1 Chronicles 14

1 Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David with cedar trees, masons, and carpenters, to build him a house.

One day Hiram, the king of Tyre [city], sent some messengers to David [to talk about making an agreement between their countries]. Then Hiram sent cedar logs, bricklayers, and carpenters to build a palace for David.

2 David perceived that Yahweh had established him king over Israel, for his kingdom was highly exalted, for his people Israel’s sake.

[When that happened, ] David knew that Yahweh had truly caused him to be the king of Israel, and that he had caused his kingdom to be greatly respected. Yahweh did this because [he loved] his Israeli people.

3 David took more wives in Jerusalem, and David became the father of more sons and daughters.

David married more women in Jerusalem, and [those women] gave birth to more sons and daughters for him.

4 These are the names of the children whom he had in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon,

The names of the children that were born to him there in Jerusalem are Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon,

5 Ibhar, Elishua, Elpelet,

Ibhar, Elishua, Elpelet,

6 Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia,

Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia,

7 Elishama, Beeliada, and Eliphelet.

Elishama, Beeliada, and Eliphelet.

8 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 against them.

When the army of Philistia heard that David has been appointed to be king of all of Israel, they came to capture him. But David heard that they were coming, so he [and his soldiers] marched out to fight against them.

9 Now the Philistines had come and made a raid in the valley of Rephaim.

The army of Philistia had attacked the people in the Rephaim Valley [southwest of Jerusalem] and had robbed them.

10 David inquired of God, saying, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will you deliver them into my hand?” Yahweh said to him, “Go up; for I will deliver them into your hand.”

David asked God, “Should [my men and] I go and attack the army of Philistia? [If we go, ] will you enable us to defeat [IDM] them?” Yahweh replied, “Yes, go, and I will enable you to defeat [IDM] them.”

11 So they came up to Baal Perazim, and David defeated them there. David said, God has broken my enemies by my hand, like waters breaking out. Therefore they called the name of that place Baal Perazim.

So David and his men went up to a town where the soldiers of Philistia were staying and defeated them. Then David said, “God has enabled me [and my soldiers] to overwhelm my enemies like [MET] a flood.” So they named that place {That place is called} ‘Baal-Perazim’ [which means ‘Yahweh breaks through’].

12 They left their gods there; and David gave a command, and they were burned with fire.

[As the soldiers of Philistia fled], they left their idols there. So David commanded his soldiers to burn those idols.

13 The Philistines made another raid in the valley.

But soon the army of Philistia attacked the people in that valley again.

14 David inquired again of God; and God said to him, “You shall not go up after them. Turn away from them, and come on them opposite the mulberry trees.

So again David prayed to God [to ask him what he should do], and God replied, saying “Do not attack the army of Philistia from the front. Instead, go around them, and attack them [from the rear] in front of the balsam trees.

15 When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, then go out to battle; for God has gone out before you to strike the army of the Philistines.”

When you hear something in the tops of the balsam trees that sounds like [soldiers] marching, attack them. I, God, will have gone ahead of you to enable you to defeat the army of Philistia.”

16 David did as God commanded him; and they attacked the army of the Philistines from Gibeon even to Gezer.

So David did what God commanded him to do, and he and his army defeated the army of Philistia, all the way from Gibeon [city in the east] to Gezer [city in the west].

17 The fame of David went out into all lands; and Yahweh brought the fear of him on all nations.

So David became famous in all the nearby countries, and Yahweh caused [the leaders of] all the [nearby] nations to be afraid of him.