Shmuel Bais 17:12

12 So shall we come upon him in some makom where he shall be found, and we will light upon him as the tal (dew) falleth on the adamah; and of him and of kol ha’anashim that are with him there shall not be left so much as one.

Shmuel Bais 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.

Shmuel Bais 17:12 In-Context

10 And he also that is chayil (valiant), whose lev is as the lev ha’aryeh (heart of a lion), shall utterly melt; for kol Yisroel knoweth that Avicha is a Gibbor, and they that be with him are Bnei Chayil (valiant men).

11 Therefore, I counsel that kol Yisroel be fully gathered unto thee, from Dan even to Beer-Sheva, as the chol (sand) that is by the yam for multitude; and that thou thyself go into battle in person.

12 So shall we come upon him in some makom where he shall be found, and we will light upon him as the tal (dew) falleth on the adamah; and of him and of kol ha’anashim that are with him there shall not be left so much as one.

13 Moreover, if he has withdrawn into a city, then shall kol Yisroel bring chavalim (ropes) to that city, and we will draw it into the ravine, until there be not one small stone found there.

14 And Avshalom and kol Ish Yisroel said, The etza (counsel) of Chushai the Arki is better than the etza of Achitophel. For Hashem had resolved to annul the etza of Achitophel, to the intent that Hashem might bring ra’ah upon Avshalom.