Christian Standard Bible
2 Samuel 17:8
8Hushai continued, “You know your father and his men. They are warriors and are desperate like a wild bear robbed of her cubs. Your father is an experienced soldier who won’t spend the night with the people.
2 Samuel 17:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For, said Hushai, thou knowest thy father and his men, that they be mighty men, and they be chafed in their minds, as a bear robbed of her whelps in the field: and thy father is a man of war, and will not lodge with the people.
- New International Version (NIV)You know your father and his men; they are fighters, and as fierce as a wild bear robbed of her cubs. Besides, your father is an experienced fighter; he will not spend the night with the troops.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Hushai said, "You know that your father and his men are mighty men, and that they are enraged, like a bear robbed of her cubs in the field. Besides, your father is expert in war; he will not spend the night with the people.
- New King James Version (NKJV)For,” said Hushai, “you know your father and his men, that they are mighty men, and they are enraged in their minds, like a bear robbed of her cubs in the field; and your father is a man of war, and will not camp with the people.
Context of 2 Samuel 17:8
6So Hushai came to Absalom, and Absalom told him, “Ahithophel offered this proposal. Should we carry out his proposal? If not, what do you say?” 7Hushai replied to Absalom, “The advice Ahithophel has given this time is not good.” Hushai continued, “You know your father and his men. They are warriors and are desperate like a wild bear robbed of her cubs. Your father is an experienced soldier who won’t spend the night with the people. 9He’s probably already hiding in one of the caves or some other place. If some of our troops fall first, someone is sure to hear and say, ‘There’s been a slaughter among the people who follow Absalom.’ 10Then, even a brave man with the heart of a lion will lose heart because all Israel knows that your father and the valiant men with him are warriors.
Read all of 2 Samuel 172 Samuel 17:8 word by word
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר חוּשַׁ֗י אַתָּ֣ה יָ֠דַעְתָּ אֶת־אָבִ֨יךָ וְאֶת־אֲנָשָׁ֜יו כִּ֧י גִבֹּרִ֣ים הֵ֗מָּה וּמָרֵ֥י נֶ֙פֶשׁ֙ הֵ֔מָּה כְּדֹ֥ב שַׁכּ֖וּל בַּשָּׂדֶ֑ה וְאָבִ֙יךָ֙ אִ֣ישׁ מִלְחָמָ֔ה וְלֹ֥א יָלִ֖ין אֶת־הָעָֽם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- For, saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- Hushaiחוּשַׁיchûshay · HushaiH2365
- thou knowestיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
- thy fatherאָב'âb · fatherH1
- and his menאֱנוֹשׁ'ĕnôsh · humanH582
- mighty menגִּבּוֹרgibbôr gibbôr · mighty manH1368
- chafedמַרmar mârâh · bitterH4751
- in their mindsנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soulH5315
- as a bearדֹּבdôb dôb · bearH1677
- robbedשַׁכּוּלshakkûl shakkûl · childlessH7909
- of her whelps in the fieldשָׂדֶהώâdeh ώâday · land: countryH7704
- a manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
- of warמִלְחָמָהmilchâmâh · battleH4421
- and will not lodgeלוּןlûn lîyn · to lodgeH3885
- with the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
Cross-references for 2 Samuel 17:8
- 2 Samuel 15:18while all his servants marched past him. Then all the Cherethites, the Pelethites, and the people of Gath — six hundred men who came with him from there — marched past the king.
- 2 Samuel 21:18After this, there was another battle with the Philistines at Gob. At that time Sibbecai the Hushathite killed Saph, who was one of the descendants of the giant.
- 2 Samuel 23:8These are the names of David’s warriors: Josheb-basshebeth the Tahchemonite was chief of the officers. He wielded his spear against eight hundred men that he killed at one time.
- 1 Samuel 16:18One of the young men answered, “I have seen a son of Jesse of Bethlehem who knows how to play the lyre. He is also a valiant man, a warrior, eloquent, handsome, and the Lord is with him.”
- 1 Samuel 17:34David answered Saul, “Your servant has been tending his father’s sheep. Whenever a lion or a bear came and carried off a lamb from the flock,
- 1 Chronicles 11:25He was the most honored of the Thirty, but he did not become one of the Three. David put him in charge of his bodyguard.
- Hebrews 11:32And what more can I say? Time is too short for me to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets,
- Judges 18:25The Danites said to him, “Don’t raise your voice against us, or angry men will attack you, and you and your family will lose your lives.”
- 2 Kings 2:24He turned around, looked at them, and cursed them in the name of the Lord. Then two female bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the children.
- Proverbs 17:12Better for a person to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool in his foolishness.
- Proverbs 28:15A wicked ruler over a helpless people is like a roaring lion or a charging bear.
- Daniel 7:5“Suddenly, another beast appeared, a second one, that looked like a bear. It was raised up on one side, with three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. It was told, ‘Get up! Gorge yourself on flesh.’
- Hosea 13:8I will attack them like a bear robbed of her cubs and tear open the rib cage over their hearts. I will devour them there like a lioness, like a wild beast that would rip them open.
- 1 Samuel 23:23Investigate all the places where he hides. Then come back to me with accurate information, and I’ll go with you. If it turns out he really is in the region, I’ll search for him among all the clans of Judah.”
Commentaries on 2 Samuel 17:8
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8As a bear robbed of her whelps - All wild beasts are very furious when robbed of their young; but we have some remarkable instances of the maternal affection of the bear in such circumstances; see one at the end of the chapter.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-14Ahithophel advised a quick surprise attack against David with a small force of 12,000 men (2 Samuel 17:1). This plan would give David no time to prepare or organize a defense. David’s double agent, Hushai, gave different advice. He urged Absalom to wait and gather the entire army of Israel before attacking (2 Samuel 17:11). This plan promised a much larger force and would prevent David from using guerrilla tactics (small surprise attacks). Because the…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-142Sa 17:1-14. Ahithophel's Counsel Overthrown by Hushai. 1-11. Moreover Ahithophel said unto Absalom--The recommendation to take prompt and decisive measures before the royalist forces could be collected and arranged, evinced the deep political sagacity of this councillor. The adoption of his advice would have extinguished the cause of David; and it affords a dreadful proof of the extremities to which the heartless prince was, to secure his ambitious…Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Samuel 17:8
In the dictionaries
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
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