The Meaning of 2 Samuel 17:12 Explained

2 Samuel 17:12

KJV: So shall we come upon him in some place where he shall be found, and we will light upon him as the dew falleth on the ground: and of him and of all the men that are with him there shall not be left so much as one.

YLT: and we have come in unto him in one of the places where he is found, and we are upon him as the dew falleth on the ground, and there hath not been left of him and of all the men who are with him even one.

Darby: And we shall come upon him in some place where he shall be found, and we will light upon him as the dew falls on the ground; and of him and of all the men that are with him there shall not be left so much as one.

ASV: So shall we come upon him in some place where he shall be found, and we will light upon him as the dew falleth on the ground; and of him and of all the men that are with him we will not leave so much as one.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

So shall we come  upon him in some  place  where he shall be found,  and we will light  upon him as the dew  falleth  on the ground:  and of him and of all the men  that [are] with him there shall not be left  so much as  one. 

What does 2 Samuel 17:12 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Samuel 17:1-14 - Tripped By Flattering Counsel
What a contrast to the plottings of David's foes was his own state of mind, as disclosed in Psalms 3:1-8; Psalms 4:1-8, written at this time! At Jerusalem they were taking counsel against him. Ahithophel describes the deposed king as weary and weak-handed, and shows how easily he may be smitten. Hushai pictures him as chafed and savage. The messengers are hastened on their way, lest he should be swallowed up. But David betakes himself to God.
He knows that God is a Shield unto him, so that there is no need to be afraid of ten thousands of people. He lies down in peace and sleeps, because God makes him to dwell in safety. He knows that God hath set him apart for Himself, and will answer to his call. He said all this, though he knew that these disasters were the result of his sin. But this is the prerogative of all whose iniquity is forgiven and whose sin is covered. Though we continue to blame ourselves, and "go softly" as we remember the past, yet we absolutely accept our Lord's assurances that He will deliver us from the complications caused by our sins, and act as our rearguard against the consequences. [source]

Chapter Summary: 2 Samuel 17

1  Ahithophel's counsel is overthrown by Hushai's
15  Secret intelligence is sent unto David
23  Ahithophel hangs himself
25  Amasa is made captain
27  David at Mahanaim is furnished with provisions

What do the individual words in 2 Samuel 17:12 mean?

So we will come upon him in one in one of the places where he may be found there and we [will fall] on him as falls the dew on the ground and not there shall be left of him and all the men who [are] with him so much as one
וּבָ֣אנוּ אֵלָ֗יו [באחת] (בְּאַחַ֤ד) הַמְּקוֹמֹת֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נִמְצָ֣א שָׁ֔ם וְנַ֣חְנוּ עָלָ֔יו כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר יִפֹּ֥ל הַטַּ֖ל עַל־ הָאֲדָמָ֑ה וְלֹֽא־ נ֥וֹתַר בּ֛וֹ וּבְכָל־ הָאֲנָשִׁ֥ים אֲשֶׁר־ אִתּ֖וֹ גַּם־ אֶחָֽד

וּבָ֣אנוּ  So  we  will  come 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, first person common plural
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
אֵלָ֗יו  upon  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
[באחת]  in  one 
Parse: Preposition-b, Number, feminine singular construct
(בְּאַחַ֤ד)  in  one  of 
Parse: Preposition-b, Number, masculine singular construct
Root: אֶחָד  
Sense: one (number).
הַמְּקוֹמֹת֙  the  places 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: מָקֹום  
Sense: standing place, place.
אֲשֶׁ֣ר  where 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
נִמְצָ֣א  he  may  be  found 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: מָצָא  
Sense: to find, attain to.
וְנַ֣חְנוּ  and  we  [will  fall] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, first person common plural
Root: נוּחַ 
Sense: to rest.
עָלָ֔יו  on  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
יִפֹּ֥ל  falls 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָפַל  
Sense: to fall, lie, be cast down, fail.
הַטַּ֖ל  the  dew 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: טַל  
Sense: dew, night mist.
הָאֲדָמָ֑ה  the  ground 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֲדָמָה 
Sense: ground, land.
וְלֹֽא־  and  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
נ֥וֹתַר  there  shall  be  left 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָתַר  
Sense: to be left over, remain, remain over, leave.
בּ֛וֹ  of  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
וּבְכָל־  and  all 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
הָאֲנָשִׁ֥ים  the  men 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱנׄושׁ 
Sense: man, mortal man, person, mankind.
אֲשֶׁר־  who  [are] 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
אִתּ֖וֹ  with  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: אֵת 
Sense: with, near, together with.
גַּם־  so  much  as 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: גַּם  
Sense: also, even, indeed, moreover, yea.
אֶחָֽד  one 
Parse: Number, masculine singular
Root: אֶחָד  
Sense: one (number).