TRV
Translation
King James Version
And David came to Baalperazim, and David smote them there, and said, The LORD hath broken forth upon mine enemies before me, as the breach of waters. Therefore he called the name of that place Baalperazim.
KJV (with Strong's)
Complete Jewish Bible
So David went to Ba'al-P'ratzim and defeated them there. He said, "ADONAI has broken through my enemies for me like a river breaking through its banks." This is why he called the place Ba'al-P'ratzim [Lord of breaking through].
Berean Standard Bible
So David went to Baal-perazim, where he defeated the Philistines and said, “Like a bursting flood, the LORD has burst out against my enemies before me.” So he called that place Baal-perazim.
American Standard Version
And David came to Baal-perazim, and David smote them there; and he said, Jehovah hath broken mine enemies before me, like the breach of waters. Therefore he called the name of that place Baal-perazim.
World English Bible Messianic
David came to Baal Perazim, and David struck them there; and he said, “The LORD has broken my enemies before me, like the breach of waters.” Therefore he called the name of that place Baal Perazim.
Geneva Bible (1599)
Then Dauid came to Baal-perazim, and smote them there, and sayde, The Lord hath deuided mine enemies asunder before mee, as waters be deuided asunder: therefore he called the name of that place, Baal-perazim.
Young's Literal Translation
And David cometh in to Baal-Perazim, and David smiteth them there, and saith, `Jehovah hath broken forth on mine enemies before me, as the breaking forth of waters;' therefore he hath called the name of that place Baal-Perazim.
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Study This Verse
Commentary on 2 Samuel 5 verses 17–25
17 ¶ But when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines came up to seek David; and David heard of it, and went down to the hold.
18 The Philistines also came and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim.
19 And David enquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up to the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into mine hand? And the LORD said unto David, Go up: for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into thine hand.
20 And David came to Baalperazim, and David smote them there, and said, The LORD hath broken forth upon mine enemies before me, as the breach of waters. Therefore he called the name of that place Baalperazim.
21 And there they left their images, and David and his men burned them.
22 And the Philistines came up yet again, and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim.
23 And when David enquired of the LORD, he said, Thou shalt not go up; but fetch a compass behind them, and come upon them over against the mulberry trees.
24 And let it be, when thou hearest the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself: for then shall the LORD go out before thee, to smite the host of the Philistines.
25 And David did so, as the LORD had commanded him; and smote the Philistines from Geba until thou come to Gazer.
The particular service for which David was raised up was to save Israel out of the hand of the Philistines, Sa2 3:18. This therefore divine Providence, in the first place, gives him an opportunity of accomplishing. Two great victories obtained over the Philistines we have here an account of, by which David not only balanced the disgrace and retrieved the loss Israel had sustained in the battle wherein Saul was slain, but went far towards the total subduing of those vexatious neighbours, the last remains of the devoted nations.
I. In both these actions the Philistines were the aggressors, stirred first towards their own destruction, and pulled it on their own heads. 1. In the former they came up to seek David (Sa2 5:17), because they heard that he was anointed king over Israel. He that under Saul had slain his ten thousands, what would he do when he himself came to be king! They therefore thought it was time to look about them, and try to crush his government in its infancy, before it was well settled. Their success against Saul, some years ago, perhaps encouraged them to make this attack upon David; but they considered not that David had that presence of God with him which Saul had forfeited and lost. The kingdom of the Messiah, as soon as ever it was set up in the world, was thus vigorously attacked by the powers of darkness, who, with the combined force both of Jews and Gentiles, made head against it. The heathen raged, and the kings of the earth set themselves to oppose it; but all in vain, Psa 2:1, etc. The destruction will turn, as this did, upon Satan's own kingdom. They took counsel together, but were broken in pieces, Isa 8:9, Isa 8:10. 2. In the latter they came up yet again, hoping to recover what they had lost in the former engagement, and their hearts being hardened to their destruction, Sa2 5:22. 3. In both they spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim, which lay very near Jerusalem. That city they hoped to make themselves masters of before David had completed the fortifications of it. Jerusalem, from its infancy, has been aimed at, and struck at, with a particular enmity. Their spreading themselves intimates that they were very numerous and that they made a very formidable appearance. We read of the church's enemies going up on the breadth of the earth (Rev 20:9), but the further they spread themselves the fairer mark they are to God's arrows.
