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2 Samuel 5:19

in 2 Samuel 5

So David inquired of the LORD, “Should I go up against the Philistines? Will You deliver them into my hand?” “Go,” replied the LORD, “for I will surely deliver the Philistines into your hand.”

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

And David inquired of Jehovah, saying, Shall I go up against the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into my hand? And Jehovah said unto David, Go up; for I will certainly deliver the Philistines into thy hand.

KJV

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.

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This verse in 2 Samuel 5

Commentary

5 notes on this verse

A commentator

Ambrose of Milan

On the Duties of the Clergy 1.35.177 · Written before 397.

After that [the killing of Goliath] he never entered on a war without seeking counsel of the Lord. Thus he was victorious in all wars, and even to his last years [he] was ready to fight. And when war arose with the Philistines, he joined battle with their fierce troops, being desirous of winning renown, while careless of his own safety. But this is not the only kind of fortitude which is worthy of note.

This site's exposition

Should I go up against the Philistines?

on 2 Samuel 5:19-21

David inquires, and the answer is as direct as the question: “Go,” with the promise “I will surely deliver the Philistines into your hand”. The Philistines abandon their idols, David's men carry them away, and 1 Chronicles 14:12 adds that they were burned, as Deuteronomy 7:25 commands.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

Here we have only the heads of their address, containing the grounds they went upon in making David king. Their relation to him was some inducement: " We are thy bone and thy flesh (

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens+odd-straight-quotes

And David inquired of the Lord,....

The Nineteenth Century1 voice

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

David inquired of the Lord - He considered himself only the captain of the Lord’s host, and therefore would not strike a stroke without the command of his Superior.

