2 Samuel 5

2 Samuel 5: David Anointed King Over [All of] Israel

1 Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and spoke, saying, "Indeed we are your bone and your flesh. 2 Also, in time past, when Saul was king over us, you were the one who led Israel out and brought them in; and the LORD said to you, 'You shall shepherd My people Israel, and be ruler over Israel.' 3 Therefore all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and King David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the LORD. And they anointed David king over Israel. 4 David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years. 5 In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah.

“The time was now arrived when all Israel, as one man, should set their eyes towards David as their king. Though David had been so long exercised with difficulties, yet there is a set time to favor every son and daughter of Zion. No doubt it seemed a long time to David to wait the fulfillment of the Lord's promises concerning him. Reader! it appears thus to all the spiritual seed of David!” (Hawker's Poor Man's Commentary)

“Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and spoke, saying, ‘Indeed we are your bone and your flesh. Also, in time past, when Saul was king over us, you were the one who led Israel out and brought them in.’ Although they knew it, they never openly chose David’s side. There can be knowledge, but when faith is lacking, one does nothing with it.” (Joseph Sutcliffe)— “and the LORD said to you [to wit, by Samuel, 1 Samuel 16:11-13; for though the words vary, yet the sense is the same.] ‘You shall shepherd My people Israel, and be ruler over Israel.’, that is, take care of them, as a shepherd doth of his sheep, Psalms 78:70-71 This expression he useth to admonish David, that he was not made a king to advance his own glory and interest, but for the good and benefit of his people.” (Matthew Poole)

“They find three grounds by which they acknowledge David’s right to kingship.” (J.Sidlow Baxter) Likewise, “1) Jesus’ Human Kinship - In His incarnation, He became linked by blood-relationship to each of us. (Heb.2:17) Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren. In Him the love of heaven comes to us through a human heart-beat. 2) Jesus’ Proven Merit - He is the Savior-champion who married our cause & fought our foe, & brought our deliverance from sin. 3) Jesus’ Divine Warrant - It was said of Him, ‘The government shall be upon His shoulders.’ Rightly He wears the crown & wields the scepter.” (Bell's Commentary)

Moreover, David not Ish-bosheth was called of God to the throne of Israel. David answered his calling as a man after God’s heart. “The learned Bishop Patrick very justly observes here, that this is the first time we meet with any ruler, or governor of a people, characterized under the idea of a shepherd; and it cannot but be thought remarkable that the first man so characterized was at first in fact a shepherd; and when we find him, after his advancement to the throne, still characterized by God himself under the same idea, what can be a clearer inference, than that God’s raising him to be a king was but exalting him to a nobler office of the same nature with his first?” (Joseph Benson) “A keeper of sheep is made the shepherd of the nation, as the fishermen of Galilee were made fishers of men.” (Daniel Whedon)

“Therefore all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and King David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the LORD.” (3a)That is, taking the Lord to witness. “He on his part promising to rule them in justice and judgment according to the laws, and they promising to yield a cheerful obedience to him in all things just and lawful: and this was done ‘before the LORD’.” (John Gill)— This covenant is needful of all men in regards to Jesus.

But we need a special provision: the blood of the covenant. -“’And they anointed David king over Israel.’ (3b) “David was anointed thrice: by Samuel in his home, by the men of Judah, and here.” (F.B. Meyer) Do we not [normally] say, ‘And they crowned the king?’… The oil penetrated; the oil signified consecration, purity, moral royalty. There was a crown, but that was spectacular, and might be lost. Was not Jesus Christ anointed with the oil of gladness above his fellows? Have not we who follow him and share his kingship, an unction, or anointing, from the Holy One, through whom we know all things?” (Parker's The People's Bible)

