David e Golias
1Os filisteus convocaram o seu exército para uma guerra e acamparam entre Socó em Judá e Azeca em Efes-Damim. 2Saul combatia-os com um ajuntamento de tropas reunidas no vale de Elá. 3Os filisteus e os israelitas encontravam-se frente a frente em duas colinas opostas com o vale entre eles.
4Golias, um grande guerreiro originário de Gate, avançou nas fileiras dos filisteus e colocou-se diante das forças militares israelitas. Tratava-se de um verdadeiro gigante; media para cima de 3 metros de altura! 5Trazia um capacete de bronze e vestia uma couraça que pesava uns 60 quilos. 6Tinha as pernas protegidas com caneleiras também de bronze e a sua lança, do mesmo metal, tinha vários centímetros de espessura, 7estando guarnecida com uma ponta de ferro com cerca de 7 quilos. O seu escudeiro ia à frente carregando um grande escudo.
8-9Golias parou então e gritou para os israelitas: “Porque precisam de um exército alinhado para a batalha? Não sou eu um filisteu e vocês servos de Saul? Escolham algum dos vossos para combater comigo. Se o vosso homem conseguir matar-me, seremos vossos escravos, mas se for eu a matá-lo, serão vocês nossos escravos! 10Desafio os exércitos de Israel! Mandem vir um homem que combata comigo!” 11Ao ouvir isto, Saul e todo o exército israelita ficaram extremamente angustiados e aterrorizados.
12Em Belém de Judá havia um homem da família de Efraim chamado Jessé. Tinha oito filhos e um deles era David. Nesta altura Jessé já era bastante idoso. 13Os seus três filhos mais velhos, Eliabe, Abinadabe e Samá, tinham seguido o exército de Saul para combaterem os filisteus. 14Enquanto os três mais velhos permaneciam com o exército do rei, David, que era o mais novo, 15ia ter com Saul e voltava para Belém, a fim de cuidar do rebanho de seu pai.
16Durante 40 dias, duas vezes por dia, de manhã e à tarde, o gigante filisteu pavoneava-se perante as forças israelitas.
17Um dia, Jessé disse ao seu filho David: “Leva estes 22 litros de grão torrado mais estes dez bolos aos teus irmãos. 18Dá também esses queijos ao capitão e vê se estão a passar bem. Toma conta de algum recado que me queiram mandar.”
19Saul e as suas forças militares estavam acampados no vale de Elá. 20David deixou as ovelhas entregues a outro pastor e partiu de manhã cedo levando o que o pai enviava aos filhos. Chegou à entrada do acampamento, quando o exército israelita se preparava para a batalha com gritos e apelos à luta. 21As forças inimigas encontravam-se frente a frente em disposição de combate. 22David entregou o seu fardo ao bagageiro e correu para as fileiras à procura dos irmãos. 23Enquanto conversava com eles, viu Golias avançar entre os pelotões filisteus e gritar o seu desafio às tropas de Israel. E David ouviu-o. 24Assim que o viram, recuaram aterrorizados.
25“Viste aquele gigante?”, perguntavam os soldados. “Tem insultado o exército de Israel. O rei ofereceu já uma enorme recompensa a quem o matar: dar-lhe-á uma das suas filhas e toda a sua família ficará isenta de impostos!”
26David informou-se, junto de alguns que ali estavam perto, sobre o que fariam àquele que matasse o filisteu e parasse com aqueles insultos a Israel. “Quem é este incircunciso filisteu que ousa desafiar os exércitos do Deus vivo?”, perguntava. 27E davam-lhe sempre a mesma resposta.
28O irmão mais velho de David, Eliabe, quando ouviu David falar desta maneira, ficou muito zangado: “Afinal o que estás tu aqui a fazer? A quem deixaste aquelas poucas ovelhas lá no deserto? Sei bem como és atrevido e gabarola! Queres é ver a peleja!”
29“Que foi que eu fiz agora? Fiz apenas uma pergunta!” 30E afastou-se para continuar a falar com outros, dizendo-lhe toda a gente a mesma coisa. 31As pessoas começaram a reparar nele e no que dizia e foram contar a Saul. Este mandou chamá-lo.
32“Que ninguém se angustie por causa daquele gigante”, disse David. “Eu me encarregarei desse filisteu!”
33“Como é que um rapaz como tu poderia fazer frente a um homem daqueles que é soldado desde a sua mocidade?”
