2 Samuel 17:2 kjv
And I will come upon him while he is weary and weak handed, and will make him afraid: and all the people that are with him shall flee; and I will smite the king only:
2 Samuel 17:2 nkjv
I will come upon him while he is weary and weak, and make him afraid. And all the people who are with him will flee, and I will strike only the king.
2 Samuel 17:2 niv
I would attack him while he is weary and weak. I would strike him with terror, and then all the people with him will flee. I would strike down only the king
2 Samuel 17:2 esv
I will come upon him while he is weary and discouraged and throw him into a panic, and all the people who are with him will flee. I will strike down only the king,
2 Samuel 17:2 nlt
I will catch up with him while he is weary and discouraged. He and his troops will panic, and everyone will run away. Then I will kill only the king,
2 Samuel 17 2 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Strategy & Counsel | ||
| Prov 11:14 | Where there is no counsel, the people fall; But in the multitude of counselors there is safety. | Importance of wise counsel in governance. |
| Prov 19:21 | Many are the plans in a person's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails. | God's sovereignty over human intentions. |
| Prov 21:30 | There is no wisdom or understanding or counsel against the Lord. | No human strategy can thwart God's will. |
| Isa 44:25 | ...who frustrates the signs of liars and makes fools of diviners, who turns wise men back and makes their knowledge foolish; | God overturning human wisdom and plans. |
| Job 5:12 | He frustrates the plans of the crafty, so that their hands achieve no success. | God nullifies wicked or crafty schemes. |
| Ps 33:10 | The Lord frustrates the counsel of the nations; He thwarts the plans of the peoples. | God's absolute power over all earthly designs. |
| Targeting the Leader/Shepherd | ||
| Zech 13:7 | "Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered..." | Prophecy of the shepherd's demise causing scattering. |
| Matt 26:31 | Then Jesus said to them, "All of you will be made to stumble... 'Strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.'" | Jesus cites Zech 13:7 regarding His disciples. |
| Mk 14:27 | "You will all fall away, for it is written: 'I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.'" | Gospel account of Jesus' words before His arrest. |
| 1 Ki 22:31 | "Fight with neither small nor great, but only with the king of Israel." | A similar ancient military strategy: target the king. |
| 2 Sam 18:3 | But the people said, "You shall not go out; for if we flee, they will not care about us; nor if half of us die... but you are worth ten thousand of us." | David's men recognizing his critical leadership role. |
| Vulnerability & Flight | ||
| Ps 3:1-2 | Lord, how many are my foes!... "There is no help for him in God." | David's cry of distress during Absalom's revolt. |
| Ps 41:9 | Even my closest friend, someone I trusted, who shared my bread, has lifted his heel against me. | David's lament over betrayal, applicable to Ahitophel. |
| Ps 55:12-14 | For it is not an enemy who taunts me... But it is you, a man my equal, my companion, my close friend... | David's anguish over the treachery of a trusted companion. |
| Ps 142:3 | When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, you knew my path. In the way where I walk they have hidden a snare for me. | David's sense of being hunted and entrapped. |
| Jer 46:5 | "Why have I seen them dismayed and turned back? Their mighty ones are beaten down; they have fled in haste..." | Describes a defeated and rapidly fleeing army. |
| Gen 39:12 | ...and she caught him by his garment, saying, "Lie with me!" But he left his garment in her hand and fled and got out of the house. | Joseph's swift escape (illustrates "fleeing"). |
| God's Sovereignty & Protection | ||
| 2 Sam 17:14 | For the Lord had purposed to defeat the good counsel of Ahitophel... | Direct divine intervention against Ahitophel's plan. |
| Ps 46:1 | God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. | God's role as a protector in times of distress. |
| Ps 23:4 | Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me... | Trust in God's comforting presence and protection. |
| Ps 27:1 | The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? | Assurance in God's deliverance removing fear. |
| Josh 2:11 | "...for the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath." | Fear and panic from the Lord upon opposing forces. |
| Deut 2:25 | "This day I will begin to put the dread and fear of you upon the peoples who are under the whole heaven..." | God instilling terror in Israel's enemies. |
2 Samuel 17 verses
2 Samuel 17 2 Meaning
Ahitophel's counsel to Absalom was a ruthlessly efficient military strategy. He proposed a swift, surprise night attack on David's fatigued and demoralized company. The objective was to create mass panic among David's followers, causing them to abandon him. This would allow Absalom's forces to then target David alone, eliminating him swiftly and decisively. This plan aimed to prevent a prolonged civil war and consolidate Absalom's kingship without excessive bloodshed, securing a unified kingdom under the new king.
