1 Chronicles 14 in Hebrew & English

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Tenakh Study · Read 1 Chronicles in Hebrew and English, one chapter per page. Our Tenakh study meets every Wednesday at 7 pm (Central Time) on Zoom. Text us for the Zoom link. Our Messianic Jewish notes appear below each passage; tap Commentary above to hide them. The full commentary on this chapter is on our 1 Chronicles commentary page.

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Tenakh Study · 1 Chronicles 14:1–17

1 Chronicles, Chapter 14

דברי הימים א יד

Churam king of Tzor sends cedar and craftsmen to build David a house; the names of the sons born to David in Yerushalayim; and David, inquiring of God, twice defeats the Pelishtim, at Ba’al Peratzim and by the mulberry trees, from Givon to Gezer.

14:1Now Churam (Hiram) king of Tzor (Tyre) sent messengers to David, and timber of cedars, with masons and carpenters, to build him a house.

אוַ֠יִּשְׁלַח חוּרָ֨ם (כתיב חירם) מֶֽלֶךְ־צֹ֥ר מַלְאָכִים֮ אֶל־דָּוִיד֒ וַעֲצֵ֣י אֲרָזִ֔ים וְחָרָשֵׁ֣י קִ֔יר וְחָרָשֵׁ֖י עֵצִ֑ים לִבְנ֥וֹת ל֖וֹ בָּֽיִת׃

14:2And David perceived that Hashem had confirmed him king over Israel, for his kingdom was lifted up on high, because of his people Israel.

בוַיֵּ֣דַע דָּוִ֔יד כִּֽי־הֱכִינ֧וֹ יְהוָ֛ה לְמֶ֖לֶךְ עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל כִּֽי־נִשֵּׂ֤את לְמַ֨עְלָה֙ מַלְכוּת֔וֹ בַּעֲב֖וּר עַמּ֥וֹ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

Commentary · 14:1–2

Churam’s cedars, and a kingdom lifted up on high

Read in the Chronicler’s order, chapter 14 fills the three months the Ark waits in Oved-Edom’s house: while Hashem blesses that house, He is also building David’s. He did not withdraw from David after the breach. Chronicles adds one word to Samuel’s sentence, lemalah, “on high,” and keeps Samuel’s reason: “because of his people Israel.” As our 2 Samuel commentary noted with Radak and Metzudat David, the throne exists for the people, not the people for the throne.

Churam. Rabbi Palvanov, in his class “Lebanon & Iran in the End of Days”, describes the old friendship: “King Hiram was even friends with King David… Israel and Lebanon back then were very close allies.” The Midrash asks whether this is Chirah the Adullamite, Yehudah’s friend in Genesis 38. The Rabbis say they are the same man, who lived near twelve hundred years; Rabbi Yehudah ben Rabbi Simon says they are two (Bereshit Rabbah 85:4). We take it as midrash and as a hint: the house of Yehudah has had a friend in Tzor since the patriarchs.

Messianic reading. The lifting is Hashem’s doing, for the people’s sake: “God also hath highly exalted him” (Philippians 2:9). The Son of David does not lift himself. Hashem lifts him, for Israel’s sake and for the nations’.

Read more in the full commentary →

David’s sons in Yerushalayim

14:3And David took more wives at Yerushalayim (Jerusalem): and David begat more sons and daughters.

גוַיִּקַּ֨ח דָּוִ֥יד ע֛וֹד נָשִׁ֖ים בִּירוּשָׁלִָ֑ם וַיּ֧וֹלֶד דָּוִ֛יד ע֖וֹד בָּנִ֥ים וּבָנֽוֹת׃

14:4Now these are the names of his children which he had in Yerushalayim; Shamua (Shammua), and Shovav (Shobab), Natan (Nathan), and Shlomo (Solomon),

דוְאֵ֨לֶּה֙ שְׁמ֣וֹת הַיְלוּדִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר הָיוּ־ל֖וֹ בִּירוּשָׁלִָ֑ם שַׁמּ֣וּעַ וְשׁוֹבָ֔ב נָתָ֖ן וּשְׁלֹמֹֽה׃

14:5And Yivchar (Ibhar), and Elishua, and Elpalet,

הוְיִבְחָ֥ר וֶאֱלִישׁ֖וּעַ וְאֶלְפָּֽלֶט׃

14:6And Nogah, and Nefeg (Nepheg), and Yafia (Japhia),

ווְנֹ֥גַהּ וְנֶ֖פֶג וְיָפִֽיעַ׃

14:7And Elishama, and Be’elyada (Beeliada), and Elifelet (Eliphalet).

