2 Samuel 5:23
21 And there they left their images, and David and his men burned them.
22 And the Philistines came up yet again, and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim.
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.
24 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.
25 And David did so, as the LORD had commanded him; and smote the Philistines from Geba until thou come to Gazer.
Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- So David inquired of the LORD, who answered, “Do not march straight up, but circle around behind them and attack them in front of the balsam trees.
- 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.
- WEB
- When David inquired of the LORD, he said, “You shall not go up. Circle around behind them, and attack them in front of the mulberry trees.
- ASV
- And when David inquired of Jehovah, he said, Thou shalt not go up: make a circuit behind them, and come upon them over against the mulberry-trees.
- DARBY
- And David inquired of Jehovah; and he said, Thou shalt not go up; turn round behind them and come upon them opposite the mulberry-trees.
- BLB
- And David inquired of YHWH, and He said, “You shall not go up. Circle around unto behind them and come upon them in front of the balsam trees.
- ÅB
- Og David spurte Herren, men han sa: Du skal ikke dra dit opp; gå omkring så du kommer bakenfor dem, og gå så på dem midt for baka-trærne,
- OTB
- Så spurte David Herren, og Han sa, "Du skal ikke gå direkte opp; sirkle rundt bak dem og kom mot dem foran balsamtrærne.
- B1930
- Og David spurte Herren, men han sa: Du skal ikke dra dit op; gå omkring så du kommer bakenfor dem, og gå så på dem midt for baka-trærne,
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
1 Chronicles 14:14
Therefore David enquired again of God; and God said unto him, Go not up after them; turn away from them, and come upon them over against the mulberry trees.
Read in contextJohn 9:6–7
When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay,
Read in contextMatthew 8:23–25
And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him.
Read in contextMatthew 9:29–30
Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you.
Read in contextJoshua 8:2
And thou shalt do to Ai and her king as thou didst unto Jericho and her king: only the spoil thereof, and the cattle thereof, shall ye take for a prey unto yourselves: lay thee an ambush for the city behind it.
Read in contextJoshua 8:7
Then ye shall rise up from the ambush, and seize upon the city: for the LORD your God will deliver it into your hand.
Read in context