1 Chronicles 14

1 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.

Then Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, carpenters, and masons. They built a house for him.

2 [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.

David knew that Yahweh had established him as king over Israel, and that his kingdom was exalted on high for the sake of his people Israel.

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

In Jerusalem, David took more wives, and he became the father of more sons and daughters.

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

These were the names of the children who were born to him in Jerusalem: 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 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.

Now when the Philistines heard that David had been anointed as king over all Israel, they all went out looking for him. But David heard about it and went out against them.

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

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

10 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.”

Then David asked for help from God. He said, “Should I attack the Philistines? Will you give victory over them?” Yahweh said to him, “Attack, for I will certainly give them to you.”

11 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’].

So they came up to Baal Perazim, and there he defeated them. He commented, “God has burst through my enemies by my hand like a bursting flood of water.” So the name of that place became Baal Perazim.

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

The Philistines abandoned their gods there, and David gave an order that they should be burned.

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

Then the Philistines raided the valley yet again.

14 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.

So David asked for help from God again. God said to him, “You must not attack their front, but rather circle around behind them and come on them through the balsam woods.

15 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.”

When you hear the sound of marching in the wind blowing through the balsam treetops, then attack with force. Do this because God will have gone out before you to attack the army of the Philistines.”

16 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].

So David did as God had commanded him. He defeated the army of the Philistines from Gibeon all the way to Gezer.

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

Then David's fame went out into all lands, and Yahweh caused all nations to fear him.