David Battles the Philistines^(A)

¹⁷ When the Philistines eventually learned that Israel^[a] had anointed David to be king over Israel, they marched out in search of him.^[b] But David heard about it and retreated to his stronghold. ¹⁸ Meanwhile, the Philistines arrived and encamped in the Rephaim Valley, ¹⁹ so David asked the Lord, “Am I to go attack the Philistines? Will you give me victory over them?”^[c]

“Go get them,” the Lord replied to David, “because I’m going to put the Philistines right into your hand!”

²⁰ So David went to Baal-perazim and defeated them there. He called the place Baal-perazim,^[d] because he said, “Like a bursting flood, the Lord has jumped out in front of me to fight my enemies.” ²¹ The Philistines abandoned their idols there, and David and his army carried them off.

²² Later, the Philistines once again marched out and encamped in the Rephaim Valley. ²³ When David asked the Lord about it, he said, “Don’t attack them directly. Instead, go around to the rear and attack them opposite those balsam trees. ²⁴ When you hear the sound of marching coming from the tops of the balsam trees, then be sure to act quickly, since the Lord will have gone out ahead of you to cut down the Philistine army.” ²⁵ So David did exactly what the Lord ordered him to do, and he struck down the Philistines from Geba to Gezer.