2 Samuel 17:3

Complete Jewish Bible

Then I will bring back to you all the people; and when they have all returned, except the one you are seeking, all the people will be at peace."

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
and bring all the people back to you. When everyone returns except the man you’re looking for, all the people will be at peace.”

Hebrew Names Version
and I will bring back all the people to you: the man whom you seek is as if all returned: [so] all the people shall be in shalom.

King James Version
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.

Lexham English Bible
Then I will return all the people to you; when all have returned, the man whom you are seeking will be dead, but all the people will be safe."

English Standard Version
and I will bring all the people back to you as a bride comes home to her husband. You seek the life of only one man, and all the people will be at peace."

New Century Version
Then I'll bring everyone back to you. If the man you are looking for is dead, everyone else will return safely."

New English Translation
and will bring the entire army back to you. In exchange for the life of the man you are seeking, you will get back everyone. The entire army will return unharmed."

Amplified Bible
and I will bring all the people [who follow David] back to you. The return of everyone depends on the [death of the] man you are seeking; then all the people will be at peace [and accept you as king]."

New American Standard Bible
and I will bring all the people back to you. The return of everyone depends on the man whom you are seeking; then all the people will be at peace."

Geneva Bible (1587)
And I will bring againe all the people vnto thee, and when all shal returne, ( the man whome thou seekest being slaine) all the people shalbe in peace.

Legacy Standard Bible
and I will cause all the people to return to you. The return of everyone depends on the man you seek; then all the people will be at peace."

Contemporary English Version
since he's the one you want to get rid of. Then I'll bring the whole nation back to you like a bride coming home to her husband. This way there won't be a civil war.

Darby Translation
and I will bring back all the people to thee. The man whom thou seekest is as if all returned: all the people shall be in peace.

Easy-to-Read Version
Then I will bring all the people back to you. If David is dead, all the people will come back in peace."

George Lamsa Translation
And I will bring back all the people to you, just as those whom you sought have come back; so all the people shall be in peace.

Good News Translation
and then bring back all his men to you, like a bride returning to her husband. You want to kill only one man; the rest of the people will be safe."

Literal Translation
And I shall bring all the people back to you when all return, except the man whom you are seeking. All the people shall be in peace.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
and brynge all the people vnto the agayne. So whan euery man is brought vnto the as thou desyrest, then shal all the people be in peace.

American Standard Version
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.

Bible in Basic English
And I will make all the people come back to you as a bride comes back to her husband: it is the life of only one man you are going after; so all the people will be at peace.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And wil bring againe all the people vnto thee: and when al shall returne, the man whom thou sekest [beyng slayne] all the people shalbe in peace.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
and I will bring back all the people unto thee; when all shall have returned, [save] the man whom thou seekest, all the people will be in peace.'

King James Version (1611)
And I wil bring backe all the people vnto thee: the man whom thou seekest is as if all returned: so all the people shall be in peace.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And I will bring back all the people to thee, as a bride returns to her husband: only thou seekest the life of one man, and all the people shall have peace.

English Revised Version
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.

Berean Standard Bible
and bring all the people back to you. When everyone returns except the man you seek, all the people will be at peace."

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Y schal lede ayen al the puple, as o man is wont to turne ayen; for thou sekist o man, and al the puple schal be in pees.

Young's Literal Translation
and I bring back all the people unto thee -- as the turning back of the whole [is] the man whom thou art seeking -- all the people are peace.

Update Bible Version
and I will bring back all the people to you: all the people will return [if] the man you are seeking [is smitten]: all the people shall be in peace.

Webster's Bible Translation
And I will bring back all the people to thee: the man whom thou seekest [is] as if all returned: [so] all the people shall be in peace.

World English Bible
and I will bring back all the people to you: the man whom you seek is as if all returned: [so] all the people shall be in peace.

New King James Version
Then I will bring back all the people to you. When all return except the man whom you seek, all the people will be at peace."

New Living Translation
and I will bring all the people back to you as a bride returns to her husband. After all, it is only one man's life that you seek. Then you will be at peace with all the people."

New Life Bible
and return all the people to you. All will return if the man you want to kill is dead. Then all the people will be at peace."

New Revised Standard
and I will bring all the people back to you as a bride comes home to her husband. You seek the life of only one man, and all the people will be at peace."

