2 Samuel 17:12

12 We will go to David wherever he is hiding. We will fall on him as dew falls on the ground. We will kill him and all of his men so that no one will be left alive.

2 Samuel 17:12 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 17:12

So shall we come upon him in some place where he shall be
found
For such a numerous army, which would be spread abroad, could not well fail of finding him out, let him be in what lurking place he would; whereas he might lie concealed, and escape so small a number as twelve thousand men:

and we will light upon him as the dew falleth upon the ground;
whose drops are innumerable, and cover all the ground where they fall; and the phrase not only expresses their numbers, but the irresistible force they should come with, and the manner, secretly, unawares, opportunely; the Romans had a sort of soldiers, called from the dew "rorarii", who carried light armour, and fought first in the battle, from whence they had their name, because dew falls before it rains ^F14:

and of him, and of all the men that [are] with him, there shall not be
left so much as one;
so that for the future Absalom would sit easy upon the throne, there being none left to molest him.

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FOOTNOTES:

F14 Valtrinus de Milit. Roman. l. 3. c. 3.

2 Samuel 17:12 In-Context

10 Then even the men who are as brave as lions will be frightened, because all the Israelites know your father is a fighter. They know his men are brave!

11 "This is what I suggest: Gather all the Israelites from Dan to Beersheba. There will be as many people as grains of sand by the sea. Then you yourself must go into the battle.

12 We will go to David wherever he is hiding. We will fall on him as dew falls on the ground. We will kill him and all of his men so that no one will be left alive.

13 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!"

14 Absalom and all the Israelites said, "The advice of Hushai the Arkite is better than that of Ahithophel." (The Lord had planned to destroy the good advice of Ahithophel so the Lord could bring disaster on Absalom.)