1 Chronicles 14

1 And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers unto David, and timber of cedars, with masons and artificers, to build for him a house.

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.

2 So David perceived, that Yahweh, had confirmed him, as king over Israel, —that his kingship was exalted, for the sake of his people Israel.

[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.

3 And David took more wives, in Jerusalem, —and David begat more sons and daughters.

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

4 Now, these, are the names of them who were born, whom he had in Jerusalem, —Shammua and Shobab, Nathan, and Solomon;

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

5 and Ibhar and Elishua, and Elpelet;

Ibhar, Elishua, Elpelet,

6 and Nogah and Nepheg, and Japhia;

Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia,

7 and Elishama and Beeliada, and Eliphelet.

Elishama, Beeliada, and Eliphelet.

8 And, when the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over all Israel, all the Philistines came up to seek to secure David, —and David, hearing, went out against them.

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.

9 Now, the Philistines, had come and spread themselves out, in the vale of Rephaim.

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

10 Then David asked of God, saying, Shall I go up against the Philistines? and wilt thou deliver them into my hand? And Yahweh said to him, Go up, and I will deliver them into thy hand.

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.”

11 So they came up in Baal-perazim, and David smote them there, and David said, God hath broken forth against mine enemies by my hand, like the breaking forth of waters, —For this cause, called they the name of that place, Baal-perazim.

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’].

12 And they left their gods there, —and David gave the word, and they were burned up in fire.

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

13 And the Philistines yet again spread themselves out in the vale.

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

14 So David, asked again, of God, and God said to him, Thou shalt not go up after them, —get thee round, away from them, so shalt thou come in upon them, over against the mulberry-trees;

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.

15 and it shall be, when thou hearest a sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry-trees, then, shalt thou go forth into the battle, —for God will have gone forth before thee, to smite the host of the Philistines.

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.”

16 So David did as God commanded him, —and they smote the host of the Philistines, from Gibeon even unto Gezer.

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].

17 And the name of David went forth, throughout all the lands, —and, Yahweh, put the dread of him upon all the nations.

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