2 Samuel 16:22

2 Samuel 16:22 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)So they spread Absalom a tent upon the top of the house; and Absalom went in unto his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.
• New International Version (NIV)So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, and he slept with his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.
• English Standard Version (ESV)So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof. And Absalom went in to his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel.
• New King James Version (NKJV)So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the top of the house, and Absalom went in to his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.

Context of 2 Samuel 16:22

20Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give us your advice. What should we do?” 21Ahithophel replied to Absalom, “Have sex with your father’s concubines whom he left to care for the palace. All Israel will hear that you have made yourself repulsive to your father. Then your followers will be motivated to support you.” So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, and Absalom had sex with his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel. 23In those days Ahithophel’s advice was considered as valuable as a prophetic revelation. Both David and Absalom highly regarded the advice of Ahithophel.

2 Samuel 16:22 word by word

וַיַּטּ֧וּ לְאַבְשָׁל֛וֹם הָאֹ֖הֶל עַל־הַגָּ֑ג וַיָּבֹ֤א אַבְשָׁלוֹם֙ אֶל־פִּֽלַגְשֵׁ֣י אָבִ֔יו לְעֵינֵ֖י כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• So they spreadנָטָהnâţâh · to stretchH5186
• Absalomאֲבִישָׁלוֹם'ăbîyshâlôm 'abshâlôm · AbsalomH53
• a tentאֹ֫הֶל'ôhel · tentH168
• upon the top of the houseגָּגgâg · roofH1406
• went inבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• unto his father’sאָב'âb · fatherH1
• concubinesפִּלֶ֫גֶשׁpîylegesh pilegesh · concubineH6370
• in the sightעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eye: seeingH5869
• of all Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478

Cross-references for 2 Samuel 16:22

• 2 Samuel 11:2One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of his palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. Now this woman was very attractive.
• 2 Samuel 12:11This is what the Lord says: ‘I am about to bring disaster on you from inside your own household! Right before your eyes I will take your wives and hand them over to your companion. He will have sexual relations with your wives in broad daylight!
• 2 Samuel 15:16So the king and all the members of his royal court set out on foot, though the king left behind ten concubines to attend to the palace.
• 2 Samuel 20:3Then David went to his palace in Jerusalem. The king took the ten concubines he had left to care for the palace and placed them under confinement. Though he provided for their needs, he did not have sexual relations with them. They remained in confinement until the day they died, living out the rest of their lives as widows.
• Numbers 25:6Just then one of the Israelites came and brought to his brothers a Midianite woman in the plain view of Moses and of the whole community of the Israelites, while they were weeping at the entrance of the tent of meeting.
• Isaiah 3:9The look on their faces testifies to their guilt; like the people of Sodom they openly boast of their sin. Too bad for them! For they bring disaster on themselves.
• Jeremiah 3:3That is why the rains have been withheld, and the spring rains have not come. Yet in spite of this you are obstinate as a prostitute. You refuse to be ashamed of what you have done.
• Jeremiah 8:12Are they ashamed because they have done such disgusting things? No, they are not at all ashamed! They do not even know how to blush! So they will die just like others have died. They will be brought to ruin when I punish them, says the Lord.
• Ezekiel 24:7For her blood was in it; she poured it on an exposed rock; she did not pour it on the ground to cover it up with dust.
• Philippians 3:19Their end is destruction, their god is the belly, they exult in their shame, and they think about earthly things.

Commentaries on 2 Samuel 16:22

• 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. 22Absalom wanted to show the people he had taken the throne and its royal powers. His disgraceful act mirrored David’s affair with Bathsheba, which also started on that roof (2 Samuel 11:2–4). This event fulfilled Nathan’s prophecy (2 Samuel 12:11–12).Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Samuel 16:22

• Adultery
• Ahithophel
• House
• Incest

In the dictionaries

• Absalom
• Israel
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• House
• King
• Prayer
• Bible, the
• Crime; Crimes
• David

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