What Does 2 Samuel 17:29 Mean?
And honey, and curds, and sheep, and milk of the herd, for David and for the people with him, to eat; for they said, The people are hungry, and weary, and thirsty in the wilderness.
Key words are shown with the Hebrew or Greek and what each word meant.
Selah Decoded Version The Selah Decoded Version renders what the Hebrew and Greek words meant to the people who first heard them.
King James wording
King James Version
And honey, and butter, and sheep, and cheese of kine, for David, and for the people that were with him, to eat: for they said, The people is hungry, and weary, and thirsty, in the wilderness.THE KEY
The wilderness does not make need abstract: someone brings actual food near to hungry, weary, thirsty people.
THE MEANING
Hunger, weariness, and thirst all count as real need. Provision is brought near for David and everyone with him, reaching the whole company in the wilderness.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
The wilderness is only a place of deprivation.
THE ROOT
הִגִּישׁוּ
higgîšû
GROWS FROM
נגש
Approach or draw near; in this verb form, bring near or present.
The Hebrew verb says the provisions are brought near. Care here closes the distance between need and nourishment: food is placed within reach of the hungry, weary, thirsty group.
ALSO GROWS
nigash: Approach, draw near
נִגַּשׁ
This form shares the root’s movement toward someone or something.
higish: Bring near, present
הִגִּישׁ
This is the singular form of the verb used here: provisions are brought close enough to receive.
צָמֵא
tsame
GROWS FROM
צמא
To thirst; to experience thirst.
Thirst receives its own bodily name beside hunger and weariness; the need is concrete, not abstract. The same root appears in Isaiah’s invitation to the thirsty, where water and food are offered together.
ALSO GROWS
tsama: Thirst
צָמָא
The noun names the condition experienced by the people here.
tsimma’on: Thirst, parchedness
צִמָּאוֹן
This form extends the same root into a state of thirst or dryness.
דָּוִד
David
GROWS FROM
דוד
Beloved; David’s name is traditionally linked with this root.
David’s name carries the nature of the beloved. The provision reaches him and the people beside him, extending care beyond the named person to the whole company.
ALSO GROWS
dod: Beloved; also uncle in some contexts
דּוֹד
This related word carries the beloved sense associated with David’s name.
David: David; traditionally understood as beloved
דָּוִד
The name identifies one recipient, while the verse extends provision to everyone with him.
THE PATTERN
When depletion is plainly named, care becomes tangible provision that meets people where they are.
And the messenger of the LORD turned back a second time, and touched him, and said, "Rise and eat, for the road is too great for you."And if you pour out your living soul to the hungry, and fill the bowed-low living soul, then your light shall rise in the darkness, and your gloom shall be as the noonday.But Jesus said to them, They have no need to go away; give them to eat.THE THREAD
Ho, every one who thirsts, come to the waters, and whoever has no silver, come, break open and eat. Yes, come, break open wine and milk, without silver and without price.The same Hebrew root, צמא, names the thirsty person in both verses. Isaiah’s invitation joins water with food and drink, opening up the concrete nourishment offered to the thirsty group here.
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