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.
Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society For more information about CEV, visit www.bibles.com and www.cev.bible.
Bible Gateway Recommends
