2 Samuel 20:7 kjv
And there went out after him Joab's men, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, and all the mighty men: and they went out of Jerusalem, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.
2 Samuel 20:7 nkjv
So Joab's men, with the Cherethites, the Pelethites, and all the mighty men, went out after him. And they went out of Jerusalem to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri.
2 Samuel 20:7 niv
So Joab's men and the Kerethites and Pelethites and all the mighty warriors went out under the command of Abishai. They marched out from Jerusalem to pursue Sheba son of Bikri.
2 Samuel 20:7 esv
And there went out after him Joab's men and the Cherethites and the Pelethites, and all the mighty men. They went out from Jerusalem to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri.
2 Samuel 20:7 nlt
So Abishai and Joab, together with the king's bodyguard and all the mighty warriors, set out from Jerusalem to go after Sheba.
2 Samuel 20 7 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Sam 20:1 | Now a worthless fellow... whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjaminite... blew the trumpet... | Introduction of Sheba and the initiation of his rebellion. |
| 2 Sam 20:2 | So all the men of Israel withdrew from David... | The immediate widespread effect of Sheba's call for tribal division. |
| 2 Sam 20:4-5 | Then the king said to Amasa, "Call out the men of Judah for me in three days..." But Amasa delayed... | David's attempt to use Amasa and Amasa's failure to act swiftly. |
| 2 Sam 20:6 | And David said to Abishai, "Now Sheba the son of Bichri will do us more harm than Absalom... | King David's assessment of Sheba's threat and the urgency to act. |
| 2 Sam 8:18 | and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites... | Establishing the commanders and role of the Cherethites and Pelethites as David's loyal guard. |
| 2 Sam 15:18 | All the Cherethites, the Pelethites... went on ahead of the king. | Demonstrating the unwavering loyalty of the Cherethites and Pelethites during Absalom's rebellion. |
| 2 Sam 23:8 | These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Josheb-basshebeth a Tahchemonite... | Listing some of the principal "mighty men," indicating their importance and identity. |
| 1 Chr 11:10 | Now these are the chiefs of the mighty men whom David had... | Parallel account listing the renowned "mighty men" from another biblical book. |
| 1 Chr 27:3 | Benaiah the son of Jehoiada... was chief of the thirty. | Benaiah's command over a unit of mighty men, further showing their organization. |
| Num 10:9 | When you go to war in your land against the adversary who oppresses you, then you shall sound an alarm... | Principles of immediate military response to a threat, sounding an alarm. |
| Deut 23:4 | ...they did not meet you with food and water on the way when you came out of Egypt, and because they hired against you Balaam... | Context of nations being pursued and attacked (by spiritual or physical means). |
| Judg 20:43 | They surrounded the Benjaminites, pursued them closely... and crushed them... | A prior instance of relentless pursuit and defeat of Benjaminites during a civil war. |
| 1 Sam 30:8 | David inquired of the Lord, "Shall I pursue this band? Shall I overtake them?" | David's general practice of seeking divine guidance for pursuit. |
| Psa 7:5 | Let the enemy pursue my soul and overtake it and trample my life to the ground... | Illustrates the severity and goal of pursuit, leading to defeat or destruction. |
| Psa 18:37 | I pursued my enemies and overtook them, and did not turn back until they were consumed. | Poetic expression of relentless and victorious pursuit of adversaries. |
| Psa 68:30 | Rebuke the beast of the reeds, the company of bulls... scatter the peoples who delight in war. | Theme of divine or kingly power scattering rebellious elements. |
| Prov 28:1 | The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion. | The general principle of justice pursuing wickedness, or fear compelling flight. |
| Rom 13:4 | for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid, for it does not bear the sword in vain... | God-ordained authority uses the sword to punish wrongdoers. |
| 1 Pet 2:13-14 | Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether to a king as supreme... for the punishment of evildoers... | Importance of submission to authority and rulers' role in punishing rebellion. |
