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2 Samuel 17:13

in 2 Samuel 17

If he retreats to a city, all Israel will bring ropes to that city, and we will drag it down to the valley until not even a pebble can be found.”

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

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.

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.

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This verse in 2 Samuel 17

Commentary

6 notes on this verse

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

Shall all Israel bring ropes to that city - The original word חבלים chabalim, which signifies ropes, and from which we have our word cable, may have some peculiarity of meaning here; for it is not likely that any city could be pulled down with ropes. The Chaldee, which should be best judge in this case, translates the original word by משרין mashreyan, towers: this gives an easy sense.

This site's exposition

the advice of Ahithophel is not sound

on 2 Samuel 17:7-13

Hushai limits his objection to one occasion: “This time the advice of Ahithophel is not sound”. He urges a levy of all Israel “from Dan to Beersheba” with Absalom himself at its head. Such a levy takes time, and time is what David needs.

This site's exposition

all Israel will bring ropes

John Wesley calls the ropes a boast shaped to Absalom's vanity. No city is dragged down to the valley by hand, and Adam Clarke notes that the Chaldee renders the word for ropes as towers. Matthew Henry notes that Absalom and all the men of Israel agreed with this advice.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices

A commentator

John Wesley

1703–1791

Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament (1765)

As dew - That is, plenteously, suddenly, irresistibly, and on all sides; for so the dew falls. Bring ropes - It is an hyperbolical expression, suited to the vain-glorious temper of this insolent young man: implying, that they would do so if they could not destroy him another way: or, that they should be enough to do so, if there were occasion.
Moreover, if he be gotten into a city,....

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

(3.) By all these arts, Hushai gained not only Absalom's approbation of his advice, but the unanimous concurrence of this great counsel of war; they all agreed that the counsel of Hushai was better than the counsel of Ahithophel,

The words behind it

22 Hebrew words

Every Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

  • וְאִם־and if

    veim-H518 →1069 times

  • אֶל־into

    ʾel-H413 →5510 times

  • עִיר֙a city

    ʾirH5892 →1090 times

  • יֵֽאָסֵ֔ףhe will be gathered

    yeasefH622 →200 times

  • וְהִשִּׂ֧יאוּand they will cause to bring

    vehisiuH5375 →656 times

  • כָֽל־all

    khol-H3605 →5413 times

  • יִשְׂרָאֵ֛לIsrael

    yisraelH3478 →2507 times

  • אֶל־to

    ʾel-H413 →5510 times

  • הָעִ֥ירthe city

    hairH5892 →1090 times

  • הַהִ֖יא<the> that

    hahi'H1931 →1879 times

  • חֲבָלִ֑יםropes

    chavalimH2256 →62 times

  • וְסָחַ֤בְנוּand we will drag

    vesachavnuH5498 →

  • אֹתוֹ֙<obj.> him

    ʾotoH853 →10935 times

  • עַד־to

    ʾad-H5704 →1261 times

  • הַנַּ֔חַלthe wadi

    hanachalH5158 →141 times

  • עַ֛דuntil

    ʾadH5704 →1261 times

  • אֲשֶֽׁר־that

    ʾasher-H834 →5497 times

  • לֹא־not

    lo'-H3808 →5168 times

  • נִמְצָ֥אit has been found

    nimtza'H4672 →455 times

  • שָׁ֖םthere

    shamH8033 →834 times

  • גַּם־also

    gam-H1571 →769 times

  • צְרֽוֹר׃ פa pebble

    tzerorH6872 →

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

4 in all, six open

The walk

8 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    Matthew 24:2

    “Do you see all these things?” He replied. “Truly I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”

    it leads to

    • Micah 3:12

      Therefore, because of you, Zion will be plowed like a field, Jerusalem will become a heap of rubble, and the temple mount a wooded ridge.

      Reached by 2 separate paths from here.

    • Luke 19:44

      They will level you to the ground—you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of your visitation from God.”

    • Jeremiah 26:18

      “Micah the Moreshite prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah and told all the people of Judah that this is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘Zion will be plowed like a…

    • Ezekiel 7:20–22

      His beautiful ornaments they transformed into pride and used them to fashion their vile images and detestable idols. Therefore I will make these into something unclean for them.

    • 1 Kings 9:7–8

      then I will cut off Israel from the land that I have given them, and I will banish from My presence this temple I have sanctified for My Name. Then Israel will become an…

  • Through

    Micah 1:6

    Therefore I will make Samaria a heap of rubble in the open field, a planting area for a vineyard. I will pour her stones into the valley and expose her foundations.

    it leads to

    • Ezekiel 13:14

      I will tear down the wall you whitewashed and level it to the ground, so that its foundation is exposed. The city will fall, and you will be destroyed within it. Then you will…

    • 2 Kings 19:25

      Have you not heard? Long ago I ordained it; in days of old I planned it. Now I have brought it to pass, that you should crush fortified cities into piles of rubble.

    • Lamentations 4:1

      How the gold has become tarnished, the pure gold has become dull! The gems of the temple lie scattered on every street corner.

Where this verse is studied

On this page

Studies1

About 2 Samuel

David Mourns the Death of Absalom, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
David Mourns the Death of Absalom, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
2 Samuel: the study guide →Read 2 Samuel 17 →

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.

Read on in 2 Samuel 17 →