1 Chronicles 14:16

KJV

David therefore did as God commanded him: and they smote the host of the Philistines from Gibeon even to Gazer.

KJV (with Strong's)

David {H1732} therefore did {H6213} as God {H430} commanded {H6680} him: and they smote {H5221} the host {H4264} of the Philistines {H6430} from Gibeon {H1391} even to Gazer {H1507}.

Complete Jewish Bible

David did as God had ordered him to do and pursued his attack on the army of the P'lishtim from Giv'on to Gezer.

Berean Standard Bible

So David did as God had commanded him, and they struck down the army of the Philistines all the way from Gibeon to Gezer.

American Standard Version

And David did as God commanded him: and they smote the host of the Philistines from Gibeon even to Gezer.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
1 Chronicles 14:16 encapsulates a pivotal moment in David's reign, showcasing his exemplary obedience to God's precise and unconventional military command. This faithful adherence resulted in a comprehensive and decisive victory over the Philistine army, solidifying David's kingship and demonstrating God's active power and sovereignty in delivering His people. The verse underscores that true success and divine favor are intrinsically linked to unwavering submission to God's revealed will.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse concludes a significant narrative block detailing David's establishment as king over all Israel and his initial military encounters with the Philistines. Following his anointing in [1 Chronicles 11:3](/1_chronicles/11-3 "1 Chronicles 11:3 - David Anointed King Over All Israel"), the Philistines, Israel's perennial adversaries, immediately attacked. David, unlike King Saul, consistently sought divine counsel before battle, as seen in [1 Chronicles 14:10](/1_chronicles/14-10 "1 Chronicles 14:10 - David Inquires of God Before Battle") for the first engagement. After a decisive victory at Baal-perazim, the Philistines returned. Crucially, for this second encounter, God gave David a highly specific and unusual strategy: to wait for a sound in the tops of the mulberry trees as a signal for God's advance, as detailed in [1 Chronicles 14:15](/1_chronicles/14-15 "1 Chronicles 14:15 - God's Specific Command to David"). Verse 16 directly follows this command, highlighting David's immediate and complete execution of God's precise instructions, leading to the rout of the Philistines.

* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The Philistines were a formidable, technologically advanced, and militarily superior people who posed a constant threat to Israel's sovereignty, particularly in the coastal plains and central highlands. Their presence challenged Israel's claim to the land and often led to oppression, as seen throughout the period of the Judges and Saul's reign. David's victories over the Philistines were therefore not merely military successes but foundational acts that secured Israel's borders, established its national identity, and demonstrated God's covenant faithfulness. Gibeon and Gazer were strategically important cities on the western flank of Israel, controlling access routes. A victory extending "from Gibeon even to Gazer" signified a comprehensive clearing of the Philistine threat from a significant portion of the land, bolstering David's authority and Israel's security.