“‘David was thirty years old when he began to reign.” (4a) At that age the Levites were at first appointed to begin their administration, Numbers 4:3. About that age the Son of David entered upon his public ministry, Luke 3:23. Then men come to their full maturity of strength and judgment.” (Matthew Henry)— “‘and he reigned forty years.’ (4b) Schooled by suffering, and in the full maturity of his powers, enriched by the singularly varied experiences of his changeful life, tempered by the swift alternations of heat and cold, polished by friction, consolidated by heavy blows, he has been welded into a fitting instrument for God’s purposes. Thus does He ever prepare for larger service. Thus does He ever reward patient trust. Through trials to a throne is the law for all noble lives in regard to their earthly progress.” (Alexander MacLaren)

“In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months.’ (5a) So our Lord has been crowned in the Father’s purpose and by his Church.” (F. B.Meyer) “And as Hebron was the city of the priests, and Jerusalem the city of the kings, were not these shadowy representations of the gospel state? Joshua 14:14-15 ; Revelation 21:10 .” (Robert Hawker)

“‘And in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah.” (5b) The Lord Jesus now reigns in His church at Hebron, as Priest, making intercession for the saints, according to the will of God. “There awaits another day, when he will be recognized as King by the entire universe, Revelation 11:15 , etc.” (F. B. Meyer) as King of kings.

2 Samuel 5: David Captures Zion

6 And the king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, who spoke to David, saying, "You shall not come in here; but the blind and the lame will repel you," thinking, "David cannot come in here." 7 Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion (that is, the City of David).

In Abraham's day, the iniquity of the Amorites was not yet complete, but after 400 years of longsuffering towards the wicked occupants of Canaan, his descendants came out of Egypt to take possession of the land promised to him (Gen 15:16). The fort of Zion was near the sacred area where Abraham had sacrificed his son, Mount Moria. Due to disbelief an entire generation of Israelite died in the wilderness. Finally after 40 more years in the wilderness, Moses sent spies from each of the twelve tribes to spy out the land. “Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, ‘Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it.’ But the men who had gone up with him said, ‘We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we.’ And they gave the children of Israel a bad report.”

“Note how it is stressed that the main reason for David’s venture against Jerusalem was because it was inhabited by ‘the inhabitants of the land’, in other words the Canaanites. His initial purpose was thus in order to purify the land in accordance with YHWH’s commands which had forbidden making a covenant with them (Exodus 23:31; 34:12; 34:15; Numbers 33:15; 33:52-53; 33:55).” (Peter Pett) Jerusalem, was still occupied by Zebusite troublers with their idols. And Zion with its natural defenses was their stronghold. BUT AS KING OF ISRAEL, David takes it as his first work to finish the work and “drive out” all the inhabitants of the land and destroy all of their engraved stones and images and demolish hall of their high places, as the LORD had commanded them (Num 33:52) After David’s efforts, “Zion was used by biblical writers to identify other areas of Jerusalem and was used as a designation of the entire city. Zion was also used to describe, spiritually speaking, the eternal city of God." (Tyndale Dict)

The LORD warned them of the consequence of disobedience. “But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then it shall be that those whom you let remain shall be irritants in your eyes and thorns in your sides, and they shall harass you in the land where you dwell. Moreover it shall be that I will do to you as I thought to do to them.” (Num 13:55-56)

“That Jebus and Jerusalem were two names of the same city is stated in 1 Chronicles 11:4.” (C. J. Ellicott) But there is an order of priest that precedes the Jebusites, as well as the sons of Aaron, from which Messiah came. “If Salem, the place of which Melchizedec was king, was Jerusalem (cp. Psalms 76:2), it was famous in Abraham's time. Joshua, in his time, found it the chief city of the south part of Canaan, Joshua 10:1-3. It fell to Benjamin's lot (Joshua 18:28), but joined close to Judah's, Joshua 15:8. The children of Judah had taken it (Judges 1:8), but the children of Benjamin suffered the Jebusites to dwell among them (Judges 1:21), and they grew so upon them that it became a city of Jebusites, Judges 19:11. Now the very first exploit David did, after he was anointed king over all Israel, was to gain Jerusalem out of the hand of the Jebusites, which, because it belonged to Benjamin, he could not well attempt till that tribe, which long adhered to Saul's house (1 Chronicles 12:29), submitted to him.” (Matthew Henry)

