32. David said to Saul, “People shouldn’t let Goliath discourage them. I am your servant. I will go fight this Philistine.”
33. Saul answered, “You can’t go out and fight against this Philistine. You’re not even a soldier! Goliath has been fighting in wars since he was a boy.”
34. But David said to Saul, “There were times when I was taking care of my father’s sheep that wild animals came to take some sheep from the flock. Once there was a lion and another time, a bear.
35. I chased that wild animal, attacked it, and took the sheep from its mouth. The wild animal jumped on me, but I caught it by the fur under its mouth. And I hit it and killed it.
36. I killed both a lion and a bear like that! And I will kill that foreigner, Goliath, just like them. Goliath will die because he made fun of the army of the living God.
37. The Lord saved me from the lion and the bear. He will also save me from this Philistine.” Saul said to David, “Go and may the Lord be with you.”
38. Saul put his own clothes on David. He put a bronze helmet on David’s head and armor on his body.
39. David put on the sword and tried to walk around. He tried to wear Saul’s uniform, but David was not used to all those heavy things. David said to Saul, “I can’t fight in these things. I’m not used to them.” So David took them all off.
40. He took his walking stick in his hand and went to find five smooth stones from the stream. He put the five stones in his shepherd’s bag and held his sling in his hand. Then he went out to meet the Philistine.
41. The Philistine slowly walked closer and closer to David. Goliath’s helper walked in front of him, carrying a large shield.
42. Goliath looked at David with disgust. He saw that David was only a handsome, healthy boy.
43. Goliath said to David, “What is that stick for? Did you come to chase me away like a dog?” Then Goliath used the names of his gods to say curses against David.