27. The Israelites told David what they had been saying. They said, “This is what will be done for the man who kills Goliath.”
28. David’s oldest brother Eliab heard David talking with the soldiers. He became angry with David. He asked David, “Why did you come here? Who’s taking care of those few sheep of yours in the desert? I know you are proud. Your attitude is very bad. You came down here just to watch the battle!”
29. David asked, “Now what have I done wrong? Can’t I even talk?”
30. He then turned to other people and asked the same questions. And they gave him the same answer as before.
31. Some men heard what David said and told Saul. Then Saul ordered David to be sent to him.
32. David said to Saul, “Don’t let anyone be discouraged. I, your servant, will go and fight this Philistine!”
33. Saul answered, “You can’t go out against this Philistine and fight him. You’re only a boy. Goliath has been a warrior since he was a young man.”
34. But David said to Saul, “I, your servant, have been keeping my father’s sheep. When a lion or bear came and took a sheep from the flock,
35. I would chase it. I would attack it and save the sheep from its mouth. When it attacked me, I caught it by its fur. I would hit it and kill it.
36. I, your servant, have killed both a lion and a bear! Goliath, the Philistine who is not circumcised, will be like the lion or bear I killed. He will die because he has stood against the armies of the living God.
37. The Lord saved me from a lion and a 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 Saul’s sword and tried to walk around. But he was not used to all the armor Saul had put on him.He said to Saul, “I can’t go in this. I’m not used to it.” Then David took it all off.
40. He took his stick in his hand. And he chose five smooth stones from a stream. He put them in his pouch and held his sling in his hand. Then he went to meet Goliath.
41. At the same time, the Philistine was coming closer to David. The man who held his shield walked in front of him.
42. Goliath looked at David. He saw that David was only a boy, tanned and handsome. He looked down at David with disgust.
43. He said, “Do you think I am a dog, that you come at me with a stick?” He used his gods’ names to curse David.
44. He said to David, “Come here. I’ll feed your body to the birds of the air and the wild animals!”
45. But David said to him, “You come to me using a sword, a large spear and a small spear. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of heaven’s armies. He’s the God of the armies of Israel! You have spoken out against him.