These Jebusites said to David, "You shall not come in here; but the blind and the lame will repel you," thinking, "David cannot come in here." Many opinions abound as to the meaning. I beleive that it means that they, themselves, would repel them. “By the blind and the lame they understand as their own people; and so they imply that the place was so impregnable, that a few blind and lame men were able to defend it against all David’s assaults. And these may be called and were the hated of David’s soul, 2 Samuel 5:8, not because they were blind and lame, but because they were Jebusites, a people hated and accursed by God.” (Matthew Poole) The custom was to parade “a blind and lame woman before the opposing army as a warning of what would befall treaty-breakers. This view assumes David had previously made a treaty with the Jebusites. [Note: See Gordon, p. 226.] David countered by taking them at their word and applying ‘the blind and the lame’ to all the Jebusite inhabitants of Jerusalem. His hatred was for the Jebusites, using the figure that they themselves had chosen to describe themselves, not for literally blind and lame people. ‘The blind and the lame’ evidently became a nickname for the Jebusites as a result of this event.” (Dr. Thomas B. Constable)

“’Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion,’ the southern and highest hill of Jerusalem; ‘the same is the City of David.’ (2 Samuel 5:7) (Kretzmann's Commentary) — “The capture of Jerusalem marks a most important point in the history of Israel. Hitherto, the national life had had no real centre; the residence of a judge or a prophet or a king would be a temporary rallying place, such as the ’palm-tree of Deborah,’ Shiloh (see on 1 Samuel 7:1), Mizpah, Gibeah (of Saul), Nob or Hebron. From this time, the centre is fixed, and, at least for the southern kingdom, all the other cities grew less and less important in comparison with the new capital.” (Dummelow's Commentary)— “And when the ark of the covenant [soon] finds its home there. God then causes His name to rest there also!” (Bell’s Commentary)

8 Now David said on that day, "Whoever climbs up by way of the water shaft and defeats the Jebusites (the lame and the blind, who are hated by David's soul), he shall be chief and captain." Therefore they say, "The blind and the lame shall not come into the house."

9 Then David dwelt in the stronghold, and called it the City of David. And David built all around from the Millo and inward.

David offered rewards to brave men who set about the work. And as in the day of Moses, he promised to make them rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.” (Deut 18:21) But the Jebusites he shall drive out. They shall not come into their abode by God’s command. Moreover, if the blind and the lame of Israel or the Gentiles "will not bow to the authority of the Lord Jesus (the Greater than David) in order to be healed, then the opposers, remaining blind and lame will be ‘hated of his soul,’ and bear their well deserved judgment. Therefore they say, ‘The blind or the lame shall not come into the house.’ While many in Israel will be saved in the coming day of the Lord's glory, yet two thirds, remaining in unbelief, ‘will be cut off and die’ (Zechariah 13:8). They will never know the blessing of the house of God.” (L. M. Grant)

“David dwelt in the fort,” making the it his residence, “and called it the City of David.” He himself dwelt in the fort (the strength whereof, which had given him opposition, and was a terror to him, now contributed to his safety), and he built houses round about for his attendants and guards (2 Samuel 5:9) from the Millo (the town-hall…) and inward. (9)” (Henry) “Millo.—A word always used in Hebrew with the definite article (except in Judges 9:6; Judges 9:20), the Millo. It is probably an old Canaanitish name for the fortification… Subsequent kings, as Solomon (1 Kings 11:27) and Hezekiah (2 Chronicles 32:5), saw its importance and added to its strength. On all other sides Zion was protected by precipitous ravines. There is, however, some difference of opinion about the topography of ancient Jerusalem.” (C. J. Ellicott)