34David insistiu: “Quando estou a tomar conta das ovelhas do meu pai, se aparece um leão ou um urso para roubar um cordeiro do rebanho, 35corro atrás dele e tiro-lhe o cordeiro da boca. Se ele se volta contra mim, agarro-o pelas mandíbulas e despedaço-o até morrer. 36Fiz isto tanto com ursos como com leões; certamente que poderei fazer o mesmo em relação a esse incircunciso filisteu que teve a ousadia de desafiar os exércitos do Deus vivo! 37O Senhor, que me salvou dos dentes do leão e do urso, salvar-me-á também deste filisteu!”
Saul, por fim, consentiu: “Está bem, vai lá e que o Senhor seja contigo!”
38Saul deu-lhe a sua própria armadura; uma couraça de bronze e uma cota de malha. 39David colocou aquilo tudo sobre si, cingiu a espada e deu dois ou três passos para ver como se sentia, porque era a primeira vez que usava um equipamento de combate. “Eu nem sequer me posso mexer! Nunca andei com coisas destas!” E tirou tudo.
40Foi depois buscar à torrente, que por ali passava, cinco pequenos seixos e colocou-os no seu alforge; pegou no cajado e na funda e dirigiu-se na direção de Golias. 41Este veio também ao seu encontro, com o homem que lhe levava o escudo à sua frente, 42olhando com desprezo aquele rapaz de rosto corado e de aspeto gentil.
43“Ouve lá, sou algum cão”, rugiu para David, “para vires contra mim com um pau?” E amaldiçoou David pelos nomes dos seus deuses. 44“Vem cá para que dê a tua carne a comer às aves e aos animais selvagens”, gritou Golias.
45David, por sua vez, gritou-lhe como resposta: “Tu vens contra mim armado de lança e escudo, mas eu lutarei contigo em nome do Senhor dos exércitos, o Deus das hostes de Israel, o verdadeiro Deus, a quem tens afrontado. 46Hoje o Senhor te entregará na minha mão; hei de matar-te e cortar-te a cabeça e depois darei os corpos mortos dos teus homens aos pássaros e às feras; toda a gente ficará a saber que há um Deus em Israel! 47E todos os que aqui estão hão de ver que o Senhor não depende de armas de guerra para dar cumprimento aos seus planos de salvação; ele atua sem estar sujeito a meios humanos. Esta questão é só dele e ele vos entregará na nossa mão.”
48Golias aproximou-se e David correu ao seu encontro. 49Tirando do alforge uma das pequenas pedras, pô-la na funda e feriu o filisteu na cabeça. O seixo cravou-se mesmo na fronte, de tal forma que o homem caiu com o rosto no chão. 50David conseguiu vencer o gigante filisteu com uma simples funda e uma pedra. 51Como não tinha espada, correu para Golias, tirou a dele da bainha e matou-o cortando-lhe a cabeça. Quando os filisteus viram aquilo, e que o seu campeão estava morto, desataram a fugir.
52Os israelitas deram um grande grito de triunfo e foram atrás deles, perseguindo-os até Gate e até às portas de Ecrom. Os corpos dos mortos e dos feridos espalhavam-se por todo o caminho de Saaraim. 53As tropas israelitas regressaram e despojaram o acampamento abandonado pelos filisteus.
54Mais tarde, David levou a cabeça de Golias para Jerusalém, mas guardou as armas de Golias na sua própria tenda.
55Saul, quando viu David dirigir-se na direção de Golias, perguntou a Abner, o general do seu exército: “Abner, a que família pertence este rapaz?”
“Realmente não sei!”
56“Então procura informar-te”, disse-lhe o rei.
57Depois de David ter matado Golias, Abner trouxe-o junto de Saul com a cabeça do gigante ainda nas mãos.
58“Fala-me lá do teu pai, meu rapaz”, pediu-lhe Saul.
David respondeu: “Chama-se Jessé. Vivemos em Belém.”
1Now the Philistines gathered together their armies to battle, and were gathered together at Shochoh, which belongeth to Judah, and pitched between Shochoh and Azekah, in Ephes-dammim.17.1 Ephes-dammim: or, the coast of Dammim, called Pas-dammim 2And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together, and pitched by the valley of Elah, and set the battle in array against the Philistines.17.2 set…: Heb. ranged the battle 3And the Philistines stood on a mountain on the one side, and Israel stood on a mountain on the other side: and there was a valley between them.