The words behind it

20 Hebrew words

Every Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

  • וַיִּשְׁאַ֨לand he enquired

    vaiyishalH7592 →171 times

  • דָּוִ֤דDavid

    davidH1732 →999 times

  • בַּֽיהוָה֙by Yahweh

    bayahwehH3068 →6520 times

  • לֵאמֹ֔ר<to> saying

    lemorH559 →5305 times

  • הַאֶֽעֱלֶה֙¿ will I go up

    haeelehH5927 →890 times

  • אֶל־against

    ʾel-H413 →5510 times

  • פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים[the] Philistines

    pelishtimH6430 →287 times

  • הֲתִתְּנֵ֖ם¿ will you give them

    hatitenemH5414 →2011 times

  • בְּיָדִ֑יin hand my

    beyadiH3027 →1618 times

  • וַיֹּ֨אמֶרand he said

    vaiyomerH559 →5305 times

  • יְהוָ֤הYahweh

    yahwehH3068 →6520 times

  • אֶל־to

    ʾel-H413 →5510 times

  • דָּוִד֙David

    davidH1732 →999 times

  • עֲלֵ֔הgo up

    ʾalehH5927 →890 times

  • כִּֽי־for

    ki-H3588 →4482 times

  • נָתֹ֥ןcertainly <to give>

    natonH5414 →2011 times

  • אֶתֵּ֛ןI will give

    ʾetenH5414 →2011 times

  • אֶת־<obj.>

    ʾet-H853 →10935 times

  • הַפְּלִשְׁתִּ֖יםthe Philistines

    hapelishtimH6430 →287 times

  • בְּיָדֶֽךָ׃in hand your

    beyadekhaH3027 →1618 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

18 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

1 Samuel 30:8and David inquired of the LORD: “Should I pursue these raiders? Will I overtake them?” “Pursue them,” the LORD replied, “for you will surely overtake them and rescue the captives.”24 works2 Samuel 2:1Some time later, David inquired of the LORD, “Should I go up to one of the towns of Judah?” “Go up,” the LORD answered. Then David asked, “Where should I go?” “To Hebron,” replied the LORD.9 works1 Samuel 23:2So David inquired of the LORD, “Should I go and attack these Philistines?” And the LORD said to David, “Go and attack the Philistines and save Keilah.”8 works2 Samuel 5:23So David inquired of the LORD, who answered, “Do not march straight up, but circle around behind them and attack them in front of the balsam trees.6 worksProverbs 3:6in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.6 worksJudges 20:28and Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, served before it.) The Israelites asked, “Should we again go out to battle against our brothers the Benjamites, or should we stop?” The LORD answered, “Fight, for tomorrow I will deliver them into your hand.”6 works
The other 12 cross-references, with their words ▾
Joshua 9:14Then the men of Israel sampled their provisions, but did not seek the counsel of the LORD.6 works1 Samuel 23:4Once again, David inquired of the LORD, and the LORD answered him: “Go at once to Keilah, for I will deliver the Philistines into your hand.”5 works1 Kings 22:15–23When Micaiah arrived, the king asked him, “Micaiah, should we go to war against Ramoth-gilead, or should we refrain?” “Go up and triumph,” Micaiah replied, “for the LORD will give it into the hand of the king.”5 works1 Samuel 30:7–8Then David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, “Bring me the ephod.” So Abiathar brought it to him,5 worksJames 4:15Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord is willing, we will live and do this or that.”4 works1 Kings 22:6So the king of Israel assembled the prophets, about four hundred men, and asked them, “Should I go to war against Ramoth-gilead, or should I refrain?” “Go up,” they replied, “and the Lord will deliver it into the hand of the king.”4 works1 Samuel 28:6He inquired of the LORD, but the LORD did not answer him by dreams or Urim or prophets.3 works1 Chronicles 14:10So David inquired of God, “Should I go up against the Philistines? Will You deliver them into my hand?” “Go,” replied the LORD, “for I will deliver them into your hand.”3 works1 Samuel 14:37So Saul inquired of God, “Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will You give them into the hand of Israel?” But God did not answer him that day.3 works2 Chronicles 18:4But Jehoshaphat also said to the king of Israel, “Please inquire first for the word of the LORD.”3 worksJoshua 6:2And the LORD said to Joshua, “Behold, I have delivered Jericho into your hand, along with its king and its mighty men of valor.3 worksDeuteronomy 33:7And concerning Judah he said: “O LORD, hear the cry of Judah and bring him to his people. With his own hands he defends his cause, but may You be a help against his foes.”2 works

The walk

8 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    Proverbs 3:6

    in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.

    it leads to

    • Proverbs 16:3

      Commit your works to the LORD and your plans will be achieved.

    • Psalms 32:8

      I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go; I will give you counsel and watch over you.

    • Philippians 4:6

      Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

    • Proverbs 16:9

      A man’s heart plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.

    • Jeremiah 10:23

      I know, O LORD, that a man’s way is not his own; no one who walks directs his own steps.

  • Through

    1 Samuel 23:2

    So David inquired of the LORD, “Should I go and attack these Philistines?” And the LORD said to David, “Go and attack the Philistines and save Keilah.”

    it leads to

    • 1 Samuel 23:4

      Once again, David inquired of the LORD, and the LORD answered him: “Go at once to Keilah, for I will deliver the Philistines into your hand.”

      Reached by 2 separate paths from here.

    • 2 Samuel 5:23

      So David inquired of the LORD, who answered, “Do not march straight up, but circle around behind them and attack them in front of the balsam trees.

  • Through

    Judges 20:28

    and Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, served before it.) The Israelites asked, “Should we again go out to battle against our brothers the Benjamites, or should we stop?” The LORD answered,…

    it leads to

    • Judges 7:9

      That night the LORD said to Gideon, “Get up and go down against the camp, for I have delivered it into your hand.

Where this verse is studied

About 2 Samuel

David Mourns the Death of Absalom, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
David Mourns the Death of Absalom, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
2 Samuel: the study guide →Read 2 Samuel 5 →

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Ambrose of Milan, On the Duties of the Clergy 1.35.177; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.

Read on in 2 Samuel 5 →