2 Samuel 17 13

2 Samuel 17:13 kjv

Moreover, if he be gotten into a city, then shall all Israel bring ropes to that city, and we will draw it into the river, until there be not one small stone found there.

2 Samuel 17:13 nkjv

Moreover, if he has withdrawn into a city, then all Israel shall bring ropes to that city; and we will pull it into the river, until there is not one small stone found there."

2 Samuel 17:13 niv

If he withdraws into a city, then all Israel will bring ropes to that city, and we will drag it down to the valley until not so much as a pebble is left."

2 Samuel 17:13 esv

If he withdraws into a city, then all Israel will bring ropes to that city, and we shall drag it into the valley, until not even a pebble is to be found there."

2 Samuel 17:13 nlt

And if David were to escape into some town, you will have all Israel there at your command. Then we can take ropes and drag the walls of the town into the nearest valley until every stone is torn down."

2 Samuel 17 verses

2 Samuel 17 13 Meaning

This verse outlines Ahithophel’s strategic counsel to Absalom regarding David. It proposes that if David retreats into any fortified city, Absalom's forces, comprising "all Israel," should besiege that city with an overwhelming and unified effort. The plan includes bringing ropes to literally drag the city stone by stone down into a valley or ravine, ensuring its complete and utter demolition, leaving no trace, not even a single pebble. This counsel was intended to secure David’s absolute destruction and prevent any possibility of his escape or further resistance.

2 Samuel 17 13 Context

This verse is situated in 2 Samuel chapter 17, amidst Absalom's rebellion against his father, King David. After David fled Jerusalem, Absalom entered the city and sought counsel on how to defeat David. Ahithophel, a highly esteemed advisor known for his piercing wisdom, gives the initial, decisive advice to pursue David immediately while he is vulnerable and weary (2 Sam 17:1-3). In 2 Samuel 17:11-13, Ahithophel expands on his strategy, emphasizing total mobilization and absolute commitment. This specific verse (17:13) details a hypothetical but extreme scenario where David might find refuge in a fortified city, and Ahithophel proposes an equally extreme and thorough response to ensure David's capture and destruction. Historically, fortified cities were the primary defensive strongholds in ancient Israel. The radical nature of Ahithophel's plan — not merely besieging but literally dismantling a city – underscores the advisor's ruthlessness and determination to prevent David from regaining any ground or support. This counsel directly contrasts with the later advice of Hushai the Archite, whom God providentially used to save David by "frustrating" Ahithophel's "good" counsel.

2 Samuel 17 13 Word analysis

• If he retreats (כִּי־יִסָּפֵא - kī-yissāp̄ē’): The root נָפָה (nāp̄â) can mean to retreat, be swept away, gather in. Here, it implies David's ultimate refuge, suggesting he would gather himself within the defenses of a city. Ahithophel anticipates David finding sanctuary, hence this preemptive strategy.
• into a city (אֶל־עִיר - ’el-‘îr): A typical fortified settlement of the time. Cities provided protection from sudden attack and could sustain a siege. Ahithophel recognizes this as David's potential strength.
• then all Israel (וְלָקְחוּ כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵל - wə-lāqḥû kāl-yiśrā’ēl): Ahithophel emphasizes absolute national unity behind Absalom. "All Israel" suggests an overwhelming, unstoppable force, signaling total commitment and loyalty to Absalom's new reign. It's a grand, compelling vision of solidarity.
• will bring ropes (חֲבָלִים - ḥăḇālîm): This word typically refers to ropes or cords. The action implies immense, collective physical labor and coordination, as if physically pulling down a structure. This is not a typical siege tactic like battering rams or undermining walls but an act of extreme, complete demolition, suggesting a force so vast it could physically disintegrate a city.
• to that city (עַד־הָעִיר הַהִיא - ‘aḏ-hā‘îr hahî’): Reiterates the target for this collective, destructive action.
• and we will pull it down (וְגָרַרְנוּ אֹתוֹ - wə-ḡārarǝnû ’ōtô): From the root גָּרַר (gārar), meaning "to drag," "pull," or "haul." The use of this verb here is vivid and emphasizes an incredibly intense and destructive physical effort. It goes beyond merely conquering a city; it speaks of its complete dismemberment.
• into the valley (אֶל־הַנַּחַל - ’el-hannāḥal): A wadi or dry riverbed, a common geographical feature. Pulling a city into a valley symbolizes its complete reduction and dispersal, erasing its very foundation. It implies that the debris would be washed away by seasonal rains, further eliminating any trace.
• until not even a pebble is found there (עַד כִּי־לֹא־תִמְצָא־שָׁם אֶבֶן - ‘aḏ kî-lō’-timṣā’-šām ’even): A powerful hyperbole emphasizing absolute destruction and utter eradication. Not a single stone, no sign of its existence, will remain. This conveys the unyielding resolve and total elimination of David's last potential refuge and any trace of his former presence. It underscores the severity of the intended vengeance and a desire for an unrecoverable victory.

