(14) Therefore David enquired.--The first half of this verse is fuller and clearer than in Samuel. The second half must be adjusted by comparison with the older text, which reads, "Thou must not go up [LXX., "to meet them "]; go round to their rear, and come upon them in front of the baca trees." Probably the terms rendered "after them" and "from them" should be slightly modified and transposed in our text. This will give, "Go not up against them; go round to their rear," &c., as in Samuel.

Mulberry trees.--The traditional Jewish rendering of beka'im, a Hebrew word only occurring here and in the parallel passage of Samuel. Probably the kind of balsam tree called b?k? by the Arabs is meant. It sheds a gum like tears, whence its name. (Heb., b?k?, "to weep.") (Comp. Psalm 84:6.)

Verse 14. - Go not up after them; turn away from them, and come upon them over against the mulberry trees. The meaning of the directions as here given is sufficiently evident, yet it is somewhat more forcibly expressed in the parallel place, "Thou shalt not go up," i.e. "against the Philistines" (see our tenth verse, and note the form of David's inquiry); "but fetch a compass behind them." The mulberry trees were evidently behind the Philistines. The Hebrew word for the trees here spoken of is הַבְּכָאִים, and the correct rendering of it is probably neither "mulberry" nor, as the Septuagint and Vulgate translate, "pear" trees. But judging from the probable derivation (בָּכָה, to weep), they were trees of the balsam species, and it seems that this is as far as we can safely conjecture. One of the latest authorities (see Condor's 'Handbook to the Bible,' p. 398, 2nd edit.) pronounces it an "unknown species." The tree, strange to say, is only mentioned here and in the parallel place. A summary of opinions as to the tree intended may be found in Smith's 'Bible Dictionary,' 2:439, and this is just sufficient to show that it is not as yet identified with any semblance of certainty. However, it is easy to understand hew the balsam species, from which the exuding gum resembles "tears," might come by the name set forth in the present Hebrew root.

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