When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over all Israel, they all went in search of him; but David learned of this and went out to face them. Now the Philistines had come and raided the Valley of Rephaim. So David inquired of God, "Should I go up against the Philistines? Will You deliver them into my hand?" "Go," replied the LORD, "for I will deliver them into your hand." So David and his men went up to Baal-perazim, where he defeated the Philistines and said, "Like a bursting flood, God has burst out against my enemies by my hand." So they called that place Baal-perazim. There the Philistines abandoned their gods, and David ordered that they be burned in the fire. Once again the Philistines raided the valley. So David again inquired of God, who answered him, "Do not march up after them, but circle around them and attack them in front of the balsam trees. As soon as you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, move out to battle, because this will mean that God has marched out before you to strike the camp of the Philistines." So David did as God had commanded him, and they struck down the army of the Philistines all the way from Gibeon to Gezer. And David's fame went out into every land, and the LORD caused all nations to fear him.
When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel, they all went in search of him; but David learned of this and went down to the stronghold. Now the Philistines had come and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim. So David inquired of the LORD, "Should I go up against the Philistines? Will You deliver them into my hand?" "Go," replied the LORD, "for I will surely deliver the Philistines into your hand." So David went to Baal-perazim, where he defeated the Philistines and said, "Like a bursting flood, the LORD has burst out against my enemies before me." So he called that place Baal-perazim. There the Philistines abandoned their idols, and David and his men carried them away. Once again the Philistines came up and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim. 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. As soon as you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, move quickly, because this will mean that the LORD has marched out before you to strike the camp of the Philistines." So David did as the LORD had commanded him, and he struck down the Philistines all the way from Gibeon to Gezer.
Significance
These parallel accounts of David's two victories over the Philistines in the Valley of Rephaim are nearly identical. Both record David inquiring of the LORD (שָׁאַל בַּיהוָה, sha'al baYHWH) before each battle and receiving tactical instructions — a direct contrast with Saul, who was rejected for disobeying divine directives. Both preserve the naming etiology of Baal-perazim: "Like a bursting flood, the LORD has burst out against my enemies before me" (פָּרַץ, parats, "burst out"; 2 Samuel 5:20; cf. "God has burst out," 1 Chronicles 14:11). The Chronicler adds a concluding notice absent from Samuel: "David's fame went out into every land, and the LORD caused all nations to fear him" (1 Chr 14:17), explicitly linking military victory to international recognition as evidence of divine establishment.
Found via
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Reference Type
Direct Quotation
Connection Method(s)
Redemptive-Historical Progression — the Rephaim-valley victories are retold with David inquiring of the LORD before each battle — the reversal of Saul's failure Chronicles has just narrated — and advanced with the closing notice that "David's fame went out into every land" (1 Chr 14:17); Samuel's battle reports become the divine establishment of the kingdom on the way to the temple era.
