New Living Translation
2 Samuel 17:14
14Then Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “Hushai’s advice is better than Ahithophel’s.” For the Lord had determined to defeat the counsel of Ahithophel, which really was the better plan, so that he could bring disaster on Absalom!
2 Samuel 17:14 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And Absalom and all the men of Israel said, The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel. For the Lord had appointed to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, to the intent that the Lord might bring evil upon Absalom.
- New International Version (NIV)Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The advice of Hushai the Arkite is better than that of Ahithophel.” For the Lord had determined to frustrate the good advice of Ahithophel in order to bring disaster on Absalom.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And Absalom and all the men of Israel said, "The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel." For the Lord had ordained to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, so that the Lord might bring harm upon Absalom.
- New King James Version (NKJV)So Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The advice of Hushai the Archite is better than the advice of Ahithophel.” For the Lord had purposed to defeat the good advice of Ahithophel, to the intent that the Lord might bring disaster on Absalom.
Context of 2 Samuel 17:14
12When we find David, we’ll fall on him like dew that falls on the ground. Then neither he nor any of his men will be left alive. 13And if David were to escape into some town, you will have all Israel there at your command. Then we can take ropes and drag the walls of the town into the nearest valley until every stone is torn down.” Then Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “Hushai’s advice is better than Ahithophel’s.” For the Lord had determined to defeat the counsel of Ahithophel, which really was the better plan, so that he could bring disaster on Absalom! 15Hushai told Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, what Ahithophel had said to Absalom and the elders of Israel and what he himself had advised instead. 16“Quick!” he told them. “Find David and urge him not to stay at the shallows of the Jordan River tonight. He must go across at once into the wilderness beyond. Otherwise he will die and his entire army with him.”
Read all of 2 Samuel 172 Samuel 17:14 word by word
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אַבְשָׁלוֹם֙ וְכָל־אִ֣ישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל טוֹבָ֗ה עֲצַת֙ חוּשַׁ֣י הָאַרְכִּ֔י מֵעֲצַ֖ת אֲחִיתֹ֑פֶל וַיהוָ֣ה צִוָּ֗ה לְהָפֵ֞ר אֶת־עֲצַ֤ת אֲחִיתֹ֙פֶל֙ הַטּוֹבָ֔ה לְבַעֲב֗וּר הָבִ֧יא יְהוָ֛ה אֶל־אַבְשָׁל֖וֹם אֶת־הָרָעָֽה׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And Absalomאֲבִישָׁלוֹם'ăbîyshâlôm 'abshâlôm · AbsalomH53
- and all the menאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- The counselעֵצָה‛êtsâh · counselH6098
- of Hushaiחוּשַׁיchûshay · HushaiH2365
- the Architeאַרְכִּי'arkîy · ArchiteH757
- betterטוֹבţôb · pleasantH2896
- of Ahithophelאֲחִיתֹ֫פֶל'ăchîythôphel · AhithophelH302
- For the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- had appointedצָוָהtsâvâh · to commandH6680
- to defeatפָּרַרpârar · to breakH6565
- to the intentעָבוּר‛âbûr ‛âbûr · for the sake ofH5668
- might bringבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): bringH935
- evilרָעָהra‛ râ‛âh · distress: harmH7451
Cross-references for 2 Samuel 17:14
- 2 Samuel 15:31When someone told David that his adviser Ahithophel was now backing Absalom, David prayed, “O Lord, let Ahithophel give Absalom foolish advice!”
- Genesis 32:28“Your name will no longer be Jacob,” the man told him. “From now on you will be called Israel, because you have fought with God and with men and have won.”
- Exodus 9:16But I have spared you for a purpose—to show you my power and to spread my fame throughout the earth.
- Deuteronomy 2:30“But King Sihon of Heshbon refused to allow us to pass through, because the Lord your God made Sihon stubborn and defiant so he could help you defeat him, as he has now done.
- 2 Chronicles 25:16But the king interrupted him and said, “Since when have I made you the king’s counselor? Be quiet now before I have you killed!” So the prophet stopped with this warning: “I know that God has determined to destroy you because you have done this and have refused to accept my counsel.”
- Psalms 33:9For when he spoke, the world began! It appeared at his command.
- Lamentations 3:37Who can command things to happen without the Lord’s permission?
- Amos 9:3Even if they hide at the very top of Mount Carmel, I will search them out and capture them. Even if they hide at the bottom of the ocean, I will send the sea serpent after them to bite them.
- 2 Samuel 15:34Return to Jerusalem and tell Absalom, ‘I will now be your adviser, O king, just as I was your father’s adviser in the past.’ Then you can frustrate and counter Ahithophel’s advice.
- 2 Samuel 16:23Absalom followed Ahithophel’s advice, just as David had done. For every word Ahithophel spoke seemed as wise as though it had come directly from the mouth of God.
- Job 5:12He frustrates the plans of schemers so the work of their hands will not succeed.
- Proverbs 19:21You can make many plans, but the Lord’s purpose will prevail.
- Proverbs 21:30No human wisdom or understanding or plan can stand against the Lord.
- Isaiah 8:10Call your councils of war, but they will be worthless. Develop your strategies, but they will not succeed. For God is with us!”
- 1 Corinthians 1:19As the Scriptures say, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and discard the intelligence of the intelligent.”
- 1 Corinthians 3:19For the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God. As the Scriptures say, “He traps the wise in the snare of their own cleverness.”
Commentaries on 2 Samuel 17:14
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 14Ahithophel’s strategy was the stronger military plan. However, Hushai had a psychological and rhetorical advantage (he understood how to persuade Absalom). He also carried out the Lord’s purpose. Because of this, Hushai gained Absalom’s favor. the LORD had purposed to thwart: Although Absalom made early gains, his attempt to take the throne was doomed from the beginning.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1414. The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel--The reasons specified being extremely plausible, and expressed in the strong hyperbolical language suited to dazzle an Oriental imagination, the council declared in favor of Hushai's advice; and their resolution was the immediate cause of the discomfiture of the rebellion, although the council itself was only a link in the chain of causation held by the controlling hand of the…Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Samuel 17:14
In the dictionaries
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
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