New King James Version
2 Samuel 17:8
8For,” 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.
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.
- New International Version (NIV)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.
- 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 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
6And when Hushai came to Absalom, Absalom spoke to him, saying, “Ahithophel has spoken in this manner. Shall we do as he says? If not, speak up.” 7So Hushai said to Absalom: “The advice that Ahithophel has given is not good at this time. 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. 9Surely 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.’ 10And even he who is valiant, whose heart is like the heart of a lion, will melt completely. For all Israel knows that your father is a mighty man, and those who are with him are valiant men.
Read all of 2 Samuel 172 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 15:18Then all his servants passed before him; and all the Cherethites, all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, six hundred men who had followed him from Gath, passed before the king.
- 2 Samuel 21:18Now it happened afterward that there was again a battle with the Philistines at Gob. Then Sibbechai the Hushathite killed Saph, who was one of the sons of the giant.
- 2 Samuel 23:8These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Josheb-Basshebeth the Tachmonite, chief among the captains. He was called Adino the Eznite, because he had killed eight hundred men at one time.
- 1 Samuel 16:18Then one of the servants answered and said, “Look, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, a mighty man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a handsome person; and the Lord is with him.”
- 1 Samuel 17:34But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep his father’s sheep, and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock,
- 1 Chronicles 11:25Indeed he was more honored than the thirty, but he did not attain to the first three. And David appointed him over his guard.
- Hebrews 11:32And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets:
- Judges 18:25And the children of Dan said to him, “Do not let your voice be heard among us, lest angry men fall upon you, and you lose your life, with the lives of your household!”
- 2 Kings 2:24So he turned around and looked at them, and pronounced a curse on them in the name of the Lord. And two female bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the youths.
- Proverbs 17:12Let a man meet a bear robbed of her cubs, Rather than a fool in his folly.
- Proverbs 28:15Like a roaring lion and a charging bear Is a wicked ruler over poor people.
- Daniel 7:5“And suddenly another beast, a second, like a bear. It was raised up on one side, and had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. And they said thus to it: ‘Arise, devour much flesh!’
- Hosea 13:8I will meet them like a bear deprived of her cubs; I will tear open their rib cage, And there I will devour them like a lion. The wild beast shall tear them.
- 1 Samuel 23:23See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking places where he hides; and come back to me with certainty, and I will go with you. And it shall be, if he is in the land, that I will search for him throughout 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
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries