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2 Samuel 5:17-25
New International Version
2 Samuel 5:17-25
New International Version
David Defeats the Philistines(A)
17 When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel, they went up in full force to search for him, but David heard about it and went down to the stronghold.(B) 18 Now the Philistines had come and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim;(C) 19 so David inquired(D) of the Lord, “Shall I go and attack the Philistines? Will you deliver them into my hands?”
The Lord answered him, “Go, for I will surely deliver the Philistines into your hands.”
20 So David went to Baal Perazim, and there he defeated them. He said, “As waters break out, the Lord has broken out against my enemies before me.” So that place was called Baal Perazim.[a](E) 21 The Philistines abandoned their idols there, and David and his men carried them off.(F)
22 Once more the Philistines came up and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim; 23 so David inquired of the Lord, and he answered, “Do not go straight up, but circle around behind them and attack them in front of the poplar trees. 24 As soon as you hear the sound(G) of marching in the tops of the poplar trees, move quickly, because that will mean the Lord has gone out in front(H) of you to strike the Philistine army.” 25 So David did as the Lord commanded him, and he struck down the Philistines(I) all the way from Gibeon[b](J) to Gezer.(K)
Footnotes
- 2 Samuel 5:20 Baal Perazim means the lord who breaks out.
- 2 Samuel 5:25 Septuagint (see also 1 Chron. 14:16); Hebrew Geba
2 Samuel 5:17-25
English Standard Version
2 Samuel 5:17-25
English Standard Version
David Defeats the Philistines
17 When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel, all the Philistines went up to search for David. But David heard of it and went down (A)to the stronghold. 18 Now the Philistines had come and spread out in (B)the Valley of Rephaim. 19 And David (C)inquired of the Lord, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will you give them into my hand?” And the Lord said to David, “Go up, for I will certainly give the Philistines into your hand.” 20 And David came to Baal-perazim, and David defeated them there. And he said, “The Lord has broken through my enemies before me like a breaking flood.” (D)Therefore the name of that place is called Baal-perazim.[a] 21 And the Philistines left their idols there, and David and his men carried them away.
22 And the Philistines came up yet again (E)and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim. 23 (F)And when David inquired of the Lord, he said, “You shall not go up; go around to their rear, and come against them opposite the balsam trees. 24 And (G)when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then rouse yourself, (H)for then the Lord has gone out before you to strike down the army of the Philistines.” 25 And David did as the Lord commanded him, and struck down the Philistines from Geba (I)to Gezer.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 2 Samuel 5:20 Baal-perazim means Lord of breaking through
2 Samuel 5:17-25
New American Standard Bible
2 Samuel 5:17-25
New American Standard Bible
War with the Philistines
17 Now when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, (A)all the Philistines went up to seek out David; and when David heard about it, he went down to the (B)stronghold. 18 Now the Philistines came and overran (C)the Valley of Rephaim. 19 So (D)David inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will You hand them over to me?” And (E)the Lord said to David, “Go up, for I will certainly hand the Philistines over to you.” 20 Then David came to (F)Baal-perazim and [a]defeated them there; and he said, “The Lord has broken through my enemies before me like the breakthrough of waters.” Therefore he named that place [b]Baal-perazim. 21 And the Philistines abandoned their idols there, so (G)David and his men carried them away.
22 Now (H)the Philistines came up once again and overran the Valley of Rephaim. 23 So (I)David inquired of the Lord, but He said, “You shall not go directly up; circle around behind them and come at them in front of the baka-shrubs. 24 And it shall be, when (J)you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the baka-shrubs, then you shall [c]act promptly, for then (K)the Lord will have gone out before you to strike the army of the Philistines.” 25 Then David did so, just as the Lord had commanded him; he struck and killed the Philistines from [d](L)Geba [e]as far as (M)Gezer.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 2 Samuel 5:20 Lit David struck
- 2 Samuel 5:20 I.e., the master of breakthroughs
- 2 Samuel 5:24 Or pay attention
- 2 Samuel 5:25 In 1 Chr 14:16, Gibeon
- 2 Samuel 5:25 Lit until you come to
2 Samuel 5:17-25
Common English Bible
2 Samuel 5:17-25
Common English Bible
David defeats the Philistines
17 When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel, they all marched up to find him, but David heard of it and went down to the fortress. 18 The Philistines arrived and spread out over the Rephaim Valley. 19 David asked the Lord, “Should I attack the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?”
“Attack them,” the Lord replied, “because I will definitely hand the Philistines over to you.”
20 So David arrived at Baal-perazim and defeated the Philistines there. He said, “The Lord has burst out against my enemies, the way water bursts out!” That is why that place is called Baal-perazim.[a] 21 The Philistines left their divine images behind, and David and his men carried them off.
22 Once again the Philistines came up and spread out across the Rephaim Valley. 23 When David asked the Lord, God replied, “Don’t attack them directly. Circle around behind them and come at them from in front of the balsam trees. 24 As soon as you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the trees, then attack, for God has attacked in front of you to defeat the Philistine army.” 25 David followed God’s orders exactly, and they defeated the Philistine army from Gibeon all the way to Gezer.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 2 Samuel 5:20 Baal-perazim means the lord (Heb baal) of breaking out; see note at 2 Sam 6:8.
2 Samuel 5:17-25
Contemporary English Version
2 Samuel 5:17-25
Contemporary English Version
David Fights the Philistines
(1 Chronicles 14.8-17)
17 The Philistines heard that David was now king of Israel, and they came into the hill country to try and capture him. But David found out and went into his fortress.[a] 18 So the Philistines camped in Rephaim Valley.[b]
19 David asked the Lord, “Should I attack the Philistines? Will you let me win?”
The Lord told David, “Attack! I will let you win.”
20 David attacked the Philistines and defeated them. Then he said, “I watched the Lord break through my enemies like a mighty flood.” So he named the place “The Lord Broke Through.”[c] 21 David and his troops also carried away the idols that the Philistines had left behind.
22 Some time later, the Philistines came back into the hill country and camped in Rephaim Valley. 23 David asked the Lord what he should do, and the Lord answered:
Don't attack them from the front. Circle around behind and attack from among the balsam[d] trees. 24 Wait until you hear a sound in the treetops like marching troops. Then attack quickly! That sound will mean I have marched out ahead of you to fight the Philistine army.
25 David obeyed the Lord and defeated the Philistines. He even chased them all the way from Geba to the entrance to Gezer.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 5.17 fortress: Probably the fortress of Adullam, which was David's former hideout (see 1 Samuel 22.1,4; 24.22). Or it could refer to the older walled city of Jerusalem, called the “fortress on Mount Zion” in verses 7-9.
- 5.18 Rephaim Valley: A few kilometers southwest of Jerusalem.
- 5.20 The Lord Broke Through: Or “Baal-Perazim.”
- 5.23 balsam: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
New International Version (NIV) 
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English Standard Version (ESV) 
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New American Standard Bible (NASB) 
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Common English Bible (CEB)
Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible
Contemporary English Version (CEV) 
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