1 Chronicles 14:15
◄  1 Chronicles 14:15  ►
New International Version (©2011)
As soon as you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the poplar trees, move out to battle, because that will mean God has gone out in front of you to strike the Philistine army."

New Living Translation (©2007)
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."

English Standard Version (©2001)
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 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."

King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
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.

Holman Christian Standard Bible (©2009)
When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then march out to battle, for God will have marched out ahead of you to attack the camp of the Philistines."

International Standard Version (©2012)
When you hear the sound of marching coming from the tops of the balsam trees, then go out to battle, because God will have gone out ahead of you to destroy the Philistine army."

NET Bible (©2006)
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."

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
As you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then go out and fight because God has gone ahead of you to defeat the Philistine army."

King James 2000 Bible (©2003)
And it shall be, when you shall hear a sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, that then you shall go out to battle: for God has gone forth before you to smite the army of the Philistines.

American King James Version
And it shall be, when you shall hear a sound of going in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then you shall go out to battle: for God is gone forth before you to smite the host of the Philistines.

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.

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.

Darby Bible 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.

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;

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.

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 has gone out before you to strike 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.'

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

14:1-17 David's victories. - In this chapter we have an account of, 1. David's kingdom established. 2. His family built up. 3. His enemies defeated. This is repeated from 2Sa 5. Let the fame of David be looked upon as a type and figure of the exalted honour of the Son of David.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 15. - A sound of going. This is net a mere generic or longer form of expression to signify a sound itself. There is significance in the word "going." The sense of the Hebrew word would be thrown out more emphatically by such a rendering as, the sound of steps (literally, stepping). When the motion of the agitated leaves simulated the sound of steps, the stepping of men, then David and his army were to step forth to battle. Though the root of the "stepping" spoken of as heard in the trees is not identical with that of the "going" repeated twice in the remainder of the verse - Then thou shalt go out... for God is gone forth - yet it does alliterate to some extent with it, and rather creates the impression that it was intended to do so. However, the parallel place does not sustain this impression, inasmuch as a different word, "Thou shalt bestir thyself," is there employed, in place of the first occurrence of our supposed alliteration, in the clause, "Thou shalt go out." There is something stirring to the imagination, and probably it was felt so by David and his men, in the signal unseen yet not unheard, and in a sense not of earth, but midway between earth and heaven. The very various voices of the various trees, according to the character of their foliage, may well set poetry going, and startle or fascinate imagination, as the case may be. The music of one tree or grove is as different from that of another as can be - listen to the difference between the melancholy plaint so unceasing of some plantation of firs, and the multitudinous, silvery, rippling of but one white poplar of good size. Presumably the sound in the present ease more resembled that of the steady tramp of them that march.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

15. for God is gone forth before thee—"a sound of going in the tops of the mulberry trees," that is, the rustling of the leaves by a strong breeze suddenly rising, was the sign by which David was divinely apprised of the precise moment for the attack. The impetuosity of his onset was like the gush of a pent-up torrent, which sweeps away all in its course; and in allusion to this incident the place got its name.

1 Chronicles 14:15 Parallel Commentaries

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Two Victories over the Philistines
…14Therefore David inquired again of God; and God said to him, Go not up after them; turn away from them, and come on them over against the mulberry trees. 15And it shall be, when you shall hear a sound of going in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then you shall go out to battle: for God is gone forth before you to smite the host of the Philistines. 16David therefore did as God commanded him: and they smote the host of the Philistines from Gibeon even to Gazer.

2 Samuel 5:23 so David inquired of the LORD, and he answered, "Do not go straight up, but circle around behind them and attack them in front of the poplar trees.
1 Chronicles 14:14 so David inquired of God again, and God answered him, "Do not go directly after them, but circle around them and attack them in front of the poplar trees.
1 Chronicles 14:16 So David did as God commanded him, and they struck down the Philistine army, all the way from Gibeon to Gezer.