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Text -- 2 Samuel 17:1-15 (NET)
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Strongs On/Off
Context
The Death of Ahithophel
17:1 Ahithophel said to Absalom , “Let me pick out twelve thousand men . Then I will go and pursue David this very night .
17:2 When I catch up with him he will be exhausted and worn out . I will rout him, and the entire army that is with him will flee . I will kill only the king
17:3 and will bring the entire army back to you. In exchange for the life of the man you are seeking , you will get back everyone . The entire army will return unharmed .”
17:4 This seemed like a good idea to Absalom and to all the leaders of Israel .
17:5 But Absalom said , “Call for Hushai the Arkite , and let’s hear what he has to say .”
17:6 So Hushai came to Absalom . Absalom said to him, “Here is what Ahithophel has advised . Should we follow his advice ? If not , what would you recommend ?”
17:7 Hushai replied to Absalom , “Ahithophel’s advice is not sound this time .”
17:8 Hushai went on to say , “You know your father and his men – they are soldiers and are as dangerous as a bear out in the wild that has been robbed of her cubs . Your father is an experienced soldier ; he will not stay overnight with the army .
17:9 At this very moment he is hiding out in one of the caves or in some other similar place . If it should turn out that he attacks our troops first , whoever hears about it will say , ‘Absalom’s army has been slaughtered !’
17:10 If that happens even the bravest soldier – soldier – one who is lion-hearted – will virtually melt away . For all Israel knows that your father is a warrior and that those who are with him are brave .
17:11 My advice therefore is this: Let all Israel from Dan to Beer Sheba – in number like the sand by the sea !– be mustered to you, and you lead them personally into battle .
17:12 We will come against him wherever he happens to be found . We will descend on him like the dew falls on the ground . Neither he nor any of the men who are with him will be spared alive – not one of them!
17:13 If he regroups in a city , all Israel will take up ropes to that city and drag it down to the valley , so that not a single pebble will be left there !”
17:14 Then Absalom and all the men of Israel said , “The advice of Hushai the Arkite sounds better than the advice of Ahithophel .” Now the Lord had decided to frustrate the sound advice of Ahithophel , so that the Lord could bring disaster on Absalom .
17:15 Then Hushai reported to Zadok and Abiathar the priests , “Here is what Ahithophel has advised Absalom and the leaders of Israel to do, and here is what I have advised .
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Names, People and Places, Dictionary Themes and Topics
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Names, People and Places:
Dictionary Themes and Topics:
Ahithophel |
Hushai |
Absalom |
JOAB |
Friendship |
Council |
Spies |
Israel |
Rebellion |
War |
Chronicles, Books of |
Diplomacy |
Lies and Deceits |
Armies |
Strategy |
Citizenship |
Bear |
Dew |
Malice |
Archite |
more
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expand allCommentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes
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NET Notes: 2Sa 17:8 The LXX (with the exception of the recensions of Origen and Lucian) repeats the description as follows: “Just as a female bear bereft of cubs in...
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NET Notes: 2Sa 17:9 Heb “that he falls on them [i.e., Absalom’s troops] at the first [encounter]; or “that some of them [i.e., Absalom’s troops] f...
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