1. Now the Philistines gathered together their armies to battle, and were gathered together at Socoh, which belongs to Judah, and encamped between Socoh and Azekah, in Ephesdammin.
2. And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together, and encamped by the valley of Elah, and set the battle in array against the Philistines.
3. And the Philistines stood on a mountain on the one side, and Israel stood on a mountain on the other side: and there was a valley between them.
4. And there went a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span.
5. And he had a helmet of bronze upon his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail; and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of bronze.
6. And he had armor of bronze upon his legs, and a javelin of bronze upon his shoulders.
7. And the staff of his spear was like a weaver's beam; and his spear's head weighed six hundred shekels of iron: and one bearing a shield went before him.
8. And he stood and cried unto the armies of Israel, and said unto them, Why are you come out to set your battle in array? am not I a Philistine, and you servants to Saul? choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me.
9. If he is able to fight with me, and to kill me, then will we be your servants: but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then shall you be our servants, and serve us.