KJV ORIGINAL
If 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.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE
If he can fight me and kill me, then we will be your servants. But if I defeat him and kill him, then you will be our servants and work for us.
⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE
Goliath is proposing that instead of two armies fighting, one champion from each side should battle, and the losing army becomes servants to the winning side.
📚 Historical Context
This was Goliath's challenge during the standoff between the Philistines and Israelites in the Valley of Elah. In ancient warfare, it was sometimes customary for armies to avoid massive casualties by having their champions fight in single combat to determine the outcome. The Philistines were confident because Goliath was a giant warrior who seemed unbeatable.
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