2 Samuel 5:23

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

21The Philistines abandoned their idols there, and David and his men picked them up. 22The Philistines again came up and spread out in the valley of Rephaim. So David asked the Lord what he should do. This time the Lord said to him, “Don’t march straight up. Instead, circle around behind them and come against them opposite the trees. 24When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the trees, act decisively. For at that moment the Lord is going before you to strike down the army of the Philistines.” 25David did just as the Lord commanded him, and he struck down the Philistines from Gibeon all the way to Gezer.

2 Samuel 5:23 word by word

וַיִּשְׁאַ֤ל דָּוִד֙ בַּֽיהוָ֔ה וַיֹּ֖אמֶר לֹ֣א תַעֲלֶ֑ה הָסֵב֙ אֶל־אַ֣חֲרֵיהֶ֔ם וּבָ֥אתָ לָהֶ֖ם מִמּ֥וּל בְּכָאִֽים׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And when Davidדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
• enquiredשָׁאַלshâ'al shâ'êl · to askH7592
• of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• he saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Thou shalt not go upעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: riseH5927
• fetch a compassסָבַבsâbab · to turn: surroundH5437
• behindאַחַר'achar · afterH310
• them, and comeבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• upon them over againstמוּלmûl môl mô'l mûl · oppositeH4136
• the mulberry treesבָּכָאbâkâ' · balsamH1057

Cross-references for 2 Samuel 5:23

• 2 Samuel 5:19So David asked the Lord, “Should I march up against the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?” The Lord said to David, “March up, for I will indeed hand the Philistines over to you.”
• Joshua 8:2Do to Ai and its king what you did to Jericho and its king, except you may plunder its goods and cattle. Set an ambush behind the city!”
• 1 Chronicles 14:14So 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.
• Matthew 9:29Then he touched their eyes saying, “Let it be done for you according to your faith.”
• Matthew 8:23As he got into the boat, his disciples followed him.
• John 9:6Having said this, he spat on the ground and made some mud with the saliva. He smeared the mud on the blind 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

• Armies
• Mulberry Tree
• Philistines
• Prayer
• War

In the dictionaries

• David
• Mulberry; Trees
• Compass
• Fetch
• High priest
• Mulberry
• Army
• Baca
• Circuit
• Compass; Compasses

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