1 Chronicles 14:11 kjv
So they came up to Baalperazim; and David smote them there. Then David said, God hath broken in upon mine enemies by mine hand like the breaking forth of waters: therefore they called the name of that place Baalperazim.
1 Chronicles 14:11 nkjv
So they went up to Baal Perazim, and David defeated them there. Then David said, "God has broken through my enemies by my hand like a breakthrough of water." Therefore they called the name of that place Baal Perazim.
1 Chronicles 14:11 niv
So David and his men went up to Baal Perazim, and there he defeated them. He said, "As waters break out, God has broken out against my enemies by my hand." So that place was called Baal Perazim.
1 Chronicles 14:11 esv
And he went up to Baal-perazim, and David struck them down there. And David said, "God has broken through my enemies by my hand, like a bursting flood." Therefore the name of that place is called Baal-perazim.
1 Chronicles 14:11 nlt
So David and his troops went up to Baal-perazim and defeated the Philistines there. "God did it!" David exclaimed. "He used me to burst through my enemies like a raging flood!" So they named that place Baal-perazim (which means "the Lord who bursts through").
1 Chronicles 14 11 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Sam 5:20 | "So David went to Baal Perazim and defeated them there. He said, 'The LORD has broken out...'" | Parallel account of the same event. |
| Exo 14:14 | "The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still." | God fighting for His people. |
| Deut 1:30 | "The LORD your God, who is going before you, will fight for you..." | God's active involvement in battles. |
| Deut 20:4 | "For the LORD your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you..." | Assurance of divine assistance in war. |
| Psa 20:7 | "Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD..." | Trusting God for victory, not human strength. |
| Psa 33:16-17 | "No king is saved by the size of his army... A horse is a vain hope for deliverance..." | Human power is insufficient; divine aid needed. |
| Prov 21:31 | "The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory rests with the LORD." | Final outcome decided by God. |
| Isa 28:21 | "For the LORD will rise up as He did at Mount Perazim... to do His work, His strange work..." | Prophetic reference to Baal Perazim as an example of God's unique, unexpected work. |
| Isa 42:13 | "The LORD will march out like a champion, like a warrior He will stir up His fervor..." | God depicted as a powerful warrior. |
| Zech 4:6 | "Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says the LORD Almighty." | Emphasizing divine spirit over human strength. |
| Col 2:15 | "And having disarmed the powers and authorities, He made a public spectacle of them..." | Christ's breakthrough victory over spiritual foes. |
| 1 Jn 4:4 | "You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater..." | God's power in believers overcoming spiritual enemies. |
| Rom 8:31 | "If God is for us, who can be against us?" | Divine advocacy guarantees victory. |
| Gen 16:13 | "She gave this name to the LORD who spoke to her: 'You are the God who sees me'..." | Naming places/persons based on divine revelation. |
| Exo 15:26 | "...I am the LORD who heals you." (Jehovah Rapha) | God revealing aspects of His character through events. |
| 1 Cor 15:57 | "But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." | God as the source of victory in the New Covenant. |
| Psa 108:13 | "With God we will gain the victory; He will trample down our enemies." | Divine partnership in achieving triumph. |
| Judg 15:18-19 | Samson calls on God and God breaks forth water from a hollow place. | God provides unexpected "breaking forth" in need. |
| Eph 6:10 | "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power." | Encouragement to rely on God's strength for battles. |
| Rom 16:20 | "The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet." | Ultimate breakthrough and victory promised by God. |
| Isa 66:2 | "This is the one I esteem: him who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at My word." | God's favor for humble, dependent leaders like David. |
| 2 Cor 10:4 | "The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds." | God's "breaking out" against spiritual strongholds. |
1 Chronicles 14 verses
1 Chronicles 14 11 Meaning
1 Chronicles 14:11 describes David's first major victory against the Philistines after being established as king over all Israel. It signifies God's powerful, irresistible intervention on behalf of His chosen servant, David, through whom He "broke out" against the enemies, likening His destructive power to a sudden, overwhelming flood. David, recognizing divine agency in the triumph, names the place "Baal Perazim," meaning "Lord of breaking through," forever attributing the victory to God's unique power.
