Berean Standard Bible
2 Samuel 5:23
23So 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.1
2 Samuel 5:23 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And when David enquired 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.
- New International Version (NIV)so David inquired of the Lord, and he answered, “Do not go straight up, but circle around behind them and attack them in front of the poplar trees.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And when David inquired of the Lord, he said, "You shall not go up; go around to their rear, and come against them opposite the balsam trees.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Therefore David inquired of the Lord, and He said, “You shall not go up; circle around behind them, and come upon them in front of the mulberry trees.
Context of 2 Samuel 5:23
21There the Philistines abandoned their idols, and David and his men carried them away. 22Once again the Philistines came up and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim. 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. 24As 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.” 25So David did as the LORD had commanded him, and he struck down the Philistines all the way from Gibeon to Gezer.
Read all of 2 Samuel 52 Samuel 5:23 word by word
וַיִּשְׁאַ֤ל דָּוִד֙ בַּֽיהוָ֔ה וַיֹּ֖אמֶר לֹ֣א תַעֲלֶ֑ה הָסֵב֙ אֶל־אַ֣חֲרֵיהֶ֔ם וּבָ֥אתָ לָהֶ֖ם מִמּ֥וּל בְּכָאִֽים׃Read the interlinear
- So Davidדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
- inquiredשָׁאַלshâ'al shâ'êl · to askH7592
- of the LORDיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- who answeredאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- Do notלֹאlô' lô' lôh · notH3808
- march straight upעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: riseH5927
- but circleסָבַבsâbab · to turn: surroundH5437
- aroundאֶל'êl 'el · to(wards)H413
- behind themאַחַר'achar · afterH310
- and attackבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- in frontמוּלmûl môl mô'l mûl · oppositeH4136
- of the balsam treesבָּכָאbâkâ' · balsamH1057
Cross-references for 2 Samuel 5:23
- 2 Samuel 5:19So 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.”
- Joshua 8:2And you shall do to Ai and its king as you did to Jericho and its king, except that you may carry off their plunder and livestock for yourselves. Set up an ambush behind the city.”
- 1 Chronicles 14:14So David again inquired of God, who answered him, “Do not march up after them, but circle around them and attack them in front of the balsam trees.
- Matthew 9:29Then He touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith will it be done to you.”
- Matthew 8:23When He got into the boat, His disciples followed Him.
- John 9:6When Jesus had said this, He spit on the ground, made some mud, and applied it to the man’s eyes.
Commentaries on 2 Samuel 5:23
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 23Fetch a compass behind them - When they may be had, God will not work without using human means. By this he taught David caution, prudence, and dependence on the Divine strength.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 23The mulberry trees - Rather, the Bacah-tree, and found abundantly near Mecca. It is very like the balsam-tree, and probably derives its name from the exudation of the sap in drops like tears when a leaf is torn off. Some think the valley of Baca Psalm 84:6 was so called from this plant growing there.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 17-25Verses 17-25 The Philistines considered not that David had the presence of God with him, which Saul had forfeited and lost. The kingdom of the Messiah, as soon as it was set up in the world, was thus attacked by the powers of darkness. The heathen raged, and the kings of the earth set themselves to oppose it; but all in vain, Psa 2:1, &c. The destruction will turn, as this did, upon Satan's own kingdom. David owns dependence on God for victory; and refers…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 23David asked the Lord again (2 Samuel 5:19), but this time God gave a much more detailed answer. Instead of a direct attack like in 2 Samuel 5:20, God told David to go around behind the enemy.Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Samuel 5:23
In the dictionaries
Notes
Commentaries on 2 Samuel 5
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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