2 Samuel 17:8

8 For," said Hushai, "thou knowest thy father and his men, that they are mighty men, and they are chafed in their minds, as a bear robbed of her whelps in the field; and thy father is a man of war, and will not lodge with the people.

2 Samuel 17:8 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 17:8

For (said Hushai) thou knowest thy father and his men, that
they [be] mighty men
Men of courage and valour, and not such weak-handed and weak-hearted men, and so easily intimidated, as Ahithophel suggests:

and they [be] chafed in their minds;
or "bitter in soul" ^F6; not merely filled with trouble and anguish, and depressed in their spirits, on account of that, as the phrase sometimes signifies; but enraged and full of wrath at the rebellion raised against their prince, which obliged them with him to leave their habitations; and now being desperate, their all lying at stake, their wives and children, their families and estates, they would fight furiously in the defence of the king and themselves, and not so soon flee as Ahithophel had represented:

as a bear robbed of her whelps in the field;
a bear is a very furious creature, especially a she bear, and the more when it has whelps, and more so when deprived of them ^F7, when it ranges about in the field, and in its fury attacks whomsoever it meets with; (See Gill on Hosea 13:8);

and thy father [is] a man of war;
not only bold and courageous, but expert and skilful in all the arts of war and not easy to be surprised and circumvented, as Ahithophel intimated:

and will not lodge with the people;
in the camp, but at some distance from it; partly to prevent any traitorous design upon him in it, and partly that he might not be surprised by the enemy, knowing that their chief view was to seize his person; and therefore as it would not be easy to find him where he was, he could not be smitten alone, as Ahithophel proposed.

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FOOTNOTES:

F6 (vpn yrm) "amari animo", Pagninus, Montanus; "amaro animo", V. L. Tigurine version, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator.
F7 Aristot. Hist. Animal. l. 6. c. 18. & 9. 1.

2 Samuel 17:8 In-Context

6 And when Hushai had come to Absalom, Absalom spoke unto him, saying, "Ahithophel hath spoken in this manner. Shall we do according to his word? If not, speak thou."

7 And Hushai said unto Absalom, "The counsel that Ahithophel hath given is not good at this time.

8 For," said Hushai, "thou knowest thy father and his men, that they are mighty men, and they are chafed in their minds, as a bear robbed of her whelps in the field; and thy father is a man of war, and will not lodge with the people.

9 Behold, he is hid now in some pit, or in some other place; and it will come to pass, when some of them are overthrown at the first, that whosoever heareth it will say, `There is a slaughter among the people who follow Absalom.'

10 And he also that is valiant, whose heart is as the heart of a lion, shall utterly melt; for all Israel knoweth that thy father is a mighty man, and those who are with him are valiant men.