זוֶאֱלִישָׁמָ֥ע וּבְעֶלְיָדָ֖ע וֶאֱלִיפָֽלֶט׃

Commentary · 14:3–7

Thirteen sons in Yerushalayim

Thirteen sons are named; Samuel names eleven (2 Samuel 5:14–16), and Chronicles adds Elpalet and Nogah, here and in 3:5–8. Neither list names the mothers. Bat-Sheva appears in this book once, as Bat-Shua, mother of “Shim’a, and Shovav, and Natan, and Shlomo” (3:5), and her story is never told.

Natan and Shlomo stand side by side in verse 4. Matthew traces Yeshua’s line through Shlomo (Matthew 1:6) and Luke through Natan (Luke 3:31). We discussed the two lines in our 2 Samuel commentary, and in our Sukkot 5787 shiur “The Son of David” we took up how the genealogies fit together. The Chronicler’s lists are the backbone of both.

Hebrew lesson: בְּעֶלְיָדָע (Be’elyada), “Baal knows.” Verse 7 keeps a name that Samuel and 3:8 give as Elyada, “God knows.” In David’s day baal, “master,” could still be used of Hashem; Hosea promises the day Israel “shalt call me Ishi; and shalt call me no more Baali” (Hosea 2:16). The change from Be’elyada to Elyada is that promise carried out in one family.

Read more in the full commentary →

Victory at Ba’al Peratzim

14:8And when the Pelishtim (Philistines) heard that David was anointed king over all Israel, all the Pelishtim went up to seek David. And David heard of it, and went out against them.

חוַיִּשְׁמְע֣וּ פְלִשְׁתִּ֗ים כִּי־נִמְשַׁ֨ח דָּוִ֤יד לְמֶ֨לֶךְ֙ עַל־כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַיַּעֲל֥וּ כָל־פְּלִשְׁתִּ֖ים לְבַקֵּ֣שׁ אֶת־דָּוִ֑יד וַיִּשְׁמַ֣ע דָּוִ֔יד וַיֵּצֵ֖א לִפְנֵיהֶֽם׃

14:9And the Pelishtim came and spread themselves in the valley of Refa’im (Rephaim).

טוּפְלִשְׁתִּ֖ים בָּ֑אוּ וַֽיִּפְשְׁט֖וּ בְּעֵ֥מֶק רְפָאִֽים׃

14:10And David inquired of God, saying, “Shall I go up against the Pelishtim? and will You deliver them into my hand?” And Hashem said unto him, “Go up; for I will deliver them into your hand.”

יוַיִּשְׁאַ֨ל דָּוִ֤יד בֵּאלֹהִים֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר הַאֶֽעֱלֶה֙ עַל־פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים (כתיב פלשתיים) וּנְתַתָּ֖ם בְּיָדִ֑י וַיֹּ֨אמֶר ל֤וֹ יְהוָה֙ עֲלֵ֔ה וּנְתַתִּ֖ים בְּיָדֶֽךָ׃

14:11So they came up to Ba’al Peratzim (Baal-perazim); and David struck them there. Then David said, “God has broken in upon my enemies by my hand like the breaking forth of waters”: therefore they called the name of that place Ba’al Peratzim.

