2 Samuel 5:23
ESV
And when David inquired of the Lord, he said, "You shall not go up; go around to their rear, and come against them opposite the balsam trees.
NIV
so David inquired of the Lord, and he answered, "Do not go straight up, but circle around behind them and attack them in front of the poplar trees.
NASB
So David inquired of the Lord, but He said, 'You shall not go directly up; circle around behind them and come at them in front of the baka-shrubs.
CSB
So David inquired of the Lord, and he answered, "Do not attack directly, but circle around behind them and come at them opposite the balsam trees.
NLT
And again David asked the Lord what to do. 'Do not attack them straight on,' the Lord replied. 'Instead, circle around behind and attack them near the poplar trees.
KJV
And when David enquired of the Lord, he said, Thou shalt not go up; but fetch a compass behind them, and come upon them over against the mulberry trees.
NKJV
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.
What does 2 Samuel 5:23 mean?
For the second time recorded since David was made king of Israel, the Philistines have come to attack him. The last time, David's army decisively won (2 Samuel 5:17–21). But David doesn't make assumptions this time will be the same.As before, David asks the Lord if he should engage with the enemy. Will the Lord again give Israel the victory over what may have been a much larger and better-equipped army? When David asked before the first battle, the Lord gave a simple answer that He would give David the victory (2 Samuel 5:19). This time, the Lord gives David a very specific set of instructions about how to approach his enemy. This suggests some form of revelation beyond simple yes or no answers to direct questions.
The Lord tells David not to directly attack the Philistines head-to-head. Instead, the Lord tells him to lead his men to attack from behind the Philistines at a place is opposite a strategic hiding place. The ESV says David's army is to "come against them opposite the balsam trees." The NASB says, "come at them in front of the baka-shrubs." It's not clear precisely what these plants were. What modern people call balsam trees have a milky sap used to make balm. biblical scholars suggest these might have been mulberry trees, terebinths, mastic trees, or some other type of shrub. Thickets with dense leaves and branches are good spots for hiding.
The army waits as God directs until they can hear marching above them. This may be an audible revelation of the angelic army of God. As in all cases, God wins this victory. This incident is only unique because the Lord's involvement is move obvious (2 Samuel 5:24–25).
