1 Samuel 17:42-51

Holman Christian Standard Bible

⁴² When the Philistine looked and saw David, he despised him^(A) because he was just a youth, healthy^[a](B) and handsome. ⁴³ He said to David, “Am I a dog^(C) that you come against me with sticks?”^[b] Then he cursed David by his gods.^{(D) 44} “Come here,” the Philistine called to David, “and I’ll give your flesh to the birds of the sky and the wild beasts!”^(E)

⁴⁵ David said to the Philistine: “You come against me with a dagger, spear, and sword, but I come against you in the name of Yahweh of Hosts, the God of Israel’s armies—you have defied Him.^{(F) 46} Today, the Lord will hand you over to me. Today, I’ll strike you down, cut your head off, and give the corpses^[c] of the Philistine camp to the birds of the sky and the creatures of the earth. Then all the world will know that Israel has a God,^{(G) 47} and this whole assembly will know that it is not by sword or by spear that the Lord saves,^(H) for the battle is the Lord’s.^(I) He will hand you over to us.”

⁴⁸ When the Philistine started forward to attack him, David ran quickly to the battle line to meet the Philistine.^{(J) 49} David put his hand in the bag, took out a stone, slung it, and hit the Philistine on his forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the ground. ⁵⁰ David defeated the Philistine with a sling and a stone. Even though David had no sword, he struck down the Philistine and killed him. ⁵¹ David ran and stood over him. He grabbed the Philistine’s sword,^(K) pulled it from its sheath, and used it to kill him. Then he cut off his head. When the Philistines saw that their hero was dead, they ran.^(L)