2 Samuel 5:23

23 And David counselled with the Lord, and said, Whether I shall go up against the Philistines, and whether thou shalt betake them into mine hands? (And David counselled with the Lord, and said, Shall I go up against the Philistines, and shalt thou deliver them into my hands?) And the Lord answered, Thou shalt not go up against them, but compass thou them behind their back, and (then) thou shalt come to them on the contrary side of the pear trees.

2 Samuel 5:23 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 5:23

And when David inquired of the Lord
For though he had success before, and got the victory, he would not engage again with them without having the mind and will of God, on whom he knew victory alone depended:

he said, thou shalt not go up;
that is, directly, and in a straight line:

[but] fetch a compass behind them;
and get to the rear of them, instead of falling upon them in the front:

and come upon them over against the mulberry trees:
which grew in the valley of Rephaim, and near where the Philistines had pitched.

2 Samuel 5:23 In-Context

21 And they left there their sculptures, (or their images,) which David burnt, and his men. (And they left their idols there, which David and his men burned to ashes.)

22 And [the] Philistines added yet, that they should ascend, and they were spread abroad in the valley of Rephaim. (And the Philistines attacked again, and they were spread all over the Rephaim Valley.)

23 And David counselled with the Lord, and said, Whether I shall go up against the Philistines, and whether thou shalt betake them into mine hands? (And David counselled with the Lord, and said, Shall I go up against the Philistines, and shalt thou deliver them into my hands?) And the Lord answered, Thou shalt not go up against them, but compass thou them behind their back, and (then) thou shalt come to them on the contrary side of the pear trees.

24 And when thou shalt hear the sound of (a) cry going in the top(s) of (the) pear trees, then thou shalt begin (the) battle; for then the Lord shall go out before thy face, that he smite the tents of Philistines (for then the Lord shall go out before thee, and strike down the host, or the army, of the Philistines).

25 Therefore David did as the Lord commanded to him; and he smote the Philistines from Geba till they came to Gazer.