2 Samuel 17:13

Revised Standard Version

If he withdraws into a city, then all Israel will bring ropes to that city, and we shall drag it into the valley, until not even a pebble is to be found there."

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
If he retreats to some city, all Israel will bring ropes to that city, and we will drag its stones into the valley until not even a pebble can be found there.”

Hebrew Names Version
Moreover, if he be gotten into a city, then shall all Yisra'el bring ropes to that city, and we will draw it into the river, until there not be one small stone found there.

King James Version
Moreover, if he be gotten into a city, then shall all Israel bring ropes to that city, and we will draw it into the river, until there be not one small stone found there.

Lexham English Bible
Even if he withdraws to a city, all Israel will bring up ropes to that city, and they will drag him away to the valley until there is not even a pebble to be found."

English Standard Version
If he withdraws into a city, then all Israel will bring ropes to that city, and we shall drag it into the valley, until not even a pebble is to be found there."

New Century Version
If David escapes into a city, all the Israelites will bring ropes to that city and pull it into the valley. Not a stone will be left!"

New English Translation
If he regroups in a city, all Israel will take up ropes to that city and drag it down to the valley, so that not a single pebble will be left there!"

Amplified Bible
"If he retreats into a city, then all Israel shall bring ropes to that city, and we will drag it into the ravine until not even a pebble [of it] is found there."

New American Standard Bible
"And if he withdraws into a city, then all Israel shall bring ropes to that city, and we will drag it into the valley until not even a pebble is found there."

Geneva Bible (1587)
Moreouer if he be gotten into a citie, then shall all the men of Israel bring ropes to that citie, and we will draw it into the riuer, vntill there be not one small stone founde there.

Legacy Standard Bible
If he withdraws into a city, then all Israel shall carry ropes to that city, and we will drag it into the valley until not even a small stone is found there."

Contemporary English Version
If they go into a walled town, we will put ropes around that town and drag it into the river. We won't leave even one small piece of a stone.

Complete Jewish Bible
If he withdraws into a city, then all Isra'el will bring up ropes to that city, and we will drag it into the riverbed until not even a pebble is left."

Darby Translation
And if he withdraw into a city, then shall all Israel bring ropes to that city, and we will draw it into the torrent, until there be not one small stone found there.

Easy-to-Read Version
But if David escapes into a city, all the Israelites can bring ropes to that city and pull its walls down into the valley. Not even a small stone will be left in that city."

George Lamsa Translation
Moreover, if he should enter into a city, then all Israel shall cast ropes on it, and we will drag it into the valley, and they shall leave there not even a cricket.

Good News Translation
If he retreats into a city, our people will all bring ropes and just pull the city into the valley below. Not a single stone will be left there on top of the hill."

Literal Translation
And if he is taken into a city, then all Israel shall bear ropes to that city. And we shall draw it into the torrent bed, until there shall not be found even a pebble.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But yf he resorte in to a cite, then shal all Israel cast roapes aboute the same cite, and drawe it in to the riuer, so that there shal not one stone of it be founde

American Standard Version
Moreover, if he be gotten into a city, then shall all Israel bring ropes to that city, and we will draw it into the river, until there be not one small stone found there.

Bible in Basic English
And if he has gone into some town, then let all Israel take strong cords to that town, and we will have it pulled into the valley, till not one small stone is to be seen there.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Moreouer, if he be gotten into a towne, then shall al the men of Israel bring ropes to that citie, and we will drawe it into the riuer, vntil ther be not one small stone founde there.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
Moreover, if he withdraw himself into a city, then shall all Israel bring up ropes to that city, and we will draw it into the valley until there be not one small stone found there.'

King James Version (1611)
Moreouer, if hee be gotten into a citie, then shall all Israel bring ropes to that city, and we will draw it into the riuer, vntill there be not one small stone found there.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And if he shall have taken refuge with his army in a city, then shall all Israel take ropes to that city, and we will draw it even into the river, that there may not be left there even a stone.

English Revised Version
Moreover, if he be gotten into a city, then shall all Israel bring ropes to that city, and we will draw it into the river, until there be not one small stone found there.

Berean Standard Bible
If he retreats to a city, all Israel will bring ropes to that city, and we will drag it down to the valley until not even a pebble can be found."

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
`That if he entrith in to ony citee, al Israel schal cumpasse that citee with roopis, and we schulen drawe it in to the stronde, that no thing be foundun, sotheli not a litil stoon therof.

Young's Literal Translation
And if unto a city he is gathered, then they have caused all Israel to bear unto that city ropes, and we have drawn it unto the brook till that there hath not been found there even a stone.'

Update Bible Version
Moreover, if he goes into a city, then all Israel shall bring ropes to that city, and we will draw it into the river, until there is not one small stone found there.

Webster's Bible Translation
Moreover, if he shall have entered into a city, then shall all Israel bring ropes to that city, and we will draw it into the river, until there is not one small stone found there.

World English Bible
Moreover, if he be gotten into a city, then shall all Israel bring ropes to that city, and we will draw it into the river, until there not be one small stone found there.

New King James Version
Moreover, if he has withdrawn into a city, then all Israel shall bring ropes to that city; and we will pull it into the river, until there is not one small stone found there."

