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

21And it came to pass after they had departed, that they came up out of the well, and went and told king David; and they said to David, Arise and pass quickly over the water; for thus has Ahithophel counselled against you. 22Then David arose, and all the people that were with him, and they passed over the Jordan; by the morning light there was not one of them missing that had not gone over the Jordan. And when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his ass, and arose and went to his house, to his city, and gave charge to his household, and hanged himself, and he died; and he was buried in the sepulchre of his father. 24And David came to Mahanaim. And Absalom passed over the Jordan, he and all the men of Israel with him. 25And Absalom set Amasa over the host instead of Joab; which Amasa was the son of a man whose name was Jithra the Israelite, that went in to Abigail the daughter of Nahash, 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

• Ahithophelאֲחִיתֹ֫פֶל'ăchîythôphel · AhithophelH302
• sawרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• counselעֵצָה‛êtsâh · counselH6098
• saddledחָבַשׁchâbash · to saddle/tieH2280
• aroseקוּםqûm · to arise: riseH6965
• houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: homeH1004
• cityעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
• diedמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
• buriedקָבַרqâbar · to buryH6912
• fatherאָב'âb · fatherH1

Cross-references for 2 Samuel 17:23

• Proverbs 16:18Pride [goeth] before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.
• Proverbs 19:3The folly of man distorteth his way, and his heart is irritated against Jehovah.
• 2 Samuel 15:12And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's counsellor, from his city, from Giloh, while he offered the sacrifices. And the conspiracy gathered strength; and the people increased continually with Absalom.
• 2 Kings 20:1In those days Hezekiah was sick unto death. And the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came to him and said to him, Thus saith Jehovah: Set thy house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live.
• 2 Samuel 15:31And one told David saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. Then said David, Jehovah, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.
• 1 Samuel 31:4Then said Saul to his armour-bearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through with it; lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me. But his armour-bearer would not; for he was much afraid. So Saul took the sword and fell on it.
• 1 Kings 16:18And it came to pass when Zimri saw that the city was taken, that he went into the citadel of the king's house, and burned the king's house over him with fire;
• Job 31:3Is not calamity for the unrighteous? and misfortune for the workers of iniquity?
• Psalms 5:10Bring guilt upon them, O God; let them fall by their own counsels: drive them out in the multitude of their transgressions, for they have rebelled against thee.
• Psalms 55:23And thou, O God, wilt bring them down into the pit of destruction: bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days. But as for me, I will confide in thee.
• Matthew 27:5And having cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, he left the place, and went away 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