1 Samuel 17:48-54

17:48 The Philistine drew steadily closer to David to attack him, while David quickly ran toward the battle line to attack the Philistine. ¹  17:49 David reached his hand into the bag and took out a stone. He slung it, striking the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank deeply into his forehead, and he fell down with his face to the ground.

17:50 ² David prevailed over the Philistine with just the sling and the stone. He struck down the Philistine and killed him. David did not even have a sword in his hand. ³  17:51 David ran and stood over the Philistine. He grabbed Goliath’s ⁴  sword, drew it from its sheath, ⁵  killed him, and cut off his head with it. When the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they ran away.

17:52 Then the men of Israel and Judah charged forward, shouting a battle cry. ⁶  They chased the Philistines to the valley ⁷  and to the very gates of Ekron. The Philistine corpses lay fallen along the Shaaraim road to Gath and Ekron. 17:53 When the Israelites returned from their hot pursuit of the Philistines, they looted their camp. 17:54 David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem, ⁸  and he put Goliath’s ⁹  weapons in his tent.

[17:48]  ¹ tc Most LXX mss lack the second half of v. 48.

[17:50]  ² tc Most LXX mss lack v. 50.

[17:50]  ³ tn Verse 50 is a summary statement; v. 51 gives a more detailed account of how David killed the Philistine.

[17:51]  ⁴ tn Heb “his”; the referent (Goliath) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[17:51]  ⁵ tc Most LXX mss lack the words “drew it from its sheath.”

[17:52]  ⁶ tn Heb “arose and cried out.”

[17:52]  ⁷ tc Most of the LXX ms tradition has here “Gath.”

[17:54]  ⁸ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[17:54]  ⁹ tn Heb “his”; the referent (Goliath) has been specified in the translation for clarity.