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

21They abandoned their idols there, so David and his men removed them. 22But the Philistines marched up and spread out in the valley of Rephaim again. When David inquired of Adonai, He said, “Do not go up; instead circle around behind them and attack them in front of the balsam trees. 24Now it will be when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then you must act, for then Adonai will have gone out before you to strike the camp of the Philistines. 25David did just as Adonai had commanded him, and he struck down the Philistines from Geba as far as 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 5:19Then David inquired of Adonai saying, “Should I go up against the Philistines? Will You give them over into my hand?” Adonai answered David, “Go up, for I will certainly give the Philistines over into your hand.”
• Joshua 8:2Then you will do to Ai and its king as you did to Jericho and its king—except you will take its spoil and its cattle as plunder for yourselves. Set an ambush for the city behind it.”
• 1 Chronicles 14:14So David again inquired of God, and God said to him, “Do not go up after them, but circle around behind them and come against them in front of the baca trees .
• Matthew 9:29Then He touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith, let it be done for you.”
• Matthew 8:23As He got into the boat, His disciples followed Him.
• John 9:6Having said these things, He spat on the ground, made mud with the saliva, and spread 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