Darby Bible
2 Samuel 16:21
21And Ahithophel said to Absalom, Go in to thy father's concubines, whom he has left to keep the house; and all Israel shall hear that thou art become odious with thy father; and the hands of all that are with thee shall 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 it not be in the presence of his son? as I have served in thy father's presence, so will I be in thy presence. 20And Absalom said to Ahithophel, Give counsel among you what we shall do. And Ahithophel said to Absalom, Go in to thy father's concubines, whom he has left to keep the house; and all Israel shall hear that thou art become odious with thy father; and the hands of all that are with thee shall be strong. 22So they spread a tent for Absalom upon the roof; and Absalom went in to his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel. 23And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counselled in those days, was as if a man had inquired of the word 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
- concubinesפִּלֶ֫גֶשׁpîylegesh pilegesh · concubineH6370
- keepשָׁמַרshâmar · to keep: guardH8104
- houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: homeH1004
- Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- hearשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
- becomeבָּאַשׁbâ'ash · to stinkH887
- fatherאָב'âb · fatherH1
- handsיָדyâd · handH3027
- strongחָזַקchâzaq · to strengthen: strengthenH2388
Cross-references for 2 Samuel 16:21
- Genesis 6:4In those days were the giants on the earth, and also afterwards, when the sons of God had come in to the daughters of men, and they had borne [children] to them; these were the heroes, who of old were men of renown.
- Genesis 38:16And he turned aside to her by the way, and said, Come, I pray thee, let me go in to thee; for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. And she said, What wilt thou give me, that thou mayest come in to 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 neighbour, 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, concubines, to keep the house.
- 2 Samuel 20:3And David came to his house at Jerusalem; and the king took the ten women, concubines, whom he had left to keep the house, and put them in a house of confinement and maintained them, but did not go in to them. So they were shut up unto the day of their death, living in widowhood.
- Genesis 35:22And it came to pass when Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah, his father's concubine; and Israel heard of it. And 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 a man that lieth with his father's wife hath uncovered his father's nakedness: both of them shall certainly be put to death; their blood is upon them.
- 1 Kings 2:17And he said, Speak, I pray thee, to Solomon the king — for he will not refuse thee — that he give me Abishag the Shunammite as wife.
- 1 Corinthians 5:1It is universally reported [that there is] fornication among you, and such fornication as [is] not even among the nations, so that one should have his father's wife.
- Genesis 34:30And Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, Ye have troubled me, in that ye make me odious among the inhabitants of the land — among the Canaanites and the Perizzites; and I am few men in number, and they will gather themselves against me and smite me, and I shall be destroyed, I and my house.
- 1 Samuel 13:4And all Israel heard say, Saul has smitten the garrison of the Philistines, and Israel also has become odious to the Philistines. And the people were called together after Saul to Gilgal.
- Genesis 49:3Reuben, thou art my firstborn, My might, and the firstfruits of my vigour: Excellency of dignity, and excellency of strength.
- 1 Samuel 27:12And Achish trusted David, saying, He has made himself utterly odious among his people Israel; and he shall be my servant for ever.
- 2 Samuel 2:7And now let your hands be strong, and be ye valiant; for your master Saul is dead, and also the house of Judah have anointed me king over them.
- Zechariah 8:13And it shall come to pass, like 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 ye not, 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
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