(11) So they came up to Baal-peraz?m.--And they: that is, David and his troops. Samuel, "And David came into Baal-perazim." The locality is unknown. The prophet Isaiah (1Chronicles 28:21) refers to these two victories of David: "For Jehovah shall rise up as in Mount Perazim, he shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon, that he may do his work, his strange work; and bring to pass his act, his strange act." Such a reference proves the great moment of the events so briefly chronicled here.

God hath broken in upon mine enemies.--Samuel has "Jehovah" here and in 1Chronicles 14:10 a, and again in 1Chronicles 14:14-15. (See Note, 1Chronicles 13:12.) True to his character, David owns the mighty hand of God in the results of his own valour. (Comp. 1Chronicles 17:16, sqq.) He is conscious of being God's instrument. Contrast the haughty self-confidence of the Assyrian conqueror (Isaiah 10:5-15).

By mine hand.--Samuel, "before me;" and so the Syriac and Arabic here. The Hebrew phrases are probably synonymous. (Comp. 1Samuel 21:14, "in their hand," i.e., before them.) In Arabic, "between the hands" means before. Our text seems the more original here.

Like the breaking forth of waters.--David's forces probably charged down the slopes of Mount Perazim (Isaiah 28:21), like a mountain torrent, sweeping all before it.

They called.--An explanation of Samuel, which has "he [i.e., one] called." The remark indicates the antiquity of the narrative. (Comp. the frequent verbal plays of this kind in the stories of the Book of Genesis.)

Baal-perazim.--Lord, or owner, of breaches, or breakings forth. "Baal" may refer to Jehovah ( comp. 1Chronicles 9:33, Note); and per?zim may have also meant the fissures or gullies on the mountain-side. It is the plural of the word perez (1Chronicles 13:11).

Verse 11. - Baal-perazim; literally, master of breaches. Gesenius traces this meaning, through the intermediate idea of "possessor," to that (in this case, that place), which "possesses," i.e. is the subject of such a signal overwhelming as is here described, the scene of overwhelming defeats, like the irresistible rush of waters (Isaiah 28:21).

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.See Chapter Introduction