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 Absalom’s servants left, both men came out of the cistern and went and told King David. “Leave right away,” they told David. “Cross the river quickly because this is what Ahithophel has advised against you. …” 22David and all the troops with him left to cross the Jordan River. When the dawn came, everyone had crossed the Jordan River. When Ahithophel saw that his advice hadn’t been followed, he saddled his donkey, left, and went home to his own city. He gave instructions to his family. Then he hanged himself, died, and was buried in his father’s tomb. 24David had ⌞already⌟ come to Mahanaim by the time Absalom and all the men of Israel with him crossed the Jordan River. 25Absalom appointed Amasa to take Joab’s place as commander of the army. (Amasa was the son of a man named Ithra, a descendant of Ishmael. His mother was Abigail, the daughter of Nahash and sister of Joab’s mother Zeruiah.)

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 precedes a disaster, and an arrogant attitude precedes a fall.
• Proverbs 19:3The stupidity of a person turns his life upside down, and his heart rages against the Lord.
• 2 Samuel 15:12While Absalom was offering sacrifices, he sent for Ahithophel, David’s adviser, to come from his home in Giloh. Meanwhile, the conspiracy grew stronger, and the number of people siding with Absalom kept getting larger.
• 2 Kings 20:1In those days Hezekiah became sick and was about to die. The prophet Isaiah, son of Amoz, came to him and said, “This is what the Lord says: Give final instructions to your household, because you’re about to die. You won’t get well.”
• 2 Samuel 15:31Then David was told, “Ahithophel is among those conspiring with Absalom.” So David prayed, “Lord, make Ahithophel’s advice foolish.”
• 1 Samuel 31:4Saul told his armorbearer, “Draw your sword! Stab me, or these godless men will come, stab me, and make fun of me.” But his armorbearer refused because he was terrified. So Saul took the sword and fell on it.
• 1 Kings 16:18When Zimri saw that the city had been captured, he went into the stronghold in the royal palace and burned down the palace over his own head. He died
• Job 31:3Aren’t there catastrophes for wicked people and disasters for those who do wrong?
• Psalms 5:10Condemn them, O God. Let their own schemes be their downfall. Throw them out for their many crimes because they have rebelled against you.
• Psalms 55:23But you, O God, will throw ⌞wicked people⌟ into the deepest pit. Bloodthirsty and deceitful people will not live out half their days. But I will trust you.
• Matthew 27:5So he threw the money into the temple, 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