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

7So Hushai said to Absalom, “This time the advice that Ahithophel has given is not good.” 8Then Hushai said, “You yourself know your father and his men, that they are warriors and they are fierce, like a bear deprived of her cubs in the field. And your father is an expert in warfare, and he will not spend the night with the people. Behold, he has now hidden himself in one of the ravines, or in another place; and it will be that when he falls on them at the first attack, whoever hears it will say, ‘There has been a slaughter among the people who follow Absalom!’ 10And even the one who is valiant, whose heart is like the heart of a lion, will completely despair; for all Israel knows that your father is a mighty man, and those who are with him are valiant men. 11But I advise that all Israel be fully gathered to you, from Dan even to Beersheba, like the sand that is by the sea in abundance; and that you personally go into 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

• Beholdהִנֵּהhinnêh · beholdH2009
• he has nowעַתָּ֫ה‛attâh · nowH6258
• hiddenחָבָאchâbâ' · to hideH2244
• himselfהוּאhû' hîy' · he/she/itH1931
• in oneאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
• of the ravinesפַּ֫חַתpachath · pitH6354
• orאוֹ'ô 'av · orH176
• placeמָקוֹםmâqôm mâqôm meqômâh meqômâh · placeH4725
• and it will be that when he fallsנָפַלnâphal · to fall: killH5307
• on them at the firstתְּחִלָּהtechillâh · beginningH8462
• whoever hearsשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
• will sayאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• There has beenהָיָהhâyâh · to beH1961
• a slaughterמַגֵּפָהmaggêphâh · plagueH4046
• among the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• whoאֲשֶׁר'ăsher · whichH834
• followאַחַר'achar · afterH310
• Absalomאֲבִישָׁלוֹם'ăbîyshâlôm 'abshâlôm · AbsalomH53

Cross-references for 2 Samuel 17:9

• Judges 20:33Then all the men of Israel rose from their place and lined up at Baal-tamar; and the men of Israel in ambush charged from their place, from Maareh-geba.
• 1 Samuel 22:1So David departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam; and when his brothers and all his father’s household heard about it, they went down there to him.
• 1 Samuel 24:3And he came to the sheepfolds on the way, where there was a cave; and Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were sitting in the inner recesses of the cave.
• Joshua 7:5And the men of Ai struck and killed about thirty-six of their men, and pursued them from the gate as far as Shebarim and struck them on the mountainside; and the hearts of the people melted and became like water.
• Joshua 8:6They will come out after us until we have lured them away from the city, for they will say, ‘They are fleeing before us just as they did the first time.’ So we will flee before them.
• Judges 20:32And the sons of Benjamin said, “They are defeated before us, like the first time.” But the sons of Israel said, “Let’s flee, so that we may draw them away from the city to the roads.”
• 1 Samuel 14:14Now that first slaughter which Jonathan and his armor bearer inflicted was about twenty men within about half a furrow in an acre of land.

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