202 BATTLES OF THE BIBLE.

which had endangered their valuable lives. He could
not bear to drink the water procured with so much risk,
but poured it out as a drink-offering before the Lord.
From David’s conduct in this case we see how wrong
it is to place others in difficulty merely to please our
taste; and from his example we learn that when we
are aware we have done or said anything wrong, we
ought not to be ashamed to confess it.

George. Was there a battle at that time between
David and the Philistines ?

Grandfather. There was. David after having in-
quired of the Lord, and receiving a favourable answer,
marched against the Philistines. He obtained a com-
plete victory over them, for which he gave to God the
glory, saying, “ The Lord hath broken forth upon mine
enemies before me, as the breach of waters.” For this
reason he called the place where the battle was fought
Baalperazim, which means the master of breaches.
David took the images of the conquered army and burnt
them. Their worshippers had taken them to the fight,
thinking in their blindness that these blocks could pro-
tect them, forgetting that they could not protect them-
selves.

The Philistines were not yet subdued. A second
time they encamped in the valley of Rephaim, ranged in
battle array. David again inquired of the Lord, who
directed him not to march straight against them, but to
make a circuit, so as to come in behind them, near a
mulberry wood. Neither was he to attack them when-