“Yet the City is also called Jebus, which means ‘trample’. It is still a trampled city. In the future, the City will once again be ‘trampled under foot by the Gentiles(spiritually)’ (Lk 21:24). Then the Lord Jesus comes to earth to make Jerusalem the City of Peace. He will judge the people for this and free the City from enemies. Then the Prince of Peace will reign. We see David doing that here prophetically.” (G. de Koning) “Here we have once more a prophetic foreshadowing of what will take place, only on a larger scale, when He, who is greater than David, begins His long promised reign in the midst of His people. After this we shall find much more about Zion, especially in the prophets and in the psalms. It is the place Jehovah has chosen (Psalms 132:13-14 ). To this place, where his throne was, David also brought the ark. When our Lord establishes His kingdom, Zion will be the glorious and the beautiful Place. 'This is my rest forever; here will I dwell; I have desired it' (Psalms 132:14 ). Then He will bless out of Zion (Psalms 128:5 ); and out of Zion shall go forth the law (Isaiah 2:3 ). He will be enthroned upon the holy hill of Zion (Psalms 2:6 ); the rod of His strength cometh out of Zion (Psalms 110:2 ); Zion will be the joy of the whole earth (Psalms 48:2 ).” (Arno Gaebelein)

2 Samuel 5:10 So David went on and became great, and the LORD God of hosts was with him.

“A true king is not supported by His armies. Instead, He leads them to battle since He is most able to conquer. This is God's plan in Exodus 7:4: ‘But Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you, that I may lay my hand upon Egypt, and bring forth mine armies (hosts: tsaba), and my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments.’ Again, Exodus 12:41 shows that everyone in Israel belonged to Jehovah who redeemed them with His might from Egypt: ‘And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, even the selfsame day it came to pass, that all the hosts of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt.’ The use of Jehovah of Hosts refers to the covenant God in relationship to His people as their royal king and deliverer. He is the rightful king of Israel because He is the deliverer of Israel.

Notice the first use of this title in 1 Samuel 1:3: ‘And this man (Elkanah, the husband of Hannah) went up out of his city yearly to worship and to sacrifice unto the LORD of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the LORD, were there.’

This is a tremendous opening for 1 Samuel because, as 1 Samuel 8:7 shows, until the last judge Samuel, Jehovah reigned over Israel as her king. [But they asked for a king]: And the LORD said unto Samuel, ‘Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.’

As the first use of tsaba in Genesis 1:31-2:1 demonstrates the title Jehovah of Hosts also relates to God's dominion over all of His creation as the owner: ‘And God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day. Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host (host: tsaba) of them.’

As well as emphasizing the vastness of His dominion over all of His creation, this first use of the word host shows the relationship of the creation to the Creator.... God is shown to be the king of another host, tsaba, in Joshua 5:14: And he said, ‘Nay; but as captain of the host of the LORD am I now come.’ And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, ‘What saith my lord unto his servant?’

This is not the host of heaven, the stars and moon. This host is God's mighty army of spirit beings or angels. Specifically, though, the LORD, Jehovah, of Hosts is God's title in relationship to His people Israel as 1 Samuel 17:45 shows: Then said David to the Philistine, ‘Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.’” (Excerpt from Jehovah of Hosts @ http://www.logoslive.net/19._Jehovah_of_Hosts.htm )

“Jehovah-Sabaoth is the Ruler over every other power in the physical and spiritual realm. When we run to Jehovah-Sabaoth we run to the One who calls on all of creation, physical, celestial, and angelic, to serve His purposes as in 2 Kings when Elisha asked the LORD to open the eyes of his servant. And when the servant of the man of God arose early and went out, there was an army, surrounding the city with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” So he answered, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” And Elisha prayed, and said, “LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” Then the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. 2 Kings 6:15-17…” (http://richgifts.blogspot.com/2010/04/jehovah-sabaoth-yahweh-tsebaoth-lord- )

