New Living Translation
2 Samuel 17:9
9He has probably already hidden in some pit or cave. And when he comes out and attacks and a few of your men fall, there will be panic among your troops, and the word will spread that Absalom’s men are being slaughtered.
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
7“Well,” Hushai replied to Absalom, “this time Ahithophel has made a mistake. 8You 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. He has probably already hidden in some pit or cave. And when he comes out and attacks and a few of your men fall, there will be panic among your troops, and the word will spread that Absalom’s men are being slaughtered. 10Then even the bravest soldiers, though they have the heart of a lion, will be paralyzed with fear. For all Israel knows what a mighty warrior your father is and how courageous his men are. 11“I recommend that you mobilize the entire army of Israel, bringing them from as far away as Dan in the north and Beersheba in the south. That way you will have an army as numerous as the sand on the seashore. And I advise that you personally lead the troops.
Read all of 2 Samuel 172 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
Words taken from the KJV.
- Behold, he is hidחָבָאchâbâ' · to hideH2244
- now in someאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
- pitפַּ֫חַתpachath · pitH6354
- placeמָקוֹםmâqôm mâqôm meqômâh meqômâh · placeH4725
- and it will come to pass, when some of them be overthrownנָפַלnâphal · to fall: killH5307
- at the firstתְּחִלָּהtechillâh · beginningH8462
- that whosoeverשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
- it will sayאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- There is a slaughterמַגֵּפָהmaggêphâh · plagueH4046
- among the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- that followאַחַר'achar · afterH310
- Absalomאֲבִישָׁלוֹם'ăbîyshâlôm 'abshâlôm · AbsalomH53
Cross-references for 2 Samuel 17:9
- Judges 20:33When the main group of Israelite warriors reached Baal-tamar, they turned and took up their positions. Meanwhile, the Israelites hiding in ambush to the west of Gibeah jumped up to fight.
- 1 Samuel 22:1So David left Gath and escaped to the cave of Adullam. Soon his brothers and all his other relatives joined him there.
- 1 Samuel 24:3At the place where the road passes some sheepfolds, Saul went into a cave to relieve himself. But as it happened, David and his men were hiding farther back in that very cave!
- Joshua 7:5chased the Israelites from the town gate as far as the quarries, and they killed about thirty-six who were retreating down the slope. The Israelites were paralyzed with fear at this turn of events, and their courage melted away.
- Joshua 8:6We will let them chase us until we have drawn them away from the town. For they will say, ‘The Israelites are running away from us as they did before.’ Then, while we are running from them,
- Judges 20:32Then the warriors of Benjamin shouted, “We’re defeating them as we did before!” But the Israelites had planned in advance to run away so that the men of Benjamin would chase them along the roads and be drawn away from the town.
- 1 Samuel 14:14They killed some twenty men in all, and their bodies were scattered over about half an acre.
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
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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