14. David was the youngest. The three oldest sons followed Saul.
15. But David went back and forth from Saul's camp to Bethlehem. He went to Bethlehem to take care of his father's sheep.
16. Every morning and evening Goliath came forward and stood there. He did it for 40 days.
17. Jesse said to his son David, "Get at least half a bushel of grain that has been cooked. Also get ten loaves of bread. Take all of it to your brothers. Hurry to their camp.
18. Take along these ten chunks of cheese to the commander of their company. Find out how your brothers are doing. Bring me back some word about them.
19. They are with Saul and all of the men of Israel. They are in the Valley of Elah. They are fighting against the Philistines."
20. Early in the morning David left his father's flock in the care of a shepherd. David loaded up the food and started out, just as Jesse had directed. David reached the camp as the army was going out to its battle positions. The soldiers were shouting the war cry.
21. Israel and the Philistines were lining up their armies for battle. The armies were facing each other.
22. David left what he had brought with the man who took care of the supplies. He ran to the battle lines and greeted his brothers.
23. As David was talking with them, Goliath stepped forward from his line. Goliath was a mighty Philistine hero from Gath. He again dared someone to fight him, and David heard it.
24. When Israel's army saw Goliath, all of them ran away from him. That's because they were filled with fear.
25. The men of Israel had been saying, "Just look at how this man keeps stepping forward! Again and again he dares Israel to fight him. The king will make the man who kills him very wealthy. He will also give him his daughter to be his wife. He won't require anyone in his family to pay any taxes in Israel."
26. David spoke to the men who were standing near him. He asked them, "What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine? Goliath is bringing shame on Israel. What will be done for the one who removes it? This Philistine isn't even circumcised. He dares the armies of the living God to fight him. Who does he think he is?"
27. The men told David what Israel's soldiers had been saying. The men told him what would be done for the man who killed Goliath.
28. David's oldest brother Eliab heard him speaking with the men. So he burned with anger at him. He asked him, "Why have you come down here? Who did you leave those few sheep in the desert with? I know how proud you are. I know how evil your heart is. The only reason you came down here was to watch the battle."
29. "What have I done now?" said David. "Can't I even speak?"