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 had abandoned their idols there, so David and his men confiscated them. 22But after a while the Philistines returned and again spread out across the valley of Rephaim. And again David asked the Lord what to do. “Do not attack them straight on,” the Lord replied. “Instead, circle around behind and attack them near the poplar trees. 24When you hear a sound like marching feet in the tops of the poplar trees, be on the alert! That will be the signal that the Lord is moving ahead of you to strike down the Philistine army.” 25So David did what the Lord commanded, and he struck down the Philistines all the way from Gibeon 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 go out to fight the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?” The Lord replied to David, “Yes, go ahead. I will certainly hand them over to you.”
• Joshua 8:2You will destroy them as you destroyed Jericho and its king. But this time you may keep the plunder and the livestock for yourselves. Set an ambush behind the town.”
• 1 Chronicles 14:14And once again David asked God what to do. “Do not attack them straight on,” God replied. “Instead, circle around behind and attack them near the poplar trees.
• Matthew 9:29Then he touched their eyes and said, “Because of your faith, it will happen.”
• Matthew 8:23Then Jesus got into the boat and started across the lake with his disciples.
• John 9:6Then he spit on the ground, made mud with the saliva, and spread the mud over 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