2 Samuel 5:24

24 When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then be on the alert; for then the Lord has gone out before you to strike down the army of the Philistines."

2 Samuel 5:24 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 5:24

And let it be, when thou hearest the sound of a going in the
tops of the mulberry trees
Of a going of the wind on the tops of these trees, making a rustling upon them, and that in such a manner as to resemble the going of men, or march of armies, as if they were moving in the air over the tops of the mulberry trees; which Jarchi and R. Isaiah interpret of angels being sent of God, and moving at that time to help David, and destroy the Philistines; so the Targum on ( 1 Chronicles 14:15 ) . These trees being in Judea account for silk there, ( Ezekiel 16:10 ) ; though some think time was not known so early; others suppose it was, and to be the Hebrew byssus mentioned by Pausanias ^F1, as being of a yellow colour:

that then thou shall bestir thyself;
or move towards the camp of the Philistines, and fall upon them in the rear, who, by reason of the sound in the trees, would not hear the motion of the Israelites; or, if they heard it, would take it to be no other than the motion of the trees they heard, both sounds being confounded together; or they would take the sound they heard for the motion of the enemy in the front, and give way, and so fall into the hands of the Israelites in their rear, which must throw them into the utmost confusion and consternation:

for then shall the Lord go out before thee to smite the host of the
Philistines:
by an angel or angels; so the Targum,

``for then shall go forth the angel of the Lord, to make thee prosperous to slay in the camp of the Philistines;''

that being the precise time for the salvation of Israel, and the destruction of the Philistines, and the token of it.

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FOOTNOTES:

F1 Eliac. sive, l. 5. p. 294.

2 Samuel 5:24 In-Context

22 Once again the Philistines came up, and were spread out in the valley of Rephaim.

23 When David inquired of the Lord, he said, "You shall not go up; go around to their rear, and come upon them opposite the balsam trees.

24 When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then be on the alert; for then the Lord has gone out before you to strike down the army of the Philistines."

25 David did just as the Lord had commanded him; and he struck down the Philistines from Geba all the way to Gezer.