2 Samuel 5:11–25

¹¹King Hiram of Tyre sent envoys to David; he also sent cedar logs, carpenters, and stonemasons,^j and they built a palace for David. ¹²Then David knew that the Lord had established him as king over Israel and had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.

¹³After he arrived from Hebron, David took more concubines and wives from Jerusalem, and more sons and daughters were born to him. ¹⁴These are the names of those born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan,^k Solomon, ¹⁵Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, ¹⁶Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet.^l

¹⁷When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel,^m they all went in search of David, but he heard about it and went down to the stronghold.^{n 18}So the Philistines came and spread out in Rephaim Valley.

¹⁹Then David inquired of the Lord:^o “Should I attack the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?”

The Lord replied to David, “Attack, for I will certainly hand the Philistines over to you.”

²⁰So David went to Baal-perazim and defeated them there and said, “Like a bursting flood, the Lord has burst out against my enemies before me.”^p Therefore, he named that place The Lord Bursts Out. ²¹The Philistines abandoned their idols there, and David and his men carried them off.

²²The Philistines came up again and spread out in Rephaim Valley. ²³So David inquired of the Lord, and he answered, “Do not attack directly, but circle around behind them and come at them opposite the balsam trees. ²⁴When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, act decisively, for then the Lord will have gone out ahead of you to strike down the army of the Philistines.”^{q 25}So David did exactly as the Lord commanded him, and he struck down the Philistines all the way from Geba to Gezer.