2 Samuel

2 Samuel 5:23–25

²³So 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.^e ²⁴As 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 gone out before you to strike the camp of the Philistines.”

²⁵So David did as the LORD had commanded him, and he struck down the Philistines all the way from Gibeon^f to Gezer.

Footnotes

e 5:23 Or aspen trees or poplar trees; also in verse 24
f 5:25 LXX (see also 1 Chronicles 14:16|1CH 14:16); Hebrew Geba

Read all of 2 Samuel 5

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

2 Samuel 5:23

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
So David	דָּוִד֙	dā·wiḏ	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H1732 David
inquired	וַיִּשְׁאַ֤ל	way·yiš·’al	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7592 ask, inquire
of the LORD	בַּֽיהוָ֔ה	Yah·weh	Preposition-b; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
who answered	וַיֹּ֖אמֶר	way·yō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
Do not	לֹ֣א	lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
march straight up	תַעֲלֶ֑ה	ṯa·‘ă·leh	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular	H5927 go up, ascend, climb
but circle	הָסֵב֙	hā·sêḇ	Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular	H5437 turn about, go around, surround
around	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
behind them	אַ֣חֲרֵיהֶ֔ם	’a·ḥă·rê·hem	Preposition; third person masculine plural	H310 behind
and attack	וּבָ֥אתָ	ū·ḇā·ṯā	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular	H935 come in, come, go in, go
them	לָהֶ֖ם	lā·hem	Preposition; third person masculine plural
in front	מִמּ֥וּל	mim·mūl	Preposition-m	H4136 front, in front of
of the balsam trees	בְּכָאִֽים׃	bə·ḵā·’îm	Noun - masculine plural	H1057 balsam-tree

2 Samuel 5:24

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
As soon as	וִ֠יהִי	wî·hî	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Jussive - third person masculine singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
you hear	בְּשָׁמְעֲךָ	bə·šå̄·mə·ʿă·ḵå̄	Preposition-k; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct; second person masculine singular	H8085 hear
the sound	ק֧וֹל	qō·wl	Noun - masculine singular construct	H6963 sound, voice
of marching	צְעָדָ֛ה	ṣə·‘ā·ḏāh	Noun - feminine singular	H6807 marching
in the tops	בְּרָאשֵׁ֥י	bə·rā·šê	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine plural construct	H7218 head
of the balsam trees	הַבְּכָאִ֖ים	hab·bə·ḵā·’îm	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H1057 balsam-tree
move quickly	תֶּחֱרָ֑ץ	te·ḥĕ·rāṣ	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular	H2782 cut, sharpen, decide
because	כִּ֣י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
this will mean that	אָ֗ז	’āz	Adverb	H227 at that time, then
the LORD	יְהוָה֙	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
has gone out	יָצָ֤א	yā·ṣā	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H3318 go or come out
before you	לְפָנֶ֔יךָ	lə·p̄ā·ne·ḵā	Preposition-l; Noun - common plural construct; second person masculine singular	H6440 face, before
to strike	לְהַכּ֖וֹת	lə·hak·kō·wṯ	Preposition-l; Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct	H5221 smite
the camp	בְּמַחֲנֵ֥ה	bə·ma·ḥă·nêh	Preposition-b; Noun - common singular construct	H4264 encampment, camp
of the Philistines	פְלִשְׁתִּֽים׃	p̄ə·liš·tîm	Noun - proper - masculine plural	H6430 Philistine

2 Samuel 5:25

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
So David	דָּוִד֙	dā·wiḏ	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H1732 David
did	וַיַּ֤עַשׂ	way·ya·‘aś	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H6213 do, make
as	כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר	ka·’ă·šer	Preposition-k; Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
the LORD	יְהוָ֑ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
had commanded him	צִוָּ֖הוּ	ṣiw·wā·hū	Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular; third person masculine singular	H6680 lay charge (upon), give charge (to), charge, command, order
and he struck down	וַיַּךְ֙	way·yaḵ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5221 smite
the Philistines	פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים	pə·liš·tîm	Noun - proper - masculine plural	H6430 Philistine
all the way from Gibeon	מִגֶּ֖בַע	mig·ge·ḇa‘	Preposition-m; Noun - proper - feminine singular	H1387 Geba
to	עַד־	‘aḏ-	Preposition	H5704 as far as, even to, up to, until, while
Gezer	גָֽזֶר׃פ	ḡā·zer	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H1507 Gezer

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

2 Samuel 5:23 Matthew 8:23–25 · 1 Chronicles 14:14 · John 9:6–7 · Matthew 9:29–30

2 Samuel 5:24 2 Kings 7:6 · Judges 4:14 · Judges 7:15 · 1 Chronicles 14:15 · 1 Samuel 14:9–12 · Philippians 2:11–12

2 Samuel 5:25 1 Chronicles 14:16

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.