VERSE STUDY • KJV

2 Samuel 5:17-25

¹⁷ But when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines came up to seek David; and David heard [of it], and went down to the hold. ¹⁸ The Philistines also came and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim. ¹⁹ And David inquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up to the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into mine hand? And the LORD said unto David, Go up: for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into thine hand. ²⁰ And David came to Baalperazim, and David smote them there, and said, The LORD hath broken forth upon mine enemies before me, as the breach of waters. Therefore he called the name of that place Baalperazim. ²¹ And there they left their images, and David and his men burned them. ²² And the Philistines came up yet again, and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim. ²³ And when David inquired of the LORD, he said, Thou shalt not go up; [but] fetch a compass behind them, and come upon them over against the mulberry trees. ²⁴ And let it be, when thou hearest the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself: for then shall the LORD go out before thee, to smite the host of the Philistines. ²⁵ And David did so, as the LORD had commanded him; and smote the Philistines from Geba until thou come to Gazer.

Read it in 5 translations

KJV King James Version

¹⁷ But when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines came up to seek David; and David heard [of it], and went down to the hold. ¹⁸ The Philistines also came and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim. ¹⁹ And David inquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up to the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into mine hand? And the LORD said unto David, Go up: for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into thine hand. ²⁰ And David came to Baalperazim, and David smote them there, and said, The LORD hath broken forth upon mine enemies before me, as the breach of waters. Therefore he called the name of that place Baalperazim. ²¹ And there they left their images, and David and his men burned them. ²² And the Philistines came up yet again, and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim. ²³ And when David inquired of the LORD, he said, Thou shalt not go up; [but] fetch a compass behind them, and come upon them over against the mulberry trees. ²⁴ And let it be, when thou hearest the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself: for then shall the LORD go out before thee, to smite the host of the Philistines. ²⁵ And David did so, as the LORD had commanded him; and smote the Philistines from Geba until thou come to Gazer.

BSB Berean Standard Bible

¹⁷ When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel, they all went in search of him; but David learned of this and went down to the stronghold. ¹⁸ Now the Philistines had come and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim. ¹⁹ So David inquired of the LORD, “Should I go up against the Philistines? Will You deliver them into my hand?” “Go up,” replied the LORD, “for I will surely deliver the Philistines into your hand.” ²⁰ So David went to Baal-perazim, where he defeated the Philistines and said, “Like a bursting flood, the LORD has burst out against my enemies before me.” So he called that place Baal-perazim. ²¹ There the Philistines abandoned their idols, and David and his men carried them away. ²² Once again the Philistines came up and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim. ²³ So David inquired of the LORD, who answered, “Do not march straight up, but circle around behind them and attack them in front of the balsam trees. ²⁴ As soon as you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, move quickly, because this will mean that the LORD has gone out before you to strike the camp of the Philistines.” ²⁵ So David did as the LORD had commanded him, and he struck down the Philistines all the way from Gibeon to Gezer.

WEB World English Bible

¹⁷ When the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines went up to seek David; and David heard of it, and went down to the stronghold. ¹⁸ Now the Philistines had come and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim. ¹⁹ David inquired of Yahweh, saying, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will you deliver them into my hand?” Yahweh said to David, “Go up; for I will certainly deliver the Philistines into your hand.” ²⁰ David came to Baal Perazim, and David struck them there; and he said, “Yahweh has broken my enemies before me, like the breach of waters.” Therefore he called the name of that place Baal Perazim. ²¹ They left their images there; and David and his men took them away. ²² The Philistines came up yet again, and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim. ²³ When David inquired of Yahweh, he said, “You shall not go up. Circle around behind them, and attack them over against the mulberry trees. ²⁴ It shall be, when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then you shall stir yourself up; for then Yahweh has gone out before you to strike the army of the Philistines.” ²⁵ David did so, as Yahweh commanded him, and struck the Philistines from Geba until you come to Gezer.

ASV American Standard Version

¹⁷ And when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines went up to seek David; and David heard of it, and went down to the stronghold. ¹⁸ Now the Philistines had come and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim. ¹⁹ And David inquired of Jehovah, saying, Shall I go up against the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into my hand? And Jehovah said unto David, Go up; for I will certainly deliver the Philistines into thy hand. ²⁰ And David came to Baal-perazim, and David smote them there; and he said, Jehovah hath broken mine enemies before me, like the breach of waters. Therefore he called the name of that place Baal-perazim. ²¹ And they left their images there; and David and his men took them away. ²² And the Philistines came up yet again, and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim. ²³ And when David inquired of Jehovah, he said, Thou shalt not go up: make a circuit behind them, and come upon them over against the mulberry-trees. ²⁴ And it shall be, when thou hearest the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry-trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself; for then is Jehovah gone out before thee to smite the host of the Philistines. ²⁵ And David did so, as Jehovah commanded him, and smote the Philistines from Geba until thou come to Gezer.

YLT Young’s Literal Translation

¹⁷ And the Philistines hear that they have anointed David for king over Israel, and all the Philistines come up to seek David, and David heareth, and goeth down unto the fortress, ¹⁸ and the Philistines have come, and are spread out in the valley of Rephaim. ¹⁹ And David asketh of Jehovah, saying, ‘Do I go up unto the Philistines? dost Thou give them into my hand?’ And Jehovah saith unto David, ‘Go up, for I certainly give the Philistines into thy hand.’ ²⁰ And David cometh in to Baal-Perazim, and David smiteth them there, and saith, ‘Jehovah hath broken forth on mine enemies before me, as the breaking forth of waters;’ therefore he hath called the name of that place Baal-Perazim. ²¹ And they forsake there their idols, and David and his men lift them up. ²² And the Philistines add again to come up, and are spread out in the valley of Rephaim, ²³ and David asketh of Jehovah, and He saith, ‘Thou dost not go up, turn round unto their rear, and thou hast come to them over-against the mulberries, ²⁴ and it cometh to pass, in thy hearing the sound of a stepping in the tops of the mulberries, then thou dost move sharply, for then hath Jehovah gone out before thee to smite in the camp of the Philistines.’ ²⁵ And David doth so, as Jehovah commanded him, and smiteth the Philistines from Geba unto thy coming to Gazer.

Surrounding context — 2 Samuel 5

14 And these [be] the names of those that were born unto him in Jerusalem; Shammua, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon,

15 Ibhar also, and Elishua, and Nepheg, and Japhia,

16 And Elishama, and Eliada, and Eliphalet.

17 But when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines came up to seek David; and David heard [of it], and went down to the hold.

18 The Philistines also came and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim.

19 And David inquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up to the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into mine hand? And the LORD said unto David, Go up: for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into thine hand.

20 And David came to Baalperazim, and David smote them there, and said, The LORD hath broken forth upon mine enemies before me, as the breach of waters. Therefore he called the name of that place Baalperazim.

21 And there they left their images, and David and his men burned them.

22 And the Philistines came up yet again, and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim.

23 And when David inquired of the LORD, he said, Thou shalt not go up; [but] fetch a compass behind them, and come upon them over against the mulberry trees.

24 And let it be, when thou hearest the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself: for then shall the LORD go out before thee, to smite the host of the Philistines.

25 And David did so, as the LORD had commanded him; and smote the Philistines from Geba until thou come to Gazer.

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