2Sa 5:17-25 | NASB1995 | STEP | When the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel , all the Philistines went up to seek out David ; and when David heard of it , he went down to the stronghold .

2 Samuel 5:17-25

War with the Philistines

17 When the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, ^aall the Philistines went up to seek out David; and when David heard of it, he went down to the ^bstronghold. 18 Now the Philistines came and spread themselves out in ^cthe valley of Rephaim. 19 Then ^dDavid inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will You give them into my hand?” And ^ethe Lord said to David, “Go up, for I will certainly give the Philistines into your hand.” 20 So David came to ^fBaal-perazim and ^{▼▼ Lit David smote}defeated them there; and he said, “The Lord has broken through my enemies before me like the breakthrough of waters.” Therefore he named that place ^{▼▼ I.e. the master of breakthrough}Baal-perazim. 21 They abandoned their idols there, so ⁱDavid and his men carried them away.

22 Now ^jthe Philistines came up once again and spread themselves out in the valley of Rephaim. 23 When ^kDavid inquired of the Lord, He said, “You shall not go directly up; circle around behind them and come at them in front of the ^{▼▼ Or baka-shrubs}balsam trees. 24 “It shall be, when ^myou hear the sound of marching in the tops of the ^{▼▼ Or baka-shrubs}balsam trees, then you shall act promptly, for then ^othe Lord will have gone out before you to strike the army of the Philistines.” 25 Then David did so, just as the Lord had commanded him, and struck down the Philistines from ^{▼▼ In 1 Chr 14:16, Gibeon
,} ^qGeba ^{▼▼ Lit until you are coming to}as far as ^sGezer.