2 Samuel 17 2 Context
The events of 2 Samuel chapter 17 occur during Absalom's rebellion against his father, King David. Absalom, having gained popular support and usurped the throne in Jerusalem, is now seeking to consolidate his power and definitively end David's kingship. Ahitophel, David's once-trusted counselor, has defected to Absalom and offers strategic advice. Earlier in the chapter, Ahitophel's initial advice in verse 1 (to immediately pursue David with 12,000 men) was highly regarded as if "one consulted the oracle of God." This specific verse (17:2) elaborates on the precise method of this proposed attack, emphasizing its psychological and tactical objectives. David, meanwhile, had fled Jerusalem with a small company of loyal followers, making his way towards the Jordan River, and was presumed by Ahitophel to be exhausted and vulnerable.
2 Samuel 17 2 Word analysis
- "and I will come upon him": The Hebrew v'avoha alav (וְאָבֹוא עָלָיו) implies a swift, sudden, and overwhelming descent or assault, not merely an approach. Ahitophel envisions a quick, decisive strike.
- "while he is weary": The Hebrew ya'ef (יָעֵף) describes not just physical tiredness but deep exhaustion, often accompanied by faintness or weakened spirit due to strenuous effort or lack of rest. It portrays David as diminished, not in a state to defend himself effectively.
- "and weak": The Hebrew rapheh yadaiyim (רָפֶה יָדַיִם), literally "slack of hands" or "limp-handed," is an idiom denoting a loss of strength, energy, courage, or resolve. This term points to demoralization and an inability to fight back, suggesting a mental and spiritual state targeted by Ahitophel.
- "and make him afraid": The Hebrew v'hecheraditiv (וְהַחֲרַדְתִּיו) from the root charad (חרד), signifies to cause intense trembling, terror, or panic, leading to chaotic flight. Ahitophel's strategy is fundamentally about psychological warfare, aiming to disorient and shatter David's loyalists' morale.
- "and all the people who are with him will flee": The Hebrew v'nasu kol-ha'am asher ito emphasizes the complete breakdown of David's company. "Flee" (nasu, נָסוּ) suggests an uncontrolled, scattering escape, leading to the disintegration of any organized resistance. This is a crucial element of Ahitophel's tactical vision: disperse the support before striking the leader.
- "Then I will strike the king alone": The Hebrew v'haketi et-ha'melekh l'vado. The phrase l'vado (לְבַדּוֹ), "alone" or "by himself," is the strategic culmination. Ahitophel's ultimate aim was to achieve victory with minimal collateral damage and bloodshed to the general populace, thus ensuring Absalom's reign would begin with a unified kingdom rather than a deeply divided one. This ruthless efficiency highlights a pragmatic approach to power, focusing solely on eliminating the head of the resistance to conclude the conflict swiftly.
2 Samuel 17 2 Bonus section
Ahitophel's advice was considered so astute that it was like receiving "an oracle of God" (2 Sam 16:23), underscoring the formidable challenge David faced. The rejection of Ahitophel's "good counsel" for Hushai's flawed, but divinely inspired, advice directly set the stage for Absalom's defeat, which led Ahitophel to suicide (2 Sam 17:23) because he perceived the outcome of his ignored advice to be inevitable failure. This passage powerfully illustrates the principle that "The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; He makes the plans of the peoples of no effect" (Ps 33:10). The divine intervention highlights God's ongoing protection of His anointed king, David, even in a season of personal consequences for his past sins. The strategy of targeting the leader to disperse followers (as outlined in this verse) is a timeless military principle, mirrored in the prophecy of the striking of the shepherd and the scattering of the sheep related to Jesus Christ (Zech 13:7; Matt 26:31).
2 Samuel 17 2 Commentary
Ahitophel’s counsel in 2 Samuel 17:2 demonstrates his profound understanding of military psychology and tactics, making it a masterclass in human strategic planning. He meticulously designed a surprise night assault, banking on David's assumed exhaustion and his followers' probable demoralization after being on the run. The plan's brilliance lay in its two-pronged approach: first, creating an immediate, overwhelming panic ("make him afraid") among David’s men, which would naturally lead to their disarrayed "flee" and abandonment of the king. Once isolated and vulnerable, David would then be swiftly targeted "alone." This decisive act would end the rebellion quickly, securing Absalom's throne without causing widespread bloodshed among the populace, thereby minimizing animosity and easing the transition of power. This pragmatic, albeit ruthless, strategy was perfectly sound from a human perspective and indeed, considered "good counsel." However, its ultimate failure, orchestrated by divine intervention through Hushai’s counter-counsel, serves as a powerful testament to God’s sovereignty, illustrating that even the most perfectly conceived human plans cannot thwart His ultimate purpose.