2 Samuel 17:29
in 2 Samuel 17honey, curds, sheep, and cheese from the herd for David and his people to eat. For they said, “The people have become hungry, exhausted, and thirsty in the wilderness.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
and honey, and butter, and sheep, and cheese of the herd, for David, and for the people that were with him, to eat: for they said, The people are hungry, and weary, and thirsty, in the wilderness.
KJV
And honey, and butter, and sheep, and cheese of kine, for David, and for the people that were with him, to eat: for they said, The people is hungry, and weary, and thirsty, in the wilderness.
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This verse in 2 Samuel 17
Commentary
6 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Cheese of kine - Or, as others, “milch cows,” which is more in accordance with the context, being coupled with “sheep,” and is more or less borne out etymologically by the Arabic. God’s care for David was evident in the kindness of these people.
This site's exposition
Shobi the son of Nahash
on 2 Samuel 17:27-29
Shobi son of the Ammonite king, Machir who had sheltered Mephibosheth at Lo-debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite meet the fleeing king with beds, basins, grain, honey, cheese and flocks, for they said the people is hungry, and weary, and thirsty, in the wilderness. None of the three owes David an oath the way Jonathan's household does; their kindness comes from outside Israel's own rebellion, an Ammonite, a man from the town that once hid Saul's grandson, and an old Gileadite of great wealth. Barzillai's welcome here is repaid at 19:31-39, when David offers to carry him to Jerusalem and Barzillai sends his son Chimham in his place.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
In - Having been in the wilderness. Thus God sometimes makes up to his people that comfort from strangers, which they are disappointed of in their own families.
And honey and butter,....
Let us learn hence to be generous and open-handed, according as our ability is, to all in distress, especially great men, to whom it is most grievous, and good men, who deserve better treatment; and see how God sometimes makes up to his people that comfort from strangers which they are disappointed of in their own families.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Being considered a luxurious refreshment (So 4:11), the supply of it shows the high respect that was paid to David by his loyal and faithful subjects at Mahanaim.
The words behind it
18 Hebrew wordsEvery 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.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וּדְבַ֣שׁ | udevash | and honey | H1706 → | |
| וְחֶמְאָ֗ה | vechemah | and curd<s> | H2529 → | |
| וְצֹאן֙ | vetzon | and sheep | H6629 → | 274 times |
| וּשְׁפ֣וֹת | ushefot | and cheese of | H8194 → | |
| בָּקָ֔ר | bakar | [the] herd | H1241 → | 183 times |
| הִגִּ֧ישׁוּ | higishu | they brought | H5066 → | 125 times |
| לְדָוִ֛ד | ledavid | for David | H1732 → | 999 times |
| וְלָעָ֥ם | velaam | and for the people | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| אִתּ֖וֹ | ʾito | [was] with him | H854 → | 929 times |
| לֶאֱכ֑וֹל | leekhol | to eat | H398 → | 810 times |
| כִּ֣י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| אָמְר֔וּ | ʾameru | they said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| הָעָ֗ם | haam | the people | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| רָעֵ֛ב | raev | [is] hungry | H7457 → | |
| וְעָיֵ֥ף | veayef | and weary | H5889 → | |
| וְצָמֵ֖א | vetzame' | and thirsty | H6771 → | |
| בַּמִּדְבָּֽר׃ | bamidbar | in the wilderness | H4057 → | 270 times |
וּדְבַ֣שׁand honey
udevashH1706 →
וְחֶמְאָ֗הand curd<s>
vechemahH2529 →
וְצֹאן֙and sheep
vetzonH6629 →274 times
וּשְׁפ֣וֹתand cheese of
ushefotH8194 →
בָּקָ֔ר[the] herd
bakarH1241 →183 times
הִגִּ֧ישׁוּthey brought
higishuH5066 →125 times
לְדָוִ֛דfor David
ledavidH1732 →999 times
וְלָעָ֥םand for the people
velaamH5971 →1873 times
אֲשֶׁר־which
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
אִתּ֖וֹ[was] with him
ʾitoH854 →929 times
לֶאֱכ֑וֹלto eat
leekholH398 →810 times
כִּ֣יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
אָמְר֔וּthey said
ʾameruH559 →5305 times
הָעָ֗םthe people
haamH5971 →1873 times
רָעֵ֛ב[is] hungry
raevH7457 →
וְעָיֵ֥ףand weary
veayefH5889 →
וְצָמֵ֖אand thirsty
vetzame'H6771 →
בַּמִּדְבָּֽר׃in the wilderness
bamidbarH4057 →270 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach 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
Psalms 84:11For the LORD God is a sun and a shield; the LORD gives grace and glory; He withholds no good thing from those who walk with integrity.
it leads to
- Psalms 34:9–10
Fear the LORD, you His saints, for those who fear Him lack nothing.
- Proverbs 2:7
He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk with integrity,
- Matthew 6:33
But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.
- Philippians 4:19
And my God will supply all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
- Psalms 85:12
The LORD will indeed provide what is good, and our land will yield its increase.
- Psalms 34:9–10
Through
Romans 12:13Share with the saints who are in need. Practice hospitality.
it leads to
- Hebrews 13:16
And do not neglect to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.
- 2 Corinthians 9:12
For this ministry of service is not only supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanksgiving to God.
- 1 John 3:17
If anyone with earthly possessions sees his brother in need, but withholds his compassion from him, how can the love of God abide in him?
- Hebrews 13:16
About 2 Samuel

Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; 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.