II. In both, David, though forward enough to go forth against them (for as soon as he heard it he went down to the hold, to secure some important and advantageous post, Sa2 5:17), yet entered not upon action till he had enquired of the Lord by the breast-plate of judgment, Sa2 5:19, and again, Sa2 5:23. His enquiry was twofold: - 1. Concerning his duty: "Shall I go up? Shall I have a commission from heaven to engage them?" One would think he needed not doubt this; what was he made king for, but to fight the battles of the Lord and Israel? But a good man loves to see God going before him in every step he takes. "Shall I go up now?" It is to be done, but is it to be done at this time? In all thy ways acknowledge him. And besides, though the Philistines were public enemies, yet some of them had been his particular friends. Achish had been kind to him in his distress, and had protected him. "Now," says David, "ought not I, in remembrance of that, rather to make peace with them than to make war with them?" "No," says God, "they are Israel's enemies, and are doomed to destruction, and therefore scruple not, but go up." 2. Concerning his success. His conscience asked the former question, Shall I go up? His prudence asked this, Wilt thou deliver them into my hand? Hereby he owns his dependence on God for victory, that he could not conquer them unless God delivered them into his hand, and refers his cause to the good pleasure of God: Wilt thou do it? Yea, says God, I will doubtless do it. If God send us, he will bear us out and stand by us. The assurance God has given us of victory over our spiritual enemies, that he will tread Satan under our feet shortly, should animate us in our spiritual conflicts. We do not fight at uncertainty. David had now a great army at command and in good heart, yet he relied more on God's promise than his own force.
III. In the former of these engagements David routed the army of the Philistines by dint of sword (Sa2 5:20): He smote them; and when he had done, 1. He gave his God the glory; he said, "The Lord has broken forth upon my enemies before me. I could not have done it if he had not done it before me; he opened the breach like the breach of waters in a dam, which when once opened grows wider and wider." The principal part of the work was God's doing; nay, he did all; what David did was not worth speaking of; and therefore, Not unto us, but unto the Lord, give glory. He hoped likewise that this breach, like that of waters, was as the opening of the sluice, to let in a final desolation upon them; and, to perpetuate the remembrance of it, he called the place Baal-perazim, the master of the breaches, because, God having broken in upon their forces, he soon had the mastery of them. Let posterity take notice of it to God's honour. 2. He put their gods to shame. They brought the images of their gods into the field as their protectors, in imitation of the Israelites bringing the ark into their camp; but, being put to flight, they could not stay to carry off their images, for they were a burden to the weary beasts (Isa 46:1), and therefore they left them to fall with the rest of their baggage into the hands of the conqueror. Their images failed them, and gave them no assistance, and therefore they left their images to shift for themselves. God can make men weary of those things that they have been most fond of, and compel them to desert what they dote upon, and cast even the idols of silver and gold to the moles and the bats, Isa 2:20, Isa 2:21. David and his men converted to their own use the rest of the plunder, but the images they burnt, as God had appointed (Deu 7:5): "You shall burn their graven images with fire, in token of your detestation of idolatry, and lest they should be a snare." Bishop Patrick well observes here that when the ark fell into the Philistines' hands it consumed them, but, when these images fell into the hands of Israel, they could not save themselves from being consumed.
IV. In the latter of these engagements God gave David some sensible tokens of his presence with him, bade him not fall upon them directly, as he had done before, but fetch a compass behind them, Sa2 5:23. 1. God appoints him to draw back, as Israel stood still to see the salvation of the Lord. 2. He promised him to charge the enemy himself, by an invisible host of angels, Sa2 5:24. "Thou shalt hear the sound of a going, like the march of an army in the air, upon the tops of the mulberry trees." Angels tread light, and he that can walk upon the clouds can, when he pleases, walk on the tops of trees, or (as bishop Patrick understands it) at the head of the mulberry-trees, that is, of the wood, or hedge-row of those trees. "And, by that sign, thou shalt know that the Lord goes out before thee; though thou see him not, yet thou shalt hear him, and faith shall come and be confirmed by hearing. He goes forth to smite the host of the Philistines." When David had himself smitten them (Sa2 5:20), he ascribed it to God: The Lord has broken forth upon my enemies, to reward him for which thankful acknowledgment the next time God did it himself alone, without putting him to any toil or peril. Those that own God in what he has done for them will find him doing more. But observe, Though God promised to go before him and smite the Philistines, yet David, when he heard the sound of the going must bestir himself and be ready to pursue the victory. Note, God's grace must quicken our endeavours. If God work in us both to will and to do, it does not follow that we must sit still, as those that have nothing to do, but we must therefore, work out our own salvation with all possible care and diligence, Phi 2:12, Phi 2:13. The sound of the going was, (1.) A signal to David when to move; it is comfortable going out when God goes before us. And, (2.) Perhaps it was an alarm to the enemy, and put them into confusion. Hearing the march of an army against their front, they retreated with precipitation, and fell into David's army which lay behind them in their rear. Of those whom God fights against it is said (Lev 26:36), The sound of a shaken leaf shall chase them. (3.) The success of this is briefly set down, Sa2 5:25. David observed his orders, waited till God moved, and stirred them, but not till then. Thus he was trained up in a dependence on God and his providence. God performed his promise, went before him, and routed all the enemies' force, and David failed not to improve his advantages; he smote the Philistines, even to the borders of their own country. When the kingdom of the Messiah was to be set up, the apostles that were to beat down the devil's kingdom must not attempt any thing till they received the promise of the Spirit, who came with a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind (Act 2:2), which was typified by this sound of the going on the tops of the mulberry trees; and, when they heard that, they must bestir themselves, and did so; they went forth conquering and to conquer.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 17–25. Public domain.
