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Monday, July 21st, 2025
the Week of Proper 11 / Ordinary 16
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Good News Translation

2 Samuel 17:8

You know that your father David and his men are hard fighters and that they are as fierce as a mother bear robbed of her cubs. Your father is an experienced soldier and does not stay with his men at night.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Ahithophel;   Armies;   Bear;   Council;   Diplomacy;   Falsehood;   Friendship;   Spies;   Strategy;   War;   Thompson Chain Reference - Animals;   Bears;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Bear, the;   Beasts;   Prudence;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Ahithophel;   Amasa;   Bear;   Hushai;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Absalom;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Animals;   Friend, Friendship;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Ahithophel;   Bear;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Soul;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Bear;   Samuel, Books of;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Ahithophel ;   Bear,;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Absalom;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Ahith'ophel;   Bear;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Chafed;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Bear;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Hebrew Monarchy, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Bear;   Chafe;   Swine;   Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia - Bear;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Absalom;   Bear;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Hushai continued, “You know your father and his men. They are warriors and are desperate like a wild bear robbed of her cubs. Your father is an experienced soldier who won’t spend the night with the people.
Hebrew Names Version
Hushai said moreover, You know your father and his men, that they are mighty men, and they are fierce in their minds, as a bear robbed of her whelps in the field; and your father is a man of war, and will not lodge with the people.
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.
Lexham English Bible
Hushai continued, "You know your father and his men, that they are mighty warriors and they are enraged as a bear robbed of her offspring in the field. Your father is a man of war, so he will not spend the night with the troops.
English Standard Version
Hushai said, "You know that your father and his men are mighty men, and that they are enraged, like a bear robbed of her cubs in the field. Besides, your father is expert in war; he will not spend the night with the people.
New Century Version
Hushai added, "You know your father and his men are strong. They are as angry as a bear that is robbed of its cubs. Your father is a skilled fighter. He won't stay all night with the army.
New English Translation
Hushai went on to say, "You know your father and his men—they are soldiers and are as dangerous as a bear out in the wild that has been robbed of her cubs. Your father is an experienced soldier; he will not stay overnight with the army.
Amplified Bible
And Hushai said, "You know your father and his men, that they are brave men, and they are enraged and fierce, like a bear deprived of her cubs in the field. Your father is a [shrewd] man of war, and will not spend the night with the people [knowing that you seek his life].
New American Standard Bible
Then Hushai said, "You yourself know your father and his men, that they are warriors and they are fierce, like a bear deprived of her cubs in the field. And your father is an expert in warfare, and he will not spend the night with the people.
Geneva Bible (1587)
For, said Hushai, thou knowest thy father, and his men, that they be strong men, and are chafed in minde as a beare robbed of her whelps in the fielde: also thy father is a valiant warrier, and will not lodge with the people.
Legacy Standard Bible
Then Hushai said, "You know your father and his men, that they are mighty men and they are bitter of soul, like a bear robbed of her cubs in the field. And your father is a man of war, and will not spend the night with the people.
Contemporary English Version
You know that your father and his followers are real warriors. Right now they are as fierce as a mother bear whose cubs have just been killed. Besides, your father has a lot of experience in fighting wars, and he won't be spending the night with the others.
Complete Jewish Bible
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 —
Darby Translation
And Hushai said, Thou knowest thy father and his men, that they are mighty men, and they are of exasperated spirit, 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.
Easy-to-Read Version
Hushai added, "You know that your father and his men are strong men. They are as dangerous as a wild bear when something has taken its cubs. Your father is a skilled fighter. He will not stay all night with the people.
George Lamsa Translation
For said Hushai to Absalom. You know well that your father and his servants are mighty men, and they are furious as a bear that devours the prey in the field; moreover, your father is a man of war, and will not spend the night with the people.
Literal Translation