"Dearly beloved, are you facing an insurmountable obstacles and losing all hope of victory? Do you feel overwhelmed and powerless in your present circumstances? Then run into the Strong Tower, crying out to the LORD of hosts. May Jehovah answer you in the day of trouble! May the NAME of the God of Jacob set you securely on high...Some boast in chariots, and some in horses, But we will boast in the NAME of Jehovah, our God. (Ps 20:1, 7 Spurgeon #1, #2) Our Redeemer, the LORD of HOSTS is His NAME, the Holy One of Israel. (Is 47:4)...

Who is the LORD of hosts? Isaiah 44:6 "Thus says Jehovah, the King of Israel & his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: 'I am the first & I am the last & there is no God besides Me."(http://www.preceptaustin.org/jehovah_sabaoth_-_lord_of_hosts.htm )

James speaks of the Lord of Hosts being with the poor. He tells those seeking earhtly manna: “Your gold and silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have heaped up treasure in the last days. Indeed the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out; and the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth.” (James 5:3-4)

David was king of Israel and had many riches, but he poor in spirit. And he was a just king in judgment. The cries of such as he have an influence in Heaven. "Their cries for justice had reached the ears of God (compare Genesis 4:5; Genesis 18:20-21).” (Peter Pett)— “the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth” (5:4), “quotation from Isaiah 5:9 as in Romans 9:29, transliterating the Hebrew word for ‘Hosts.” (Robertson’s Word Picture)—the Commander of God’s army. Who is Yahweh of hosts? “Thus says Yahweh, the King of Israel, and His Redeemer, Yahweh of hosts: ‘I am the First and I am the Last; besides Me there is no God.." (Isaiah 44:6) Comparing Scripture with Scripture, we find that in Revelation 22:13, Jesus identifies Himself as ‘the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.’ which clearly parallels the Is passage. So Jesus is our Jehovah Sabaoth.” (Precept Austin)

2 Samuel 5: David's Sons Born at Jerusalem

13 And David took more concubines and wives from Jerusalem, after he had come from Hebron. Also more sons and daughters were born to David. 14 Now these are the names of those who were born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, 15 Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, 16 Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet.

“‘And David took him more concubines and wives of Jerusalem,’ according to the custom of Oriental monarchs, ‘after he was come from Hebron.’ In the law pertaining to kings, Deuteronomy 17:17, the taking of many wives had indeed been forbidden the kings of Israel, and David found out to his sorrow that his following the custom of the heathen kings brought him much trouble and heartache. ‘And there were yet sons and daughters born to David.’ (13)” (Kretzmann)

“They who would excuse him herein, say that he did it to strengthen himself in his kingdom by new friends and allies. But it is no good policy to leap the pale of God’s precepts upon any pretence.” (Trapp) Still yet— “there were great black spots in the noble character, great broad bars of darkness across a life that was often so snowy in its beauty and purity. Even there a mystery not wanting in edification may be discovered. We cannot solve these mysteries now: but was it not well that David, being the father of Christ, should also retain almost visibly and faithfully his relation to ourselves to the earth-state, to the world-school, that he should not be set away so high above us as to throw into utter discouragement all our aspirations and desires after the pure life? There we are upon perilous ground, yet we feel some need of being assured that David was bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh a man like ourselves because we may be more encouraged by his weakness than we could have been by a strength which never failed, a vision which dared the sun. We may help one another not a little even by the weaknesses we struggle against.” (Parker's The People's Bible)