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
that I may bring back all the people unto thee, - when all return - save the man whom thou art seeking, all the people, will be at peace.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And I will bring back all the people, as if they were but one man: for thou seekest but one man: and all the people shall be in peace.

Revised Standard Version
and I will bring all the people back to you as a bride comes home to her husband. You seek the life of only one man, and all the people will be at peace."

New American Standard Bible (1995)
and I will bring back all the people to you. The return of everyone depends on the man you seek; then all the people will be at peace."

Contextual Overview

¹ Achitofel said to Avshalom, "Let me now choose 12,000 men, and I will pursue David tonight. ² I'll fall on him unexpectedly when he's tired and powerless. I'll frighten him, all the people with him will flee, and I'll attack only the king. ³ Then I will bring back to you all the people; and when they have all returned, except the one you are seeking, all the people will be at peace." ⁴ What he said pleased Avshalom and all the leaders of Isra'el. ⁵ Then Avshalom said, "Now call also Hushai the Arki, and let's give equal hearing to what he has to say." ⁶ When Hushai appeared before Avshalom, Avshalom said to him, "Achitofel has said such-and-such. Should we do what he says? If not, you tell us." ⁷ Hushai said to Avshalom, "The advice Achitofel has given this time is not good. ⁸ You know," continued Hushai, "that your father and his men are powerful men, and that they are as bitter as a bear deprived of her cubs in the wild. Moreover, your father is a military man, and he won't camp with the rest of the people — ⁹ right now he's hidden in a pit or somewhere. So what will happen is this: when they begin their attack, and whoever hears about it says, ‘A slaughter is taking place among Avshalom's followers,' ¹⁰ then even the strongest among them, someone whose courage is that of a lion, will completely collapse! For all Isra'el knows that your father is a powerful man, and those with him are powerful men.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

I will bring: 2 Samuel 3:21

shall be: Isaiah 48:22, Isaiah 57:21, 1 Thessalonians 5:3

Reciprocal: Judges 4:22 - and I will 2 Samuel 20:21 - his head

Cross-References

Genesis 17:17
At this Avraham fell on his face and laughed — he thought to himself, "Will a child be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah give birth at ninety?"

Genesis 17:18
Avraham said to God, "If only Yishma‘el could live in your presence!"

Genesis 17:23
Avraham took Yishma‘el his son, all the slaves born in his house and all who had been bought with his money, every male among the people in Avraham's household, and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin that very day, just as God had said to him.

Genesis 17:24
(Maftir) Avraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin,

Exodus 3:6
I am the God of your father," he continued, "the God of Avraham, the God of Yitz'chak and the God of Ya‘akov." Moshe covered his face, because he was afraid to look at God.

Numbers 14:5
Moshe and Aharon fell on their faces before the entire assembled community of the people of Isra'el.

Numbers 16:22
They fell on their faces and said, "Oh God, God of the spirits of all humankind, if one person sins, are you going to be angry with the entire assembly?"

