2 Samuel 5:24

2 Samuel 5:24 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)As soon as you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the poplar trees, move quickly, because that will mean the Lord 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 rouse yourself, for then the Lord 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 the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, then you shall advance quickly. For then the Lord will go out before you to strike the camp of the Philistines.”

Context of 2 Samuel 5:24

22But after a while the Philistines returned and again spread out across the valley of Rephaim. 23And 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. When 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 5:24 word by word

וִ֠יהִי כְּֽשָׁמְעֲךָ֞ אֶת־ק֧וֹל צְעָדָ֛ה בְּרָאשֵׁ֥י הַבְּכָאִ֖ים אָ֣ז תֶּחֱרָ֑ץ כִּ֣י אָ֗ז יָצָ֤א יְהוָה֙ לְפָנֶ֔יךָ לְהַכּ֖וֹת בְּמַחֲנֵ֥ה פְלִשְׁתִּֽים׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And let it be, when thou hearestשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
• the soundקוֹלqôl qôl · voice: soundH6963
• of a goingצְעָדָהtse‛âdâh · marchingH6807
• in the topsרֹאשׁrô'sh · head: topH7218
• of the mulberry treesבָּכָאbâkâ' · balsamH1057
• that then thou shalt bestirחָרַץchârats · to decideH2782
• thyself: for then shall the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• go outיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: comeH3318
• beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
• thee, to smiteנָכָהnâkâh · to smiteH5221
• the hostמַחֲנֶהmachăneh · campH4264
• of the Philistinesפְּלִשְׁתִּיpelishtîy · PhilistineH6430

Cross-references for 2 Samuel 5:24

• 2 Kings 7:6For the Lord had caused the Aramean army to hear the clatter of speeding chariots and the galloping of horses and the sounds of a great army approaching. “The king of Israel has hired the Hittites and Egyptians to attack us!” they cried to one another.
• Judges 4:14Then Deborah said to Barak, “Get ready! This is the day the Lord will give you victory over Sisera, for the Lord is marching ahead of you.” So Barak led his 10,000 warriors down the slopes of Mount Tabor into battle.
• Judges 7:15When Gideon heard the dream and its interpretation, he bowed in worship before the Lord. Then he returned to the Israelite camp and shouted, “Get up! For the Lord has given you victory over the Midianite hordes!”
• 1 Samuel 14:9If they say to us, ‘Stay where you are or we’ll kill you,’ then we will stop and not go up to them.
• 1 Chronicles 14:15When you hear a sound like marching feet in the tops of the poplar trees, go out and attack! That will be the signal that God is moving ahead of you to strike down the Philistine army.”
• Philippians 2:11and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Commentaries on 2 Samuel 5:24

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 24When thou hearest the sound of a going - If there had not been an evident supernatural interference, David might have thought that the sleight or ruse de guerre which he had used was the cause of his victory. By the going in the tops of the mulberry trees probably only a rustling among the leaves is intended. The Targum says, a noise; the Arabic has it, the noise of horses' hoofs.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. 17-25For the first time as king, David fought the Philistines in battle. Up to this point in 2 Samuel, David’s life follows a clear and repeated pattern: He was crowned king in Hebron (2 Samuel 2:4). He won a battle (2 Samuel 2:12–17). He grew stronger (2 Samuel 3:1). He started a large family (2 Samuel 3:2–5). A similar pattern appears again later: David was crowned king in Jerusalem (2 Samuel 5:3). He grew stronger again (2 Samuel 5:10). He expanded his…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2424. the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees--now generally thought not to be mulberry trees, but some other tree, most probably the poplar, which delights in moist situations, and the leaves of which are rustled by the slightest movement of the air [Royle].Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Samuel 5:24

• Armies
• Mulberry Tree
• Philistines
• Prayer
• War

In the dictionaries

• Philistines
• Mulberry; Trees
• Compass
• Fetch
• Mulberry
• Augur's Oak
• Baca
• Genealogy
• God
• Samuel, Books of

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