2 Samuel 20 6

2 Samuel 20:6 kjv

And David said to Abishai, Now shall Sheba the son of Bichri do us more harm than did Absalom: take thou thy lord's servants, and pursue after him, lest he get him fenced cities, and escape us.

2 Samuel 20:6 nkjv

And David said to Abishai, "Now Sheba the son of Bichri will do us more harm than Absalom. Take your lord's servants and pursue him, lest he find for himself fortified cities, and escape us."

2 Samuel 20:6 niv

David said to Abishai, "Now Sheba son of Bikri will do us more harm than Absalom did. Take your master's men and pursue him, or he will find fortified cities and escape from us."

2 Samuel 20:6 esv

And David said to Abishai, "Now Sheba the son of Bichri will do us more harm than Absalom. Take your lord's servants and pursue him, lest he get himself to fortified cities and escape from us."

2 Samuel 20:6 nlt

Then David said to Abishai, "Sheba son of Bicri is going to hurt us more than Absalom did. Quick, take my troops and chase after him before he gets into a fortified town where we can't reach him."

2 Samuel 20 verses

2 Samuel 20 6 Meaning

David swiftly identifies Sheba's rebellion as an immediate and grave danger, potentially more disruptive than Absalom's past revolt. He orders his loyal commander, Abishai, to take military forces and pursue Sheba relentlessly. The urgency stems from the fear that if Sheba reaches and secures himself within fortified cities, his apprehension would become exceedingly difficult, allowing the rebellion to prolong and fester. This command underscores David's leadership and his strategic understanding of the need to decisively suppress threats before they escalate beyond control.

2 Samuel 20 6 Context

This verse appears in the immediate aftermath of Absalom's defeat and David's tumultuous return to Jerusalem. Intense tribal rivalries, particularly between Judah (David's tribe) and the other tribes of Israel, flared up during David's journey back. Sheba, a Benjamite from the house of Bichri, seizes this moment of disunity to instigate a new rebellion, proclaiming "We have no portion in David!" and drawing many Israelites after him. David, recognizing the extreme danger of this quick-spreading insurrection after the exhaustion from Absalom's war, views Sheba as an even more cunning and elusive threat because Sheba attempts to escape immediate confrontation by finding secure hideouts, unlike Absalom who engaged in open battle. David's response reveals his understanding that such a hidden, prolonged conflict could be far more damaging to the fragile unity of his kingdom than an open challenge.

2 Samuel 20 6 Word analysis

• And David said: A common Biblical transitional phrase, but here indicating immediate and decisive communication from the king. It highlights David's prompt leadership in crisis.
• to Abishai: Abishai, Joab's brother, was a proven, loyal, and capable military commander. David entrusts him, perhaps due to Joab's recent controversial actions (killing Absalom) and his own recognition of Abishai's steadfastness. The Hebrew name אֲבִישַׁי (ʾAviyšay) means "my father is Jesse" or "my father is a gift," emphasizing his lineage and significance in David's inner circle.
• "Now Sheba the son of Bichri": Sheba (שֶׁבַע, Shevaʿ), meaning "seven" or "oath," signifies completeness, but here applies to a divisive figure from Benjamin (Saul's tribe). This connection to Benjamin immediately signals continued resistance from elements loyal to the previous royal house, leveraging inter-tribal tensions. Bichri (בִּכְרִי, Bikhrī) suggests "firstborn" or "youthful," yet his son Sheba instigates a dangerous, well-planned rebellion.
• "will do us more harm than Absalom.": The Hebrew "יֵרַע לָנוּ מֵאַבְשָׁלוֹם" (yeraʿ lanu me'Avshalom) literally means "do evil to us more than Absalom." This statement is profound. Absalom's rebellion was widespread and public, involving open war and temporary exile for David. Sheba, however, poses a unique threat: less direct, perhaps more cunning in its divisive strategy, aiming for entrenched resistance from within fortified places, making him harder to contain and potentially longer-lasting in its impact. David views this as a potentially more insidious and complex problem.
• "Take your lord's servants": "Your lord's servants" (עַבְדֵי אֲדֹנֶיךָ, ʿavdey ʾadonèykha) likely refers to David's standing army or his elite personal guard, perhaps those known as the Cherethites and Pelethites (2 Sam 8:18). This detail signifies the immediate deployment of a reliable, battle-hardened force rather than a general levy.
• "and pursue him,": The imperative verb רְדֹף (rĕdōf), "pursue," conveys a sense of urgency, relentless tracking, and the intention to capture or eliminate the threat decisively. It implies speed and unwavering resolve.
• "lest he get into": The Hebrew פֶּן־מָצָא לוֹ (pen-matza lo), "lest he find for himself/him," conveys a preventative command, highlighting the undesirable consequence David is trying to avoid.
• "fortified cities": עָרֵי מִבְצָר (ʿarey mivtzār), "cities of stronghold/fortification." In ancient Near Eastern warfare, such cities offered significant defensive advantages, prolonged sieges, and could become centers of prolonged resistance, drawing out conflict and taxing resources.
• "and escape from us.": וְהִצִּיל אֶת־עַצְמוֹ מִמֶּנּוּ (vĕhitzzil et-ʿatzmo mimmennū), "and save himself from us" or "deliver himself from us." The focus is on preventing Sheba's successful evasion and self-preservation, which would leave the rebellion intact and threaten David's recently restored peace.

• "do us more harm than Absalom": This phrase marks Sheba's rebellion as uniquely dangerous due to its potential for protracted, hidden conflict and continued internal disunity, rather than open, resolved warfare. It reflects David's evolved understanding of threats.
• "Take your lord's servants and pursue him, lest he get into fortified cities and escape from us.": This forms a complete command and rationale. It illustrates a clear strategic imperative: swift, decisive military action to neutralize a cunning rebel who seeks refuge, emphasizing the importance of preventative action against a protracted insurgency.

2 Samuel 20 6 Bonus section

• David's choice of Abishai rather than Joab to lead this immediate force is notable. While Joab remained the general, his actions in killing Absalom against David's direct command might have led David to prefer Abishai for this crucial, time-sensitive mission, trusting Abishai's loyalty without question in a moment demanding unhesitating obedience. This also hints at David's continuing management of Joab's often overzealous loyalty.
• The phrase "more harm than Absalom" (יֵרַע לָנוּ מֵאַבְשָׁלוֹם) not only expresses a comparative degree of danger but also reflects a shift in the nature of threats to David's reign. Absalom's revolt, while personal and painful, was ultimately an open contest for the throne, resolved on a battlefield. Sheba's rebellion, stemming from unresolved tribal tensions and aimed at subversion rather than direct conquest, carried the risk of splintering the newly reunited kingdom through guerrilla warfare and protracted sieges, which were militarily costly and socially corrosive.

2 Samuel 20 6 Commentary

David's assessment of Sheba's rebellion as more threatening than Absalom's uprising reveals his deep concern for the long-term stability and unity of his kingdom. While Absalom challenged David directly in open warfare, Sheba's strategy of rallying discontent and seeking refuge in fortified strongholds posed a different kind of threat: a protracted, elusive, and internal insurgency that could bleed the nation and undermine its fragile peace for years. David's immediate and decisive command to Abishai, focusing on swift pursuit to prevent Sheba from consolidating his position in secure cities, demonstrates his sharp strategic mind and understanding of counter-insurgency. He prioritized preventing the rebel from gaining an unassailable base, recognizing that a small, entrenched threat could cause more lasting damage than a larger but openly confronted one. This highlights a principle: swiftly addressing root causes of division and emergent threats prevents their growth into insurmountable problems.