4¶ And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. 5And he had an helmet of brass upon his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail; and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of brass.17.5 armed: Heb. clothed 6And he had greaves of brass upon his legs, and a target of brass between his shoulders.17.6 target: or, gorget 7And the staff of his spear was like a weaver’s beam; and his spear’s head weighed six hundred shekels of iron: and one bearing a shield went before him. 8And he stood and cried unto the armies of Israel, and said unto them, Why are ye come out to set your battle in array? am not I a Philistine, and ye servants to Saul? choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me. 9If he be able to fight with me, and to kill me, then will we be your servants: but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then shall ye be our servants, and serve us. 10And the Philistine said, I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together. 11When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid.
12¶ Now David was the son of that Ephrathite of Beth-lehem-judah, whose name was Jesse; and he had eight sons: and the man went among men for an old man in the days of Saul. 13And the three eldest sons of Jesse went and followed Saul to the battle: and the names of his three sons that went to the battle were Eliab the firstborn, and next unto him Abinadab, and the third Shammah. 14And David was the youngest: and the three eldest followed Saul. 15But David went and returned from Saul to feed his father’s sheep at Beth-lehem. 16And the Philistine drew near morning and evening, and presented himself forty days. 17And Jesse said unto David his son, Take now for thy brethren an ephah of this parched corn, and these ten loaves, and run to the camp to thy brethren; 18And carry these ten cheeses unto the captain of their thousand, and look how thy brethren fare, and take their pledge.17.18 cheeses: Heb. cheeses of milk17.18 of…: Heb. of a thousand 19Now Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel, were in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines.
20¶ And David rose up early in the morning, and left the sheep with a keeper, and took, and went, as Jesse had commanded him; and he came to the trench, as the host was going forth to the fight, and shouted for the battle.17.20 trench: or, place of the carriage17.20 fight: or, battle array, or, place of fight 21For Israel and the Philistines had put the battle in array, army against army. 22And David left his carriage in the hand of the keeper of the carriage, and ran into the army, and came and saluted his brethren.17.22 his carriage: Heb. the vessels from upon him17.22 saluted…: Heb. asked his brethren of peace 23And as he talked with them, behold, there came up the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the armies of the Philistines, and spake according to the same words: and David heard them. 24And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were sore afraid.17.24 from…: Heb. from his face 25And the men of Israel said, Have ye seen this man that is come up? surely to defy Israel is he come up: and it shall be, that the man who killeth him, the king will enrich him with great riches, and will give him his daughter, and make his father’s house free in Israel. 26And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the reproach from Israel? for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God? 27And the people answered him after this manner, saying, So shall it be done to the man that killeth him.
28¶ And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab’s anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle. 29And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause?
30¶ And he turned from him toward another, and spake after the same manner: and the people answered him again after the former manner.17.30 manner: Heb. word
31And when the words were heard which David spake, they rehearsed them before Saul: and he sent for him.17.31 sent…: Heb. took him
32¶ And David said to Saul, Let no man’s heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine. 33And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth. 34And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father’s sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock:17.34 lamb: or, kid 35And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him. 36Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God. 37David said moreover, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the LORD be with thee.
38¶ And Saul armed David with his armour, and he put an helmet of brass upon his head; also he armed him with a coat of mail.17.38 armed David…: Heb. clothed David with his clothes 39And David girded his sword upon his armour, and he assayed to go; for he had not proved it. And David said unto Saul, I cannot go with these; for I have not proved them. And David put them off him.
40And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd’s bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine.17.40 brook: or, valley17.40 bag: Heb. vessel 41And the Philistine came on and drew near unto David; and the man that bare the shield went before him. 42And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him: for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance. 43And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44And the Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field. 45Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. 46This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.17.46 deliver…: Heb. shut thee up 47And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD’s, and he will give you into our hands.
48And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew nigh to meet David, that David hasted, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. 49And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth. 50So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David. 51Therefore David ran, and stood upon the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off his head therewith. And when the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they fled. 52And the men of Israel and of Judah arose, and shouted, and pursued the Philistines, until thou come to the valley, and to the gates of Ekron. And the wounded of the Philistines fell down by the way to Shaaraim, even unto Gath, and unto Ekron. 53And the children of Israel returned from chasing after the Philistines, and they spoiled their tents. 54And David took the head of the Philistine, and brought it to Jerusalem; but he put his armour in his tent.
55¶ And when Saul saw David go forth against the Philistine, he said unto Abner, the captain of the host, Abner, whose son is this youth? And Abner said, As thy soul liveth, O king, I cannot tell. 56And the king said, Enquire thou whose son the stripling is. 57And as David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, Abner took him, and brought him before Saul with the head of the Philistine in his hand. 58And Saul said to him, Whose son art thou, thou young man? And David answered, I am the son of thy servant Jesse the Beth-lehemite.
