1 Chronicles 14 Study Notes

14:10-11 David must have learned his lesson from the disasters that beset Saul. He made sure that it was the Lord’s will to battle the Philistines in a direct attack. The Lord gave him permission, and David caught the Philistines unawares.

14:12 The Philistines were routed so thoroughly that they left their idols on the battlefield. Many ancient kings would have picked up these idols and either desecrated them or tried to gain some spiritual strength from them. David did not play any such spiritual games; he wisely ordered that they be burned.

14:13-16 The Philistines must have thought that attacking through the same valley was the last thing anyone would expect, but if they were caught again they would be ready. This time the Lord commanded David to use a different strategy—to come from behind. God would give David a signal when it was time to attack. By following God’s orders exactly, he eliminated the threat of the Philistines for a long time to come.

14:17 At this time Mesopotamia and Egypt were suffering from internal struggles. The Phoenicians were more interested in growth by trade than by military might. The Philistines had been put in their place; even though they were not eliminated, they were in no position to reestablish their military strength. David’s kingdom was the strongest empire of the day. For the time being threats would not come from the traditional superpowers but from his neighbors who were trying to take advantage of the political vacuum.