And Hushai said, You have known your father and his men, that they are mighty men. And they are bitter of soul, like a bear bereaved of cubs in the field. And your father is a man of war, and shall not stay the night with the people.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And Chusai sayde morouer: Thou knowest thy father well and his men, that they are stronge and of a wrothfull stomack, euen as a Beer that is robbed of hir yonge ones in the felde, Thy father also is a man of warre, and wyl not be necliget with the people.
American Standard Version
Hushai said moreover, Thou knowest thy father and his men, that they are mighty men, and they are 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.
Bible in Basic English
Hushai said further, You have knowledge of your father and his men, that they are men of war, and that their feelings are bitter, like those of a bear in the field whose young ones have been taken from her: and your father is a man of war, and will not take his night's rest with the people;
Bishop's Bible (1568)
For sayde Husai, thou knowest thy father & his men howe that they be strong men, and they be chased in their mindes, and are euen as a Beare robbed of her whelpes in the fielde: Thy father is a man also practised in warre, and wil not lodge with the people.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Hushai said moreover: 'Thou knowest thy father and his men, that they are mighty men, and they are embittered 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.
King James Version (1611)
For, (said Hushai,) thou knowest thy father and his men, that they bee mightie men, and they be chafed in their minds, as a beare robbed of her whelps in the field: and thy father is a man of warre, and will not lodge with the people.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Chusi 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.
English Revised Version
Hushai said moreover, 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.
Berean Standard Bible
He continued, "You know your father and his men. They are mighty men, and as fierce as a wild bear robbed of her cubs. Moreover, your father is a man of war who will not spend the night with the troops.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And eft Chusi seide, Thou knowist, that thi fadir, and the men that ben with him, ben moost stronge, and in bitter soule, as if a femal bere is fers in the forest, whanne the whelpis ben rauyschid; but also thi fader is a man werriour, and he schal not dwelle with the puple.
Young's Literal Translation
And Hushai saith, `Thou hast known thy father and his men, that they [are] heroes, and they are bitter in soul as a bereaved bear in a field, and thy father [is] a man of war, and doth not lodge with the people;
Update Bible Version
Hushai said moreover, You know your father and his men, that they are mighty men, and they are chafed in their minds, as a bear robbed of her whelps in the field; and your father is a man of war, and will not lodge with the people.
Webster's Bible Translation
For, said Hushai, thou knowest thy father and his men, that they [are] mighty men, and they [are] 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.
World English Bible
Hushai said moreover, You know your father and his men, that they are mighty men, and they are fierce in their minds, as a bear robbed of her whelps in the field; and your father is a man of war, and will not lodge with the people.
New King James Version
For," said Hushai, "you know your father and his men, that they are mighty men, and they are enraged in their minds, like a bear robbed of her cubs in the field; and your father is a man of war, and will not camp with the people.
New Living Translation
You know your father and his men; they are mighty warriors. Right now they are as enraged as a mother bear who has been robbed of her cubs. And remember that your father is an experienced man of war. He won't be spending the night among the troops.
New Life Bible
Hushai said, "You know your father and his men. They are powerful and angry, like a bear robbed of her young ones in the field. And your father is a very able man of war. He will not stay with the people during the night.
New Revised Standard
Hushai continued, "You know that your father and his men are warriors, and that they are enraged, like a bear robbed of her cubs in the field. Besides, your father is expert in war; he will not spend the night with the troops.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And Hushai said - Thou, knowest thy father and his men - that, men of might, they are, and, embittered in soul, they are, like a bear bereaved of her young, in the field, - thy father also, is a man of war, and will not lodge with the people.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And again Chusai said: Thou knowest thy father, and the men that are with him, that they are very valiant, and bitter in their mind, as a bear raging in the wood when her whelps are taken away: and thy father is a warrior, and will not lodge with the people.
Revised Standard Version
Hushai said moreover, "You know that your father and his men are mighty men, and that they are enraged, like a bear robbed of her cubs in the field. Besides, your father is expert in war; he will not spend the night with the people.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Moreover, Hushai said, "You know your father and his men, that they are mighty men and they are fierce, like a bear robbed of her cubs in the field. And your father is an expert in warfare, and will not spend the night with the people.

