16. Meanwhile the Philistine came forward and took his stand morning and evening for forty days.
17. Now Jesse said to his son David: “Take this ephah of roasted grain and these ten loaves for your brothers, and bring them quickly to your brothers in the camp.
18. Also take these ten cheeses for the field officer. Greet your brothers and bring home some token from them.
19. Saul and your brothers, together with all Israel, are at war with the Philistines in the valley of the Elah.”
20. Early the next morning, having left the flock with a shepherd, David packed up and set out, as Jesse had commanded him. He reached the barricade of the camp just as the army, on their way to the battleground, were shouting their battle cry.
21. The Israelites and the Philistines drew up opposite each other in battle array.
22. David entrusted what he had brought to the keeper of the baggage and hastened to the battle line, where he greeted his brothers.
23. While he was talking with them, the Philistine champion, by name Goliath of Gath, came up from the ranks of the Philistines and spoke as before, and David listened.
24. When the Israelites saw the man, they all retreated before him, terrified.
25. The Israelites had been saying: “Do you see this man coming up? He comes up to insult Israel. The king will make whoever kills him a very wealthy man. He will give his daughter to him and declare his father’s family exempt from taxes in Israel.”
26. David now said to the men standing near him: “How will the man who kills this Philistine and frees Israel from disgrace be rewarded? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should insult the armies of the living God?”
27. They repeated the same words to him and said, “That is how the man who kills him will be rewarded.”
28. When Eliab, his oldest brother, heard him speaking with the men, he grew angry with David and said: “Why did you come down? With whom have you left those sheep in the wilderness? I know your arrogance and dishonest heart. You came down to enjoy the battle!”
29. David protested, “What have I done now? I was only talking.”