יאוַיַּעֲל֥וּ בְּבַֽעַל־פְּרָצִים֮ וַיַּכֵּ֣ם שָׁ֣ם דָּוִיד֒ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר דָּוִ֔יד פָּרַ֨ץ הָֽאֱלֹהִ֧ים אֶת־אוֹיְבַ֛י בְּיָדִ֖י כְּפֶ֣רֶץ מָ֑יִם עַל־כֵּ֗ן קָֽרְא֛וּ שֵֽׁם־הַמָּק֥וֹם הַה֖וּא בַּ֥עַל פְּרָצִֽים׃

14:12And when they had left their gods there, David gave a commandment, and they were burned with fire.

יבוַיַּעַזְבוּ־שָׁ֖ם אֶת־אֱלֹֽהֵיהֶ֑ם וַיֹּ֣אמֶר דָּוִ֔יד וַיִּשָּׂרְפ֖וּ בָּאֵֽשׁ׃

Commentary · 14:8–12

Ba’al Peratzim: the God who breaks through

Where Samuel has David go down “to the hold” (2 Samuel 5:17), Chronicles has him go out against them. The united kingdom is a threat the moment it exists, and its king does not hide. Then David asks: “Shall I go up against the Pelishtim?” The verb is sha’al, the root of Shaul’s own name. When Shaul asked, “Hashem answered him not” (1 Samuel 14:37; 28:6). David asks before the first battle and again before the second.

The breakthrough. The word that named Uzza’s death now names David’s victory: paratz Elohim… keferetz mayim… Ba’al Peratzim. Chronicles also changes “before me” (2 Samuel 5:20) to “by my hand”: the breakthrough is God’s, and the hand is David’s. In our 2 Samuel commentary we traced the root to Peretz, David’s ancestor, and to Ariel Cohen Alloro’s teaching in “The Trinity – Part 12” that the story of Peretz is the Torah’s story of the birth of Mashiach. What Chronicles adds is the pairing. The same God who broke out against a careless hand on the Ark breaks through for a king who asks Him. Whether holiness meets us as breach or as breakthrough depends on how we come to it.

The idols. Samuel’s Hebrew says David’s men carried them away (2 Samuel 5:21); Chronicles says “they were burned with fire,” as the Torah requires (Deuteronomy 7:25). The Chronicler wants his readers, home from Babylon and its gods, to hear that David did it by the book.

Read more in the full commentary →

By the mulberry trees

14:13And the Pelishtim yet again spread themselves abroad in the valley.

יגוַיֹּסִ֤יפוּ עוֹד֙ פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים וַֽיִּפְשְׁט֖וּ בָּעֵֽמֶק׃

14:14Therefore David inquired again of God; and God said unto him, “Go not up after them; turn away from them, and come upon them over against the mulberry trees.

ידוַיִּשְׁאַ֨ל ע֤וֹד דָּוִיד֙ בֵּֽאלֹהִ֔ים וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לוֹ֙ הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔ים לֹ֥א תַֽעֲלֶ֖ה אַֽחֲרֵיהֶ֑ם הָסֵב֙ מֵֽעֲלֵיהֶ֔ם וּבָ֥אתָ לָהֶ֖ם מִמּ֥וּל הַבְּכָאִֽים׃

14:15And 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 strike the host of the Pelishtim.”

טווִ֠יהִי כְּֽשָׁמְעֲךָ֞ אֶת־ק֤וֹל הַצְּעָדָה֙ בְּרָאשֵׁ֣י הַבְּכָאִ֔ים אָ֖ז תֵּצֵ֣א בַמִּלְחָמָ֑ה כִּֽי־יָצָ֤א הָֽאֱלֹהִים֙ לְפָנֶ֔יךָ לְהַכּ֖וֹת אֶת־מַחֲנֵ֥ה פְלִשְׁתִּֽים׃

14:16David therefore did as God commanded him: and they struck the host of the Pelishtim from Givon (Gibeon) even to Gezer (Gazer).

טזוַיַּ֣עַשׂ דָּוִ֔יד כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוָּ֖הוּ הָֽאֱלֹהִ֑ים וַיַּכּוּ֙ אֶת־מַחֲנֵ֣ה פְלִשְׁתִּ֔ים מִגִּבְע֖וֹן וְעַד־גָּֽזְרָה׃

14:17And the fame of David went out into all lands; and Hashem brought the fear of him upon all nations.

