2 Samuel 17:8

And Hushai said, Thou knowest thy father and his men, that they are very mighty, and bitter in their spirit, as a bereaved bear in the field, and as a wild boar in the plain: and thy father is a man of war, and will not give the people rest.

Updated Brenton Septuagint

In The King James Version

For, said Hushai, thou knowest thy father and his men, that they be mighty men, and they be chafed in their minds, as a bear robbed of her whelps in the field: and thy father is a man of war, and will not lodge with the people.

In Context

7And Hushai said to Absalom, This counsel which Ahithophel has counseled this one time is not good.

9For, behold, he is now hidden in one of the hills or in some other place: and it shall come to pass when he falls upon them at the beginning, that someone will certainly hear, and say, There has been a slaughter among the people that follow after Absalom.

Read all of 2 Samuel 17

Cross References

1 Samuel 16:18And one of his servants answered and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, and he understands playing on the harp, and the man is prudent, and a warrior, and wise in speech, and the man is handsome, and the Lord is with him.

2 Samuel 15:18And all his servants passed on by his side, and every Cherethite, and every Pelethite, and they stood by the olive tree in the wilderness: and all the people marched near him, and all his court, and all the men of might, and all the men of war, six hundred: and they were present at his side: and every Cherethite, and every Pelethite, and all the six hundred Gittites that came on foot out of Gath, and they went on before the king.

2 Samuel 23:8These are the names of the mighty men of David: Josheb-basshebeth the Canaanite is a captain of the third part: Adinon the Asonite, he drew his sword against eight hundred soldiers at once.

2 Samuel 23:18And Abishai the brother of Joab the son of Zeruiah, he was chief among the three, and he lifted up his spear against three hundred whom he slew; and he had a name among three.

2 Kings 2:24And he turned after them, and saw them, and cursed them in the name of the Lord. And, behold, there came out two bears out of the wood, and they tore forty and two children of them.

Matthew Henry on 2 Samuel 17:2-15

Hushai's Counsel. ( b. c. 1023.) 1 Moreover Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Let me now choose out twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue after David this night: 2 And I will come upon him while he is weary and weak handed, and will make him afraid: and all the people that are with him shall flee; and I will smite the king only: 3 And I will bring back all the people unto thee: the man whom thou seekest is as if all returned: so all the people shall be in peace. 4 And the saying pleased Absalom well, and… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study 2 Samuel 17:8