* **Key Themes:** The passage powerfully articulates several core themes central to the book of Chronicles and biblical theology. Foremost is **Obedience to God**, exemplified by David's unwavering and precise adherence to God's unique battle plan. His success is directly attributed not to his own military genius, but to his submission to divine strategy, echoing principles found in [Deuteronomy 28:1](/deuteronomy/28-1 "Deuteronomy 28:1 - Blessings of Obedience for Obedience to God's Voice"). This highlights the theme of **Divine Guidance and Strategy**, where God actively intervenes and provides specific, sometimes unconventional, instructions for His people's welfare. The victory itself underscores **God's Sovereignty in Battle**, affirming that the Lord fights for His people, as seen in the phrase "they smote the host," implying divine empowerment. This resonates with the declaration in [Psalm 20:7](/psalms/20-7 "Psalm 20:7 - Trusting in the Name of the Lord") that true trust is in the name of the Lord. Finally, the geographical scope signifies a **Comprehensive Victory**, demonstrating the extent of God's deliverance and the secure establishment of David's kingdom.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **did (Hebrew, _'asah'_):** This verb signifies not merely passive acceptance but active, complete, and effective execution. David "did" precisely what God commanded, implying a thorough and immediate implementation of the divine strategy, leaving no room for human modification or delay. It underscores the practical outworking of his faith.
* **commanded (Hebrew, _tsavah'_):** This word denotes a divine injunction, a specific and authoritative instruction from God. It emphasizes that David's actions were not based on his own military intuition or conventional wisdom but on direct, revealed divine will, highlighting God's initiative and authority in the battle.
* **smote (Hebrew, _nakah'_):** This powerful verb means to strike, beat, or slay. In a military context, it conveys a decisive, overwhelming, and destructive blow, indicating a complete rout or annihilation of the enemy force rather than a mere skirmish or retreat. It emphasizes the totality of the Philistine defeat.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"David therefore did as God commanded him":** This clause establishes the direct cause-and-effect relationship between David's obedience and the subsequent victory. The "therefore" links it explicitly to God's specific instruction in [1 Chronicles 14:15](/1_chronicles/14-15 "1 Chronicles 14:15 - God's Specific Command to David") to wait for the sound in the mulberry trees. David's action was not a general compliance but a precise following of a unique and potentially counter-intuitive divine strategy, demonstrating his profound trust and submission to God's authority.
* **"and they smote the host of the Philistines":** The pronoun "they" refers to David's army, but in the context of God's prior command ("I will go out before you"), it implicitly includes God's active participation and empowerment. The "host of the Philistines" signifies their entire military force, emphasizing the magnitude of the enemy that was decisively defeated. This highlights that the victory was ultimately God's, executed through human agency.
* **"from Gibeon even to Gazer."** This geographical marker defines the extensive reach and completeness of the victory. Gibeon was to the east, and Gazer to the west, indicating a wide-ranging pursuit and destruction of the Philistine forces across a significant portion of the land. This signifies a comprehensive rout, securing Israel's central and western territories from a major threat and further establishing David's kingdom and God's protective hand over Israel.

#### Literary Devices
The passage effectively employs several literary devices to convey its message. **Repetition** of David's inquiry and subsequent obedience (cf. [1 Chronicles 14:10](/1_chronicles/14-10 "1 Chronicles 14:10 - David Inquires of God") and [1 Chronicles 14:14](/1_chronicles/14-14 "1 Chronicles 14:14 - David Inquires of God Again")) underscores the consistent pattern of his faithful leadership. The phrase "from Gibeon even to Gazer" functions as **Merism**, where two extremes represent the whole, vividly illustrating the comprehensive and widespread nature of the Philistine defeat. This also borders on **Hyperbole**, emphasizing the totality of the rout rather than a precise geographical boundary. Finally, the entire narrative serves as a powerful **Symbolism** of God's active involvement in the battles of His people and the transformative power of human obedience. David's actions symbolize the ideal king who relies entirely on divine wisdom, and the victory symbolizes God's vindication of such faith.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
1 Chronicles 14:16 powerfully illustrates the profound biblical principle that divine blessing and victory are contingent upon human obedience. This passage is not merely a historical account of a military triumph but a theological statement about God's active sovereignty in the affairs of His people and His faithfulness to those who walk in His ways. David's willingness to set aside conventional military strategy and follow God's unconventional command underscores that true wisdom and power originate from God alone. This narrative reinforces the covenantal relationship where God's promises of protection and prosperity are realized through the obedient response of His chosen leaders and people. It teaches that God delights in revealing His power through humble submission, transforming seemingly insurmountable challenges into testimonies of His might.

* [Deuteronomy 28:1](/deuteronomy/28-1 "Deuteronomy 28:1 - Blessings for Obedience")
* [Joshua 1:7](/joshua/1-7 "Joshua 1:7 - Success Through Obedience to the Law")
* [Psalm 20:7](/psalms/20-7 "Psalm 20:7 - Trusting in the Name of the Lord")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
The account of David's obedience and God's subsequent victory in 1 Chronicles 14:16 offers profound lessons for contemporary believers. In a world that often values self-reliance, strategic planning, and conventional wisdom, this passage calls us to a radical trust in God's specific guidance, even when His instructions seem counter-intuitive or defy human logic. Just as David waited for the sound in the mulberry trees, we are invited to cultivate a posture of patient listening and immediate obedience to the Holy Spirit's promptings, whether in major life decisions or daily interactions. True success, from a biblical perspective, is not merely the achievement of desired outcomes but the faithful alignment with God's will, recognizing that He is the one who fights our battles and secures our victories, transforming our challenges into opportunities to witness His power.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what areas of your life are you currently seeking God's specific guidance, even if His direction seems unconventional or requires a step of faith?**
* **How does David's immediate and complete obedience challenge your own willingness to follow God's commands, especially when they require faith or sacrifice?**
* **What "Philistines" (challenges, spiritual battles, or personal struggles) are you facing, and how can you trust God to "smite" them as you walk in obedience to His revealed will?**

