Mount Perazim

biblical_place theological_term standard

A biblical place-name associated with David’s victory over the Philistines, where he said the Lord had broken through his enemies (2 Samuel 5:20; 1 Chronicles 14:11).

At a Glance

Biblical place-name linked to David’s defeat of the Philistines and God’s decisive help in battle.

Key Points

Mentioned in connection with David’s victory over the Philistines.
David named the place Baal-perazim, meaning the Lord had “broken through.”
Isaiah 28:21 likely echoes the event, though interpreters debate the exact reference.

Description

Mount Perazim is a biblical place-name linked to David’s victory over the Philistines in 2 Samuel 5:20 and 1 Chronicles 14:11. In the parallel accounts, David describes the Lord as the one who “broke through” his enemies, and the memorial name Baal-perazim commemorates that intervention. Some interpreters connect Isaiah 28:21 with the same event or location, though the exact relationship is not certain. In Scripture, the term functions first as a geographic reference and secondarily as a reminder of God’s power to give victory to his people.

Biblical Context

The Old Testament presents Mount Perazim as the site associated with David’s defeat of the Philistines. The account emphasizes that the victory came from the Lord, not merely from military skill or strategy. The place-name preserves that memory of divine help.

Historical Context

The reference belongs to the early monarchy period, when David was consolidating his rule and confronting Philistine opposition. The naming of locations after significant events was a common way of preserving historical memory in the biblical world.

Jewish and Ancient Context

Ancient Israelite place-names often carried theological or memorial significance. In this case, the name linked the location with the idea of a breakthrough or breach, underscoring the Lord’s decisive action in battle.

Primary Key Texts

2 Samuel 5:20
1 Chronicles 14:11

Secondary Key Texts

Isaiah 28:21

Original Language Note

The name is connected with the Hebrew root idea of “breaking through” or “bursting forth,” reflected in the memorial name Baal-perazim.

Theological Significance

Mount Perazim points to the Lord’s sovereign help in delivering his people. It illustrates that victory belongs to God, who acts on behalf of those who seek him.

Philosophical Explanation

As a memorial place-name, Mount Perazim shows how historical events can carry lasting meaning. The biblical narrative uses geography to preserve theological memory without turning the place itself into an object of doctrine.

Interpretive Cautions

The term is primarily a place-name, not a doctrine or abstract theological concept. Isaiah 28:21 may allude to the same event, but that connection should be stated cautiously. It should not be overread as a separate symbolic system.

Major Views

Most interpreters treat Mount Perazim as the location associated with David’s victory and the naming of Baal-perazim. The main interpretive question is whether Isaiah 28:21 deliberately recalls that same event.

Doctrinal Boundaries

The entry should be understood as historical and biblical, not as a basis for speculative symbolism. Its theological value is illustrative, not foundational for doctrine.

Practical Significance

The account encourages believers to remember and testify to the Lord’s help in times of conflict and to credit him for deliverance rather than self-sufficiency.

Related Entries

Baal-perazim
David
Philistines
Isaiah 28:21

Data

Machine-readable JSON for Mount Perazim