Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Samuel 17:11
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.
11. be generally gathered ] Generally = ‘as a whole’: as we might say, “that there be a general gathering of all Israel.”
from Dan even to Beer-sheba ] See note on 1Sa 3:20.
the sand, &c.] A common figure for an innumerable multitude. Cp. Gen 22:17; Gen 41:49; 1Sa 13:5; Psa 78:27; &c.
and that thou go, &c.] Or, and that thy presence go in the midst of them; as the Sept., Vulg., and other versions read instead of to the battle.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
His pretence was, that they might have a far greater army, and make sure though slow work; his design was to gain David more time, that he might increase his army, and make better provisions for the battle; and that the present heat of the people might be cooled, and they might at last bethink themselves of their duty to David, and return to their former allegiance.
That thou go to battle in thine own person; for thy presence will put more life and courage into all thy soldiers, who will be ambitious to show their utmost skill and courage in defending thy person and cause, when they know that all their actions are observed by him who hath the distribution of rewards and punishments in his hands. So mayst thou also give counsel as occasion offers, and encourage thy men to kill David, which otherwise they may possibly be afraid to do. Besides, the glory of the victory will be wholly thine, which now Ahithophel seeks to get to himself.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
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 is opposed to the counsel of Ahithophel, which was only to select twelve thousand men, and send them against David at once; and this is designed chiefly to gain time, since such a collection could not be made soon, and so David would have more time to get farther off, and to prepare the better for his defence; and this advice might be the more agreeable to Absalom, as it promised a greater certainty of success through numbers, and might feed the vanity and ambition of that prince to have such a large army under him, as well as suggested that all Israel were on his side, and at his command, and might easily be gathered to him:
and that thou go to battle in thine own person; this was another part of his advice opposed to the counsel of Ahithophel, who proposed to have the command of the twelve thousand men himself, and to leave Absalom at Jerusalem; now Hushai suggests that it would be more to his interest and his honour to take command of the army himself, and go in person into the field of battle; since this would serve to animate his soldiers, when they saw their prince at the head of them, and he would have the glory of the victory, which he might insinuate hereby Ahithophel sought to deprive him of: it is in the Hebrew text, that “thy face” or “faces go to battle” m, where he might be seen in person, and have the oversight and direction of things himself; the Targum is,
“and thou shalt go at the head of us all;”
and this advice Hushai was directed to give, and which was taken, that Absalom might fall in battle.
m “facies tuae euntes”, Montanus, “facies tua vadat”, Pagninus.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
“Yea ( , profecto ), I advise: let all Israel be gathered round thee from Dan to Beersheba (see at Jdg 20:1), numerous as the sand by the sea; and thou thyself go into the war.” , thy person, i.e., thou thyself be marching. The plural is used because of . For , to enter into anything, see 1Ki 19:4; Isa 45:16; Isa 46:2. , war, the early translators have confounded with .
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
(11) I counsel that all Israel.Hushai had before him a difficult task. He had not only to make the worse appear the better reason, but to do this in face of the counsel of a man very famous for his wisdom and devoted to the interests of Absalom, while his own fidelity had but just now been called in question. He accomplishes his task successfully by emphasising all the possible hazards and contingencies of the plan recommended by Ahithophel, and by proposing, on the other hand, a plan attended with no risk, on the supposition that the great mass of Israel already were, and would continue to be, on Absaloms side, a supposition which; with delicate flattery, he assumes as true.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
2Sa 17:11 Therefore I counsel that all Israel be generally gathered unto thee, from Dan even to Beersheba, as the sand that [is] by the sea for multitude; and that thou go to battle in thine own person.
Ver. 11. Therefore I counsel that all Israel, &c. ] This was crafty counsel, well fitted to Absalom’s ambitious humour: viz., that he should raise so great an army as was possible, and then have the heading and leading of them himself, that the honour of the victory might be ascribed to him, and not to any deputy. It is reported of Sigismund, the young king of Hungary, that beholding the greatness of his army, in his great jollity, hearing of the coming of the Turks, he should proudly say, What need we to fear the Turks, who need not at all to fear the falling of the heavens; which if they should fall, yet were we able with our spears and halberds to hold them up from failing upon us! But what was the issue? This vainglorious prince shortly after received a notable overthrow, many of his army being slain, and himself hardly escaping with his life in a little boat, like another Xerxes. a The young man Absalom, deceived by Hushai’s counsel, and brought into the sublime dotage of a fool’s paradise, sped not so well, but well enough for such a stigmatical Belialist.
a Turk. Hist., 206.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
as. Figure of speech Parcemia. App-6.
thou = thou thyself. Hebrew “thy face”. Figure of speech Synecdoche (of Part), App-6, put to emphasise the whole person. to battle. Hebrew. karat), never used of battle (which is milhamah). Bikkrab, rendered “to battle”, is an abbreviation for bekirbah = “in the midst of them”, which is the reading of the Septuagint and Vulgate.
in thine own person. By all this emphasis Hushai represents Ahithophel’s personal malice (which need not disturb Absalom) as being personal pride aimed against Absalom. See verses: 2Sa 17:1-3, “I will arise”; “I will come”; “I will smite”; “I will bring back”, &c.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
all Israel: 2Sa 24:2, Jdg 20:1
as the sand: Gen 13:16, Gen 22:17, Jos 11:4, 1Ki 4:20, 1Ki 20:10
thou go: Heb. they face, or presence
go: etc
in thine: 2Sa 12:28, Psa 7:15, Psa 7:16, Psa 9:16
Reciprocal: Gen 21:31 – Beersheba Jdg 18:29 – Dan 1Sa 3:20 – Dan 1Sa 23:23 – I will search 2Sa 3:10 – from Dan 2Sa 18:2 – I will surely 1Ki 4:25 – from Dan 1Ch 21:2 – Beersheba Psa 3:1 – how Heb 11:12 – as the sand
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2Sa 17:11. Therefore I counsel that all Israel be generally gathered unto thee As Ahithophel proposed all imaginable advantage to the evil cause he was engaged in, from expedition, upon the principle mentioned by Tacitus, that nothing determines civil discords so happily as despatch, Hushai, on the contrary, laid himself out to protract and to delay. His design was to gain David more time, that he might increase his army and make better preparation for the battle; and that the present heat of the people for Absalom might be cooled, and they might at last bethink themselves of their duty to David, and return to their former allegiance. For delay, as the same Tacitus observes, gives ill men time to repent, and the good to unite; with a view, therefore, to gain this delay, his advice to Absalom was, that he should wait till he had collected a far larger and more complete army. That all Israel be generally gathered unto thee, from Dan even to Beer-sheba An army made up of the bravest men of all the tribes, to which every thing must yield; and thereby to make sure though slow work. And that thou go to battle in thine own person Intimating that his presence would put life and courage into his soldiers, who would be ambitious to show their skill and courage in defending his person, when they knew that all their actions were observed by him, who had the distribution of rewards and punishments in his hands; and intimating that the glory of the victory belonged to him alone, and that no body should pretend to rob him of it. And whereas it was urged by Ahithophel, that he would smite the king only, as if all Absaloms ends were to be attained by his death, Hushai intimates that the death of competitors was as necessary as that of the king, at least, the death of him who was divinely designed for the throne. And, therefore, he adds, that they should come upon David, where he could not be concealed, and whence he could not escape, nor any one of those that were with him.