2 Samuel 17:12

2 Samuel 17:12 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)So shall we come upon him in some place where he shall be found, and we will light upon him as the dew falleth on the ground: and of him and of all the men that are with him there shall not be left so much as one.
• New International Version (NIV)Then we will attack him wherever he may be found, and we will fall on him as dew settles on the ground. Neither he nor any of his men will be left alive.
• English Standard Version (ESV)So we shall come upon him in some place where he is to be found, and we shall light upon him as the dew falls on the ground, and of him and all the men with him not one will be left.
• New King James Version (NKJV)So we will come upon him in some place where he may be found, and we will fall on him as the dew falls on the ground. And of him and all the men who are with him there shall not be left so much as one.

Context of 2 Samuel 17:12

10Even the bravest man with a heart like a lion would lose his courage, because all Israel knows that your father is a warrior and the men with him are brave. 11So my advice is to gather all Israel’s troops from Dan to Beersheba, since they are as numerous as the sand on the seashore. Lead them into battle yourself. Then we’ll attack him wherever we find him. We’ll fall on him as dew falls on the ground. Neither he nor any of his men will be left ⌞alive⌟. 13If he retreats into a city, all Israel will bring ropes to that city and drag it into a valley so that not even a pebble will be found there.” 14Absalom and all the people of Israel said, “The advice of Hushai from Archi’s family is better than Ahithophel’s advice.” (The Lord had commanded Ahithophel’s good advice to be defeated in order to ruin Absalom.)

2 Samuel 17:12 word by word

וּבָ֣אנוּ אֵלָ֗יו בְּאַחַ֤ד הַמְּקוֹמֹת֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נִמְצָ֣א שָׁ֔ם וְנַ֣חְנוּ עָלָ֔יו כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר יִפֹּ֥ל הַטַּ֖ל עַל־הָאֲדָמָ֑ה וְלֹֽא־נ֥וֹתַר בּ֛וֹ וּבְכָל־הָאֲנָשִׁ֥ים אֲשֶׁר־אִתּ֖וֹ גַּם־אֶחָֽד׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• So shall we comeבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• upon him in someאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
• placeמָקוֹםmâqôm mâqôm meqômâh meqômâh · placeH4725
• where he shall be foundמָצָאmâtsâ' · to findH4672
• and we will lightנַ֫חְנוּnachnû · weH5168
• upon him as the dewטַלţal · dewH2919
• fallethנָפַלnâphal · to fall: fallH5307
• on the groundאֲדָמָה'ădâmâh · land: soilH127
• and of him and of all the menאֱנוֹשׁ'ĕnôsh · humanH582
• with him there shall not be leftיָתַרyâthar · to remainH3498
• so much asגַּםgam · alsoH1571

Cross-references for 2 Samuel 17:12

• 1 Samuel 23:23Watch and learn about all the hiding places where he may be hiding, and come back to me with the facts. Then I’ll go with you, and if he’s in the country, I’ll search for him among all the families of Judah.”
• 1 Kings 20:10Then Benhadad sent Ahab the following message: “May the gods strike me dead if there will be enough dust left from Samaria to give a handful to each soldier who follows me.”
• 2 Kings 18:23“Now, make a deal with my master, the king of Assyria. I’ll give you 2,000 horses if you can put riders on them.
• 2 Kings 19:24I’ll dig wells and drink foreign water. I’ll dry up all the streams of Egypt with the trampling of my feet.”
• Isaiah 10:13The king will say, “I did this with my own two powerful hands. I did this with my wisdom, because I am so clever. I’ve eliminated the boundaries of nations. I’ve looted treasuries. I’ve brought down people like a mighty man.
• Obadiah 1:3Your arrogance has deceived you. You live on rocky cliffs. You make your home up high. You say to yourself, ‘No one can bring me down to earth.’

Commentaries on 2 Samuel 17:12

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12As the dew - Like the drops of dew, in the vast number of our host, and in our irresistible and unavoidable descent upon our enemies.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. 1212. we will light upon him as the dew falleth on the ground--No image could have symbolized the sudden onset of an enemy so graphically to an Oriental mind as the silent, irresistible, and rapid descent of this natural moisture on every field and blade of grass.Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Samuel 17:12

• Ahithophel
• Armies
• Council
• Dew
• Diplomacy
• Falsehood
• Friendship
• Spies
• Strategy
• Symbols and Similitudes
• War

In the dictionaries

• Ahithophel
• Dew
• Instead
• Bible, the
• Botany
• David
• Hushai
• Israel, History of
• Joab
• 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