2 Samuel 17:9

2 Samuel 17:9 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Behold, he is hid now in some pit, or in some other place: and it will come to pass, when some of them be overthrown at the first, that whosoever heareth it will say, There is a slaughter among the people that follow Absalom.
• New International Version (NIV)Even now, he is hidden in a cave or some other place. If he should attack your troops first, whoever hears about it will say, ‘There has been a slaughter among the troops who follow Absalom.’
• English Standard Version (ESV)Behold, even now he has hidden himself in one of the pits or in some other place. And as soon as some of the people fall at the first attack, whoever hears it will say, 'There has been a slaughter among the people who follow Absalom.'
• New King James Version (NKJV)Surely by now he is hidden in some pit, or in some other place. And it will be, when some of them are overthrown at the first, that whoever hears it will say, ‘There is a slaughter among the people who follow Absalom.’

Context of 2 Samuel 17:9

7Hushai replied to Absalom, ‘This time Ahithophel's idea is not good. 8You know your father and his men. They are all strong fighters. They are as dangerous as a mother bear when you take away her babies. Remember that your father has fought many battles. He will not stay all night among his soldiers. By this time he is hiding in a cave or in some other safe place. He might attack your soldiers first and kill some of them. When somebody hears the news, he will say, “They have destroyed Absalom's army!” 10Then your bravest soldiers will be very frightened, even if they are as brave as lions. Everyone in Israel knows that your father is a fighter. And they know that the men with him are brave. 11This is my advice to you. Bring together all the soldiers in Israel. Tell them to come from everywhere in the land, from Dan to Beersheba. There will be as many of them as the sand on the shore of the sea. Then you yourself should lead the whole army into the battle.

2 Samuel 17:9 word by word

הִנֵּ֨ה עַתָּ֤ה הֽוּא־נֶחְבָּא֙ בְּאַחַ֣ת הַפְּחָתִ֔ים א֖וֹ בְּאַחַ֣ד הַמְּקוֹמֹ֑ת וְהָיָ֗ה כִּנְפֹ֤ל בָּהֶם֙ בַּתְּחִלָּ֔ה וְשָׁמַ֤ע הַשֹּׁמֵ֙עַ֙ וְאָמַ֔ר הָֽיְתָה֙ מַגֵּפָ֔ה בָּעָ֕ם אֲשֶׁ֖ר אַחֲרֵ֥י אַבְשָׁלֹֽם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Behold, he is hidחָבָאchâbâ' · to hideH2244
• now in someאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
• pitפַּ֫חַתpachath · pitH6354
• placeמָקוֹםmâqôm mâqôm meqômâh meqômâh · placeH4725
• and it will come to pass, when some of them be overthrownנָפַלnâphal · to fall: killH5307
• at the firstתְּחִלָּהtechillâh · beginningH8462
• that whosoeverשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
• it will sayאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• There is a slaughterמַגֵּפָהmaggêphâh · plagueH4046
• among the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• that followאַחַר'achar · afterH310
• Absalomאֲבִישָׁלוֹם'ăbîyshâlôm 'abshâlôm · AbsalomH53

Cross-references for 2 Samuel 17:9

• Judges 20:33When the men of Israel reached Baal Tamar, they stopped there. They stood in their places, ready to fight. At the same time, the Israelite soldiers who had hidden themselves on the west side of Gibeah ran out of their places.
• 1 Samuel 22:1Then David left Gath and he went to a cave near Adullam. His brothers and his father's family discovered where he had gone. So they all went to visit him.
• 1 Samuel 24:3Saul came to the place near the road where the shepherds keep their sheep. There was a cave near to this place. Saul went in there to use it as a toilet. David and his men were hiding at the back of the same cave.
• Joshua 7:5They chased the Israelites away from the gate of the city and they killed about 36 Israelite soldiers. They chased them down the hill as far as Shebarim. They killed the Israelites as they ran down the hill. When the people of Israel heard this, they became very frightened.
• Joshua 8:6They will chase us away from the city. They will say, “The Israelites are running away from us, as they did before.” We will continue to run away from them.
• Judges 20:32The soldiers of Benjamin were saying, ‘We are winning against them, as we have done before!’ But the Israelites were saying, ‘We will continue to run away so that their soldiers chase us. We will lead them away from the city onto the roads.’
• 1 Samuel 14:14In the first fight, Jonathan and his young man killed about 20 Philistines in a small area.

Commentaries on 2 Samuel 17:9

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9Some pit, or in some other place - The Hebrew has “in one of the pits,” or “in one of the places.” Hence, “place” must have some defined meaning. It probably is used here, as elsewhere, for a “dwelling-house” or “village,” which might in that district be fortified houses 2 Samuel 17:12; 1 Samuel 26:25. Hushai‘s argument is that there was no chance of seizing David by surprise as Ahithophel suggested. There was sure to be sharp fighting, and the terror of…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 17:9

• Ahithophel
• Armies
• Council
• Diplomacy
• Falsehood
• Friendship
• Spies
• Strategy
• War

In the dictionaries

• Absalom
• Ahithophel
• Instead
• Bible, the
• David
• Hushai
• Israel, History of
• Joab
• Pit
• Samuel, Books of

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