| 1 Kgs 2:5-6 | Moreover, you know what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me... David’s final instructions regarding Joab's previous acts. | Later consequences of Joab's often violent methods (Amasa's assassination to follow). |
| Gen 49:27 | "Benjamin is a ravenous wolf... in the evening he divides the plunder." | Prophetic character of Benjamin, hinting at a warlike, sometimes troublesome nature. |
| Acts 5:36-37 | For some time ago Theudas rose up... After him came Judas the Galilean... All who followed them were scattered... | Historical examples of rebels leading followers who were eventually scattered. |
| Rev 17:14 | These will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for he is Lord of lords... | Ultimate triumph of divine authority over all rebellion. |
| Phil 3:14 | I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. | A spiritual application of diligent "pursuit" toward a goal, reflecting intense focus. |
2 Samuel 20 verses
2 Samuel 20 7 Meaning
This verse details the swift military response to Sheba's rebellion against King David. Immediately following the king's command, Joab takes charge and dispatches a formidable contingent from Jerusalem. This force is composed of his personal men, David's elite foreign bodyguards known as the Cherethites and Pelethites, and all the renowned "mighty men" – the most skilled and valorous warriors in David's army. Their express purpose is to relentlessly pursue Sheba, the son of Bichri, who had just incited a new tribal revolt, demonstrating David's resolve to suppress disunity and reassert his authority across the kingdom.
2 Samuel 20 7 Context
2 Samuel chapter 20 opens with King David having just returned to Jerusalem after Absalom's failed rebellion, navigating tribal tensions between Judah and Israel. However, peace is short-lived. A man named Sheba, from the tribe of Benjamin, immediately capitalizes on the lingering discontent by inciting another rebellion. He shrewdly cries, "We have no portion in David, nor any inheritance in the son of Jesse; every man to his tents, O Israel!" (2 Sam 20:1), aiming to draw the northern tribes away from Davidic rule.
Recognizing the gravity of this fresh uprising, David entrusts Amasa, his newly appointed commander-in-chief, with the urgent task of mustering the men of Judah. But Amasa proves inept, failing to gather the troops within the appointed three days. David cannot afford delay, fearing Sheba will seize fortified cities and pose an even greater threat than Absalom. Consequently, the king turns to Joab (2 Sam 20:6), his former general, whose military efficiency is unquestioned, despite David's past grievances and Amasa's new position. This verse, 2 Samuel 20:7, describes Joab's immediate and decisive response to the king's direct order. He swiftly marshals David's most formidable and loyal fighting units from the capital to eliminate this new existential threat to the kingdom's unity.
2 Samuel 20 7 Word analysis
- So: This transitional word signifies an immediate and direct consequence. It indicates that the action described is a prompt response to David's command to Joab in the preceding verse (2 Sam 20:6), highlighting urgency and resolve.
- Joab's men: This refers to soldiers under Joab's direct, personal command or those loyal to him. While he might have been temporarily supplanted by Amasa, Joab maintained a formidable private military following or unwavering allegiance from key elements of the regular army due to his established leadership and combat experience.
- and the Cherethites and the Pelethites: (Hebrew: ha-Kĕrēthī wə-ha-Pĕlēthī) These were David's personal royal bodyguard and elite military unit. Often considered foreign mercenaries, possibly of Cretan (Cherethites) and Philistine (Pelethites) origin, they were distinguished by their professionalism and absolute, unwavering loyalty to David personally (seen in 2 Sam 15:18 during Absalom's revolt). Their deployment signals the highest level of royal urgency and the king's reliance on his most trusted and disciplined forces to crush the rebellion. They served as symbols of centralized royal power, distinct from tribal militias.
- and all the mighty men: (Hebrew: wə-ḵāl-ha-gibbōrîm) This designates the famed elite warriors of David, whose heroic deeds are partially cataloged in 2 Samuel 23:8-39 and 1 Chronicles 11:10-47. They were battle-hardened veterans known for exceptional strength, courage, and loyalty, representing the pinnacle of Israel's military might. Their participation ensures the commitment of David's best and bravest.