David had great anticipation of the promised son that would come and crush the head of the serpent- the troubler of Israel. “From the very first of Israel's history of the kings, we see this sad fact, that neither Saul nor David, nor any kings that followed, could rightly bear the glory that comes with exalted authority. There is only One, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will be able to properly bear the great dignity of ruling over men. ‘He shall build the temple of the LORD; and He shall bear the glory’ (Zechariah 6:13). Added to David's six sons born in Hebron are the eleven born in Jerusalem (vs.14-16). There were daughters also born to him, but we are not told how many. Some of his sons caused him great sorrow, however, and he had to confess how great was the contrast of his own house to that of the promised Messiah: ‘My house is not so with God. (2 Samuel 23:5).” (L. M. Grant)

2 Samuel 5:David Defeats the Philistines

17 Now when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines went up to search for David. And David heard of it and went down to the stronghold. 18 The Philistines also went and deployed themselves in the Valley of Rephaim. 19 So David inquired of the LORD, saying, "Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will You deliver them into my hand?" And the LORD said to David, "Go up, for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into your hand." 20 So David went to Baal Perazim, and David defeated them there; and he said, "The LORD has broken through my enemies before me, like a breakthrough of water." Therefore he called the name of that place Baal Perazim. 21 And they left their images there, and David and his men carried them away.

“It was inevitable that once the news reached the Philistines that David had been anointed as king over all Israel, they would seek to intervene. It had been one thing when he had been king over Judah as their vassal, thus dividing up and weakening their main enemy. It was quite another when he had risen to become king over all Israel without their agreement. The danger was that he might begin to get ideas above his station. So thinking that they would soon show this young upstart a thing or two, the five lords of the Philistines gathered their standing armies together, and combining their forces, advanced to the Valley of Rephaim which was not far from Jerusalem. Their expectancy was probably that he would hurriedly negotiate and acknowledge their supremacy, falling into line with their requirements.” (Peter Pett)

“Whilst the civil war lasted between the houses of Saul and David, they wisely forbore all hostilities, and left them to tear out one another’s bowels, that afterwards they might make a more easy conquest of both; but that being ended, and all united under David, they bestir themselves, ‘to seek David’; to find him out, and fight against him, and cut him off now in the infancy of his kingdom.” (Matthew Poole) “Their success against Saul, some years ago, perhaps encouraged them to make this attack upon David; but they considered not that David had that presence of God with him which Saul had forfeited and lost.” (Matthew Henry)

“’The Philistines spread themselves in the Valley of Rephaim.’ (18) The expression intimates, that they were very numerous, and made a very formidable appearance. So we read, Revelation 20:9, of the enemies of the church going up on the breadth of the earth. But the wider they spread themselves, the fairer mark they are for God’s arrows.” (Joseph Benson)

“So David inquired of the LORD, saying, ‘Shall I go up against the Philistines?’ (19a) He considered himself only the captain of the Lord's host, and therefore would not strike a stroke without the command of his Superior.” (Adam Clarke) “Inquired of the LORD’— Without whose direction he would not attempt anything; but said in effect, as Judges 4:8 , ‘If thou wilt go with me, then I will go; but if thou wilt not go with me, I will not go.’” (John Trapp)

“We know that Abiathar brought the ephod to David when he joined his band of men (1 Samuel 23:6). Afterwards, the Scriptures mention David using it to inquire of the Lord (1 Samuel 23:9; 1Sa 30:7 , 2 Samuel 6:14, 1 Chronicles 15:27). He was the only king to do so because He was a type and figure of the Messiah who would be King and Priest unto God.” (Everett's Notes)

The LORD said “Go!” And David went. (19b) “David defeated them there; and he said, "The LORD has broken through my enemies before me, like a breakthrough of water." Therefore he called the name of that place Baal Perazim. (20)— That is, ‘The master of the breaches.’ Thus ascribing all to the LORD, and giving the place this name, that it might put him and his posterity in mind of God’s great power and goodness shown in that place.” (Joseph Benson) “He gave the Lord the credit for breaking forth upon his enemies as the breach of waters, as though a dam was breached and the flood waters overwhelmed the enemy. “ (L. M. Grant)

