God instructed David, saying, "Thou shalt not go up; but fetch a compass behind them, and come upon them over against the mulberry trees. And let it be, when thou hearest the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself: for then shall the Lord go out before thee, to smite the host of the Philistines." If David, like Saul, had chosen his own way, success would not have attended him. But he did as the Lord had commanded, and he "smote the host of the Philistines from Gibeon even to Gazer. And the fame of David went out into all lands; and the Lord brought the fear of him upon all nations." 1 Chronicles 14:16, 17.

Gud sagde til David: "Drag ikke imod dem, men omgå dem og fald dem i ryggen ud for bakabuskene. Når du da hører lyden af skridt i bakabuskenes toppe, skal du skynde dig, thi så er Herren draget ud foran dig for at slå filisternes hær!" Hvis David havde handlet på egen hånd ligesom Saul, ville han ikke have haft lykken med sig, men han gjorde, som Herren befalede ham, og han "slog filisternes hær fra Gibeon til hen imod Gezer. Og Davids ry bredte sig i alle lande, idet Herren lod frygt for ham komme over alle hedningefolkene" 1. Krøn. 14, 16-17.