Hiram, too, king of Tyre, sent messages offering David cedar planks and car-penters and stone-masons, to build a house for him.

No doubt could David have that the Lord had ratified his sovereignty over Israel, and made him the king of a great people.

So, in Jerusalem, he provided himself with fresh wives, and had sons and daughters born to him.

Jerusalem was the birth-place of Samua, Sobad, Nathan, Solomon,

Jebahar, Elisua, (Eliphalet),

Noga, Napheg, Japhia,

Elisama, Baaliada and Eliphalet.

When news reached the Philistines that David had been anointed as king of all Israel, they mustered all their forces to hunt him down, and David, hearing of it, went out to meet them.

They had come in and occupied the whole valley of Raphaim.

Thereupon David consulted the Lord; should he attack the Philistines? Would he be given the mastery? And he was bidden go to the attack; the Philistines would be at his mercy.

And now they advanced to Baalpharasim, where David defeated them; The Lord has parted the enemy’s ranks before me, he said, as easily as water parts this way and that; so the place came by its name, Baalpharasim, The Master of the Breach.

They left their idols behind them there, and David had these burnt.

But once more the Philistines came to the attack, and occupied the Raphaim valley;

and this time, when David asked counsel of God, the answer was, Do not go to the attack; withdraw first, and then come upon them from the direction of the pear-trees yonder.

Wait till thou hearest, in the tops of the pear-trees, the sound of marching feet; then offer battle; it is a sign that the Lord marches on before thee, to smite down the army of the Philistines.

So David did as the Lord had bidden him, and he drove the Philistines before him all the way from Gabaon to Gazera.✻

After this, David’s renown was noised abroad everywhere, and the Lord struck terror of him into all the nations’ hearts.