David Wins the Battle Over the Philistines

¹⁷ The Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel. So their whole army went to look for him. But David heard about it. He went down to his usual place of safety. ¹⁸ The Philistines had come and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim. ¹⁹ So David asked the Lord for advice. He said, “Should I go and attack the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?”

The Lord answered him, “Go. I will surely hand over the Philistines to you.”

²⁰ So David went to Baal Perazim. There he won the battle over the Philistines. He said, “The Lord has broken through against my enemies when I’ve attacked them. He has broken through just as water breaks through a dam.” That’s why the place was called Baal Perazim. ²¹ The Philistines left the statues of their gods there. So David and his men carried off the statues.

²² Once more the Philistines came up. They spread out in the Valley of Rephaim. ²³ So David asked the Lord for advice. The Lord answered, “Do not go straight up. Instead, circle around behind them. Attack them in front of the poplar trees. ²⁴ Listen for the sound of marching in the tops of the trees. Then move quickly. The sound will mean that I have gone out in front of you. I will strike down the Philistine army.” ²⁵ So David did just as the Lord had commanded him. He struck down the Philistines. He struck them down from Gibeon all the way to Gezer.

David Brings the Ark to Jerusalem

6 Again David brought together the best soldiers in Israel. The total number was 30,000. ² He and all his men went to Baalah in Judah. They wanted to bring the ark of God up to Jerusalem from there. The ark is named after the Lord. He is the Lord who rules over all. He sits on his throne between the cherubim that are on the ark. ³ The ark of God was placed on a new cart. Then it was brought from Abinadab’s house, which was on a hill. Uzzah and Ahio were guiding the cart. They were the sons of Abinadab. ⁴ The ark of God was on the cart. Ahio was walking in front of it. ⁵ David was celebrating with all his might in front of the Lord. So was the whole community of Israel. All of them were playing castanets, harps, lyres, tambourines, rattles and cymbals.

⁶ They came to the threshing floor of Nakon. The oxen nearly fell there. So Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark of God. ⁷ Then the Lord was very angry with Uzzah. That’s because what Uzzah did showed that he didn’t have any respect for the Lord. So God struck him down. He died there beside the ark of God.

⁸ David was angry because the Lord’s great anger had broken out against Uzzah. That’s why the place is still called Perez Uzzah to this day.

⁹ David was afraid of the Lord that day. He asked, “How can the ark of the Lord ever be brought to me?” ¹⁰ He didn’t want to take the ark of the Lord to be with him in the City of David. Instead, he took it to the house of Obed-Edom. Obed-Edom was from Gath. ¹¹ The ark of the Lord remained in Obed-Edom’s house for three months. And the Lord blessed him and his whole family.