“‘And they left their images there, and David and his men carried them away.’ (21) “It was the custom of most nations to carry their gods with them to battle: in imitation of this custom the Israelites once took the ark and lost it in the field; see 1 Samuel 4:10-11.” (Adam Clarke) “Thus the disgrace of the capture of the Ark of the Covenant by the Philistines was avenged.” (Paul Kretzmann) “The statement that David ‘burned’ them (the idols) is taken from 1 Chronicles 14:12, the Hebrew here being simply ‘took them away.’ (See the command to destroy them in Deuteronomy 7:5.).” (C. J. Ellicott)

“When Jerusalem is taken, all enemies are not yet subject to David. This also applies to Christ. If He descends from heaven, He will first destroy the Assyrians. Then He will establish His throne in Jerusalem, after which He will destroy other enemies of Israel through His own people. The Philistines first kept quiet, but now that David is so strong and they see a threat in him, they go up against him. The establishment of the throne of David sets the Philistines in motion to kill David and take away his influence. It is with it as with the return of the Lord Jesus to the earth. The human being will then resist to the extreme and thus bring a quick destruction on himself.” (G. de Koning)

22 Then the Philistines went up once again and deployed themselves in the Valley of Rephaim. 23 Therefore David inquired of the LORD, and He said, "You shall not go up; circle around behind them, and come upon them in front of the mulberry trees. 24 And it shall be, when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, then you shall advance quickly. For then the LORD will go out before you to strike the camp of the Philistines."

“Religious zeal does not easily die out of man's heart. The Philistines later returned to the same location and with the same display of strength (v.22). It is good to observe that David did not rely on his past experience in meeting this fresh attack. The same circumstances do not always call for the same method of meeting them. In every case we must depend on the Lord Himself. David again inquired of Him, and received different instruction. This time they are not to attack as before from the front, but to circle around behind the enemy near to a group of baca trees.” (L. M. Grant) “In both these actions the Philistines were the aggressors, stirred first towards their own destruction, and pulled it on their own heads.” (Matthew Henry)

“Twice David sought direction…. On the first occasion, the command was, ‘Go up’; on the second, ‘Thou shalt not go up.’ Encompass behind them and only do as you are told. “‘Thou shalt not go up,’ to wit, directly against them, as the following words explain it. ‘Over against the mulberry trees,’ where they least expect thee. God’s purposes and promises do not exclude men’s just endeavours, but require them.” (Matthew Poole)

“’And it shall be, when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, then you shall advance quickly.’ etc. It was the heavenly host marching to join in the attack on the Philistines.” (John Dummelow) “The movement in the trees suggests the footfalls of angel-squadrons. Oh, for the quick ear to detect the goings-forth of God’s help, and grace to bestir ourselves to follow!” (F.B. Meyer) “The big thing here is that God Himself achieved this victory over the Philistines.” (Burton Coffman)

25 And David did so, as the LORD commanded him; and he drove back the Philistines from Geba as far as Gezer.

And David obeyed the marching orders. "Each day read your chapter or passage with the idea that you are receiving your marching orders; that there is some new service to render, some new duty to perform, some new virtue to acquire. Let the attitude of your soul be indicated by Samuel’s words, ‘Speak, Lord, for Thy servant heareth.’ When you hear, do!” (F. B. Meyer) “How is it that such supernatural directions and assistances are not communicated now? Because they are not asked for; and they are not asked for because they are not expected; and they are not expected because men have not faith; and they have not faith because they are under a refined spirit of atheism, and have no spiritual intercourse with their Maker.” (Adam Clarke)

“Oh what enmity is stirred up in the hearts of the world, to see Messiah triumph! But while the wind of Pentecost blows on Zion, let her fear neither the multitude nor the enmity of all her foes. Animated by the power of faith and the comforts of the Holy Spirit, we have the pledges of victory; and those hallowed pledges which cannot fail in the day of combat.” (Jos. Sutcliffe)