Chapter XIV
(= 2 Samuel v. 11–25).
David at Jerusalem. Two Philistine Attacks Repulsed.
The Chronicler derives this chapter from Samuel but gives it in a setting of his own. To agree with Samuel it should immediately follow 1 Chronicles xi. 9 and should immediately precede 1 Chronicles xiii. 1. In Samuel the two attempts to remove the Ark to the city of David, the first unsuccessful, the second successful, are related in immediate succession; the Chronicler interposes between them the double repulse of the Philistines. See the head-note to chapter xiii.
1, 2.
Hiram’s [first] Embassy to David.
The dislocation of the narrative mentioned in the last note has concealed the occasion of Hiram’s embassy. The narrative of 2 Samuel v. 9–11 suggests that Hiram heard of the building works which David was carrying on at Jerusalem and so sent materials and workmen to assist. David accepted the welcome offer (which ultimately led to an alliance) as a sign of Divine favour.
¹And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, and masons, and carpenters, to build him an house. ²And David perceived that the Lord had established him king over Israel, for his kingdom was exalted on high, for his people Israel’s sake.
1. Hiram] Other forms of this name are Huram and (1 Kings v. 10, 18) Hirom.
3–7 (= iii. 5–8 and 2 Samuel v. 13–16).
David’s Family in Jerusalem.
³And David took more wives at Jerusalem: and David begat more sons and daughters.
3. more wives] In 2 Samuel v. 13 more concubines and wives. The Chronicler omits or modifies statements which tend to David’s discredit.
⁴And these are the names of the children which he had in Jerusalem; Shammua, and Shobab, Nathan, and Solomon; ⁵and Ibhar, and Elishua, and Elpelet; ⁶and Nogah, and Nepheg, and Japhia; ⁷and Elishama, and Beeliada, and Eliphelet.
4. these are the names] The names seem better preserved here than in either of the parallel passages; compare notes on iii. 5–8.
Shammua... Solomon] All these four are attributed to Bath-shua (= Bath-sheba) in iii. 5.
8–17 (= 2 Samuel v. 17–25).
The Double Repulse of the Philistines.
⁸And when the Philistines heard that David was anointed king over all Israel, all the Philistines went up to seek David: and David heard of it, and went out against¹ them.
¹ Or, before.
8. over all Israel] in 2 Samuel v. 17, over Israel. In both passages the reference is to the later anointing by the whole people (2 Samuel v. 3).
all the Philistines] David, as king of Judah, was of little or no political importance to the Philistines; as king of united Israel, he became a possible menace, and was accordingly attacked without delay.
went up] i.e. from their own low-lying territory by the sea into the hill-country of Judah.
went out against them] margin went out before them, i.e. anticipated them, did not wait for them to attack him. In 2 Samuel v. 17 went down to the hold, an expression which might refer to some part of the difficult hill-country of Judah in which he had long defied Saul, or may mean the “hold” of Jerusalem, which David had seized from the Jebusites (see note on xi. 5).
⁹Now the Philistines had come and made a raid in the valley of Rephaim.
9. the valley of Rephaim] probably the shallow valley, now called Beḳā‘a, across which runs the road from Jerusalem to Beth-lehem (Bädeker, Palestine⁵, pp. 15, 99).
¹⁰And David inquired of God, saying, Shall I go up against the Philistines? and wilt thou deliver them into mine hand? And the Lord said unto him, Go up; for I will deliver them into thine hand.
10. inquired of God] doubtless by means of the sacred lot, the Urim and Thummim (see Hastings’ Dictionary of the Bible s.v., and Kirkpatrick’s notes on 1 Samuel x. 22, xxiii. 6).
¹¹So they came up to Baal-perazim, and David smote them there; and David said, God hath broken¹ mine enemies by mine hand, like the breach of waters. Therefore they called the name of that place Baal-perazim².
¹ Or, broken forth upon mine enemies.
² That is, The place of breakings forth.
11. Baal-perazim] probably to be identified with the Mount Perazim of Isaiah xxviii. 21, but the situation is unknown.
like the breach of waters] i.e. like the breach made by waters, Probably the scene of the victory was a hill deeply scarred with watercourses. The force with which God broke through the army of the Philistines is compared with that of a torrent bursting forth from the hill-side or forcing its way through all obstacles. Baal-perazim = the Lord of breakings forth, i.e. upon the foe.
¹²And they left their gods there; and David gave commandment, and they were burned with fire.
12. David gave commandment, and they were burned] In 2 Samuel v. 21 (Revised Version) David and his men took them away. The Chronicler alters this statement so as to make David’s conduct agree with the Law (Deuteronomy vii. 5, 25) which enjoined that graven images were to be burnt with fire.
¹³And the Philistines yet again made a raid in the valley.
13. yet again] This invasion of “all the Philistines” (verse 8) was too serious to be repelled by a single defeat.
in the valley] in 2 Samuel v. 22, in the valley of Rephaim, as in verse 9 above.
¹⁴And David inquired again of God; and God said unto him, Thou shalt not go up after them: turn away from them, and come upon them over against the mulberry¹ trees.
¹ Or, balsam trees.
14. Thou shalt not go up after them] In 2 Samuel v. 23 the words after them are connected with the following verb: Thou shalt not go up: make a circuit behind them. In Samuel the command is to assail the rear of the enemy, in Chronicles to avoid the rear (which was perhaps protected by a rear-guard) and to attack (presumably) the flank. The reading in Chronicles is to be preferred as a harder reading, which yields good sense on examination.
from them] The Hebrew word suggests that David occupied a commanding position from which he would be tempted to attack.
over against the mulberry trees] Render, along, parallel to. The line of David’s attack is to be parallel to a line of mulberry trees (or to a ridge on which mulberry trees stood) situate probably at right angles to the line of the Philistine march. Thus David’s advance would be concealed from the Philistines until the very moment of the attack, which would fall on the flank of the Philistine march.
mulberry trees] or, as margin, balsam trees. Some kind of tree or shrub from which gum exudes seems to be meant.
¹⁵And it shall be, when thou hearest the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt go out to battle: for God is gone out before thee to smite the host of the Philistines.
15. the sound of marching] the sound of the wind in the trees is to be taken as an omen from Jehovah, indicating the favourable moment for the assault. The Targum, characteristically, has the sound of angels coming to thy help.
thou shalt go out to battle] Samuel has a more vivid phrase, thou shalt bestir thyself.
¹⁶And David did as God commanded him: and they smote the host of the Philistines from Gibeon¹ even to Gezer. ¹⁷And the fame of David went out into all lands; and the Lord brought the fear of him upon all nations.
¹ In 2 Samuel v. 25, Geba.
16. smote the host of the Philistines from Gibeon even to Gezer] This victory was decisive; the main army of the Philistines was routed.
Gezer] compare vi. 67, note.