2 Samuel 16:21
in 2 Samuel 16Ahithophel replied, “Sleep with your father’s concubines, whom he has left to keep the palace. When all Israel hears that you have become a stench to your father, then the hands of all who are with you will be strengthened.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Go in unto thy father’s concubines, that he hath left to keep the house; and all Israel will hear that thou art abhorred of thy father: then will the hands of all that are with thee be strong.
KJV
And Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Go in unto thy father’s concubines, which he hath left to keep the house; and all Israel shall hear that thou art abhorred of thy father: then shall the hands of all that are with thee be strong.
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This verse in 2 Samuel 16
Commentary
9 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Taking possession of the harem was the most decided act of sovereignty (see 1Ki 2:22). It was also the greatest offence and insult that could be offered. Such an act on Absalom’s part made reconciliation impossible. A further motive has been found in this advice, namely, the desire on the part of Ahithophel to make David taste the bitterness of that cup which he had caused others (Uriah and all Bath-sheba’s family) to drink, and receive the measure which he had meted withal.
This site's exposition
Give counsel among you what we shall do
on 2 Samuel 16:20-22
Ahithophel's counsel is aimed at politics, that all Israel shall hear Absalom is abhorred of his father and their hands be made strong for war, but the act itself fulfils a word spoken years before this council ever met. Nathan had told David at 12:11-12 that the sword would not depart from his house and that his own wives would be given to his neighbour and lain with in the sight of the sun, and Absalom's tent is spread on the very roof where David first saw Bathsheba. The narrator states the deed in a single flat verse, in the sight of all Israel, and lets the earlier word do the commenting.
This site's exposition
you have become a stench
Ahithophel tells Absalom to sleep with his father's concubines, left to keep the palace, so all Israel will hear he has become a stench to his father. Taking a king's women was a claim to his throne, as at 1 Kings 2:22. Albert Barnes adds that it closed every road back.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
He was expelled from his kingdom and fled as an exile to escape murder. You do not know of a son more wicked and bloodthirsty. Because he could not kill his father in his attempt to murder him, he defiled him with incest. By heaping …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
The apostle speaks of it as a piece of villany not so much as named among the Gentiles, 1 Cor. v. 1 . Reuben lost his birthright for it. But Ahithophel advised Absalom to it as a public thing, because it would give assurance to all Israel, [1.] That he was in good earnest in his pretensions.
But by this we may see the character of Absalom's party, and how abominably wicked they were, whom such a scandalous action tied the faster to him. And we may farther learn, how corrupt the body of the people was, how ripe for that judgment which is now hastening to them.
And Ahithophel said unto Absalom,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
Ahithophel said unto Absalom--This councillor saw that now the die was cast; half measures would be inexpedient. To cut off all possibility of reconciliation between the king and his rebellious son, he gave this atrocious advice regarding the treatment of the royal women who had been left in charge of the palace.
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
Go in unto thy father’s concubines - It may be remembered that David left ten of them behind to take care of the house, see 2Sa 15:16. Ahithophel advised this infernal measure, in order to prevent the possibility of a reconciliation between David and his son; thus was the prophecy to Nathan fulfilled, 2Sa 12:11. And this was probably transacted in the very same place where David’s eye took the adulterous view of Bath-sheba; see 2Sa 11:2. The wives of the conquered king were always the property of the conqueror; and in possessing these, he appeared to possess the right to the kingdom. Herodotus informs us that Smerdis, having seized on the Persian throne after the death of Cambyses, espoused all the wives of his predecessor, lib. iii., c. 68. But for a son to take his father’s wives was the sum of abomination, and was death by the law of God, Lev 20:11. This was a sin rarely found, even among the Gentiles. Every part of the conduct of Absalom shows him to have been a most profligate young man; he was proud, vindictive, adulterous, incestuous, a parricide, and, in fine, reprobate to every good word and work. We still however recollect that David had grievously sinned, and we should also recollect that he suffered grievously for it; and that his humiliation, repentance, and amendment, were most decisive and exemplary. Reader, God is as just as he is merciful.
