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.
46. Today the Lord will give you to me. I’ll kill you, and I’ll cut off your head. Today I’ll feed the bodies of the Philistine soldiers to the birds of the air and the wild animals. Then all the world will know there is a God in Israel!
47. Everyone gathered here will know the Lord does not need swords or spears to save people. The battle belongs to him! And he will help us defeat all of you.”
48. As Goliath came near to attack him, David ran quickly to meet him.
49. He took a stone from his pouch. He put it into his sling and slung it. The stone hit the Philistine on his forehead and sank into it. Goliath fell facedown on the ground.
50. So David defeated the Philistine with only a sling and a stone! He hit him and killed him. He did not even have a sword in his hand.
51. David ran and stood beside the Philistine. He took Goliath’s sword out of its holder and killed him. Then he cut off Goliath’s head.When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they turned and ran.
52. The men of Israel and Judah shouted and started chasing the Philistines. They chased them all the way to the entrance to the city of Gath. And they chased them to the gates of Ekron.Many of the Philistines died. Their bodies lay on the Shaaraim road as far as Gath and Ekron.
53. The Israelites returned after chasing the Philistines. Then they took many things from the Philistine camp.