¹²Now David was the son of that Ephrathite, of Bethlehem Juda, before mentioned, whose name was Isai, who had eight sons, and was an old man in the days of Saul, and of great age among men.

¹³And his three eldest sons followed Saul to the battle: and the names of his three sons that went to the battle, were Eliab, the firstborn, and the second, Abinadab, and the third Samma:

¹⁴But David was the youngest. So the three eldest having followed Saul,

¹⁵David went, and returned from Saul, to feed his father’s flock at Bethlehem.

¹⁶Now the Philistine came out morning and evening, and presented himself forty days.

¹⁷And Isai said to David, his son: Take for thy brethren an ephi of frumenty, and these ten loaves, and run to the camp to thy brethren,

¹⁸And carry these ten little cheeses to the tribune: and go see thy brethren, if they are well: and learn with whom they are placed.

¹⁹But Saul, and they, and all the children of Israel, were in the valley of Terebinth, fighting against the Philistines.

²⁰David, therefore, arose in the morning, and gave the charge of the flock to the keeper: and went away loaded, as Isai had commanded him. And he came to the place of Magala, and to the army, which was going out to fight, and shouted for the battle.

²¹For Israel had put themselves in array, and the Philistines who stood against them were prepared.

²²And David leaving the vessels which he had brought, under the care of the keeper of the baggage, ran to the place of the battle, and asked if all things went well with his brethren.

²³And as he talked with them, that baseborn man, whose name was Goliath, the Philistine, of Geth, shewed himself coming up from the camp of the Philistines: and he spoke according to the same words, and David heard them,

²⁴And all the Israelites, when they saw the man, fled from his face, fearing him exceedingly.

²⁵And some one of Israel said: Have you seen this man that is come up, for he is come up to defy Israel. And the man that shall slay him, the king will enrich with great riches, and will give him his daughter, and will make his father’s house free from tribute in Israel.

²⁶And David spoke to the men that stood by him, saying: What shall be given to the man that shall kill this Philistine, and shall take away the reproach from Israel? for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?

²⁷And the people answered him the same words, saying: These things shall be given to the man that shall slay him.

²⁸Now when Eliab his eldest brother heard this, when he was speaking with others, he was angry with David, and said: Why camest thou hither? and why didst thou leave those few sheep in the desert? I know thy pride, and the wickedness of thy heart: that thou art come down to see the battle.

²⁹And David said: What have I done? is there not cause to speak?

³⁰And he turned a little aside from him to another: and said the same word. And the people answered him as before.

³¹And the words which David spoke were heard, and were rehearsed before Saul.

Read in Logos

Public Domain