New Living Translation
And if David were to escape into some town, you will have all Israel there at your command. Then we can take ropes and drag the walls of the town into the nearest valley until every stone is torn down."

New Life Bible
If he runs into a city, then all Israel will bring ropes to that city. We will pull it into the valley until not even a small stone is left there."

New Revised Standard
If he withdraws into a city, then all Israel will bring ropes to that city, and we shall drag it into the valley, until not even a pebble is to be found there."

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
But, if, into a city, he withdraw, then will all Israel bring up unto that city, ropes, - and we will drag it down unto the ravine, until there be not found in that place, so much as a small stone.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And if he shall enter into any city, all Israel shall cast ropes round about that city, and we will draw it into the river, so that there shall not be found so much as one small stone thereof.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"If he withdraws into a city, then all Israel shall bring ropes to that city, and we will drag it into the valley until not even a small stone is found there."

Contextual Overview

¹ Moreover Ahith'ophel said to Ab'salom, "Let me choose twelve thousand men, and I will set out and pursue David tonight. ² I will come upon him while he is weary and discouraged, and throw him into a panic; and all the people who are with him will flee. I will strike down the king only, ³ 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." ⁴ And the advice pleased Ab'salom and all the elders of Israel. ⁵ Then Ab'salom said, "Call Hushai the Archite also, and let us hear what he has to say." ⁶ And when Hushai came to Ab'salom, Ab'salom said to him, "Thus has Ahith'ophel spoken; shall we do as he advises? If not, you speak." ⁷ Then Hushai said to Ab'salom, "This time the counsel which Ahith'ophel has given is not good." ⁸ 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. ⁹ Behold, even now he has hidden himself in one of the pits, or in some other place. And when some of the people fall at the first attack, whoever hears it will say, 'There has been a slaughter among the people who follow Ab'salom.' ¹⁰ Then even the valiant man, whose heart is like the heart of a lion, will utterly melt with fear; for all Israel knows that your father is a mighty man, and that those who are with him are valiant men.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

bring ropes: In the same manner the king of Maturan, in Java, proposed pulling down a tower which the Dutch had built, by making his people and elephants pull at a number of chains, and ropes of cocoa-nut bark, thrown around it.

one small: Matthew 24:2

Reciprocal: Joshua 10:19 - suffer them 1 Kings 20:10 - if the dust 2 Kings 19:24 - with the sole

Cross-References

Genesis 14:14
When Abram heard that his kinsman had been taken captive, he led forth his trained men, born in his house, three hundred and eighteen of them, and went in pursuit as far as Dan.

Genesis 15:3
And Abram said, "Behold, thou hast given me no offspring; and a slave born in my house will be my heir."

Genesis 37:27
Come, let us sell him to the Ish'maelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother, our own flesh." And his brothers heeded him.

Genesis 37:36
Meanwhile the Mid'ianites had sold him in Egypt to Pot'i-phar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard.

Genesis 39:1
Now Joseph was taken down to Egypt, and Pot'i-phar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him from the Ish'maelites who had brought him down there.

Exodus 12:44
but every slave that is bought for money may eat of it after you have circumcised him.

Exodus 21:2
When you buy a Hebrew slave, he shall serve six years, and in the seventh he shall go out free, for nothing.

Exodus 21:4
If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall be her master's and he shall go out alone.

Exodus 21:16
"Whoever steals a man, whether he sells him or is found in possession of him, shall be put to death.

Nehemiah 5:5
Now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children are as their children; yet we are forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters have already been enslaved; but it is not in our power to help it, for other men have our fields and our vineyards."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Moreover, if he be gotten into a city,.... A strong fortified place, thinking to secure himself there, where he might hold out against those that were risen against him; the former part of the account supposes him in the field, where he would soon be detected, if hidden in a pit or any other place, or if he appeared openly would quickly be overthrown by the numerous forces of Absalom; and here it suggests, should he betake himself to a city for shelter,

then shall all Israel bring ropes to that city; scaling ropes, and thereby get upon and over the walls of it, and take it by storm; or engines worked with ropes, used for the demolishing of cities; so Tacitus speaks of "vincula tormentorum", the bands or ropes of engines, as Grotius observes; the Targum renders it by "armies", thus,

"all Israel shall be gathered against the city, and surround it with armies,''

besiege it in form, and so surround it that David could not possibly make his escape out of it, nor could it hold out long against such numerous forces; or this is an hyperbolical expression, as Kimchi calls it, signifying that their numbers would be so many, that they could soon and easily demolish it:

and we will draw it into the river; by the side of which it was built, or the ditch or trench around it, or the valley near it, that being built on an hill; and by this boasting, bragging, hyperbolical expression, he signifies that they should be able easily and utterly to destroy its walls, buildings, and towers, as if a number of men were to fasten a rope about anything, and by their main strength, and through their numbers, draw it down whither they pleased:

until there be not one small stone found there; and this being the case, David and his men must inevitably fall into their hands, and none escape.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Samuel 17:13. Shall all Israel bring ropes to that city — The original word חבלים chabalim, which signifies ropes, and from which we have our word cable, may have some peculiarity of meaning here; for it is not likely that any city could be pulled down with ropes. The Chaldee, which should be best judge in this case, translates the original word by משרין mashreyan, towers: this gives an easy sense.