יזוַיֵּצֵ֥א שֵׁם־דָּוִ֖יד בְּכָל־הָֽאֲרָצ֑וֹת וַֽיהוָ֛ה נָתַ֥ן אֶת־פַּחְדּ֖וֹ עַל־כָּל־הַגּוֹיִֽם׃

Commentary · 14:13–17

The sound of marching in the treetops

Hebrew lesson: קוֹל הַצְּעָדָה (kol hatze’adah), “the sound of marching.” Rashi’s angels in the treetops are in our 2 Samuel commentary; here we listen to the Hebrew. Tza’ad is the march of Hashem the Warrior before His people: “O God, when thou wentest forth before thy people, when thou didst march (betza’adecha) through the wilderness” (Psalm 68:7). “God is gone forth before you” is that psalm’s phrase, and Psalm 68 opens with the words Moshe said whenever the Ark set out: “Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered” (Numbers 10:35). The Ark is still in Oved-Edom’s house, but the God of the Ark is marching ahead of David.

From Givon to Gezer. Samuel says “from Geba” (2 Samuel 5:25). Isaiah remembered both victories the Chronicler’s way: “Hashem shall rise up as in mount Perazim, he shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon” (Isaiah 28:21). Verse 17 has no parallel in Samuel. “The fear of him upon all nations” is the language of the conquest (Deuteronomy 2:25): what Yehoshua’s generation began, David’s completes.

Messianic reading. When the Son of David began to teach, “his fame went throughout all Syria” (Matthew 4:24). The Pelishtim went up “to seek David” the moment he was anointed, as Herod would “seek the young child to destroy him” (Matthew 2:13). And the sound in the treetops, heard and not seen, is how Yeshua described the Spirit: “thou hearest the sound thereof” (John 3:8).

Read more in the full commentary →

Sources & method

Hebrew text: The Masoretic text with vowels (nikkud) and cantillation marks (ta’amim), from the Westminster Leningrad Codex (public domain) as published by the Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (CC BY 4.0). Where the written text (ketiv) differs from the reading (qere), the reading is shown and the written form follows in small type. A paragraph mark (ס or פ) inside a verse is shown in small type.
English translation: The King James Version (public domain), lightly modernized by Benei Avraham: “thee/thou/ye” become “you,” older verb forms are updated (“hath” to “has”), and archaic words are replaced only where the meaning would otherwise be unclear. People and places carry their Hebrew names, with the King James spelling in parentheses the first time on each page (e.g., Yehudah (Judah)). The Divine Name (יהוה, “the LORD” in the KJV) is written “Hashem”; “God” (Elohim) is unchanged, and “law” is “Torah” where the Hebrew is תּוֹרָה.
Verse numbers: Verse numbers follow the Hebrew Bible. In 1 Chronicles they differ from most English Bibles in chapters 5, 6 and 12; a note under the summary on those pages explains how.
Commentary: Written for our Wednesday Tenakh study from a Messianic Jewish perspective, in line with the Benei Avraham Statement of Faith. It reads the passage first in its Torah setting, then with the Sages, and then with the witness of the Brit Hadashah. Its sources include the Talmud and Midrash, Rashi, Radak, Rambam, the First Fruits of Zion End of Days lessons, and teachings of Rabbi Efraim Palvanov and Ariel Cohen Alloro. Numerical readings (gematria) are offered as hints, not proofs. The notes here are short versions of our full 1 Chronicles commentary, which is a draft for our teachers to review. They are shown by default; tap Commentary to hide them.
Quiz: Written by Benei Avraham for young readers (about 11 and up). Every answer is in the chapter on this page. Answers and scores are kept only in this browser (local storage) and can be cleared with Start over.
Hebrew font: SBL Hebrew, by the Society of Biblical Literature.

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1 Chronicles 14 (Divrei HaYamim Alef) in Hebrew and English

1 Chronicles, Chapter 14

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