The History of the Old Testament Methodized, Chapter 4 · Section 185
SECT. CLXXXV.
THE Philiſtines who during the Civil Wars between David and Iſhboſheth were content to look on, when they ſaw that Iſhboſheth was dead, and the people had generally received David for their King (who was a great warrior) and that he had driven the Jebuſites out of the ſtrong Fort of Sion, and that the King of Tyre had made a league with him, they thought it was time for them to beſtir themſelves, and to oppoſe his growing power. And herein the Providence of God was remarkable, that they began with him, and not he with them, (to whom he had been formerly obliged) and ſo might have ſeemed ungrateful if it had been otherwiſe. They therefore having raiſed a great Army, invaded the land of Iſrael, and came to ſeek David to fight with him. When David heard of it he went to a Fort or ſtrong-hold near the Cave of Adullam, [ſee 2 Sam. 23.13.] there to muſter, and arm his Soldiers, and the Philiſtines ſpread themſelves in the valley of Rephaim, which was in the way to Bethlem, and they had their Head-quarters in Bethlem it ſelf. The Iſraelites being (as it ſeems) at this time ſomething diſtreſſed through want of water, (it being hot weather, and harveſt-time) David wiſhed he had a draught of the well of Bethlem, but not with any intent (as 'tis probable) to ſtir up any of his Souldiers to adventure to fetch it for him; however three of his valiant Commanders (who are ſuppoſed to be Adino, Eleazar, and Shammah, ſee 1 Chron. 11.19. 2 Sam. 23.13. who were the chief over the thirty Colonels or Commanders) having heard him expreſs his deſire of that water, they ventured to break through the hoſt of the Philiſtines, and came to Bethlem and drew of the water which was by the Gate, and brought it unto him; but David when he underſtood the extreme danger they had gone thorough to procure it, was very ſorry he had given occaſion to ſuch a raſh enterprize, and had thereby ſo dangerouſly expoſed the lives of his great Captains, therefore he would not drink of it, but took it and poured it on the ground as an offering of Thanksgiving unto God for delivering them from that great danger, ſaying. Far be it from me, O Lord, to drink that water which was procured with the extreme hazard of theſe mens blood (a)2 Sam. 23.17. Is not this the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives?and lives (b)Aquam tam pretioſam dignam judicavit, quae Domino libaretur..
Then David enquired of the Lord by Abiathar the High-Prieſt, whither he ſhould go up againſt the Philiſtines or no? For though he had a great Army, yet he relyed not upon it but ſeeks to God for direction, and without that would not ſtir. He receives anſwer from God, that he ſhould go up and be victorious. Then David came to Baalperazim (whether the Philiſtines were now come from the valley of Rephaim, 1 Chron, 14.11.) and David ſmote them there with a great ſlaughter, whereupon he ſaid, the Lord hath broken in upon mine enemies by my hand like the breaking forth of waters; ſignifying thereby the ſenſe he had of Gods hand, and power in driving away his enemies as waters, when they break through the bank do ſweep away all before them. Thence this place was called afterwards Baal-perazim *The name is taken from the Idol Baal, who with his Idolatrous worſhippers was there deſtroyed., ſee Iſ. 28.21. And there the Philiſtines left their Images and Idols which they had brought with them, and truſted in as their Titular Gods, which were neither able to defend their vain worſhippers, nor themſelves, and David commanded his men to burn them, ſee Deut. 7.25. 1 Chron. 14.12. The Philiſtines ſhortly after recruiting their ſcattered Army came again to provoke the Iſraelites to fight with them in the very ſame place where they had received their former defeat, though they had no provocation from David to do ſo, he having not hotly purſued his former victory; but though David had gotten a great victory over them before, yet he was not ſo puffed up with it as to relye on his own ſtrength, therefore he would not engage with them again without firſt inquiring of the Lord. The Lord bids him not go up openly and directly againſt them as formerly, but to fetch a compaſs, and ſo to come upon them behind over againſt the Mulberry Trees, where they look'd not for him; and when he heard the ſound of a going on the tops of the Mulberry Trees, viz. of an Army of Horſemen and Chariots marching over the tops of the Trees, (like that 2 King. 7.6.) which ſhould be a ſign to him that the Lord is gone forth with his holy Angels to deſtroy the Philiſtines before him, then he ſhould beſtir himſelf and fet upon them, for ſays the Lord, I will give thee victory over them. And David did accordingly, and ſmote the Philiſtines from Geba, or Gibeah in Benjamin, where the fight began, unto Gazer, ſituate in the weſt of Ephraim, which was then poſſeſſed by the Philiſtines. So that the fame of David went into all lands, and God brought the fear of him upon all Nations round about him.
2 Sam. Ch. 5. from v. 17. to the end.
2 Sam. Ch. 23. from v. 13, to the 18.
1 Chron. Ch. 11. from v. 15, to the 20.
1 Chron. Ch. 14. from v. 8, to the end.