buzhuzha gugwe.” 34 Koga Dafite kadwa Saulo kati, “Nlanda wenyu wagala elisa pkhwizi dza tate babe, ngono shumba kene bhera yabe iti ayazha ikatola pkhwizana mukati kwe pkhwizi, 35 ndoilonda, ndibe ndinogwila pkhwizana ndiidusa mu nlomo wayo, ngono ha ingashandukila kundili, ndoizhwabula nge mavele ayo ailoba aibulaya. 36 Nlanda wenyu wakabulaya kose shumba ne bhera, ngono Nfilisitiya iwoyu usakathumbigwa kowonshingikalilabo se tjimwe tjazo, ngobe walengudza babhayani be Ndzimu unotjila.” 37 Dafite kapapha kati, “Yahwe bakanditjidza kudwa mu simba le shumba ne kudwa mu simba le bhira, banonditjidza kudwa mu maboko e Nfilisitiya iwoyu.” Saulo kadwa Dafite kati, “Yendazo, ngono Yahwe babe nawe!” 38 Saulo kambadza Dafite zwiambalo zwizwe, kambadza jasi le ngwa ne hwutshe ye phangula mu nsholo. 39 Dafite wakashomeka bukanu gwa Saulo pezhugwi kwe zwiambalo zwe ngwa, kagwiso yenda ngono kukakona, ngobe asakazwiwolobela. Ndizo Dafite kadwa Saulo kati, “Andingayende ndakaambala zwithu izwezwi, ngobe andizozwiwolobela.” Ngono kazwiambula. 40 Dafite katola lukombo gugwe nge luboko, kashalula mabgwe e hwulungwana ali mashanu mu lukobana, kaalonga mukati kwe hwomwana iye, ye nlisi we pkhwizi, kasedzela pejo ne Nfilisitiya, akabhata tjivirimabgwe tjitje nge luboko.
Dafite unokunda Goliati
41 Nge tjibakana Nfilisitiya kasedzela kuna Dafite, ana nsengi we zwibhayano zwizwe akantungamila. 42 Kukati Nfilisitiya elinga Dafite embona, ali mbisananyana, nshaba mbuya, kanthaedza mesho. 43 Nfilisitiya kadwa Dafite kati, “Apa ndi mbgwa imi, kwaunozha kundili nge zwikunyana?” Ngono Nfilisitiya kalonga Dafite bhiso nge zina le midzimu iye. 44 Kandwa kati, “Zhangeno, nyama iyo ndowoipa manyuni ne zwibandana zwe shango.” 45 Koga Dafite kadwa Nfilisitiya kati, “Unozha kundili wakabhata bukanu ne thumo ne thumonyana, koga imi ndozha ku kuli nge zina la Yahwe Masimbawose, Ndzimu we ngwa dze Iziraela, iwoyu wawa lengudza 46 Nasi Yahwe banowokulonga mu maboko angu, ndowokuloba akuligila pasi akuthubula nsholo. Nasi zwidumbu zwe ngwa ye Bafilisitiya ndowozwipa nyuni ne zwibandana zwe shango, ngono shango yose inowoziba kuti kuna Ndzimu mu Iziraela. 47 Bose ibaba bakakubungana ipapa banoziba kuti Yahwe abatotjidza ne bukanu ne thumo, ngobe ngwa nde ya Yahwe, banothama kuti mose timukunde.” 48 Kwakati Nfilisitiya esedzela kuti anobulaya Dafite, Dafite kalabuka tjinyolotjo kushanganidza. 49 Dafite kalonga luboko mu hwomo iye, kadusa bgwe, kalilonga mu tjivirimabgwe, kaposa kaloba Nfilisitiya pa phazha, bgwe likatinyume mu phazha iye, akawila pasi nge phazha. 50 Tjinyolotjo Dafite kakunda Nfilisitiya nge tjivirimabgwe ne bgwe, asina bukanu mu luboko gugwe, kaloba Nfilisitiya kanligila pasi kambulaya. 51 Dafite kalabuka kanoma pa Nfilisitiya, kashomola bukanu mu khata yago kambulaya, kati asinombulaya kanthubula nsholo nge bukanu.
Kwakati Bafilisitiya bebona kuti gwelemba lafa, bakatizha. 52 Balume be Iziraela ne Juda bakamilika ne mima bakatatana ne Bafilisitiya kunoti ku Gati ne ku mikoba ye Ekironi. Zwitumbu zwe Bafilisitiya zwakabe zwakaandama mu zila ye Shaaraimu kunoti ku Gati ne Ekironi. 53 Baiziraela bakati bedwa kutatana ne Bafilisitiya, bebe betapa thundu yakabe ili mu mishasha yabo. 54 Dafite wakatola nsholo we Nfilisitiya kauyisa ku Jerusalema, koga zwibhayano zwe Nfilisitiya kazwibiga mu nshasha uwe. 55 Kwakati Saulo ebona Dafite ebhuda enoshanganidza Nfilisitiya, kabhuzwa Abineri nlauli we babhayani kati, “Abineri, nzhuzha iwoyu nkololo waani kene?” Abineri kashandula eti, “Ndotuna ne butjilo gwenyu, imwi mambo, anditonziba.” 56 Mambo kandwa kati, “Bhuzwa kuti nzhuzha iwoyu nkololo waani.”
57 Kukati Dafite ebuya kubulaya Nfilisitiya, Abineri kantola kan'yisa kuna Saulo, Dafite wakabe akabhata nsholo we Nfilisitiya nge luboko. 58 Saulo kambhuzwa kati, “Nzhuzha, unkololo waani kene?” Ngono Dafite kashandula eti, “Ndi nkololo we nlanda wenyu Jesi we Bhetelehema.”