7. Now the shaft of his spear was like the beam used by a weaver. And the iron of his spear held six hundred shekels of iron. And his armor bearer went before him.
8. And standing still, he cried out to the battle lines of Israel, and he said to them: "Why have you arrived, prepared for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose one man from among you, and let him descend to do battle alone.
9. If he is able to fight with me and to strike me down, we will be your servants. But if I will prevail over him, and strike him down, you will be the servants, and you will serve us."
10. And the Philistine was saying: "I have reproached the troops of Israel today. Present a man to me, and let him undertake a fight against me alone."
11. And Saul and all the Israelites, hearing these words of the Philistine in this manner, were stupefied and exceedingly afraid.
12. Now David was the son of an Ephrathite man, the one mentioned above, from Bethlehem of Judah, whose name was Jesse. He had eight sons, and during the days of Saul, he was an elderly man, and of great age among men.
13. Now his three eldest sons followed Saul into battle. And the names of his three sons, who went to the battle, were Eliab, the firstborn, and the second, Abinadab, and the third Shammah.
14. But David was the youngest. Therefore, when the three eldest had followed Saul,
15. David went away from Saul, and he returned, so that he might pasture the flock of his father at Bethlehem.
16. Truly, the Philistine advanced morning and evening, and he stood forth, for forty days.
17. Now Jesse said to his son David: "Take, for your brothers, an ephah of cooked grain, and these ten loaves, and hurry to the camp, to your brothers.
18. And you shall carry these ten little cheeses to the tribune. And visit your brothers, to see if they are doing well. And learn with whom they have been stationed."
19. But they were in the valley of Terebinth, with Saul and all the sons of Israel, fighting against the Philistines.
20. And so, David rose up in the morning, and he commended the flock to the caretaker. And he went away burdened, just as Jesse had instructed him. And he went to the place of the battle line, and to the army, which, in going out to fight, was shouting in the conflict.
21. For Israel had positioned their troops, but the Philistines also had prepared themselves against them.