Numbers 16:45
Now Korach the son of Yitz'har, the son of K'hat, the son of Levi, along with Datan and Aviram, the sons of Eli'av, and On, the son of Pelet, descendants of Re'uven, took men and rebelled against Moshe. Siding with them were 250 men of Isra'el, leaders of the community, key members of the council, men of reputation. They assembled themselves against Moshe and Aharon and said to them, "You take too much on yourselves! After all, the entire community is holy, every one of them, and Adonai is among them. So why do you lift yourselves up above Adonai 's assembly?" When Moshe heard this he fell on his face. Then he said to Korach and his whole group, "In the morning, Adonai will show who are his and who is the holy person he will allow to approach him. Yes, he will bring whomever he chooses near to himself. Do this: take censers, Korach and all your group; put fire in them; and put incense in them before Adonai tomorrow. The one whom Adonai chooses will be the one who is holy! It is you, you sons of Levi, who are taking too much on yourselves!" Then Moshe said to Korach, "Listen here, you sons of Levi! Is it for you a mere trifle that the God of Isra'el has separated you from the community of Isra'el to bring you close to himself, so that you can do the work in the tabernacle of Adonai and stand before the community serving them? He has brought you close and all your brothers the sons of Levi with you. Now you want the office of cohen too! That's why you and your group have gathered together against Adonai ! After all, what is Aharon that you complain against him?" Then Moshe sent to summon Datan and Aviram, the sons of Eli'av. But they replied, "We won't come up! Is it such a mere trifle, bringing us up from a land flowing with milk and honey to kill us in the desert, that now you arrogate to yourself the role of dictator over us? (ii) You haven't at all brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey, and you haven't put us in possession of fields and vineyards. Do you think you can gouge out these men's eyes and blind them? We won't come up!" Moshe was very angry and said to Adonai , "Don't accept their grain offering! I haven't taken one donkey from them, I've done nothing wrong to any of them." Moshe said to Korach, "You and your group, be there before Adonai tomorrow — you, they and Aharon. Each of you take his fire pan and put incense in it; every one of you, bring before Adonai his fire pan, 250 fire pans, you too, and Aharon — each one his fire pan." Each man took his fire pan, put fire in it, laid incense on it and stood at the entrance to the tent of meeting with Moshe and Aharon. Korach assembled all the group who were against them at the entrance to the tent of meeting. Then the glory of Adonai appeared to the whole assembly. (iii) Adonai said to Moshe and Aharon, "Separate yourselves from this assembly; I'm going to destroy them right now!" They fell on their faces and said, "Oh God, God of the spirits of all humankind, if one person sins, are you going to be angry with the entire assembly?" Adonai answered Moshe, "Tell the assembly to move away from the homes of Korach, Datan and Aviram." Moshe got up and went to Datan and Aviram, and the leaders of Isra'el followed him. There he said to the assembly, "Leave the tents of these wicked men! Don't touch anything that belongs to them, or you may be swept away in all their sins." So they moved away from all around the area where Korach, Datan and Aviram lived. Then Datan and Aviram came out and stood at the entrance to their tents with their wives, sons and little ones. Moshe said, "Here is how you will know that Adonai has sent me to do all these things and that I haven't done them out of my own ambition: if these men die a natural death like other people, only sharing the fate common to all humanity, then Adonai has not sent me. But if Adonai does something new — if the ground opens up and swallows them with everything they own, and they go down alive to Sh'ol — then you will understand that these men have had contempt for Adonai ." The moment he finished speaking, the ground under them split apart — the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up with their households, all the people who had sided with Korach and everything they owned. So they and everything they owned went down alive into Sh'ol, the earth closed over them and their existence in the community ceased. All Isra'el around them fled at their shrieks, shouting, "The earth might swallow us too!" Then fire came out from Adonai and destroyed the 250 men who had offered the incense.

Joshua 5:14
"No," he replied, "but I am the commander of Adonai 's army; I have come just now." Y'hoshua fell down with his face to the ground and worshipped him, then asked, "What does my lord have to say to his servant?"

Judges 13:20
as the flame went up toward the sky from the altar, the angel of Adonai went up in the flame from the altar. When Manoach and his wife saw it, they fell to the ground on their faces.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And I will bring back all the people unto thee,.... Meaning not the people only that were with David, that he would make them prisoners, and bring them with him; for he before proposed to let them make their escape; but to reduce all Israel to the obedience of Absalom at once, by executing this scheme which he had formed:

the man whom thou seekest [is] as if all returned; meaning David, whom he speaks of contemptibly, and whose life it seems Absalom sought, as well as his crown; and he being dead, it would be all over at once with the people; they would immediately return to their own habitations, and yield obedience to Absalom as the rightful heir and successor; all depended on his death, he intimates: from whence it appears that Abarbinel is wrong in suggesting that Absalom did not design to take away the life of his father, only to secure the kingdom to himself in his father's lifetime, who he understood had disposed of it by his will to Solomon; but here Ahithophel plainly declares the intention of Absalom, nor would he have proposed in plain terms to take away the king's life, had Absalom been averse to it; and it is plain by what follows that the thing was pleasing to him:

[so] all the people shall be in peace; both parties coalesce under the government of Absalom, and live peaceably under it, and so an entire end of the war.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The man whom thou seekest - namely, David. Ahithophel means to say: “If I can only smite David, there will be no civil war, all the people will peaceably submit.”

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Samuel 17:3. The man whom thou seekest is as if all returned — Only secure David, and all Israel will be on thy side. He is the soul of the whole; destroy him, and all the rest will submit.