David Defeats the Philistines

⁸ When the Philistines heard that David had been ·made [anointed] king of all Israel, they went ·to look [in full force to search] for him. But David heard about it and went out ·to fight [against] them. ⁹ The Philistines had ·attacked and robbed the people in [raided] the Valley of Rephaim. ¹⁰ David ·asked [inquired of; ^Cperhaps by means of the Urim and Thummim; Ex. 28:30] God, “Should I go ·and attack [against] the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?”

The Lord answered him, “Go, I will hand them over to you.”

¹¹ So David and his men went up to the town of Baal Perazim and defeated the Philistines. David said, “Like a flood of water, God has used me to break through my enemies.” So that place was named Baal Perazim [^C“Lord who bursts through”]. ¹² The Philistines had ·left [abandoned] their idols there, so David ordered his men to burn them.

¹³ Soon the Philistines ·attacked the people in [raided] the valley again. ¹⁴ David ·prayed to [inquired of] God again [v. 10], and God answered him, saying, “Don’t attack the Philistines ·from the front [straight on; directly]. Instead, ·go [circle] around them and attack them ·in front of the balsam [or near the poplar] trees. ¹⁵ When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the ·balsam [or poplar] trees, then attack. I, God, will have gone out before you to ·defeat [strike down] the Philistine army.” ¹⁶ David did as God commanded, and he and his men ·defeated [struck down] the Philistine army all the way from Gibeon to Gezer.

¹⁷ So David became famous in ·all the countries [every land], and the Lord made all nations afraid of him.