דברי הימים א, פרק י״ד, פסוק י״א

As the Philistine forces advance toward Jerusalem, moving up from the valley to the mountainous terrain, a fierce military clash unfolds. Rather than meeting them head-on, David takes them by surprise from behind, delivering a crushing and decisive defeat [מלבי״ם]. This battle takes place in an area identified with the Valley of Rephaim. The primary approach among commentators is that the site did not originally carry its well-known name. Instead, it was renamed after the fact to reflect the unique nature of the victory and the complete collapse of the enemy forces.

Following the triumph, David declares that God shattered and scattered his enemies like a sudden breach of water. This powerful imagery captures two complementary aspects of the battle. First, it highlights the suddenness and overwhelming force of the attack, comparing it to rushing floodwaters that instantly burst through a solid fence [מצודת דוד]. Second, the metaphor perfectly shows the chaotic retreat of the Philistine army. Just as waves bursting from a narrow bottleneck crash, spread out wildly in all directions, and sweep away everything in their path, the Philistines were entirely unable to mount a proper defense. Their ranks broke, and they fled for their lives, scattering widely as they ran [רש״י, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

Inspired by David's vivid declaration, the people officially adopted this imagery. They granted the battlefield its new name, Baal-perazim, permanently marking the site in honor of the sudden and overwhelming victory [מלבי״ם].