Contextual Overview

1 Not long after that, Ahithophel said to Absalom, "Let me choose twelve thousand men, and tonight I will set out after David. 2 I will attack him while he is tired and discouraged. He will be frightened, and all his men will run away. I will kill only the king 3 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." 4 This seemed like good advice to Absalom and all the Israelite leaders. 5 Absalom said, "Now call Hushai, and let us hear what he has to say." 6 When Hushai arrived, Absalom said to him, "This is the advice that Ahithophel has given us; shall we follow it? If not, you tell us what to do." 7 Hushai answered, "The advice Ahithophel gave you this time is no good. 8 You know that your father David and his men are hard fighters and that they are as fierce as a mother bear robbed of her cubs. Your father is an experienced soldier and does not stay with his men at night. 9 Right now he is probably hiding in a cave or some other place. As soon as David attacks your men, whoever hears about it will say that your men have been defeated. 10 Then even the bravest men, as fearless as lions, will be afraid because everyone in Israel knows that your father is a great soldier and that his men are hard fighters.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

mighty men: 2 Samuel 15:18, 2 Samuel 21:18-22, 2 Samuel 23:8, 2 Samuel 23:9, 2 Samuel 23:16, 2 Samuel 23:18, 2 Samuel 23:20-22, 1 Samuel 16:18, 1 Samuel 17:34-36, 1 Samuel 17:50, 1 Chronicles 11:25-47, Hebrews 11:32-34

chafed in their minds: Heb. bitter of soul, Judges 18:25

as a bear: 2 Kings 2:24, Proverbs 17:12, Proverbs 28:15, Daniel 7:5, Hosea 13:8

thy father is: 1 Samuel 23:23

Reciprocal: 1 Samuel 1:10 - in bitterness of soul 1 Samuel 18:25 - thought 1 Samuel 22:2 - discontented 1 Samuel 30:6 - grieved Job 21:25 - in the bitterness

Cross-References

Genesis 13:15
I am going to give you and your descendants all the land that you see, and it will be yours forever.
Genesis 13:17
Now, go and look over the whole land, because I am going to give it all to you."
Genesis 17:7
"I will keep my promise to you and to your descendants in future generations as an everlasting covenant. I will be your God and the God of your descendants.
Genesis 17:16
I will bless her, and I will give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she will become the mother of nations, and there will be kings among her descendants."
Genesis 17:17
Abraham bowed down with his face touching the ground, but he began to laugh when he thought, "Can a man have a child when he is a hundred years old? Can Sarah have a child at ninety?"
Genesis 17:21
But I will keep my covenant with your son Isaac, who will be born to Sarah about this time next year."
Genesis 23:4
"I am a foreigner living here among you; sell me some land, so that I can bury my wife."
Genesis 28:4
May he bless you and your descendants as he blessed Abraham, and may you take possession of this land, in which you have lived and which God gave to Abraham!"
Genesis 48:4
He said to me, ‘I will give you many children, so that your descendants will become many nations; I will give this land to your descendants as their possession forever.'"
Exodus 6:7
I will make you my own people, and I will be your God. You will know that I am the Lord your God when I set you free from slavery in Egypt.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For (said Hushai) thou knowest thy father and his men, that they [be] mighty men,.... Men of courage and valour, and not such weak-handed and weak-hearted men, and so easily intimidated, as Ahithophel suggests:

and they [be] chafed in their minds; or "bitter in soul" f; not merely filled with trouble and anguish, and depressed in their spirits, on account of that, as the phrase sometimes signifies; but enraged and full of wrath at the rebellion raised against their prince, which obliged them with him to leave their habitations; and now being desperate, their all lying at stake, their wives and children, their families and estates, they would fight furiously in the defence of the king and themselves, and not so soon flee as Ahithophel had represented:

as a bear robbed of her whelps in the field; a bear is a very furious creature, especially a she bear, and the more when it has whelps, and more so when deprived of them g, when it ranges about in the field, and in its fury attacks whomsoever it meets with;

:-;

and thy father [is] a man of war; not only bold and courageous, but expert and skilful in all the arts of war and not easy to be surprised and circumvented, as Ahithophel intimated:

and will not lodge with the people; in the camp, but at some distance from it; partly to prevent any traitorous design upon him in it, and partly that he might not be surprised by the enemy, knowing that their chief view was to seize his person; and therefore as it would not be easy to find him where he was, he could not be smitten alone, as Ahithophel proposed.

f מרי נפש "amari animo", Pagninus, Montanus; "amaro animo", V. L. Tigurine version, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator. g Aristot. Hist. Animal. l. 6. c. 18. & 9. 1.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Samuel 17:8. As a bear robbed of her whelps — All wild beasts are very furious when robbed of their young; but we have some remarkable instances of the maternal affection of the bear in such circumstances; see one at the end of the chapter. 2 Samuel 17:28.


 
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