2 Samuel 16:17

2 Samuel 16:17 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And Absalom said to Hushai, Is this thy kindness to thy friend? why wentest thou not with thy friend?
• New International Version (NIV)Absalom said to Hushai, “So this is the love you show your friend? If he’s your friend, why didn’t you go with him?”
• English Standard Version (ESV)And Absalom said to Hushai, "Is this your loyalty to your friend? Why did you not go with your friend?"
• New King James Version (NKJV)So Absalom said to Hushai, “Is this your loyalty to your friend? Why did you not go with your friend?”

Context of 2 Samuel 16:17

15Then Absalom and all the people, the men of Israel, entered Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him. 16Now it came about, when Hushai the Archite, David’s friend, came to Absalom, that Hushai said to Absalom, “Long live the king! Long live the king!” But Absalom said to Hushai, “Is this your loyalty to your friend? Why did you not go with your friend?” 18So Hushai said to Absalom, “No! For whomever the Lord, this people, and all the men of Israel have chosen, his I shall be, and with him I shall remain. 19Besides, whom should I serve? Should I not serve in the presence of his son? Just as I have served in your father’s presence, so I shall be in your presence.”

2 Samuel 16:17 word by word

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אַבְשָׁלוֹם֙ אֶל־חוּשַׁ֔י זֶ֥ה חַסְדְּךָ֖ אֶת־רֵעֶ֑ךָ לָ֥מָּה לֹֽא־הָלַ֖כְתָּ אֶת־רֵעֶֽךָ׃Read the interlinear

• But Absalomאֲבִישָׁלוֹם'ăbîyshâlôm 'abshâlôm · AbsalomH53
• saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• to Hushaiחוּשַׁיchûshay · HushaiH2365
• Is thisזֶהzeh · thisH2088
• loyaltyחֶ֫סֶדchêsêd · kindnessH2617
• to your friendרֵעַrêa‛ rêya‛ · neighborH7453
• Whyמָהmâh mah mâ ma meh · what?H4100
• did you not goהָלַךְhâlak · to go: wentH1980

Cross-references for 2 Samuel 16:17

• Deuteronomy 32:6Is this what you do to the Lord, You foolish and unwise people? Is He not your Father who has purchased you? He has made you and established you.
• 2 Samuel 15:32It happened as David was coming to the summit, where God was worshiped, that behold, Hushai the Archite met him with his coat torn, and dust on his head.
• 2 Samuel 19:25And it was when he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said to him, “Why did you not go with me, Mephibosheth?”
• Proverbs 17:17A friend loves at all times, And a brother is born for adversity.
• Proverbs 18:24A person of too many friends comes to ruin, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Commentaries on 2 Samuel 16:17

• 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
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 15-1915-19. Hushai said unto Absalom, God save the king--Hushai's devotion to David was so well-known, that his presence in the camp of the conspirators excited great surprise. Professing, however, with great address, to consider it his duty to support the cause which the course of Providence and the national will had seemingly decreed should triumph, and urging his friendship for the father as a ground of confidence in his fidelity to the son, he persuaded…Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Samuel 16:17

• Deception
• Diplomacy
• Falsehood
• Hushai

In the dictionaries

• Absalom
• Hushai
• Bible, the
• David
• Horse
• Israel, History of
• Samuel, Books of
• Solomon

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