2 Samuel 15:11
in 2 Samuel 15Two hundred men from Jerusalem accompanied Absalom. They had been invited as guests and they went along innocently, for they knew nothing about the matter.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And with Absalom went two hundred men out of Jerusalem, that were invited, and went in their simplicity; and they knew not anything.
KJV
And with Absalom went two hundred men out of Jerusalem, that were called; and they went in their simplicity, and they knew not any thing.
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This verse in 2 Samuel 15
Commentary
6 notes on this verseWhen religion is made a stalking-horse, and sacrifice a shoeing-horn, to sedition and usurpation it is not to be wondered at if some that were well affected to religion, as these followers of Absalom here, are imposed upon by the fallacy, and drawn in to give countenance to that, with their names, which in their heart they abhor, not having known the depths of Satan.
This site's exposition
sent spies throughout all the tribes
on 2 Samuel 15:10-12
Absalom arranges a single signal, the sound of the trumpet, so that revolt breaks out across all the tribes at once rather than in Jerusalem alone. Two hundred men go with him from the city in their simplicity, lending a conspiracy its numbers without knowing what they carry. Ahithophel, David's own counsellor, is sent for from Giloh, and verse 12 states plainly that the conspiracy grew strong once he had joined it, so respected a name that his defection alone doubles the danger.
This site's exposition
they went along innocently
Two hundred men from Jerusalem went with Absalom as invited guests and knew nothing about the matter. Their presence made the king seem to approve. Matthew Henry notes how a cause dressed in worship borrows the names of honest men.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And with Absalom went two hundred men out of Jerusalem, that were called,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
with Absalom went two hundred men . . . that were called--From their quality, reputation, and high standing, such as would create the impression that the king patronized the movement and, being aged and infirm, was willing to adopt his oldest and noblest son to divide with him the cares and honors of government.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
Went two hundred men - These were probably soldiers, whom he supposed would be of considerable consequence to him. They had been seduced by his specious conduct, but knew nothing of his present design.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
Invited and leaving in innovence. It is explained in the Yerushalmi tractate of Sotah. Chapter, halach. that he [Avsholom] requested of his father that he [Dovid] write [a document] for him that any two people that he request go with him, should go.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 5 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
13 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְאֶת־ | veet | and with | H854 → | 929 times |
| אַבְשָׁל֗וֹם | ʾavshalom | Absalom | H53 → | 110 times |
| הָלְכ֞וּ | halekhu | they went | H1980 → | 1546 times |
| מָאתַ֤יִם | matayim | two hundred | H3967 → | 581 times |
| אִישׁ֙ | ʾish | man | H376 → | 1663 times |
| מִיר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם | mirushalim | from Jerusalem | H3389 → | 643 times |
| קְרֻאִ֖ים | keruim | [those who] were invited | H7121 → | 733 times |
| וְהֹלְכִ֣ים | veholekhim | and [those who] were going | H1980 → | 1546 times |
| לְתֻמָּ֑ם | letumam | to innocence their | H8537 → | |
| וְלֹ֥א | velo' | and not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| יָדְע֖וּ | yadeu | they knew | H3045 → | 945 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | any | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| דָּבָֽר׃ | davar | thing | H1697 → | 1440 times |
וְאֶת־and with
veetH854 →929 times
אַבְשָׁל֗וֹםAbsalom
ʾavshalomH53 →110 times
הָלְכ֞וּthey went
halekhuH1980 →1546 times
מָאתַ֤יִםtwo hundred
matayimH3967 →581 times
אִישׁ֙man
ʾishH376 →1663 times
מִיר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔םfrom Jerusalem
mirushalimH3389 →643 times
קְרֻאִ֖ים[those who] were invited
keruimH7121 →733 times
וְהֹלְכִ֣יםand [those who] were going
veholekhimH1980 →1546 times
לְתֻמָּ֑םto innocence their
letumamH8537 →
וְלֹ֥אand not
velo'H3808 →5168 times
יָדְע֖וּthey knew
yadeuH3045 →945 times
כָּל־any
kol-H3605 →5413 times
דָּבָֽר׃thing
davarH1697 →1440 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
Matthew 10:16Behold, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves; therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.
it leads to
- Philippians 2:15
so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine as lights in the world
- Luke 10:3
Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves.
- 1 Corinthians 14:20
Brothers, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature.
- Colossians 4:5
Act wisely toward outsiders, redeeming the time.
- Ephesians 5:15–17
Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,
- Philippians 2:15
Through
Proverbs 14:15The simple man believes every word, but the prudent man watches his steps.
it leads to
- Ephesians 5:17
Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.
- Proverbs 14:8
The wisdom of the prudent is to discern his way, but the folly of fools deceives them.
- 1 John 4:1
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God. For many false prophets have gone out into the world.
- Ephesians 5:17
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About 2 Samuel
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; 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.