2 Samuel 17:23

2 Samuel 17:23 in other versions

• King James Version (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.
• New International Version (NIV)When 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 house in order and then hanged himself. So he died and was buried in his father’s tomb.
• English Standard Version (ESV)When Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his donkey and went off home to his own city. He set his house in order and hanged himself, and he died and was buried in the tomb of his father.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now when Ahithophel saw that his advice was not followed, he saddled a donkey, and arose and went home to his house, to his city. Then he put his household in order, and hanged himself, and died; and he was buried in his father’s tomb.

Context of 2 Samuel 17:23

21After they had gone, Ahimaaz and Jonathan climbed out of the well and went and informed King David. They told him, “Get up and immediately ford the river, for Ahithophel has given this advice against you.” 22So David and all the people with him got up and crossed the Jordan. By daybreak, there was no one who had not crossed the Jordan. When Ahithophel realized that his advice had not been followed, he saddled his donkey and set out for his house in his hometown. He set his house in order and hanged himself. So he died and was buried in his father’s tomb. 24David had arrived at Mahanaim by the time Absalom crossed the Jordan with all the men of Israel. 25Now Absalom had appointed Amasa over the army in Joab’s place. Amasa was the son of a man named Ithra the Israelite; Ithra had married Abigail daughter of Nahash. Abigail was a sister to Zeruiah, Joab’s mother.

2 Samuel 17:23 word by word

וַאֲחִיתֹ֣פֶל רָאָ֗ה כִּ֣י לֹ֣א נֶעֶשְׂתָה֮ עֲצָתוֹ֒ וַיַּחֲבֹ֣שׁ אֶֽת־הַחֲמ֗וֹר וַיָּ֜קָם וַיֵּ֤לֶךְ אֶל־בֵּיתוֹ֙ אֶל־עִיר֔וֹ וַיְצַ֥ו אֶל־בֵּית֖וֹ וַיֵּחָנַ֑ק וַיָּ֕מָת וַיִּקָּבֵ֖ר בְּקֶ֥בֶר אָבִֽיו׃ סRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And when Ahithophelאֲחִיתֹ֫פֶל'ăchîythôphel · AhithophelH302
• sawרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• that his counselעֵצָה‛êtsâh · counselH6098
• was not followedעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• he saddledחָבַשׁchâbash · to saddle/tieH2280
• assחֲמוֹרchămôr chămôr · donkeyH2543
• and aroseקוּםqûm · to arise: riseH6965
• and gat him homeיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
• to his houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: homeH1004
• to his cityעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
• in orderצָוָהtsâvâh · to commandH6680
• and hangedחָנַקchânaq · to strangleH2614
• himself, and diedמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
• and was buriedקָבַרqâbar · to buryH6912
• in the sepulchreקֶ֫בֶרqeber qibrâh · graveH6913
• of his fatherאָב'âb · fatherH1

Cross-references for 2 Samuel 17:23

• Proverbs 16:18Pride comes before destruction, and an arrogant spirit before a fall.
• Proverbs 19:3A person’s own foolishness leads him astray, yet his heart rages against the Lord.
• 2 Samuel 15:12While he was offering the sacrifices, Absalom sent for David’s adviser Ahithophel the Gilonite, from his city of Giloh. So the conspiracy grew strong, and the people supporting Absalom continued to increase.
• 2 Kings 20:1In those days Hezekiah became terminally ill. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz came and said to him, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Set your house in order, for you are about to die; you will not recover.’”
• 2 Samuel 15:31Then someone reported to David, “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” “Lord,” David pleaded, “please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness!”
• 1 Samuel 31:4Then Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword and run me through with it, or these uncircumcised men will come and run me through and torture me!” But his armor-bearer would not do it because he was terrified. Then Saul took his sword and fell on it.
• 1 Kings 16:18When Zimri saw that the city was captured, he entered the citadel of the royal palace and burned it down over himself. He died
• Job 31:3Doesn’t disaster come to the unjust and misfortune to evildoers?
• Psalms 5:10Punish them, God; let them fall by their own schemes. Drive them out because of their many crimes, for they rebel against you.
• Psalms 55:23God, you will bring them down to the Pit of destruction; men of bloodshed and treachery will not live out half their days. But I will trust in you.
• Matthew 27:5So he threw the silver into the temple and departed. Then he went and hanged himself.

Commentaries on 2 Samuel 17:23

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 23Put 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.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 23To 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.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 22-29Verses 22-29 Ahithophel hanged himself for vexation that his counsel was not followed. That will break a proud man's heart which will not break a humble man's sleep. He thought himself in danger, concluding, that, because his counsel was not followed, Absalom's cause would fail; and to prevent a possible public execution, he does justice upon himself. Thus the breath is stopped, and the head laid low, from which nothing could be expected but mischief…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 23hanged himself: Ahithophel saw that David would win and Absalom would fail. He chose to take his own life instead of facing David.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2323. 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. Hastening home, therefore, he arranged his private affairs, and knowing that the storm of retributive vengeance would fall chiefly upon him as the instigator and…Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Samuel 17:23

• Ahithophel
• Ambition
• David
• Pride
• Suicide

In the dictionaries

• Ahithophel
• Instead
• Prayer
• Bible, the
• David
• Hanging
• Israel, History of
• Joab
• Order
• Samuel, Books of

Commentaries on 2 Samuel 17

• 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