2 Samuel 17:23
in 2 Samuel 17When Ahithophel saw that his advice had not been followed, he saddled his donkey and set out for his house in his hometown. He put his affairs in order and hanged himself. So he died and was buried in his father’s tomb.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his ass, and arose, and gat him home, unto his city, and set his house in order, and hanged himself; and he died, and was buried in the sepulchre of his father.
KJV
And when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his ass, and arose, and gat him home to his house, to his city, and put his household in order, and hanged himself, and died, and was buried in the sepulchre of his father.
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This verse in 2 Samuel 17
Commentary
7 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
To his city - To Giloh (marginal reference). Ahithophel was probably influenced by deep mortification at the slight put upon him by rejecting his counsel. He is a memorable example of the impotence of worldly wisdom. Compare the marginal reference.
This site's exposition
He put his affairs in order and hanged himself
Ahithophel rode home, “put his affairs in order and hanged himself”. The only other man in Scripture said to hang himself is Judas at Matthew 27:5. The church has read Psalm 41:9 as David's word about Ahithophel, and Jesus applies that verse to Judas at John 13:18.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
It is well that that breath is stopped and that head laid from which nothing could be expected but mischief. It seems, it was not then usual to disgrace the dead bodies of self-murderers, for Ahithophel was buried, we may suppose honourably buried, in the sepulchre of his father, though he deserved no better than the burial of an ass.
(2.) Honour done to the justice of God. When the wicked are thus snared in the work of their own hands, and sunk in a pit of their own digging, the Lord is known by the judgment which he executeth, and we must say, Higgaion, Selah; it is a thing to be marked and meditated upon, Ps. vii. (3.) Prayer answered, and an honest cause served even by its enemies.
And when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed--His vanity was wounded, his pride mortified on finding that his ascendency was gone; but that chagrin was aggravated by other feelings--a painful conviction that through the delay which had been resolved on, the cause of Absalom was lost.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
Put his household in order - This self-murder could not be called lunacy, as every step to it was deliberate. He foresaw Absalom’s ruin; and he did not choose to witness it, and share in the disgrace: and he could expect no mercy at the hands of David. He was a very bad man, and died an unprepared and accursed death.
The words behind it
23 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַאֲחִיתֹ֣פֶל | vaachitofel | and Ahithophel | H302 → | 20 times |
| רָאָ֗ה | raah | he saw | H7200 → | 1300 times |
| כִּ֣י | ki | that | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| לֹ֣א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| נֶעֶשְׂתָה֮ | neestah | it was done | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| עֲצָתוֹ֒ | atzato | counsel his | H6098 → | 89 times |
| וַיַּחֲבֹ֣שׁ | vaiyachavosh | and he saddled | H2280 → | 33 times |
| אֶֽת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הַחֲמ֗וֹר | hachamor | the donkey | H2543 → | 96 times |
| וַיָּ֜קָם | vaiyakom | and he arose | H6965 → | 628 times |
| וַיֵּ֤לֶךְ | vaiyelekh | and he went | H1980 → | 1546 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| בֵּיתוֹ֙ | beito | house his | H1004 → | 2046 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| עִיר֔וֹ | iro | city his | H5892 → | 1090 times |
| וַיְצַ֥ו | vaytzav | and he commanded | H6680 → | 494 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | concerning | H413 → | 5510 times |
| בֵּית֖וֹ | beito | household his | H1004 → | 2046 times |
| וַיֵּחָנַ֑ק | vaiyechanak | and he hanged himself | H2614 → | |
| וַיָּ֕מָת | vaiyamot | and he died | H4191 → | 839 times |
| וַיִּקָּבֵ֖ר | vaiyikaver | and he was buried | H6912 → | 133 times |
| בְּקֶ֥בֶר | bekever | in [the] tomb of | H6913 → | 67 times |
| אָבִֽיו׃ ס | ʾaviv | father his | H1 → | 1212 times |
וַאֲחִיתֹ֣פֶלand Ahithophel
vaachitofelH302 →20 times
רָאָ֗הhe saw
raahH7200 →1300 times
כִּ֣יthat
kiH3588 →4482 times
לֹ֣אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
נֶעֶשְׂתָה֮it was done
neestahH6213 →2628 times
עֲצָתוֹ֒counsel his
atzatoH6098 →89 times
וַיַּחֲבֹ֣שׁand he saddled
vaiyachavoshH2280 →33 times
אֶֽת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
הַחֲמ֗וֹרthe donkey
hachamorH2543 →96 times
וַיָּ֜קָםand he arose
vaiyakomH6965 →628 times
וַיֵּ֤לֶךְand he went
vaiyelekhH1980 →1546 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
בֵּיתוֹ֙house his
beitoH1004 →2046 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
עִיר֔וֹcity his
iroH5892 →1090 times
וַיְצַ֥וand he commanded
vaytzavH6680 →494 times
אֶל־concerning
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
בֵּית֖וֹhousehold his
beitoH1004 →2046 times
וַיֵּחָנַ֑קand he hanged himself
vaiyechanakH2614 →
וַיָּ֕מָתand he died
vaiyamotH4191 →839 times
וַיִּקָּבֵ֖רand he was buried
vaiyikaverH6912 →133 times
בְּקֶ֥בֶרin [the] tomb of
bekeverH6913 →67 times
אָבִֽיו׃ סfather his
ʾavivH1 →1212 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
2 Kings 20:1In those days Hezekiah became mortally ill. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz came to him and said, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Put your house in order, for you are about to…
it leads to
- Isaiah 38:1–22
In those days Hezekiah became mortally ill. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz came to him and said, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Put your house in order, for you are about to…
- 2 Chronicles 32:24–26
In those days Hezekiah became mortally ill. So he prayed to the LORD, who spoke to him and gave him a sign.
- Philippians 2:27
He was sick indeed, nearly unto death. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow.
- Jonah 3:4–10
On the first day of his journey, Jonah set out into the city and proclaimed, “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned!”
- 2 Kings 19:20
Then Isaiah son of Amoz sent a message to Hezekiah: “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: I have heard your prayer concerning Sennacherib king of Assyria.
- Isaiah 38:1–22
Through
2 Samuel 15:12While Absalom was offering the sacrifices, he sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, to come from his hometown of Giloh. So the conspiracy gained strength, and Absalom’s following kept increasing.
it leads to
- 2 Samuel 15:31
Now someone told David: “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” So David pleaded, “O LORD, please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness!”
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Psalms 41:9
Even my close friend whom I trusted, the one who shared my bread, has lifted up his heel against me.
- 2 Samuel 15:31
Through
Psalms 5:10Declare them guilty, O God; let them fall by their own devices. Drive them out for their many transgressions, for they have rebelled against You.
it leads to
- Isaiah 63:10
But they rebelled and grieved His Holy Spirit. So He turned and became their enemy, and He Himself fought against them.
- Isaiah 63:10
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About 2 Samuel
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Books of Samuel and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.