Worthy.Bible » STRONG » 2 Samuel » Chapter 17 » Verse 9

2 Samuel 17:9 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

9 Behold, he is hid H2244 now in some H259 pit, H6354 or in some H259 other place: H4725 and it will come to pass, when some of them be overthrown H5307 at the first, H8462 that whosoever H8085 heareth H8085 it will say, H559 There is a slaughter H4046 among the people H5971 that follow H310 Absalom. H53

Cross Reference

Joshua 7:5 STRONG

And the men H582 of Ai H5857 smote H5221 of them about thirty H7970 and six H8337 men: H376 for they chased H7291 them from before H6440 the gate H8179 even unto Shebarim, H7671 and smote H5221 them in the going down: H4174 wherefore the hearts H3824 of the people H5971 melted, H4549 and became as water. H4325

Joshua 8:6 STRONG

(For they will come out H3318 after H310 us) till we have drawn H5423 them from the city; H5892 for they will say, H559 They flee H5127 before H6440 us, as at the first: H7223 therefore we will flee H5127 before H6440 them.

Judges 20:32-33 STRONG

And the children H1121 of Benjamin H1144 said, H559 They are smitten down H5062 before H6440 us, as at the first. H7223 But the children H1121 of Israel H3478 said, H559 Let us flee, H5127 and draw H5423 them from the city H5892 unto the highways. H4546 And all the men H376 of Israel H3478 rose up H6965 out of their place, H4725 and put themselves in array H6186 at Baaltamar: H1193 and the liers in wait H693 of Israel H3478 came forth H1518 out of their places, H4725 even out of the meadows H4629 of Gibeah. H1387

1 Samuel 14:14-15 STRONG

And that first H7223 slaughter, H4347 which Jonathan H3129 and his armourbearer H5375 H3627 made, H5221 was about twenty H6242 men, H376 within as it were an half H2677 acre H4618 of land, H7704 which a yoke H6776 of oxen might plow. And there was trembling H2731 in the host, H4264 in the field, H7704 and among all the people: H5971 the garrison, H4673 and the spoilers, H7843 they also trembled, H2729 and the earth H776 quaked: H7264 so it was a very great H430 trembling. H2731

1 Samuel 22:1 STRONG

David H1732 therefore departed H3212 thence, and escaped H4422 to the cave H4631 Adullam: H5725 and when his brethren H251 and all his father's H1 house H1004 heard H8085 it, they went down H3381 thither to him.

1 Samuel 24:3 STRONG

And he came H935 to the sheepcotes H1448 H6629 by the way, H1870 where was a cave; H4631 and Saul H7586 went in H935 to cover H5526 his feet: H7272 and David H1732 and his men H582 remained H3427 in the sides H3411 of the cave. H4631

Commentary on 2 Samuel 17 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible


CHAPTER 17

2Sa 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 objects, prepared to go, that the parricidal counsel "pleased Absalom well, and all the elders of Israel." It was happily overruled, however, by the address of Hushai, who saw the imminent danger to which it would expose the king and the royal cause. He dwelt upon the warlike character and military experience of the old king—represented him and his adherents as mighty men, who would fight with desperation; and who, most probably, secure in some stronghold, would be beyond reach, while the smallest loss of Absalom's men at the outset might be fatal to the success of the conspiracy. But his dexterity was chiefly displayed in that part of his counsel which recommended a general levy throughout the country; and that Absalom should take command of it in person—thereby flattering at once the pride and ambition of the usurper. The bait was caught by the vainglorious and wicked prince.

12. we will light upon him as the dew falleth on the ground—No image could have symbolized the sudden onset of an enemy so graphically to an Oriental mind as the silent, irresistible, and rapid descent of this natural moisture on every field and blade of grass.

13. all Israel shall bring ropes to that city—In besieging a town, hooks or cranes were often thrown upon the walls or turrets, by which, with ropes attached to them, the besiegers, uniting all their force, pulled down the fortifications in a mass of ruins.

14. The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel—The reasons specified being extremely plausible, and expressed in the strong hyperbolical language suited to dazzle an Oriental imagination, the council declared in favor of Hushai's advice; and their resolution was the immediate cause of the discomfiture of the rebellion, although the council itself was only a link in the chain of causation held by the controlling hand of the Lord.

2Sa 17:15-22. Secret Intelligence Sent to David.

16. send quickly, and tell David—Apparently doubting that his advice would be followed, Hushai ordered secret intelligence to be conveyed to David of all that transpired, with an urgent recommendation to cross the Jordan without a moment's delay, lest Ahithophel's address and influence might produce a change on the prince's mind, and an immediate pursuit be determined on.

17. by En-rogel—the fuller's well in the neighborhood of Jerusalem, below the junction of the valley of Hinnom with that of Jehoshaphat.

18. and came to a man's house in Bahurim, which had a well in his court—The court was that of the house, and the well an empty cistern. All the houses of the better class are furnished with such reservoirs. Nothing could more easily happen than that one of these wells, in consequence of a deficiency of water, should become dry and it would then answer as a place of retreat, such as David's friends found in the man's house at Bahurim. The spreading of a covering over the well's mouth for the drying of corn is a common practice.

2Sa 17:23-29. Ahithophel Hangs Himself.

23. when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed—His vanity was wounded, his pride mortified on finding that his ascendency was gone; but that chagrin was aggravated by other feelings—a painful conviction that through the delay which had been resolved on, the cause of Absalom was lost. Hastening home, therefore, he arranged his private affairs, and knowing that the storm of retributive vengeance would fall chiefly upon him as the instigator and prop of the rebellion, he hanged himself. It may be remarked that the Israelites did not, at that time, refuse the rites of sepulture even to those who died by their own hands. He had an imitator in Judas, who resembled him in his treason, as well as in his infamous end.

24. Then David came to Mahanaim—in the high eastern country of Gilead, the seat of Ish-bosheth's government.

Absalom passed over Jordan—It is not said how long an interval elapsed, but there must have been sufficient time to make the intended levy throughout the kingdom.

25. Amasa—By the genealogy it appears that this captain stood in the same relation to David as Joab, both being his nephews. Of course, Amasa was Absalom's cousin, and though himself an Israelite, his father was an Ishmaelite (1Ch 2:17).

Nahash—is thought by some to be another name of Jesse, or according to others, the name of Jesse's wife.

27-29. when David was come to Mahanaim—The necessities of the king and his followers were hospitably ministered to by three chiefs, whose generous loyalty is recorded with honor in the sacred narrative.

Shobi—must have been a brother of Hanun. Disapproving, probably, of that young king's outrage upon the Israelite ambassadors, he had been made governor of Ammon by David on the conquest of that country.

Machir—(See 2Sa 9:4). Supposed by some to have been a brother of Bath-sheba, and

Barzillai—a wealthy old grandee, whose great age and infirmities made his loyal devotion to the distressed monarch peculiarly affecting. The supplies they brought, which (besides beds for the weary) consisted of the staple produce of their rich lands and pastures, may be classified as follows: eatables—wheat, barley, flour, beans, lentils, sheep, and cheese; drinkables—"honey and butter" or cream, which, being mixed together, form a thin, diluted beverage, light, cool, and refreshing. Being considered a luxurious refreshment (So 4:11), the supply of it shows the high respect that was paid to David by his loyal and faithful subjects at Mahanaim.

29. in the wilderness—spread out beyond the cultivated tablelands into the steppes of Hauran.