8When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over all Israel, they mobilized all their forces to capture him. But David was told they were coming, so he marched out to meet them.
9The Philistines arrived and made a raid in the valley of Rephaim.
10So David asked God, "Should I go out to fight the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?" The LORD replied, "Yes, go ahead. I will hand them over to you."
11So David and his troops went up to Baal-perazim and defeated the Philistines there. "God did it!" David exclaimed. "He used me to burst through my enemies like a raging flood!" So they named that place Baal-perazim (which means "the Lord who bursts through").
12The Philistines had abandoned their gods there, so David gave orders to burn them.
13But after a while the Philistines returned and raided the valley again.
14And once again David asked God what to do. "Do not attack them straight on," God replied. "Instead, circle around behind and attack them near the poplar[2] trees.
15When you hear a sound like marching feet in the tops of the poplar trees, go out and attack! That will be the signal that God is moving ahead of you to strike down the Philistine army."
16So David did what God commanded, and they struck down the Philistine army all the way from Gibeon to Gezer.
17So David's fame spread everywhere, and the LORD caused all the nations to fear David.
[1]1Chronicles 14:7Hebrew Beeliada, a variant spelling of Eliada; compare 3.8 and parallel text at 2 Sam 5.16 [2]1Chronicles 14:14Or aspen, or balsam; also in 14.15. The exact identification of this tree is uncertain