• "If he retreats into a city...": This phrase sets up a contingency plan for David's potential escape, demonstrating Ahithophel's thoroughness in considering all possibilities. It suggests that Ahithophel foresaw David's resilience and capacity for defense.
• "...then all Israel will bring ropes to that city, and we will pull it down into the valley...": This clause paints a picture of unified national might engaged in an act of total demolition. The emphasis on "all Israel" highlights the intended collective power and moral support for Absalom, implying an irresistible force capable of achieving an unprecedented level of destruction for a decisive victory.
• "...until not even a pebble is found there.": This climactic statement functions as an extreme rhetorical flourish, expressing an unparalleled desire for finality and oblivion. It serves to convey the depth of Absalom's supporters' commitment to annihilating David's influence and presence entirely, leaving no trace behind for a potential return or remembrance. It implies a victory so complete that no physical evidence of the struggle or the stronghold would remain.

2 Samuel 17 13 Bonus section

The audacity of Ahithophel’s plan, imagining "all Israel" with ropes to literally drag a city into a valley, might also serve as a rhetorical device aimed at boosting Absalom’s confidence and commitment. It painted a vision of such overwhelming popular support and devastating power that Absalom would believe his cause unstoppable. The reference to the "valley" (nahal) where the city would be cast might symbolize being washed away and forgotten, as wadis are often carved out by torrents and then become dry beds, prone to burying things. This plan of total physical annihilation, designed to eradicate any potential for David's return, reflects the zero-sum nature of ancient power struggles where a contender’s rise necessitated the absolute elimination of the previous ruler. It echoes the 'utterly destroy' or 'devote to destruction' commands sometimes given in divine judgments against cities, but here it's an extreme human-driven vendetta, ultimately shown to be subject to divine thwarting.

2 Samuel 17 13 Commentary

Ahithophel’s counsel in 2 Samuel 17:13 reveals the shrewd and ruthless nature of his strategic thinking, designed to assure Absalom of an undeniable and comprehensive victory over King David. His plan envisions a national, unified effort by "all Israel" to pursue David, even to the point of literally dismantling any city he might use for refuge. The image of bringing ropes and pulling down a city stone by stone until "not even a pebble is found" is a powerful hyperbole. It signifies not merely a successful siege, but total obliteration, designed to leave no trace of David or his support network. This extreme measure highlights the intensity of the rebellion and the lengths Ahithophel was prepared to go to secure Absalom's reign by utterly eliminating any possibility of David’s return. This counsel was logically sound and highly persuasive from a human perspective, intending to leave David no refuge or hope. However, it was precisely this counsel, which appeared so wise and effective, that the Lord chose to frustrate through Hushai's counter-advice, ultimately leading to Absalom's downfall. The verse thus stands as a testament to the futility of human wisdom and strength when it stands against the sovereign plan of God, who can turn even the shrewdest counsel into foolishness.