The Meaning of 2 Samuel 17:2 Explained

2 Samuel 17:2

KJV: And I will come upon him while he is weary and weak handed, and will make him afraid: and all the people that are with him shall flee; and I will smite the king only:

YLT: and come upon him, and he weary and feeble-handed, and I have caused him to tremble, and all the people have fled who are with him, and I have smitten the king by himself,

Darby: and I will come upon him while he is weary and weak-handed, and will make him afraid; and all the people that are with him shall flee; and I will smite the king only;

ASV: and I will come upon him while he is weary and weak-handed, and will make him afraid; and all the people that are with him shall flee; and I will smite the king only;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And I will come  upon him while he [is] weary  and weak  handed,  and will make him afraid:  and all the people  that [are] with him shall flee;  and I will smite  the king  only: 

What does 2 Samuel 17:2 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 17:2 mean?

And I will come upon him and while he [is] weary and weak handed and make afraid him and will flee all the people who [are] with him and I will strike - the king only
וְאָב֣וֹא עָלָ֗יו וְה֤וּא יָגֵ֙עַ֙ וּרְפֵ֣ה יָדַ֔יִם וְהַֽחֲרַדְתִּ֣י אֹת֔וֹ וְנָ֖ס כָּל־ הָעָ֣ם אֲשֶׁר־ אִתּ֑וֹ וְהִכֵּיתִ֥י אֶת־ הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ לְבַדּֽוֹ

וְאָב֣וֹא  And  I  will  come 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative if contextual, first person common singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
עָלָ֗יו  upon  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.
וְה֤וּא  and  while  he  [is] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, third person masculine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
יָגֵ֙עַ֙  weary 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: יָגֵעַ  
Sense: weary, wearisome.
וּרְפֵ֣ה  and  weak 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adjective, masculine singular construct
Root: רָפֶה  
Sense: slack.
יָדַ֔יִם  handed 
Parse: Noun, fd
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
וְהַֽחֲרַדְתִּ֣י  and  make  afraid 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive perfect, first person common singular
Root: חָרַד  
Sense: to tremble, quake, move about, be afraid, be startled, be terrified.
וְנָ֖ס  and  will  flee 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נוּס  
Sense: to flee, escape.
הָעָ֣ם  the  people 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
אֲשֶׁר־  who  [are] 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
אִתּ֑וֹ  with  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: אֵת 
Sense: with, near, together with.
וְהִכֵּיתִ֥י  and  I  will  strike 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive perfect, first person common singular
Root: נָכָה  
Sense: to strike, smite, hit, beat, slay, kill.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ  the  king 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
לְבַדּֽוֹ  only 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: בַּד 
Sense: alone, by itself, besides, a part, separation, being alone.