Tree of Life Version
2 Samuel 17:8
8Hushai then added, “You know your father and his men. They are mighty men, and they are embittered in their souls like a bear robbed of her cubs in the wild. Your father is an expert in warfare, and won’t spend the night with the troops.
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 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.
Context of 2 Samuel 17:8
6When Hushai came to Absalom, Absalom spoke to him saying, “This is what Ahithophel has advised. Should we follow his counsel? If not, you will speak.” 7So Hushai said to Absalom, “This time the counsel that Ahithophel has given is not good.” Hushai then added, “You know your father and his men. They are mighty men, and they are embittered in their souls like a bear robbed of her cubs in the wild. Your father is an expert in warfare, and won’t spend the night with the troops. 9Even now, he must be hiding in one of the caves or in some other place. So if he were to fall on them at first, whoever hears of it would say, ‘There’s a slaughter among the people following Absalom!’ 10Then even one who is valiant, whose heart is like the heart of a lion, will utterly melt away—for all Israel knows that your father is a mighty warrior 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 15:18All his servants passed on beside him: all the Cherethites, all the Pelethites and all the Gittites—600 men that had come after him from Gath—passed on before the king.
- 2 Samuel 21:18Now it came to pass after this that there was war again with the Philistines at Gob, and Sibbecai the Hushathite killed Saph, a descendant of the Rapha.
- 2 Samuel 23:8These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Josheb-basshebeth a Tahchemonite, chief of the captains—he wielded his spear against 800 and slew them in one encounter.
- 1 Samuel 16:18One of the young men answered and said, “I have seen a son of Jesse the Beth-lehemite who is skillful in playing music. He is a mighty man of valor, a warrior, prudent in speech, a handsome man, and Adonai is with him.”
- 1 Samuel 17:34But David said to Saul, “Your servant has been tending his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a lamb out of the flock,
- 1 Chronicles 11:25Behold, he was more honorable than the 30, yet he was not one of the Three. Nevertheless, David set him over his bodyguard.
- Hebrews 11:32And what more shall I say? For time would fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets.
- Judges 18:25But the children of Dan said to him, “Don’t let your voice be heard among us, lest bitter fellows 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 cursed them in the Name of Adonai. Then two she-bears came out of the woods and mauled 42 of the boys.
- Proverbs 17:12Better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than to deal with a fool in his folly.
- Proverbs 28:15Like a roaring lion or a prowling bear is a wicked ruler over helpless people.
- Daniel 7:5“And behold there before me was another beast, a second one, like a bear. It raised itself up on one side; it had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. It was told, ‘Arise, devour much flesh!’
- Hosea 13:8I will meet them like a bear robbed of her cubs, and I will tear open their chests. There I will devour them like a lioness. A beast of the field will rip them to shreds.
- 1 Samuel 23:23Look around and see in which of all the hiding places he has been hiding, and return to me with certainty, and I will go with you. If he is in the area, I will search him out 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
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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