2 Samuel 17:16

2 Samuel 17:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Now therefore send quickly, and tell David, saying, Lodge not this night in the plains of the wilderness, but speedily pass over; lest the king be swallowed up, and all the people that are with him.
• New International Version (NIV)Now send a message at once and tell David, ‘Do not spend the night at the fords in the wilderness; cross over without fail, or the king and all the people with him will be swallowed up.’ ”
• English Standard Version (ESV)Now therefore send quickly and tell David, 'Do not stay tonight at the fords of the wilderness, but by all means pass over, lest the king and all the people who are with him be swallowed up.'"
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now therefore, send quickly and tell David, saying, ‘Do not spend this night in the plains of the wilderness, but speedily cross over, lest the king and all the people who are with him be swallowed up.’ ”

Context of 2 Samuel 17:16

14Then Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The advice of Hushai the Archite is better than that of Ahithophel.” For the Lord had ordained to thwart the good advice of Ahithophel, so that the Lord could bring disaster upon Absalom. 15Then Hushai said to Zadok and Abiathar the priests, “This is the advice that Ahithophel gave to Absalom and the elders of Israel, and this is the advice that I have given. Now then, send word quickly and tell David, ‘Do not spend the night at the fords [on the west side of the Jordan] in the wilderness, but by all means cross over [to the east side of the river], or else the king and all the people with him will be destroyed [if Ahithophel is allowed by Absalom to lead an attack].’ ” 17Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz [the priests’ sons] were staying at En-rogel, and a maidservant [appearing to go for water] would go and tell them [what was happening], and they would go [secretly] and inform King David; for they could not [allow themselves to] be seen coming into the city [of Jerusalem]. 18But a boy saw them and told Absalom; so the two of them left quickly and came to the house of a man in Bahurim, who had a well in his courtyard, and [with his permission] they went down into it.

2 Samuel 17:16 word by word

וְעַתָּ֡ה שִׁלְח֣וּ מְהֵרָה֩ וְהַגִּ֨ידוּ לְדָוִ֜ד לֵאמֹ֗ר אַל־תָּ֤לֶן הַלַּ֙יְלָה֙ בְּעַֽרְב֣וֹת הַמִּדְבָּ֔ר וְגַ֖ם עָב֣וֹר תַּעֲב֑וֹר פֶּ֚ן יְבֻלַּ֣ע לַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וּלְכָל־הָעָ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר אִתּֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Now therefore sendשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: departH7971
• quicklyמְהֵרָהmehêrâh · hasteH4120
• and tellנָגַדnâgad · to tellH5046
• Davidדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
• sayingאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Lodgeלוּןlûn lîyn · to lodgeH3885
• not this nightלַ֫יְלָהlayil lêyl layelâh · nightH3915
• in the plainsעֲבָרָה‛ăbârâh · fordH5679
• in the plainsעֲרָבָה‛ărâbâh · plainH6160
• of the wildernessמִדְבָּרmidbâr · wildernessH4057
• but speedilyעָבַר‛âbar · to passH5674
• lest the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• be swallowed upבָּלַעbâla‛ · to swallow upH1104
• and all the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971

Cross-references for 2 Samuel 17:16

• 2 Samuel 15:28See, I am going to wait at the fords [of the Jordan] in the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me.”
• 2 Samuel 17:21After they left, Jonathan and Ahimaaz came up out of the well and went and informed King David, and said to David, “Arise and cross over the Jordan River quickly, for Ahithophel has advised [an attack] against you.”
• 2 Samuel 15:14David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, “Arise, let us flee, or none of us will escape from Absalom! Go in haste, or he will overtake us quickly and bring disaster on us and strike the city with the edge of the sword.”
• 1 Samuel 20:38And Jonathan called out after the boy, “Hurry, be quick, do not stay!” So Jonathan’s boy picked up the arrow and came back to his master.
• Psalms 55:8I would hurry to my refuge [my tranquil shelter far away] From the stormy wind and from the tempest.”
• Proverbs 6:4Give no [unnecessary] sleep to your eyes, Nor slumber to your eyelids;
• Matthew 24:16then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains [for refuge].
• 2 Samuel 20:19I am one of the peaceable and faithful in Israel. You are seeking to destroy a city, and a mother in Israel. Why would you swallow up (devour) the inheritance of the Lord?”
• Psalms 35:25Do not let them say in their heart, “Aha, that is what we wanted!” Do not let them say, “We have swallowed him up and destroyed him.”
• Psalms 56:2My enemies have trampled upon me all day long, For they are many who fight proudly against me.
• Psalms 57:3He will send from heaven and save me; He calls to account him who tramples me down. Selah. God will send out His lovingkindness and His truth.
• 1 Corinthians 15:54And when this perishable puts on the imperishable, and this mortal puts on immortality, then the Scripture will be fulfilled that says, “Death is swallowed up in victory (vanquished forever).
• 2 Corinthians 5:4For while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened [often weighed down, oppressed], not that we want to be unclothed [separated by death from the body], but to be clothed, so that what is mortal [the body] will be swallowed up by life [after the resurrection].

Commentaries on 2 Samuel 17:16

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16Hushai, like a wise and prudent man, knowing, too, Absalom‘s weak and fickle character, would not depend upon the resolution, taken at his instigation, not to pursue the king, but took instant measures to advertise David of his danger.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1616. send quickly, and tell David--Apparently doubting that his advice would be followed, Hushai ordered secret intelligence to be conveyed to David of all that transpired, with an urgent recommendation to cross the Jordan without a moment's delay, lest Ahithophel's address and influence might produce a change on the prince's mind, and an immediate pursuit be determined on.Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Samuel 17:16

• Abiathar
• Ahithophel
• Citizens
• Falsehood
• Friendship
• Gilead
• Loyalty
• Spies

In the dictionaries

• David
• Ahimaaz
• Ahithophel
• Desert
• Instead
• Prayer
• Bible, the
• Ford
• Israel, History of
• Joab

Commentaries on 2 Samuel 17

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings