4 Regum 17:9

Jerome's Latin Vulgate

Forsitan nunc latitat in foveis, aut in uno, quo voluerit, loco: et cum ceciderit unus quilibet in principio, audiet quicumque audierit, et dicet: Facta est plaga in populo qui sequebatur Absalom.

Parallel Translations

Clementine Latin Vulgate (1592)
Si quiverit pugnare mecum, et percusserit me, erimus vobis servi : si autem ego prævaluero, et percussero eum, vos servi eritis, et servietis nobis.

Nova Vulgata (1979)
ecce nunc latitat in aliqua fovea aut in aliquo alio loco. Et, cum ceciderit unus quilibet in principio, certo audient et dicent: "Facta est plaga in populo, qui sequitur Absalom".

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

he is hid: Judges 20:33, 1 Samuel 22:1, 1 Samuel 24:3

some: Joshua 7:5, Joshua 8:6, Judges 20:32, 1 Samuel 14:14, 1 Samuel 14:15

over thrown: Heb. fallen

Reciprocal: Jeremiah 41:9 - because of Gedaliah

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Behold, he is hid now in some pit, or in some [other] place,.... Some lurking place, as he was acquainted with many when he fled from Saul, and where he preserved himself from him; so that he could never take him, as he would now from Absalom, as he insinuates: but this is not all; not only by this means he would shelter himself, and be in safety; but lying thus concealed with others, and in ambush, there would be danger of his staring out of his hiding place when opportunity should offer, and falling on some of Absalom's troops unawares:

and it will come to pass, when some of them be overthrown at the first; that is, some of Absalom's party, on whom David and his men coming out of an ambush should fall, and make a slaughter among them first, before they could do anything of consequence; and so having got the first advantage, it would serve to animate them, and dishearten their enemies:

that whosoever heareth it; at that time, or the next day:

will say, there is a slaughter among the people that follow Absalom; there has been a defeat of them, and that may cause a defection.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Some pit, or in some other place - The Hebrew has “in one of the pits,” or “in one of the places.” Hence, “place” must have some defined meaning. It probably is used here, as elsewhere, for a “dwelling-house” or “village,” which might in that district be fortified houses 2 Samuel 17:12; 1 Samuel 26:25.

Hushai’s argument is that there was no chance of seizing David by surprise as Ahithophel suggested. There was sure to be sharp fighting, and the terror of the names of David, Joab, Abishai, Ittai, and their companions, would magnify the first few blows received into a victory, and Absalom’s men would flee in panic. It is likely that Absalom was not a man of courage, and Hushai, knowing this, adroitly magnified the terror of the warlike prowess of David and his mighty men.