2 Samuel 17:11

Dan Beersheba Dan

⁹ Surely by now he is hiding in a cave or some other location. If some of your troops fall first, whoever hears of it will say, ‘There has been a slaughter among the troops who follow Absalom.’

¹⁰ Then even the most valiant soldier with the heart of a lion will melt with fear, because all Israel knows that your father is a mighty man who has valiant men with him.

Instead, I advise that all Israel from Dan to Beersheba—a multitude like the sand on the seashore—be gathered to you, and that you yourself lead them into battle.

¹² Then we will attack David wherever we find him, and we will descend on him like dew on the ground. And of all the men with him, not even one will remain.

¹³ 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.”

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: Instead, I advise that all Israel from Dan to Beersheba—a multitude like the sand on the seashore—be gathered to you, and that you yourself lead them into battle.
KJV: 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.
WEB: But I counsel that all Israel be gathered together to you, from Dan even to Beersheba, as the sand that is by the sea for multitude; and that you go to battle in your own person.
ASV: But I counsel that all Israel be gathered together 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.
DARBY: But I counsel that all Israel be speedily gathered to 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.
BLB: Therefore I counsel that all Israel be diligently gathered to you, from Dan and to Beersheba, like the sand that [is] by the sea for multitude, and your face will be walking in the battle.

ÅB: Derfor er dette mitt råd: La hele Israel samle seg om deg, fra Dan til Be'erseba, som sanden ved havet i mengde; og dra selv med i striden.
OTB: "Men jeg råder at hele Israel samles til deg, fra Dan til Beersheba, som sanden ved havet i mengde, og at du selv drar i kamp personlig.
B1930: Derfor er dette mitt råd: La hele Israel samle sig om dig, fra Dan til Be'erseba, som sanden ved havet i mengde; og dra selv med i striden.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Genesis 22:17
I will surely bless you, and I will multiply your descendants like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will possess the gates of their enemies.
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Psalms 9:16
The LORD is known by the justice He brings; the wicked are ensnared by the work of their hands. Higgaion Selah
Read in context
Judges 20:1
Then all the Israelites from Dan to Beersheba and from the land of Gilead came out, and the congregation assembled as one man before the LORD at Mizpah.
Read in context
Joshua 11:4
So these kings came out with all their armies, a multitude as numerous as the sand on the seashore, along with a great number of horses and chariots.
Read in context
Psalms 7:15–16
He has dug a hole and hollowed it out; he has fallen into a pit of his own making.
Read in context
2 Samuel 24:2
So the king said to Joab the commander of his army, who was with him, “Go now throughout the tribes of Israel from Dan to Beersheba and register the troops, so that I may know their number.”
Read in context
1 Kings 4:20
The people of Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand on the seashore, and they were eating and drinking and rejoicing.
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2 Samuel 12:28
Now, therefore, assemble the rest of the troops, lay siege to the city, and capture it. Otherwise I will capture the city, and it will be named after me.”
Read in context