1 Chronicles 14(Contemporary English Version)
- King Hiram of Tyre sent some officials to David. They brought along carpenters and stone workers, and enough cedar logs to build David a palace.
- David now knew that the LORD had made him a powerful king of Israel for the good of his people.
- After David moved to Jerusalem, he married more women and had more sons and daughters.
- His children born there were Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, Ibhar, Elishua, Elpelet, Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, Elishama, Beeliada, and Eliphelet.
- (SEE 14:4)
- (SEE 14:4)
- (SEE 14:4)
- When the Philistines heard that David had become king of Israel, they came to capture him. But David heard about their plan and marched out to meet them in battle.
- The Philistines had already camped in Rephaim Valley and were raiding the nearby villages.
- David asked God, "Should I attack the Philistines? Will you help me win?" The LORD told David, "Yes, attack them! I will give you victory."
- David and his army marched to Baal-Perazim, where they attacked and defeated the Philistines. He said, "I defeated my enemies because God broke through them like a mighty flood." So he named the place "The Lord Broke Through."
- Then David ordered his troops to burn the idols that the Philistines had left behind.
- Some time later, the Philistines came back into the hill country and camped in Rephaim Valley.
- David asked God what he should do, and God answered, "Don't attack them from the front. Circle around behind them where the balsam trees are.
- Wait there until you hear the treetops making the sound of marching troops. That sound will mean I have marched out ahead of you to fight the Philistine army. So you must then attack quickly!"
- David obeyed God and he defeated the Philistines. He even chased them all the way from Gibeon to the entrance to Gezer.
- From then on, David became even more famous, and the LORD made all the nations afraid of him.
When David set out to build a palace, soon after becoming king, King Hiram of Tyre proved to be a friend and sent envoys to provide materials and skilled workmen to help build the palace. This gesture was an indication to David that "the Lord had established him as king over Israel and that his kingdom had been exalted for the sake of His people Israel." (14:2)
David was a godly king and we see this in his seeking counsel from God. When the Philistines came up against David (v. 8ff), he did not go out to fight them before first inquiring of God. He again sought God's counsel when the Philistines returned later to do battle once again. Though David might have been inclined to assume that God's leading to go up against the Philistines on the first occasion also applied to going up against them when they returned, he made no such assumption.
Though David loved the Lord and had a close relationship with Him, he was not perfect. Verse 3 tells us that, for whatever reason, "David took more wives in Jerusalem." Israel's king was expressly forbidden in Deuteronomy 17:17 not to "acquire many wives for himself so that his heart won't go astray." The writer of Chronicles was not critical of David taking on more wives nor did God stop blessing him. Instead, God allowed David's choice in this to bring about its natural consequences. We can be rather shorsighted in such matters. We make choices such as this and when the consequences come we become upset with God for allowing them to happen, forgetting our part in bringing them about.
With David's sound defeat of the Philistines in their second encounter, his fame "spread throughout the lands." This spreading of David's fame was helped along by God, for He "caused all the nations to be terrified of him." (14:17)
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