New English Translation
2 Samuel 17:11
11My advice therefore is this: Let all Israel from Dan to Beer Sheba – in number like the sand by the sea! – be mustered to you, and you lead them personally into battle.
2 Samuel 17:11 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Therefore I counsel that all Israel be generally gathered unto thee, from Dan even to Beer–sheba, as the sand that is by the sea for multitude; and that thou go to battle in thine own person.
- New International Version (NIV)“So I advise you: Let all Israel, from Dan to Beersheba—as numerous as the sand on the seashore—be gathered to you, with you yourself leading them into battle.
- English Standard Version (ESV)But my counsel is that all Israel be gathered to you, from Dan to Beersheba, as the sand by the sea for multitude, and that you go to battle in person.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Therefore I advise that all Israel be fully gathered to you, from Dan to Beersheba, like the sand that is by the sea for multitude, and that you go to battle in person.
Context of 2 Samuel 17:11
9At this very moment he is hiding out in one of the caves or in some other similar place. If it should turn out that he attacks our troops first, whoever hears about it will say, ‘Absalom’s army has been slaughtered!’ 10If that happens even the bravest soldier – one who is lion-hearted – will virtually melt away. For all Israel knows that your father is a warrior and that those who are with him are brave. My advice therefore is this: Let all Israel from Dan to Beer Sheba – in number like the sand by the sea! – be mustered to you, and you lead them personally into battle. 12We will come against him wherever he happens to be found. We will descend on him like the dew falls on the ground. Neither he nor any of the men who are with him will be spared alive – not one of them! 13If he regroups in a city, all Israel will take up ropes to that city and drag it down to the valley, so that not a single pebble will be left there!”
Read all of 2 Samuel 172 Samuel 17:11 word by word
כִּ֣י יָעַ֗צְתִּי הֵ֠אָסֹף יֵאָסֵ֨ף עָלֶ֤יךָ כָל־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ מִדָּן֙ וְעַד־בְּאֵ֣ר שֶׁ֔בַע כַּח֥וֹל אֲשֶׁר־עַל־הַיָּ֖ם לָרֹ֑ב וּפָנֶ֥יךָ הֹלְכִ֖ים בַּקְרָֽב׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Therefore I counselיָעַץyâ‛ats · to adviseH3289
- that all Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- be generallyאָסַף'âsaph · to gatherH622
- unto thee, from Danדָּןdân · DanH1835
- even to Beer–shebaבְּאֵר שֶׁ֫בַעbe'êr sheba‛ · BeershebaH884
- as the sandחוֹלchôl · sandH2344
- by the seaיָםyâm · seaH3220
- for multitudeרֹבrôb · abundanceH7230
- and that thou goהָלַךְhâlak · to go: wentH1980
- to battleקְרָבqerâb · battleH7128
- in thine own personפָּנֶהpânîym · face ofH6440
Cross-references for 2 Samuel 17:11
- 2 Samuel 24:2The king told Joab, the general in command of his army, “Go through all the tribes of Israel from Dan to Beer Sheba and muster the army, so I may know the size of the army.”
- Judges 20:1All the Israelites from Dan to Beer Sheba and from the land of Gilead left their homes and assembled together before the Lord at Mizpah.
- Genesis 13:16And I will make your descendants like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone is able to count the dust of the earth, then your descendants also can be counted.
- Genesis 22:17I will indeed bless you, and I will greatly multiply your descendants so that they will be as countless as the stars in the sky or the grains of sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the strongholds of their enemies.
- Joshua 11:4These kings came out with their armies; they were as numerous as the sand on the seashore and had a large number of horses and chariots.
- 1 Kings 4:20The people of Judah and Israel were as innumerable as the sand on the seashore; they had plenty to eat and drink and were happy.
- 1 Kings 20:10Ben Hadad sent another message to him, “May the gods judge me severely if there is enough dirt left in Samaria for my soldiers to scoop up in their hands.”
- 2 Samuel 12:28So now assemble the rest of the army and besiege the city and capture it. Otherwise I will capture the city and it will be named for me.”
- Psalms 7:15he digs a pit and then falls into the hole he has made.
- Psalms 9:16The Lord revealed himself; he accomplished justice; the wicked were ensnared by their own actions. (Higgaion. Selah)
Commentaries on 2 Samuel 17:11
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 11The nationwide military draft from Dan to Beersheba (the northern and southern limits of Israel) aimed to create a much stronger army.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 17:11
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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