2 Samuel 5:17-25

Living Bible

¹⁷ When the Philistines heard that David had been crowned king of Israel, they tried to capture him; but David was told that they were coming and went into the stronghold. ¹⁸ The Philistines arrived and spread out across the valley of Rephaim.

¹⁹ Then David asked the Lord, “Shall I go out and fight against them? Will you defeat them for me?”

And the Lord replied, “Yes, go ahead, for I will give them to you.”

²⁰ So David went out and fought with them at Baal-perazim and defeated them. “The Lord did it!” he exclaimed. “He burst through my enemies like a raging flood.” So he named the place “Bursting.” ²¹ At that time David and his troops confiscated many idols that had been abandoned by the Philistines. ²² But the Philistines returned and again spread out across the valley of Rephaim.

²³ When David asked the Lord what to do, he replied, “Don’t make a frontal attack. Go behind them and come out by the balsam trees. ²⁴ When you hear a sound like marching feet in the tops of the balsam trees, attack! For it will signify that the Lord has prepared the way for you and will destroy them.”

²⁵ So David did as the Lord had instructed him and destroyed the Philistines all the way from Geba to Gezer.