1 Chronicles 14 11 Context
1 Chronicles 14 begins with David established as king in Jerusalem. Having previously ruled only over Judah (2 Sam 5), his full reign over all Israel (1 Chron 11) is now challenged by the Philistines. The Philistines, a powerful and perennial enemy of Israel, view David's consolidated kingdom as a threat and mount a direct invasion. They spread out in the Valley of Rephaim, a fertile plain southwest of Jerusalem. This chapter narrates David's two significant victories over the Philistines. Verse 11 details the first of these encounters. Unlike King Saul, who often acted without consulting God, David consistently inquires of the Lord before battle (v. 10), showcasing his humble reliance and setting a pattern for righteous kingship emphasized by the Chronicler. The battle at Baal Perazim is not just a military win, but a foundational act that solidifies David's reign as divinely appointed and maintained, affirming God's continued faithfulness to His covenant people through their leader.
1 Chronicles 14 11 Word analysis
- So they went up to Baal Perazim:
- "Baal Perazim" (בַּעַל פְּרָצִים - Ba'al Pərāṣiym): Literally "Master of Breakings Through" or "Lord of Breakings Out/Breaches." This name encapsulates the essence of the victory and David's understanding of it. While "Baal" (lord/master) often refers to Canaanite deities, here it is used generically as "Lord" and explicitly linked by David's subsequent statement to YHWH, the true God, showcasing His supreme power. The plural "breakings" might denote repeated, powerful breakthroughs or the overwhelming nature of a single, decisive breakthrough.
- and David defeated them there.
- "defeated them" (וַיַּכֵּם - va-yak-kēm): The Hebrew verb often implies striking down or utterly defeating. This was a decisive victory. It shows David as God's instrument.
- He said, “God has broken out against my enemies by my hand as waters break out.”
- "God" (אֱלֹהִים - ’Ělōhiym): The general Hebrew word for God, indicating the divine being, powerful and supreme. David unequivocally attributes the action to God.
- "has broken out" (פָּרַץ - pāraṣ): From the same root as "Perazim" (פֶּרֶץ). This verb means "to break forth, burst out, burst through, make a breach." It implies an unrestrained, overwhelming force, a sudden eruption, rather than a slow advance. It signifies an unstoppable divine power that dismantles all opposition.
- "against my enemies" (עַל־אֹיְבַי - ‘al-’ôyᵉvāy): God's direct target. The victory is not incidental but a specific act of judgment against those opposing God's chosen king and nation.
- "by my hand" (עַל־יָדִי - ‘al-yāḏi): This phrase highlights David's instrumentality. God acts through David, making him an agent of divine power, not the ultimate source. David is the visible vessel for God's invisible force. It points to David's role as a man of faith through whom God works mightily.
- "as waters break out" (כְּפֶרֶץ מָיִם - kə-p̄ereṣ māyim): A powerful simile. Imagine a dam breaking, or a sudden, uncontrollable torrent of water. This is a vivid metaphor for the irresistible, destructive, and overwhelming force of God's action. The Philistines were swept away as if by a flash flood, indicating chaos, surprise, and total defeat.
- So they called that place Baal Perazim.
- "So they called...": The action of naming commemorates the event and perpetually serves as a reminder of God's miraculous intervention and David's humble acknowledgment of it. It solidifies the divine identity associated with the breakthrough.
1 Chronicles 14 11 Bonus section
The Chronicler, writing post-exile, places significant emphasis on this narrative to demonstrate divine favor towards faithful kings like David, especially in times of great challenge. It is a polemic against the idea that national prosperity or military success depended on human prowess or idolatrous practices. Instead, it teaches that the only true source of power and victory is the Lord God. This account sets the precedent for all subsequent kings of Judah: success came from inquiring of God and trusting in His "breakthrough" power, not from strategic alliances or formidable armies. The Valley of Rephaim itself has a history with "giants," possibly alluding to formidable, perhaps even mythic, Philistine strength, making God's "breakthrough" even more spectacular as He overthrows great adversaries.
1 Chronicles 14 11 Commentary
1 Chronicles 14:11 powerfully portrays God's direct and decisive intervention in the affairs of His people. David's profound statement, "God has broken out against my enemies by my hand as waters break out," reveals his spiritual insight. He recognized that the victory was not due to his own military genius or strength, but entirely to the irresistible power of God bursting forth through him. This vivid imagery of "waters breaking out" perfectly conveys the overwhelming and sudden nature of God's power, sweeping away opposition and establishing His authority. By naming the place "Baal Perazim," David not only created a permanent memorial to this divine "breakthrough" but also, perhaps subtly, asserted the true God (YHWH) as the true "Lord of breaking out," in contrast to pagan deities. This account emphasizes David's exemplary faith and dependence on God, establishing him as a model for all kings and leaders who seek to be effective instruments in God's hands. The victory at Baal Perazim served as a crucial confirmation of David's reign and a testament to God's faithfulness in protecting His covenant and His anointed king.