David Guzik Commentary on the Bible

1 Chronicles 14
Verses 1-17
Davids Throne Is Secured At Jerusalem
A. Davids home in Jerusalem.
1. (1-2) The royal palace of David.
Now Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, with masons and
carpenters, to build him a house. So David knew that theLORD had established him as
king over Israel, for his kingdom was highly exalted for the sake of His people Israel.
a. To build him a house: This shows Davids influence and importance.
Neighboring kings honor him with the finest craftsmen and wood to build him a
palace. This relationship with Hiram king of Tyre also shows that David was more
than a man of war. He knew how to build important political alliances.
b. So David knew: David knew two things that made his reign great. Every godly
leader should know these two things well.
David knew that the LORD had established him as king over Israel: David
knew that God called him and established him over Israel.
His kingdom was highly exalted for the sake of His people Israel: David
knew God wanted to use him as a channel to bless His people. It was not for
Davids sake that he was lifted up, but for the sake of His people Israel.
2. (3-7) The sons born to David in Jerusalem.
Then David took more wives in Jerusalem, and David begot more sons and daughters.
And these are the names of his children whom he had in Jerusalem: Shammua,
Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, Ibhar, Elishua, Elpelet, Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, Elishama,
Beeliada, and Eliphelet.
a. David took more wives: This was in direct disobedience to Deuteronomy
17:17: Neither shall he multiply wives for himself, lest his heart turn away. 2
Samuel 5:13 tells us that David also took more concubines when he lived in
Jerusalem.
i. Chronicles makes no mention of Davids sin with Bathsheba, but after the
murder of her husband she was one of the more wives that David added to his
household in Jerusalem.

ii. That David took more wives was a historical fact but a moral failure, directly
contrary to the law . . . This sin led to a whole series of disasters later on.
(Payne)
b. David begot more sons and daughters: Certainly David (and everyone else)
saw these many children as Gods sign of blessing upon David and his many
wives. Yet most of the trouble to come in Davids life comes from his relationship
with women and from his children.
i. It is often true that the seeds to our future trouble are sown in times of great
success and prosperity. In some ways, David handled trials better than
success.
B. Victory over the Philistines.
1. (8-10) David seeks God in battle against the Philistines at the Valley of Rephaim.
Now when the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over all Israel, all the
Philistines went up to search for David. And David heard of it and went out against
them. Then the Philistines went and made a raid on the Valley of Rephaim. And David
inquired of God, saying, Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will You deliver them into
my hand? And the LORD said to him, Go up, for I will deliver them into your hand.
a. All the Philistines went up to search for David: Davids success brought new
challenges from the outside. As God worked mightily in Davids life, the devil also
got to work and brought opposition against David.
i. The Valley of Rephaim lay southwest of Jerusalem and formed part of the
boundary between Judah and Benjamin (Joshua 15:8). It may correspond to
the Valley of Baca (Psalm 84:6), due to the balsam trees that were there (1
Chronicles 14:14-15). These are named, literally, weepers because of their
drops of milky sap. (Payne)
b. David inquired of God: As David sought God and looked to Him for guidance
he was blessed. God honored Davids dependence on Him and gave him the
promise of victory.
2. (11-12) David defeats the Philistines at Baal Perazim.
So they went up to Baal Perazim, and David defeated them there. Then David said,
God has broken through my enemies by my hand like a breakthrough of water.
Therefore they called the name of that place Baal Perazim. And when they left their
gods there, David gave a commandment, and they were burned with fire.

a. God has broken through my enemies: At the battle of Baal Perazim David
defeated the Philistines with an overwhelming force, like a breakthrough of
water.
i. Gods breakout in judgment (1 Chronicles 13:9-12) now becomes a breakout
in blessing for Israel as well as for Obed-Edoms household. (Selman)
b. They left their gods there: The Philistines brought their idols to the battle,
thinking they would help defeat the Israelites. Because David inquired of God and
obeyed God, they burned the Philistine idols.
3. (13-17) David defeats the Philistines again.
Then the Philistines once again made a raid on the valley. Therefore David inquired
again of God, and God said to him, You shall not go up after them; circle around them,
and come upon them in front of the mulberry trees. And it shall be, when you hear a
sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, then you shall go out to battle, for
God has gone out before you to strike the camp of the Philistines. So David did as God
commanded him, and they drove back the army of the Philistines from Gibeon as far as
Gezer. Then the fame of David went out into all lands, and the LORD brought the fear of
him upon all nations.
a. David inquired again of God: After the first victory over the Philistines, David
was wise enough to wait on the LORD before the second battle. It is easy for
many in the same situation to say, Ive fought this battle before. I know how to win.
This will be easy. David always triumphed when he sought and obeyed God.
b. You shall not go up after them; circle around them: God directed David
differently in this battle. Even against the same enemy, not every battle is the
same.
i. In his commentary on this account in 2 Samuel 5, Adam Clarke noted the
remarkable guidance of God in Davids life and asked a good question. 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. (Clarke)
c. God has gone out before you to strike the camp of the Philistines: At the
battle of this David waited for the LORD to strike the camp of the enemy first.
The sign of Gods work was a sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry
trees.

i. It was not merely a fitful breeze stealing through the leaves; it was not the
going of the wind; but of angel squadrons who were proceeding against the
enemies of Israel. (Meyer)
ii. At the signal that the LORD was at work, David and his troops rushed
forward to victory. This principle is true in our every-day walk with God. When
we sense that the LORD is at work, we must go out to battle (advance
quickly, 2 Samuel 5:24) and we will see a great victory won. We must also, in
the spiritual warfare, observe and obey the motions of the Spirit, when he
setteth up his standard; for those are the sounds of Gods goings, the footsteps
of his anointed. (Trapp)
iii. There is something wonderful about the King James Version translation of
this account in 2 Samuel 5:24: when thou hearest the sound of a going in the
tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself. When you hear
the work of God happening, bestir thyself go out to battle. Spurgeon liked to
point out that it said bestir thyself - often we think we must stir others up. That
often just becomes hype and emotionalism. Instead, stir yourself.
iv. When we see the work of God happening around us, it is like the sound in
the mulberry trees - the rustling sound should awaken us to prayer and
devotion. A time of crisis or tragedy is also like the sound in the mulberry trees the rustling sound should awaken us to confession and repentance. Now, what
should I do? The first thing I will do is, I will bestir myself. But how shall I do it?
Why, I will go home this day, and I will wrestle in prayer more earnestly than I
have been wont to do that God will bless the minister, and multiply the church.
(Spurgeon)
v. Oh, believe in the co-operation of the Holy Spirit. Lonely missionary in some
distant station of the foreign field, listen for the moving of the tops of the
mulberry trees! God is stirring for thy succor. (Meyer)
vi. The precise species of the balsam trees is uncertain. Other possibilities
include the pear-tree (LXX), mulberry (AV), or aspen (REB, NEB). (Selman)
d. So David did as God commanded him: He did this by waiting for evidence of
Gods work and then giving himself completely to the battle. The victory that
sprang from this obedience made David and Israel respected and feared among
neighboring nations.
i. Because he looked to the Lord for his strength and for his strategy, he was
able to beat back to Philistine offenses, to secure the independence of Gods
people, and to terminate forever the threat of Philistine conquest and
oppression. (Payne)