1. Now the Philistines assembled their armies to battle. They were gathered at Socoh of Judah, and camped in Ephes-dammim, between Socoh and Azekah.
2. Saul and the men of Israel gathered and camped in the valley of Elah, then lined up in battle array against the Philistines.
3. The Philistines were standing on the mountain on one side, and Israel was standing on the mountain on the other side, with the valley between them.
4. Then a champion stepped out from the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, from Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span.
5. He had a bronze helmet on his head and a breastplate of scale armor; the weight of the bronze breastplate was 5,000 shekels.
6. He also had bronze shin-guards on his legs and a bronze javelin slung between his shoulders.
7. The shaft of his spear was like a weaver’s beam, and the head of his spear weighed 600 shekels of iron; and his shield-bearer was marching ahead of him.
8. Then he stood and shouted out to the ranks of Israel saying to them, “Why come out to line up in battle array? Am I not the Philistine and aren’t you Saul’s servants? Choose for yourselves a man and let him come down to me.
9. If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then will we become your slaves; but if I prevail against him and kill him, then will you become our slaves and serve us.”
10. The Philistine added, “Today I defy the ranks of Israel—give me a man, so we may fight together!”
11. But when Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and very terrified.
12. Now David was son of a certain Ephrathite man of Beth-lehem of Judah, whose name was Jesse. He had eight sons and during the days of Saul the man was old, advanced in years among men.