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Saturday, December 20th, 2025
the Third Week of Advent
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Read the Bible

Complete Jewish Bible

1 Chronicles 14:15

When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, move out, and attack; because God has gone out ahead of you to defeat the army of the P'lishtim."

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Philistines;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Mulberry-Tree;   Tyre or Tyrus;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Mulberry;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Philistia;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Balsam;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Chronicles, I;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Mulberry Tree;   Rephaim, Valley of;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Baca;   Rephaim;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Philis'tines;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Mulberry Tree;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Baca;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then go out to battle, for God will have gone out ahead of you to strike down the army of the Philistines.”
Hebrew Names Version
It shall be, when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then you shall go out to battle; for God is gone out before you to strike the host of the Pelishtim.
King James Version
And it shall be, when thou shalt hear a sound of going in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt go out to battle: for God is gone forth before thee to smite the host of the Philistines.
English Standard Version
And when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then go out to battle, for God has gone out before you to strike down the army of the Philistines."
New Century Version
When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then attack. I, God, will have gone out before you to defeat the Philistine army."
New English Translation
When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the trees, then attack. For at that moment the Lord is going before you to strike down the army of the Philistines."
Amplified Bible
"It shall be when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then you shall go out to battle, for God has gone out before you to strike the Philistine army."
New American Standard Bible
"When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the baka-shrubs, then you shall go out to battle, for God will have gone out before you to strike the army of the Philistines."
World English Bible
It shall be, when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then you shall go out to battle; for God is gone out before you to strike the host of the Philistines.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And when thou hearest the noyse of one going in the toppes of the mulberie trees, then goe out to battel: for God is gone foorth before thee, to smite the hoste of the Philistims.
Legacy Standard Bible
And it will be that when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then you shall go out to battle, for God will have gone out before you to strike the camp of the Philistines."
Berean Standard Bible
As soon as you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then move out to battle, because this will mean that God has marched out before you to strike the camp of the Philistines."
Contemporary English Version
Wait there until you hear the treetops making the sound of marching troops. That sound will mean I have marched out ahead of you to fight the Philistine army. So you must then attack quickly!"
Darby Translation
And it shall be, when thou hearest the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry-trees, that then thou shalt go out to battle; for God will have gone forth before thee to smite the army of the Philistines.
Easy-to-Read Version
When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, go out to battle because that is the sign that God has gone out in front of you to defeat the Philistines."
George Lamsa Translation
And it shall be, when you hear the sound of howling in the top of the mountain, then you shall go out to battle; for the LORD has gone forth before you to smite the army of the Philistines.
Good News Translation
When you hear the sound of marching in the treetops, then attack, because I will be marching ahead of you to defeat the Philistine army."
Lexham English Bible
And it shall be that when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then go out into battle, for God goes out before you to strike the camp of the Philistines."
Literal Translation
And it shall be, when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the weeping trees, then you shall go out in the battle; for God has gone out before you to strike the army of the Philistines.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
So whan thou hearest aboue vpon the Peertrees the noyse of the goynge, go thou forth then to the batayll: for God is gone forth then before the to smyte the hoost of the Philistynes.
American Standard Version
And it shall be, when thou hearest the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry-trees, that then thou shalt go out to battle; for God is gone out before thee to smite the host of the Philistines.
Bible in Basic English
And at the sound of footsteps in the tops of the trees, go out to the fight, for God has gone out before you to overcome the army of the Philistines.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And when thou hearest a sounde go in the toppes of the peretrees, then go out to battaile: for God is gone forth before thee, to smyte the hoast of the Philistines.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And it shall be, when thou hearest the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry-trees, that then thou shalt go out to battle; for God is gone out before thee to smite the host of the Philistines.'
King James Version (1611)
And it shall bee, when thou shalt heare a sound of going in the tops of the mulbery trees, that then thou shalt goe out to battaile: for God is gone foorth before thee, to smite the hoste of the Philistines.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And it shall be, when thou shalt hear the sound of their tumult in the tops of the pear trees, then thou shalt go into the battle: for God has gone out before thee to smite the army of the Philistines.
English Revised Version
And it shall be, when thou hearest the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt go out to battle: for God is gone out before thee to smite the host of the Philistines;
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And whanne thou schalt here the sowun of a goere in the cop of the pere trees, thanne thou schalt go out to batel; for the Lord is go out byfor thee, to smyte the castels of Filisteis.
Update Bible Version
And it shall be, when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry-trees, that then you shall go out to battle; for God has gone out before you to smite the host of the Philistines.
Webster's Bible Translation
And it shall be, when thou shalt hear a sound of going in the tops of the mulberry trees, then thou shalt go out to battle: for God hath gone forth before thee to smite the host of the Philistines.
New King James Version
And it shall be, when you hear a sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, then you shall go out to battle, for God has gone out before you to strike the camp of the Philistines."
New Living Translation
When you hear a sound like marching feet in the tops of the poplar trees, go out and attack! That will be the signal that God is moving ahead of you to strike down the Philistine army."
New Life Bible
When you hear the sound of their steps in the tops of the balsam trees, then go out to battle. For God will have gone out before you to destroy the Philistine army."
New Revised Standard
When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then go out to battle; for God has gone out before you to strike down the army of the Philistines."
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
and it shall be, when thou hearest a sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry-trees, then, shalt thou go forth into the battle, - for God will have gone forth before thee, to smite the host of the Philistines.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And when thou shalt hear the sound of one going in the tops of the pear trees, then shalt thou go out to battle. For God is gone out before thee to strike the army of the Philistines.
Revised Standard Version
And when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then go out to battle; for God has gone out before you to smite the army of the Philistines."
Young's Literal Translation
and it cometh to pass, when thou hearest the sound of the stepping at the heads of the mulberries, then thou goest out into battle, for God hath gone out before thee to smite the camp of the Philistines.'
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"It shall be when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then you shall go out to battle, for God will have gone out before you to strike the army of the Philistines."

