American Standard Version
2 Samuel 16:21
21And 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.
2 Samuel 16:21 in other versions
- King James Version (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.
- New International Version (NIV)Ahithophel answered, “Sleep with your father’s concubines whom he left to take care of the palace. Then all Israel will hear that you have made yourself obnoxious to your father, and the hands of everyone with you will be more resolute.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)Ahithophel said to Absalom, "Go in to your father's concubines, whom he has left to keep the house, and all Israel will hear that you have made yourself a stench to your father, and the hands of all who are with you will be strengthened."
- New King James Version (NKJV)And Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Go in to your father’s concubines, whom he has left to keep the house; and all Israel will hear that you are abhorred by your father. Then the hands of all who are with you will be strong.”
Context of 2 Samuel 16:21
19And again, whom should I serve? should I not serve in the presence of his son? as I have served in thy father’s presence, so will I be in thy presence. 20Then said Absalom to Ahithophel, Give your counsel what we shall do. 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. 22So they spread Absalom a tent upon the top of the house; and Absalom went in unto his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel. 23And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he gave in those days, was as if a man inquired at the oracle of God: so was all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom.
Read all of 2 Samuel 162 Samuel 16:21 word by word
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲחִיתֹ֙פֶל֙ אֶל־אַבְשָׁלֹ֔ם בּ֚וֹא אֶל־פִּלַגְשֵׁ֣י אָבִ֔יךָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר הִנִּ֖יחַ לִשְׁמ֣וֹר הַבָּ֑יִת וְשָׁמַ֤ע כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ כִּֽי־נִבְאַ֣שְׁתָּ אֶת־אָבִ֔יךָ וְחָ֣זְק֔וּ יְדֵ֖י כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר אִתָּֽךְ׃Read the interlinear
- Ahithophelאֲחִיתֹ֫פֶל'ăchîythôphel · AhithophelH302
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- Absalomאֲבִישָׁלוֹם'ăbîyshâlôm 'abshâlôm · AbsalomH53
- Goבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- father’sאָב'âb · fatherH1
- concubinesפִּלֶ֫גֶשׁpîylegesh pilegesh · concubineH6370
- keepשָׁמַרshâmar · to keep: guardH8104
- houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: homeH1004
- Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- hearשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
- handsיָדyâd · handH3027
- strongחָזַקchâzaq · to strengthen: strengthenH2388
Cross-references for 2 Samuel 16:21
- Genesis 6:4The Nephilim were in the earth in those days, and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them: the same were the mighty men that were of old, the men of renown.
- Genesis 38:16And he turned unto her by the way, and said, Come, I pray thee, let me come in unto thee: for he knew not that she was his daughter-in-law. And she said, What wilt thou give me, that thou mayest come in unto me?
- 2 Samuel 12:11Thus saith Jehovah, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house; and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbor, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun.
- 2 Samuel 15:16And the king went forth, and all his household after him. And the king left ten women, that were concubines, to keep the house.
- 2 Samuel 20:3And David came to his house at Jerusalem; and the king took the ten women his concubines, whom he had left to keep the house, and put them in ward, and provided them with sustenance, but went not in unto them. So they were shut up unto the day of their death, living in widowhood.
- Genesis 35:22And it came to pass, while Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine: and Israel heard of it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve:
- Leviticus 18:8The nakedness of thy father’s wife shalt thou not uncover; it is thy father’s nakedness.
- Leviticus 20:11And the man that lieth with his father’s wife hath uncovered his father’s nakedness: both of them shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.
- 1 Kings 2:17And he said, Speak, I pray thee, unto Solomon the king (for he will not say thee nay), that he give me Abishag the Shunammite to wife.
- 1 Corinthians 5:1It is actually reported that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not even among the Gentiles, that oneof you hath his father’s wife.
- Genesis 34:30And Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, Ye have troubled me, to make me odious to the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites: and, I being few in number, they will gather themselves together against me and smite me; and I shall be destroyed, I and my house.
- 1 Samuel 13:4And all Israel heard say that Saul had smitten the garrison of the Philistines, and also that Israel was had in abomination with the Philistines. And the people were gathered together after Saul to Gilgal.
- Genesis 49:3Reuben, thou art my first-born, my might, and the beginning of my strength; The pre-eminence of dignity, and the pre-eminence of power.
- 1 Samuel 27:12And Achish believed David, saying, He hath made his people Israel utterly to abhor him; therefore he shall be my servant for ever.
- 2 Samuel 2:7Now therefore let your hands be strong, and be ye valiant; for Saul your lord is dead, and also the house of Judah have anointed me king over them.
- Zechariah 8:13And it shall come to pass that, as ye were a curse among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so will I save you, and ye shall be a blessing. Fear not, but let your hands be strong.
Commentaries on 2 Samuel 16:21
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21Go in unto thy father's concubines - It may be remembered that David left ten of them behind to take care of the house, see 2 Samuel 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, 2 Samuel 12:11. And this was probably transacted in the very same place where David's eye took the adulterous view of Bath-sheba; see 2 Samuel 11:2…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21Taking possession of the harem was the most decided act of sovereignty (see 1 Kings 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…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 15-23Verses 15-23 The wisest counsellors of that age were Ahithophel and Hushai: Absalom thinks himself sure of success, when he has both; on them he relies, and consults not the ark, though he had that with him. But miserable counsellors were they both. Hushai would never counsel him to do wisely. Ahithophel counselled him to do wickedly; and so did as effectually betray him, as he did, who was designedly false to him: for they that advise men to sin…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 21Sleep with your father's concubines: A usurper (someone who takes power by force) would take a previous ruler's harem to strengthen his claim to the throne (see 2 Samuel 3:7). Absalom's action violated Deuteronomy 22:30.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2121. 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. Women, being held sacred, are generally left inviolate in the casualties of war. The history of the East affords only one parallel to this…Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Samuel 16:21
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 2 Samuel 16
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
American Standard Version — 1901 — Public Domain
Commentaries