The Meaning of 2 Samuel 5:23 Explained

2 Samuel 5:23

KJV: And when David inquired 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.

YLT: and David asketh of Jehovah, and He saith, 'Thou dost not go up, turn round unto their rear, and thou hast come to them over-against the mulberries,

Darby: And David inquired of Jehovah; and he said, Thou shalt not go up; turn round behind them and come upon them opposite the mulberry-trees.

ASV: And when David inquired of Jehovah, he said, Thou shalt not go up: make a circuit behind them, and come upon them over against the mulberry-trees.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does 2 Samuel 5:23 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Samuel 5:13-25 - Jehovah's Victories Over The Philistines
David's prosperity led to luxurious living and sensual indulgence, out of which sprang the troubles of his after-life, 2 Samuel 5:13; 2 Samuel 5:15.
The Philistines watched the acquisition of Jerusalem with profound anxiety. It was against their policy for David to be the head of a united nation. It would seem that their first onset drove him back to the cave of Adullam, 2 Samuel 5:17. This was a startling reversal of fortune, but it was salutary that, now as ever, David should learn how dependent he was on God, and that God, who had given him so much, might at any time withdraw his gifts. Loneliness, failure, solitude are necessary for us all! Twice David sought direction as to the ordering of the fight. On the first occasion, the command was, Go up; on the second, Thou shalt not go up. In the first battle the Philistine position was carried by assault; in the second it was turned by ambush. The movement in the trees suggests the footfalls of angel-squadrons. Oh, for the quick ear to detect the goings-forth of God's help, and grace to bestir ourselves to follow! [source]

Chapter Summary: 2 Samuel 5

1  The tribes come to Hebron and anoint David over Israel,
4  David's age
6  Taking Zion from the Jebusites, he dwells in it
11  Hiram sends to David,
13  Eleven sons are born to him in Jerusalem
17  David, directed by God, smites the Philistines at Baal-perazim
22  And again at the mulberry trees

What do the individual words in 2 Samuel 5:23 mean?

Therefore inquired David of Yahweh and He said not You shall go up circle around unto behind them and come upon them in front of the balsam trees
וַיִּשְׁאַ֤ל דָּוִד֙ בַּֽיהוָ֔ה וַיֹּ֖אמֶר לֹ֣א תַעֲלֶ֑ה הָסֵב֙ אֶל־ אַ֣חֲרֵיהֶ֔ם וּבָ֥אתָ לָהֶ֖ם מִמּ֥וּל בְּכָאִֽים

וַיִּשְׁאַ֤ל  Therefore  inquired 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁאַל 
Sense: to ask, enquire, borrow, beg.
דָּוִד֙  David 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
בַּֽיהוָ֔ה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Preposition-b, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
וַיֹּ֖אמֶר  and  He  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
תַעֲלֶ֑ה  You  shall  go  up 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: סָלַק 
Sense: to go up, ascend, climb.
הָסֵב֙  circle  around 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: סָבַב  
Sense: to turn, turn about or around or aside or back or towards, go about or arou nd, surround, encircle, change direction.
אֶל־  unto 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
אַ֣חֲרֵיהֶ֔ם  behind  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
Root: אַחַר 
Sense: after the following part, behind (of place), hinder, afterwards (of time).
וּבָ֥אתָ  and  come 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
לָהֶ֖ם  upon  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
מִמּ֥וּל  in  front 
Parse: Preposition-m
Root: לְמֹואל 
Sense: front.
בְּכָאִֽים  of  the  balsam  trees 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: בָּכָא  
Sense: balsam tree—a shrub which drips sap when it is cut.