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Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
2 Samuel 5:20 encapsulates a pivotal moment in David's reign, recounting his decisive victory over the Philistines at a location he subsequently named Baalperazim. This verse highlights David's profound theological insight and humble dependence, as he attributes the overwhelming triumph directly to the Lord, declaring that God "hath broken forth upon mine enemies before me, as the breach of waters." This event not only solidified David's position as king over a united Israel but also established the place name, meaning "Lord of Breakthroughs," as an enduring testament to God's irresistible power and direct intervention on behalf of His people.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The verse is rich with several potent literary devices that amplify its theological message. Simile is prominently employed in the phrase "as the breach of waters," which vividly compares God's overwhelming and irresistible action to a sudden, torrential flood. This creates a powerful and easily graspable image of divine force and unstoppable momentum. The narrative also functions as an etiological narrative, as it explains the origin and profound meaning of the place name Baalperazim, thereby imbuing a specific geographical location with enduring theological significance and transforming it into a monument to divine intervention. Furthermore, David's immediate and direct declaration, "The LORD hath broken forth," exemplifies theocentric attribution, a key characteristic of biblical narrative where human success, deliverance, or triumph is explicitly and immediately credited to God's direct intervention, rather than to human strength, wisdom, or military strategy. This device powerfully underscores God's absolute sovereignty and His active, personal involvement in the battles and affairs of His covenant people.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
The victory at Baalperazim profoundly illustrates God's character as the "Lord of Breakthroughs," a divine warrior who actively and decisively fights for His people. David's immediate and public acknowledgment of God's hand in the victory underscores the foundational biblical principle that true success, deliverance, and triumph come solely from the Lord, not from human might, strategic brilliance, or numerical superiority. This event serves to solidify the understanding that God is faithful to His covenant promises, particularly to David, by granting him victory and establishing his kingdom. It stands as a powerful reminder that when God chooses to act, His intervention is decisive, overwhelming, and utterly irresistible, likened to a bursting flood that sweeps away all opposition and secures victory for His purposes.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
The profound account of Baalperazim offers timeless and vital lessons for believers today, encouraging a deeper walk of faith and dependence. Like King David, we are called to cultivate a profound and unwavering reliance on God, consistently seeking His guidance and counsel before confronting the myriad challenges and "battles" that inevitably arise in life. This narrative encourages us to recognize that our breakthroughs—whether in personal struggles, spiritual growth, overcoming persistent obstacles, or navigating difficult circumstances—are ultimately the result of God's powerful and sovereign intervention, rather than solely our own strenuous efforts or clever strategies. When faced with seemingly insurmountable barriers or overwhelming opposition, we can draw immense comfort and courage from the truth that we serve the "Lord of Breakthroughs," who is able to create a way where there appears to be none, acting with an irresistible force that sweeps away all opposition. Furthermore, just as David named the place to perpetually remember God's faithfulness and mighty act, we are invited to pause, reflect, and intentionally commemorate God's past victories and breakthroughs in our own lives, thereby building a robust reservoir of faith for future challenges and giving Him all the glory for every triumph, big or small.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What is the significance of the name "Baalperazim"?
Answer: The name "Baalperazim" (Hebrew: בַּעַל פְּרָצִים, Baʻal Pᵉrâtsîym) is profoundly significant because it literally translates to "Lord of Breakthroughs" or "Master of Breaches." King David bestowed this name upon the specific location where God granted him a decisive and overwhelming victory over the Philistines. As recorded in 2 Samuel 5:20, David declared that the Lord "hath broken forth upon mine enemies... as the breach of waters." The name thus serves as a perpetual memorial to God's irresistible power and direct intervention, likened to a sudden, bursting flood that sweeps away all opposition. It emphasizes that the victory was not achieved by David's military might or strategy, but entirely by God's powerful, unhindered "breakthrough" on behalf of His people.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
The powerful victory at Baalperazim, where the Lord "broke forth" like a "breach of waters" against David's enemies, finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in Jesus Christ, who is the true and eternal "Lord of Breakthroughs." Just as God delivered David from the formidable Philistines with an irresistible force, Christ achieved the decisive and ultimate breakthrough over the most formidable enemies of humanity: sin, death, and the spiritual powers of darkness, through His crucifixion and glorious resurrection. His triumph on the cross was the ultimate "breakthrough," a cosmic victory that disarmed principalities and powers, making a public spectacle of them and triumphing over them in it (Colossians 2:15). Jesus, through His sacrificial death and triumphant resurrection, broke through the seemingly insurmountable barriers of human sin and the grave, providing an irresistible path to salvation, freedom, and eternal life for all who place their faith in Him. He is the one who holds the keys of death and Hades (Revelation 1:18), having Himself burst forth from the tomb, thereby guaranteeing our own future breakthrough from the dominion of death. Therefore, the historical victory at Baalperazim serves as a powerful foreshadowing of the greater, eternal victory accomplished by the Lamb of God, who truly takes away the sin of the world and breaks every chain (John 1:29).