David Strikes Down the Philistines

⁸ Then the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over all Israel, so all the Philistines went up to seek out David. And David heard of it and went out against them. ⁹ Now the Philistines had come and ^(A)made a raid in the valley of Rephaim. ¹⁰ Then David asked of God, saying, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? And will You give them into my hand?” And Yahweh said to him, “Go up, for I will give them into your hand.” ¹¹ So they came up to ^[a]Baal-perazim, and there David struck them down; and David said, “God has broken through my enemies by my hand, like the breakthrough of waters.” Therefore they named that place ^[b]Baal-perazim. ¹² And they forsook their gods there; so David said the word, and they were burned with fire.

¹³ Then the Philistines ^(B)yet again made a raid in the valley. ¹⁴ So David again asked of God, and God said to him, “You shall not go directly up after them; circle around from ^[c]behind them and come at them in front of the ^[d]balsam trees. ¹⁵ And it will be that when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the ^[e]balsam trees, then you shall go out to battle, for God will have gone out before you to strike the camp of the Philistines.” ¹⁶ Then David did just as God had commanded him, and they struck down the camp of the Philistines from ^[f]Gibeon even as far as Gezer. ¹⁷ Then the name of David went out into all the lands; and ^(C)Yahweh brought the dread of him on all the nations.