- went out after him: (Hebrew: wa-yētz'û aḥărâw) The verb yātsā’ (to go out) signifies immediate departure. "After him" directly refers to Sheba, indicating the object of their pursuit. The phrase conveys the sense of setting off in hot pursuit to track down the rebel leader.
- from Jerusalem: This specifies the origin of the expedition—the capital city and seat of David's royal authority. Issuing from Jerusalem emphasizes that the pursuit is an official, kingdom-sanctioned effort to restore order and reassert central control.
- to pursue: (Hebrew: li-r'dōf) This infinitive verb explicitly states the purpose: to chase, track down, and overtake the enemy. It conveys a sense of active and relentless hunting, highlighting the urgency to prevent Sheba from consolidating his rebellious strength.
- Sheba the son of Bichri: This identifies the specific target of the military action. Sheba was a Benjaminite, and his lineage to Bichri indicates his family background within that tribe. His tribal affiliation subtly hints at the deep-seated tribal divisions and Benjamin's historical antagonism towards the House of David, going back to King Saul's lineage.
Words-group by words-group analysis
- "Joab's men and the Cherethites and the Pelethites and all the mighty men": This collective grouping emphasizes the full deployment of David's most effective and loyal military assets. It showcases the integration of Joab's experienced combatants with David's personally vetted elite units (bodyguards and legendary heroes), highlighting the formidable, combined might used to secure the kingdom. This force represented David's absolute best in terms of reliability, experience, and combat readiness.
- "went out after him from Jerusalem to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri": This phrase captures the entirety of the decisive mission. It encapsulates the action (going out), the strategic starting point (Jerusalem, the seat of power), the clear objective (pursuit), and the specific target (Sheba, the instigator of rebellion). It underscores the speed and targeted nature of the king's response to an internal threat, showing determination to stamp out sedition quickly and firmly.
2 Samuel 20 7 Bonus section
The composition of the forces pursuing Sheba reflects the dual nature of David's military establishment: a highly personalized core (Cherethites, Pelethites, and Mighty Men loyal directly to him) and the powerful influence of an entrenched commander (Joab and his men). The Cherethites and Pelethites, often cited as mercenaries, paradoxically became David's most steadfast supporters, demonstrating that loyalty could transcend tribal or national origin and be purely professional and personal to the king. Sheba's rebellion being initiated by a Benjaminite, similar to King Saul, taps into old tribal rivalries and resentments against the Davidic (Judahite) monarchy. This civil unrest underscores the ongoing struggle for true unity within the fledgling kingdom of Israel. This particular military action contrasts sharply with David's reluctant and reactive response to Absalom's rebellion; here, with Joab in command, the response is proactive, direct, and swift, recognizing the imperative to prevent another widespread conflict from developing.
2 Samuel 20 7 Commentary
2 Samuel 20:7 encapsulates David's pragmatic response to the threat posed by Sheba's rebellion, showcasing the enduring effectiveness of Joab and the absolute loyalty of David's specialized troops. While King David had sought to sideline Joab after Absalom's revolt, even appointing Amasa in his place, Amasa's indecisiveness forced David's hand. In a moment of acute danger to the newly reunified kingdom, David reverted to the proven, though often ruthless, competence of Joab. This verse highlights Joab's unhesitating military execution, immediately leading out the kingdom's elite forces: his personal followers, the trusted foreign Cherethites and Pelethites (who embodied David's personal security and the centralized state power), and the revered "mighty men" of Israel. Their swift departure from Jerusalem, the heart of the monarchy, signals a powerful and determined response. The pursuit of "Sheba the son of Bichri" was not just a chase; it was a mission to uphold royal authority, suppress dangerous tribal division, and reaffirm the stability of David's reign. This demonstrates that for order to be restored in tumultuous times, decisive action by capable individuals, supported by loyal forces, is paramount, even when difficult personal choices are involved.