English Standard Version
2 Samuel 16:21
21Ahithophel 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."
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.”
- 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.”
- New Living Translation (NLT)Ahithophel told him, “Go and sleep with your father’s concubines, for he has left them here to look after the palace. Then all Israel will know that you have insulted your father beyond hope of reconciliation, and they will throw their support to you.”
Context of 2 Samuel 16:21
19And again, whom should I serve? Should it not be his son? As I have served your father, so I will serve you." 20Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, "Give your counsel. What shall we do?" 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." 22So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof. And Absalom went in to his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel. 23Now in those days the counsel that Ahithophel gave was as if one consulted the word of God; so was all the counsel of Ahithophel esteemed, both by David and by 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
Words taken from the KJV.
- And Ahithophelאֲחִיתֹ֫פֶל'ăchîythôphel · AhithophelH302
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- unto Absalomאֲבִישָׁלוֹם'ăbîyshâlôm 'abshâlôm · AbsalomH53
- Go inבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- unto thy father’sאָב'âb · fatherH1
- concubinesפִּלֶ֫גֶשׁpîylegesh pilegesh · concubineH6370
- which he hath leftיָנַחyânach · to restH3240
- to keepשָׁמַרshâmar · to keep: guardH8104
- the houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: homeH1004
- and all Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- shall hearשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
- that thou art abhorredבָּאַשׁbâ'ash · to stinkH887
- then shall the handsיָדyâd · handH3027
- with thee be strongחָזַקchâzaq · to strengthen: strengthenH2388
Cross-references for 2 Samuel 16:21
- Genesis 6:4The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of man and they bore children to them. These were the mighty men who were of old, the men of renown.
- Genesis 38:16He turned to her at the roadside and said, "Come, let me come in to you," for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. She said, "What will you give me, that you may come in to me?"
- 2 Samuel 12:11Thus says the Lord, 'Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house. And I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun.
- 2 Samuel 15:16So the king went out, and all his household after him. And the king left ten concubines to keep the house.
- 2 Samuel 20:3And David came to his house at Jerusalem. And the king took the ten concubines whom he had left to care for the house and put them in a house under guard and provided for them, but did not go in to them. So they were shut up until the day of their death, living as if in widowhood.
- Genesis 35:22While Israel lived in that land, Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father's concubine. And Israel heard of it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve.
- Leviticus 18:8You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father's wife; it is your father's nakedness.
- Leviticus 20:11If a man lies with his father's wife, he has uncovered his father's nakedness; both of them shall surely be put to death; their blood is upon them.
- 1 Kings 2:17And he said, "Please ask King Solomon—he will not refuse you—to give me Abishag the Shunammite as my wife."
- 1 Corinthians 5:1It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, for a man has his father's wife.
- Genesis 34:30Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, "You have brought trouble on me by making me stink to the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites and the Perizzites. My numbers are few, and if they gather themselves against me and attack me, I shall be destroyed, both I and my household."
- 1 Samuel 13:4And all Israel heard it said that Saul had defeated the garrison of the Philistines, and also that Israel had become a stench to the Philistines. And the people were called out to join Saul at Gilgal.
- Genesis 49:3"Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might, and the firstfruits of my strength, preeminent in dignity and preeminent in power.
- 1 Samuel 27:12And Achish trusted David, thinking, "He has made himself an utter stench to his people Israel; therefore he shall always be my servant."
- 2 Samuel 2:7Now therefore let your hands be strong, and be valiant, for Saul your lord is dead, and the house of Judah has anointed me king over them."
- Zechariah 8:13And as you have been a byword of cursing among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so will I save you, and you 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
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