David’s army defeated the Philistines

17 When the Philistia people heard that David had been appointed to be the king of Israel, their army went up toward Jerusalem to try to capture David. But David heard that they were coming, so he went down to another fortified place. 18 The army of Philistia arrived at Rephaim Valley southwest of Jerusalem and spread all over the valley. 19 David asked Yahweh, “Should my men and I attack the Philistia army? Will you enable us to defeat them [IDM]?” Yahweh replied, “Yes, attack them, because I will certainly enable your army to defeat them. [IDM]”

20 So David and his army went to where the Philistia army was, and there they defeated them. Then David said, “Yahweh has burst through my enemies like a flood.” [SIM] So that place is called ‘Lord of Bursting-through’. 21 The Philistia men left their idols there; so David and his soldiers took them away.

22 Then the Philistia army returned to Rephaim Valley and spread all over the valley. 23 So again David asked Yahweh if his army should attack them. But Yahweh replied, “Do not attack them from here. Tell your men to go around them and attack them from the other side, near the balsam trees. 24 When you hear something in the tops of the balsam trees that sounds like an army marching, attack them, because I will have gone ahead of you to enable your army to defeat their army.” 25 So David did what Yahweh told him to do, and his army defeated the Philistia army from Geba city all the way west to Gezer city.