2 Samuel 5:11–25

^11aThen Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David with cedar trees and craftsmen of wood and craftsmen of stone walls; and ^bthey built a house for David.

¹²Thus David knew that Yahweh had established him as king over Israel, and that He had lifted up his kingdom for the sake of His people Israel.

Children Born to David in Jerusalem

¹³And ^aDavid took more concubines and wives from Jerusalem, after he came from Hebron; and more sons and daughters were born to David.

¹⁴Now ^athese are the names of those who were born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon,

¹⁵Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia,

¹⁶Elishama, Eliada and Eliphelet.

David Goes Up Against the Philistines

¹⁷Then the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, so ^aall the Philistines went up to seek out David. And David heard of it and went down to the ^bfortress.

¹⁸Now the Philistines had come and spread themselves out in ^athe valley of Rephaim.

¹⁹Then ^aDavid asked of Yahweh, saying, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will You give them into my hand?” And ^bYahweh said to David, “Go up, for I will certainly give the Philistines into your hand.”

²⁰So David came to ^aBaal-perazim, and there David struck them down; and he said, “Yahweh has broken through my enemies before me, like the breakthrough of waters.” Therefore he named that place ¹Baal-perazim.

²¹And they forsook their idols there; so ^aDavid and his men carried them away.

²²Then ^athe Philistines yet again came up and spread themselves out in the valley of Rephaim.

²³So ^aDavid asked of Yahweh, and He said, “You shall not go directly up; circle around behind them and come at them in front of the ¹balsam trees.

²⁴“And it will be that when ^ayou hear the sound of marching in the tops of the ¹balsam trees, then you shall act promptly, for then ^bYahweh will have gone out before you to strike the camp of the Philistines.”

²⁵Then David did so, just as Yahweh had commanded him, and struck down the Philistines from ^1aGeba ²as far as ^bGezer.