### FAQ
**Why did God give David such a specific and unusual command for this battle?**

Answer: God's specific and unusual command to David—to wait for the sound in the tops of the mulberry trees—served several crucial purposes. Firstly, it was designed to demonstrate unequivocally that the victory was God's alone, not the result of David's military genius or conventional tactics. This prevented David and Israel from taking credit for the triumph, reinforcing God's sovereignty. Secondly, it served as a test of David's obedience and faith. Would he trust God's unconventional strategy, or would he rely on his own experience? David's immediate compliance underscored his deep reliance on the Lord. Lastly, it highlighted God's active and personal involvement in the affairs of His people, showing that He fights for them in unique and powerful ways, as also seen in [Exodus 14:14](/exodus/14-14 "Exodus 14:14 - The Lord Will Fight For You").

**What is the significance of the geographical markers "from Gibeon even to Gazer"?**

Answer: The mention of "from Gibeon even to Gazer" is highly significant because it defines the extensive scope and completeness of the victory. Gibeon was located in the central highlands, northwest of Jerusalem, while Gazer (Gezer) was a strategic Canaanite city on the western coastal plain. This geographical span indicates that David's forces, empowered by God, pursued and utterly routed the Philistines across a wide area, effectively clearing them from a significant portion of Israel's central and western territories. It signifies a comprehensive and decisive defeat, securing Israel's borders and establishing David's kingdom as a dominant force, fulfilling God's promise to give Israel the land, as referenced in [Genesis 15:18](/genesis/15-18 "Genesis 15:18 - God's Covenant with Abraham Regarding the Land").

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
The victory of David over the Philistines through precise obedience to God's command in 1 Chronicles 14:16 finds its ultimate and perfect fulfillment in Jesus Christ. David's obedience, though exemplary, was imperfect and limited; Christ's obedience was absolute and perfect, even to the point of death on a cross, as described in [Philippians 2:8](/philippians/2-8 "Philippians 2:8 - Christ's Obedience to Death"). Just as God gave David a specific strategy to "smite" Israel's physical enemies, so too did the Father send Jesus with a divine mission to "smite" the ultimate enemies of humanity: sin, death, and the devil. Through His life, death, and resurrection, Jesus achieved a far more comprehensive and eternal victory than any earthly battle, triumphing over the spiritual powers that held humanity captive, as [Colossians 2:15](/colossians/2-15 "Colossians 2:15 - Christ's Triumph Over Powers") proclaims, "He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him." The "host" that Christ smote was not merely a physical army but the very forces of evil. Believers, by faith, are united with Christ and participate in His decisive victory, being made "more than conquerors through him who loved us" ([Romans 8:37](/romans/8-37 "Romans 8:37 - More Than Conquerors Through Christ")). Thus, David's triumph foreshadows the Lamb of God's ultimate and decisive conquest, securing eternal freedom and peace for all who believe.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Genesis 6:22

¶ Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he.

John 15:14

Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.

John 13:17

If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.

1 Chronicles 6:67

And they gave unto them, [of] the cities of refuge, Shechem in mount Ephraim with her suburbs; [they gave] also Gezer with her suburbs,

Exodus 39:42

According to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so the children of Israel made all the work.

Exodus 39:43

And Moses did look upon all the work, and, behold, they had done it as the LORD had commanded, even so had they done it: and Moses blessed them.

Joshua 16:10

And they drave not out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer: but the Canaanites dwell among the Ephraimites unto this day, and serve under tribute.