New English Translation
1 Chronicles 14:15
15When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the trees, then attack. For at that moment the Lord is going before you to strike down the army of the Philistines.”
1 Chronicles 14:15 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And it shall be, when thou shalt hear a sound of going in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt go out to battle: for God is gone forth before thee to smite the host of the Philistines.
- New International Version (NIV)As soon as you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the poplar trees, move out to battle, because that will mean God has gone out in front of you to strike the Philistine army.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)And when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then go out to battle, for God has gone out before you to strike down the army of the Philistines."
- New King James Version (NKJV)And it shall be, when you hear a sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, then you shall go out to battle, for God has gone out before you to strike the camp of the Philistines.”
Context of 1 Chronicles 14:15
13The Philistines again raided the valley. 14So David again asked God what he should do. This time God told him, “Don’t march up after them; circle around them and come against them in front of the trees. When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the trees, then attack. For at that moment the Lord is going before you to strike down the army of the Philistines.” 16David did just as God commanded him, and they struck down the Philistine army from Gibeon to Gezer. 17So David became famous in all the lands; the Lord caused all the nations to fear him.
Read all of 1 Chronicles 141 Chronicles 14:15 word by word
וִ֠יהִי כְּֽשָׁמְעֲךָ֞ אֶת־ק֤וֹל הַצְּעָדָה֙ בְּרָאשֵׁ֣י הַבְּכָאִ֔ים אָ֖ז תֵּצֵ֣א בַמִּלְחָמָ֑ה כִּֽי־יָצָ֤א הָֽאֱלֹהִים֙ לְפָנֶ֔יךָ לְהַכּ֖וֹת אֶת־מַחֲנֵ֥ה פְלִשְׁתִּֽים׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And it shall be, when thou shalt hearשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
- a soundקוֹלqôl qôl · voice: soundH6963
- of goingצְעָדָהtse‛âdâh · marchingH6807
- in the topsרֹאשׁrô'sh · head: topH7218
- of the mulberry treesבָּכָאbâkâ' · balsamH1057
- then thou shalt go outיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: comeH3318
- to battleמִלְחָמָהmilchâmâh · battleH4421
- for Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
- thee to smiteנָכָהnâkâh · to smiteH5221
- the hostמַחֲנֶהmachăneh · campH4264
- of the Philistinesפְּלִשְׁתִּיpelishtîy · PhilistineH6430
Cross-references for 1 Chronicles 14:15
- Leviticus 26:36“‘As for the ones who remain among you, I will bring despair into their hearts in the lands of their enemies. The sound of a blowing leaf will pursue them, and they will flee as one who flees the sword and fall down even though there is no pursuer.
- 2 Kings 7:6The Lord had caused the Syrian camp to hear the sound of chariots and horses and a large army. Then they said to one another, “Look, the king of Israel has paid the kings of the Hittites and Egypt to attack us!”
- 2 Kings 19:7Look, I will take control of his mind; he will receive a report and return to his own land. I will cut him down with a sword in his own land.”’”
- Acts 2:2Suddenly a sound like a violent wind blowing came from heaven and filled the entire house where they were sitting.
- Judges 4:14Deborah said to Barak, “Spring into action, for this is the day the Lord is handing Sisera over to you! Has the Lord not taken the lead?” Barak quickly went down from Mount Tabor with ten thousand men following him.
- Judges 7:9That night the Lord said to Gideon, “Get up! Attack the camp, for I am handing it over to you.
- 1 Samuel 14:9If they say to us, ‘Stay put until we approach you,’ we will stay right there and not go up to them.
- Philippians 2:12So then, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence but even more in my absence, continue working out your salvation with awe and reverence,
- Isaiah 13:4There is a loud noise on the mountains – it sounds like a large army! There is great commotion among the kingdoms – nations are being assembled! The Lord who commands armies is mustering forces for battle.
- Isaiah 45:1This is what the Lord says to his chosen one, to Cyrus, whose right hand I hold in order to subdue nations before him, and disarm kings, to open doors before him, so gates remain unclosed:
- Micah 2:12I will certainly gather all of you, O Jacob, I will certainly assemble those Israelites who remain. I will bring them together like sheep in a fold, like a flock in the middle of a pasture; they will be so numerous that they will make a lot of noise.
Commentaries on 1 Chronicles 14:15
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15A sound of going - "When thou shalt hear the sound of the angels coming to thy assistance, then go out to battle; for an angel is sent from the presence of God, that he may render thy way prosperous." - T.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8-17When David became ruler of all Israel, the Philistines attacked. They no longer saw him as under their control, as they did when he only ruled Judah. They attacked through the valley southwest of Jerusalem (see Joshua 15:8). Before the battle, David asked the Lord for guidance, unlike Saul, who asked a medium for help against the Philistines (1 Chronicles 10:13; see 1 Samuel 28).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1515. for God is gone forth before thee--"a sound of going in the tops of the mulberry trees," that is, the rustling of the leaves by a strong breeze suddenly rising, was the sign by which David was divinely apprised of the precise moment for the attack. The impetuosity of his onset was like the gush of a pent-up torrent, which sweeps away all in its course; and in allusion to this incident the place got its name.Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Chronicles 14:15
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 1 Chronicles 14
- 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
New English Translation — © 1996-2016 Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C.
Commentaries