2 Samuel 5:17-25

2 Samuel 5:17-25

[17] But when the Philistines  heard  that they had anointed  David  king  over Israel,  all the Philistines  came up  to seek  David;  heard  of it, and went down  to the hold.  [18] The Philistines  also came  and spread  themselves in the valley  of Rephaim.  [19] And David  enquired  of the LORD,  saying,  Shall I go up  to the Philistines?  wilt thou deliver  them into mine hand?  And the LORD  said  unto David,  Go up:  for I will doubtless  the Philistines  into thine hand.  [20] And David  came  to Baalperazim,  and David  smote  them there, and said,  The LORD  hath broken forth  upon mine enemies  before  me, as the breach  of waters.  Therefore he called  the name  of that place  Baalperazim.  [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.  [23] 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. 

What does 2 Samuel 5:17-25 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

God"s greatest blessing on David and Israel, the ultimate in fertility, came when God covenanted with David to make his line of descendants everlasting (ch7). However, before that took place, God blessed His anointed with victories over his enemies and peaceful conditions.
"So long as David was king only of Judah, the Philistines were content to tolerate his rule, but when he was proclaimed king of all Israel he became too powerful to be trusted, hence these two concerted efforts to divide his territory, and so weaken his effectiveness." [1]
"Although by no means the only battles King David fought against the Philistines (cf. 2 Samuel 8:1), these serve as a paradigm to summarize the continuing conflict." [2]