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2 Samuel 17:11

in 2 Samuel 17

Instead, I advise that all Israel from Dan to Beersheba—a multitude like the sand on the seashore—be gathered to you, and that you yourself lead them into battle.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

But I counsel that all Israel be gathered together unto thee, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, as the sand that is by the sea for multitude; and that thou go to battle in thine own person.

KJV

Therefore I counsel that all Israel be generally gathered unto thee, from Dan even to Beer–sheba, as the sand that is by the sea for multitude; and that thou go to battle in thine own person.

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This verse in 2 Samuel 17

Commentary

3 notes on this verse
Therefore I counsel,.... My advice is as follows: that all Israel be generally gathered unto thee, from Dan even to Beersheba, as the sand that is by the sea for multitude: not all the inhabitants of the land, but such as are fit to bear arms, or that were soldiers, employed in military affairs, in keeping garrisons, guarding the coasts, &c. even the militia of the nation, from the extreme boundary of it on the north to the extreme boundary of it on the south; in such a direction lay Dan and Beersheba.

This site's exposition

is not good at this time

on 2 Samuel 17:7-13

Hushai concedes what everyone in the room already knows, that Ahithophel's counsel has generally been sound, and stakes his objection only on this time, which gives his dissent the appearance of fairness rather than rivalry. His argument is picture and flattery together: David and his mighty men are a bear robbed of her whelps, too dangerous to be caught by surprise, so let Absalom instead gather all Israel from Dan to Beersheba and lead the host himself, as the sand of the sea for multitude. Every word plays to the young man's vanity and buys David the one thing Ahithophel's plan would have denied him, time.

The record, by era

The Nineteenth Century1 voice

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

But his dexterity was chiefly displayed in that part of his counsel which recommended a general levy throughout the country; and that Absalom should take command of it in person--thereby flattering at once the pride and ambition of the usurper. The bait was caught by the vainglorious and wicked prince.

How the passage was read

What the Jewish commentators add

On the verses either side of this one

Even if he is a soldier. That person who hears [about the disaster] even if he is a soldier and his heart is like that of a lion his heart will surely melt in fear and trepidation.
Rashi: France, 1040–1105 · Rashi on II Samuel 17:10:1, via Sefaria, The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J

This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.

Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 7 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.

The words behind it

19 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.