Contextual Overview

8 When the P'lishtim heard that David had been anointed king over all Isra'el, all the P'lishtim went up in search of David. On hearing of it, David went to attack them. 9 Now the P'lishtim came and made a raid in the Refa'im Valley. 10 David consulted God, asking, "Should I attack the P'lishtim? Will you hand them over to me?" Adonai answered David, "Attack; I will hand them over to you." 11 So they went up to Ba‘al-P'ratzim, and David defeated them there. David said, "God has broken through my enemies by my power like a river breaking through its banks." This is why they called the place Ba‘al-P'ratzim [Lord of breaking through]. 12 The P'lishtim had left their gods there, so David gave an order, and they were burned up completely. 13 The P'lishtim came up again and raided the valley. 14 David consulted God again, but God told him, "Don't attack them! Turn away from them, and engage them opposite the balsam trees. 15 When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, move out, and attack; because God has gone out ahead of you to defeat the army of the P'lishtim." 16 David did as God had ordered him to do and pursued his attack on the army of the P'lishtim from Giv‘on to Gezer. 17 So David's reputation spread to all countries, and Adonai brought the fear of him on all nations.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

when thou shalt hear: Some, taking the word bechaim, translated "mulberry trees," as a proper name, render, "when thou shalt hear a sound of going upon the summits of Bechaim;" other understanding rosh, "a top," in the sense of beginning or entrance, read, "when thou hearest a sound of footsteps at the entrance of the grove of mulberry trees;" and others think a rustling among the leaves is intended. The Targumist read, "When thou shalt hear the sound of the angels coming to thy assistance, then go out to battle; for an angel is sent from the presence of God, that he may render thy way prosperous." If there had not been an evident supernatural interference, David might have thought that the ruse de guerre which he had used, was the cause of his victory. Leviticus 26:36, 2 Kings 7:6, 2 Kings 19:7, Acts 2:2

then thou: Judges 4:14, Judges 7:9, Judges 7:15, 1 Samuel 14:9-22, Philippians 2:12, Philippians 2:13

for God: Isaiah 13:4, Isaiah 45:1, Isaiah 45:2, Micah 2:12, Micah 2:13

Reciprocal: 2 Samuel 5:23 - the mulberry trees 2 Samuel 5:24 - thou shalt bestir Isaiah 52:12 - for

Cross-References

Genesis 14:2
they made war together against Bera king of S'dom and against Birsha king of ‘Amora, Shin'av king of Admah, Shem'ever king of Tzvoyim, and the king of Bela (which is the same as Tzo‘ar).
Genesis 14:3
All the latter kings joined forces in the Siddim Valley, where the Dead Sea is.
Deuteronomy 15:2
Here is how the sh'mittah is to be done: every creditor is to give up what he has loaned to his fellow member of the community — he is not to force his neighbor or relative to repay it, because Adonai 's time of remission has been proclaimed.
1 Kings 15:18
Then Asa took all the silver and gold left among the treasures of the house of Adonai and among the treasures of the royal palace; and, entrusting them to his servants, King Asa sent them to Ben-Hadad the son of Tavrimmon, the son of Hezyon, king of Aram, who lived in Dammesek, with this message:
Psalms 112:5
Things go well with the person who is merciful and lends, who conducts his affairs with fairness;
Acts 9:2
and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Dammesek, authorizing him to arrest any people he might find, whether men or women, who belonged to "the Way," and bring them back to Yerushalayim.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

:-.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Chronicles 14:15. A sound of going — "When thou shalt hear the sound of the angels coming to thy assistance, then go out to battle; for an angel is sent from the presence of God, that he may render thy way prosperous." - T.


 
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