2 Samuel 17:12

12 Then we'll attack him wherever we find him. We'll fall on him as dew falls on the ground. Neither he nor any of his men 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.

---

FOOTNOTES:

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

2 Samuel 17:12 In-Context

10 Even the bravest man with a heart like a lion would lose his courage, because all Israel knows that your father is a warrior and the men with him are brave.

11 So my advice is to gather all Israel's troops from Dan to Beersheba, since they are as numerous as the sand on the seashore. Lead them into battle yourself.

12 Then we'll attack him wherever we find him. We'll fall on him as dew falls on the ground. Neither he nor any of his men will be left [alive].

13 If he retreats into a city, all Israel will bring ropes to that city and drag it into a valley so that not even a pebble will be found there."

14 Absalom and all the people of Israel said, "The advice of Hushai from Archi's family is better than Ahithophel's advice." (The LORD had commanded Ahithophel's good advice to be defeated in order to ruin Absalom.)