2 Samuel 15:12
in 2 Samuel 15While 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.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counsellor, from his city, even from Giloh, while he was offering the sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong; for the people increased continually with Absalom.
KJV
And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counsellor, from his city, even from Giloh, while he offered sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong; for the people increased continually with Absalom.
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This verse in 2 Samuel 15
Commentary
6 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Ahithophel - It has been with great probability supposed that Ahithophel was estranged from David by personal resentment for his conduct in the matter of Bath-sheba and Uriah (see 2Sa 11:3). While he offered sacrifices - Rather, that Absalom sent for Ahithophel to be present when he offered the sacrifices; the intention being that all who partook of the sacrifice should be bound together to prosecute the enterprise. Absalom, too, would take advantage of the excitement of the great feast to inflame the ardour of the guests, and pledge them irrevocably to his cause.
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.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
A commentator
Philoxenus of Mabbug13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 4 -- On Faith: First Discourse on Simplicity · Written before 523.
proposed
And the book of his history also sheweth us David's innocency, for on account of his simplicity in the direction of the affairs of this world he had one to give him counsel concerning human business with him continually; for the Book maketh known to …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And Absalom sent for Ahithophel, the Gilonite, David's counsellor,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Giloh--near Hebron. the conspiracy was strong--The rapid accession of one place after another in all parts of the kingdom to the party of the insurgents, shows that deep and general dissatisfaction existed at this time against the person and government of David.
Sent for Ahithophel - When Absalom got him, he in effect got the prime minister of the kingdom to join him.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
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
20 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיִּשְׁלַ֣ח | vaiyishlach | and he sent | H7971 → | 845 times |
| אַ֠בְשָׁלוֹם | ʾavshalom | Absalom | H53 → | 110 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| אֲחִיתֹ֨פֶל | ʾachitofel | Ahithophel | H302 → | 20 times |
| הַגִּֽילֹנִ֜י | hagiloni | the Gilonite | H1526 → | |
| יוֹעֵ֣ץ | yoetz | [the] counselor of | H3289 → | 79 times |
| דָּוִ֗ד | david | David | H1732 → | 999 times |
| מֵֽעִירוֹ֙ | meiro | from city his | H5892 → | 1090 times |
| מִגִּלֹ֔ה | migiloh | from Giloh | H1542 → | |
| בְּזָבְח֖וֹ | bezavecho | when sacrificed he | H2076 → | |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הַזְּבָחִ֑ים | hazevachim | the sacrifices | H2077 → | |
| וַיְהִ֤י | vayhi | and it was | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| הַקֶּ֙שֶׁר֙ | hakesher | the conspiracy | H7195 → | |
| אַמִּ֔ץ | ʾamitz | strong | H533 → | |
| וְהָעָ֛ם | vehaam | and the people | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| הוֹלֵ֥ךְ | holekh | [was] going | H1980 → | 1546 times |
| וָרָ֖ב | varav | and numerous | H7227 → | 454 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | with | H854 → | 929 times |
| אַבְשָׁלֽוֹם׃ | ʾavshalom | Absalom | H53 → | 110 times |
וַיִּשְׁלַ֣חand he sent
vaiyishlachH7971 →845 times
אַ֠בְשָׁלוֹםAbsalom
ʾavshalomH53 →110 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
אֲחִיתֹ֨פֶלAhithophel
ʾachitofelH302 →20 times
הַגִּֽילֹנִ֜יthe Gilonite
hagiloniH1526 →
יוֹעֵ֣ץ[the] counselor of
yoetzH3289 →79 times
דָּוִ֗דDavid
davidH1732 →999 times
מֵֽעִירוֹ֙from city his
meiroH5892 →1090 times
מִגִּלֹ֔הfrom Giloh
migilohH1542 →
בְּזָבְח֖וֹwhen sacrificed he
bezavechoH2076 →
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
הַזְּבָחִ֑יםthe sacrifices
hazevachimH2077 →
וַיְהִ֤יand it was
vayhiH1961 →3559 times
הַקֶּ֙שֶׁר֙the conspiracy
hakesherH7195 →
אַמִּ֔ץstrong
ʾamitzH533 →
וְהָעָ֛םand the people
vehaamH5971 →1873 times
הוֹלֵ֥ךְ[was] going
holekhH1980 →1546 times
וָרָ֖בand numerous
varavH7227 →454 times
אֶת־with
ʾet-H854 →929 times
אַבְשָׁלֽוֹם׃Absalom
ʾavshalomH53 →110 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
Titus 1:16They profess to know God, but by their actions they deny Him. They are detestable, disobedient, and unfit for any good deed.
it leads to
- 1 John 2:4
If anyone says, “I know Him,” but does not keep His commandments, he is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
- Isaiah 29:13
Therefore the Lord said: “These people draw near to Me with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. Their worship of Me is but rules taught…
- Ephesians 5:6
Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things the wrath of God is coming on the sons of disobedience.
- Ezekiel 33:31
So My people come to you as usual, sit before you, and hear your words; but they do not put them into practice. Although they express love with their mouths, their hearts pursue dishonest…
- 2 Timothy 3:5–8
having a form of godliness but denying its power. Turn away from such as these!
- 1 John 2:4
Through
Psalms 41:9Even my close friend whom I trusted, the one who shared my bread, has lifted up his heel against me.
it leads to
- John 13:18
I am not speaking about all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But this is to fulfill the Scripture: ‘The one who shares My bread has lifted up his heel against Me.’
- Psalms 55:12–14
For it is not an enemy who insults me; that I could endure. It is not a foe who rises against me; from him I could hide.
- Matthew 26:23
Jesus answered, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with Me will betray Me.
- John 13:18
Where this verse is studied
On this page
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; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Philoxenus of Mabbug, 13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 4 -- On Faith: First Discourse on Simplicity.