  • כִּ֣יfor

    kiH3588 →4482 times

  • יָעַ֗צְתִּיI counsel

    yaatztiH3289 →79 times

  • הֵ֠אָסֹףcertainly <to be gathered>

    heasofH622 →200 times

  • יֵאָסֵ֨ףlet it be gathered

    yeasefH622 →200 times

  • עָלֶ֤יךָto you

    ʾaleikhaH5921 →5755 times

  • כָל־all

    khol-H3605 →5413 times

  • יִשְׂרָאֵל֙Israel

    yisraelH3478 →2507 times

  • מִדָּן֙from Dan

    midanH1835 →70 times

  • וְעַד־and to

    vead-H5704 →1261 times

  • בְּאֵ֣רBeer

    beerH884 →68 times

  • שֶׁ֔בַעSheba

    sheva'H884 →68 times

  • כַּח֥וֹלlike the sand

    kacholH2344 →

  • אֲשֶׁר־which

    ʾasher-H834 →5497 times

  • עַל־[is] at

    ʾal-H5921 →5755 times

  • הַיָּ֖םthe sea

    haiyamH3220 →

  • לָרֹ֑בfor multitude

    laroH7230 →

  • וּפָנֶ֥יךָand face your

    ufaneikhaH6440 →2123 times

  • הֹלְכִ֖ים[will be] going

    holekhimH1980 →1546 times

  • בַּקְרָֽב׃in the battle

    bakravH7128 →

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

Related verses

18 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Genesis 22:17I will surely bless you, and I will multiply your descendants like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will possess the gates of their enemies.6 worksPsalms 9:16The LORD is known by the justice He brings; the wicked are ensnared by the work of their hands. Higgaion Selah3 worksJoshua 11:4So these kings came out with all their armies, a multitude as numerous as the sand on the seashore, along with a great number of horses and chariots.3 worksJudges 20:1Then all the Israelites from Dan to Beersheba and from the land of Gilead came out, and the congregation assembled as one man before the LORD at Mizpah.3 worksHebrews 11:12And so from one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.3 works2 Samuel 24:2So the king said to Joab the commander of his army, who was with him, “Go now throughout the tribes of Israel from Dan to Beersheba and register the troops, so that I may know their number.”2 works
The other 12 cross-references, with their words ▾
1 Kings 20:10Then Ben-hadad sent another message to Ahab: “May the gods deal with me, and ever so severely, if enough dust remains of Samaria for each of my men to have a handful.”2 works2 Samuel 12:28Now, therefore, assemble the rest of the troops, lay siege to the city, and capture it. Otherwise I will capture the city, and it will be named after me.”2 worksGenesis 13:16I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if one could count the dust of the earth, then your offspring could be counted.2 works1 Kings 4:20The people of Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand on the seashore, and they were eating and drinking and rejoicing.2 worksPsalms 7:15–16He has dug a hole and hollowed it out; he has fallen into a pit of his own making.2 works1 Kings 4:25Throughout the days of Solomon, Judah and Israel dwelt securely from Dan to Beersheba, each man under his own vine and his own fig tree.2 works1 Samuel 3:20So all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel was confirmed as a prophet of the LORD.2 works2 Samuel 18:2He sent out the troops, a third under Joab, a third under Joab’s brother Abishai son of Zeruiah, and a third under Ittai the Gittite. And the king said to the troops, “I will surely march out with you as well.”2 works2 Samuel 3:10to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and to establish the throne of David over Israel and Judah, from Dan to Beersheba.”2 worksGenesis 21:31So that place was called Beersheba, because it was there that the two of them swore an oath.2 worksJudges 18:29They named it Dan, after their forefather Dan, who was born to Israel—though the city was formerly named Laish.2 works1 Chronicles 21:2So David said to Joab and the commanders of the troops, “Go and count the Israelites from Beersheba to Dan and bring me a report, so that I may know their number.”2 works

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

    Genesis 22:17

    I will surely bless you, and I will multiply your descendants like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will possess the gates of their enemies.

    it leads to

    • Genesis 15:5

      And the LORD took him outside and said, “Now look to the heavens and count the stars, if you are able.” Then He told him, “So shall your offspring be.”

    • Jeremiah 33:22

      As the hosts of heaven cannot be counted and as the sand on the seashore cannot be measured, so too will I multiply the descendants of My servant David and the Levites who minister…

    • Genesis 24:60

      And they blessed Rebekah and said to her, “Our sister, may you become the mother of thousands upon thousands. May your offspring possess the gates of their enemies.”

    • Genesis 26:4

      I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky, and I will give them all these lands, and through your offspring all nations of the earth will be blessed,

    • Psalms 72:8–9

      May he rule from sea to sea, and from the Euphrates to the ends of the earth.

  • Through

    2 Samuel 24:2

    So the king said to Joab the commander of his army, who was with him, “Go now throughout the tribes of Israel from Dan to Beersheba and register the troops, so that I may…

    it leads to

    • 2 Samuel 3:10

      to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and to establish the throne of David over Israel and Judah, from Dan to Beersheba.”

      Reached by 2 separate paths from here.

  • Through

    Psalms 9:16

    The LORD is known by the justice He brings; the wicked are ensnared by the work of their hands. Higgaion Selah

    it leads to

    • Exodus 7:5

      And the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD, when I stretch out My hand against Egypt and bring the Israelites out from among them.”

  • Through

    Judges 20:1

    Then all the Israelites from Dan to Beersheba and from the land of Gilead came out, and the congregation assembled as one man before the LORD at Mizpah.

    it leads to

    • Judges 11:11

      So Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him their leader and commander. And Jephthah repeated all his terms in the presence of the LORD at Mizpah.

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 Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.

Read on in 2 Samuel 17 →