The words behind it
24 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֹּ֤אמֶר | vaiyomer | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| אֲחִיתֹ֙פֶל֙ | ʾachitofel | Ahithophel | H302 → | 20 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| אַבְשָׁלֹ֔ם | ʾavshalom | Absalom | H53 → | 110 times |
| בּ֚וֹא | bo' | go | H935 → | 2568 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | into | H413 → | 5510 times |
| פִּלַגְשֵׁ֣י | pilagshei | [the] concubines of | H6370 → | 37 times |
| אָבִ֔יךָ | ʾavikha | father your | H1 → | 1212 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֥ר | ʾasher | whom | H834 → | 5497 times |
| הִנִּ֖יחַ | hiniach | he left | H5117 → | 142 times |
| לִשְׁמ֣וֹר | lishmor | to keep | H8104 → | 468 times |
| הַבָּ֑יִת | habayit | the house | H1004 → | 2046 times |
| וְשָׁמַ֤ע | veshama' | and it will hear | H8085 → | 1159 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| כִּֽי־ | ki- | that | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| נִבְאַ֣שְׁתָּ | nivashta | you have made yourself odious | H887 → | |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | with | H854 → | 929 times |
| אָבִ֔יךָ | ʾavikha | father your | H1 → | 1212 times |
| וְחָ֣זְק֔וּ | vechazeku | and they will be strong | H2388 → | 291 times |
| יְדֵ֖י | yedei | [the] hands of | H3027 → | 1618 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֥ר | ʾasher | who | H834 → | 5497 times |
| אִתָּֽךְ׃ | ʾitakh | [are] with you | H854 → | 929 times |
וַיֹּ֤אמֶרand he said
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
אֲחִיתֹ֙פֶל֙Ahithophel
ʾachitofelH302 →20 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
אַבְשָׁלֹ֔םAbsalom
ʾavshalomH53 →110 times
בּ֚וֹאgo
bo'H935 →2568 times
אֶל־into
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
פִּלַגְשֵׁ֣י[the] concubines of
pilagsheiH6370 →37 times
אָבִ֔יךָfather your
ʾavikhaH1 →1212 times
אֲשֶׁ֥רwhom
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
הִנִּ֖יחַhe left
hiniachH5117 →142 times
לִשְׁמ֣וֹרto keep
lishmorH8104 →468 times
הַבָּ֑יִתthe house
habayitH1004 →2046 times
וְשָׁמַ֤עand it will hear
veshama'H8085 →1159 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
יִשְׂרָאֵל֙Israel
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
כִּֽי־that
ki-H3588 →4482 times
נִבְאַ֣שְׁתָּyou have made yourself odious
nivashtaH887 →
אֶת־with
ʾet-H854 →929 times
אָבִ֔יךָfather your
ʾavikhaH1 →1212 times
וְחָ֣זְק֔וּand they will be strong
vechazekuH2388 →291 times
יְדֵ֖י[the] hands of
yedeiH3027 →1618 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
אֲשֶׁ֥רwho
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
אִתָּֽךְ׃[are] with you
ʾitakhH854 →929 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 Samuel 20:3When David returned to his palace in Jerusalem, he took the ten concubines he had left to care for the palace, and he placed them in a house under guard. He provided for them,…
it leads to
- 2 Samuel 16:21–22
Ahithophel replied, “Sleep with your father’s concubines, whom he has left to keep the palace. When all Israel hears that you have become a stench to your father, then the hands of all who…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 2 Samuel 15:16
Then the king set out, and his entire household followed him. But he left behind ten concubines to take care of the palace.
- 2 Samuel 16:21–22
Through
Zechariah 8:13As you have been a curse among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so I will save you, and you will be a blessing. Do not be afraid; let your…
it leads to
- 1 Corinthians 16:13
Be on the alert. Stand firm in the faith. Be men of courage. Be strong.
- Zechariah 8:9
This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Let your hands be strong, you who now hear these words spoken by the prophets who were present when the foundations were laid to rebuild the…
- Psalms 72:17
May his name endure forever; may his name continue as long as the sun shines. In him may all nations be blessed; may they call him blessed.
- Genesis 12:2–3
I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.
- Zephaniah 3:20
At that time I will bring you in; yes, at that time I will gather you. For I will give you fame and praise among all the peoples of the earth when I restore…
- 1 Corinthians 16:13
Through
Leviticus 18:8You must not have sexual relations with your father’s wife; it would dishonor your father.
it leads to
- Leviticus 20:11
If a man lies with his father’s wife, he has uncovered his father’s nakedness. Both must surely be put to death; their blood is upon them.
- Leviticus 20:11
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); Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Salvian the Presbyter, THE GOVERNANCE OF GOD 2.5.