2 Samuel 17:8

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.
• 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.
• New Living Translation (NLT)You know your father and his men; they are mighty warriors. Right now they are as enraged as a mother bear who has been robbed of her cubs. And remember that your father is an experienced man of war. He won’t be spending the night among the troops.

Context of 2 Samuel 17:8

6When Hushai came to him, Absalom said, “Ahithophel has given this advice. Should we do what he says? If not, give us your opinion.” 7Hushai replied to Absalom, “The advice Ahithophel has given is not good this time. 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. 9Even 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.’ 10Then even the bravest soldier, whose heart is like the heart of a lion, will melt with fear, for all Israel knows that your father is a fighter and that those with him are brave.

2 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 15:18All his men marched past him, along with all the Kerethites and Pelethites; and all the six hundred Gittites who had accompanied him from Gath marched before the king.
• 2 Samuel 21:18In the course of time, there was another battle with the Philistines, at Gob. At that time Sibbekai the Hushathite killed Saph, one of the descendants of Rapha.
• 2 Samuel 23:8These are the names of David’s mighty warriors: Josheb-Basshebeth, a Tahkemonite, was chief of the Three; he raised his spear against eight hundred men, whom he killed in one encounter.
• 1 Samuel 16:18One of the servants answered, “I have seen a son of Jesse of Bethlehem who knows how to play the lyre. He is a brave man and a warrior. He speaks well and is a fine-looking man. And the Lord is with him.”
• 1 Samuel 17:34But David said to Saul, “Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock,
• 1 Chronicles 11:25He was held in greater honor than any of the Thirty, but he was not included among the Three. And David put him in charge of his bodyguard.
• Hebrews 11:32And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah, about David and Samuel and the prophets,
• Judges 18:25The Danites answered, “Don’t argue with us, or some of the men may get angry and attack you, and you and your family will lose your lives.”
• 2 Kings 2:24He turned around, looked at them and called down a curse on them in the name of the Lord. Then two bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the boys.
• Proverbs 17:12Better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool bent on folly.
• Proverbs 28:15Like a roaring lion or a charging bear is a wicked ruler over a helpless people.
• Daniel 7:5“And there before me was a second beast, which looked like a bear. It was raised up on one of its sides, and it had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. It was told, ‘Get up and eat your fill of flesh!’
• Hosea 13:8Like a bear robbed of her cubs, I will attack them and rip them open; like a lion I will devour them— a wild animal will tear them apart.
• 1 Samuel 23:23Find out about all the hiding places he uses and come back to me with definite information. Then I will go with you; if he is in the area, I will track him down 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

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

In the dictionaries

• Man of War
• Ahithophel
• Bear
• Instead
• Bible, the
• Chafe
• David
• Hushai
• Israel, History of
• Joab

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