2 Samuel 16:20

AHITHOPHEL'S COUNSEL. (Sa2 16:20-23)

Give counsel among you what we shall do--This is the first cabinet council on record, although the deference paid to Ahithophel gave him the entire direction of the proceedings.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

2Sa 16:20 Then said Absalom to Ahithophel, Give counsel among you what we shall do.

Ver. 20. Then said, Absalom to Ahithophel.] As president of his council: Hushai was present, but forced to dissemble at that time. {a}

{a} Mentitur impiissimo tyranno. - Mart.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

CRITICAL AND EXPOSITORY NOTES.—

2Sa_16:20. “Give counsel,” etc. This is the first cabinet council on record.” (Jamieson).

2Sa_16:21. “Go in unto,” etc. “This advice was sagacious enough. Lying with the king’s concubines was an appropriation of the royal harem, and, as such, a complete usurpation of the throne (see at 2Sa_3:7) which would render any reconciliation between Absalom and his father utterly impossible, and therefore would of necessity instigate the followers of Absalom with all the greater firmness. This was what Ahithophel hoped to attain by his advice. For unless the breach was too great to be healed, with the affection of David towards his sons, which might in reality be called weakness, it was always a possible thing that he should forgive Absalom, and in this case Ahithophel would be the one to suffer. But under the superintendence of God this advice was to effect the fulfilment of the threat held over David in 2Sa_12:8.” (Keil.) Perhaps Ahithophel was also avenging the wrong done to Bathsheba. (See note on 2Sa_11:3.)

2Sa_16:22. “The top of the house.” The same roof where David’s look at Bathsheba led him into the path of sin.

2Sa_16:23. “The oracle of God.” That is, the counsel of Ahithophel had almost the weight of a Divine command with both father and son.

MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.—2Sa_16:20-23

AHITHOPHEL’S COUNSEL

I. When all the plans of the wicked have been worked out, God’s counsel will be found to prevail. Sometimes a man may permit a thief to escape from his grasp and run away from him because he knows that in front of him is a precipice, and that every step he takes brings him nearer to his final fall. He has only to let him pursue his own course and he will be the author of his own ruin. So, when men break away from God, and seem to think they can leave Him out of their calculations, He sometimes leaves them entirely to their own devices, and they become their own destroyers, and at the same time fulfil the Divine purposes. At this crisis in the history of the people of Israel it might have seemed to some good men that God had entirely withdrawn from the nation, and that these bad men were having their own way in everything. The last assumption was true, but not the first—Ahithophel and Absalom met with no hindrance as yet in the execution of their designs, but God was looking on and seeing in them the instruments of His will, as they unconsciously executed a part of the sentence against David. (2Sa_12:11).

II. The sin which the parent commits in secret will probably be committed openly by the child. Children show themselves apt pupils in the school of vice, and often go far beyond their teachers in the wrong direction. None of David’s virtues were reproduced in Absalom, but his deed of sin was not only closely imitated but far exceeded, and what the father did in secret the son did not blush to do in the sight of all Israel. Let no parent or any man deceive himself by thinking that those under his influence will stop in the path of sin just where he stopped—it is a downward road and they who set out upon it neither know where they will stop themselves, nor can they stay the course of those who may follow in their steps. Let the father or mother who breaks God’s law and blushes for the sin, think how likely it is that their child may make a boast of the same deed of shame.

OUTLINES AND SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS

It is not improbable that Ahithophel remembered God’s denunciation against David by the prophet Nathan, and therefore considered it a deep stroke of policy thus to take advantage of existing circumstances, to establish the Divine purposes. He might hope perhaps, thus to encourage a belief, that Absalom was a chosen instrument in the hands of God for the execution of His judgments, and consequently, that all opposition to him was both wicked and fruitless. But Ahithophel with all his wisdom, was not wise enough to know that the rule of man’s conduct is not the secret purposes, but the revealed precepts of God; that a man may be fulfilling the former, yet incurring God’s severe displeasure by transgressing the latter.—Lindsay.

2Sa_16:23. David’s chief counsellors were God’s testimonies (Psa_119:24) to these as to the test he brought all counsel given him, whether by Ahithophel or any other … Absalom and his adherents followed Ahithophel’s counsel, howsoever, as infallible, because it was for their purpose.—Trapp.

The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary (gen. ed. Joseph S. Exell; Funk & Wagnalls, c. 1892) — public domain (pre-1929). A full-Bible homiletical/sermon-outline anthology covering 65 of 66 books (2 John is absent from the source module). Text from a community e-Sword module.

20–23. Ahithophel’s counsel

21. And Ahithophel said, &c.] Ahithophel advised Absalom to make a decisive assumption of royal authority by publicly taking possession of the royal harem. This act was a claim of heirship and succession[101], and was not regarded with abhorrence by the Israelites, whose feelings on such matters were blunted by the practice of polygamy. See note on ch. 2Sa_3:7. Its object was to make the breach between Absalom and his father irreparable, and to strengthen the resolution of his followers, by proving that the rebellion was not to end in his securing a pardon from his father and leaving them to their fate, but that he was determined to run all risks.

[101] A similar custom existed among the heathen Saxons. See Green’s Making of England, p. 246.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Then said Absalom to Ahithophel,.... Having two such able counsellors as he and Hushai, he directs his speech to Ahithophel, as being his first and chief counsellor:

give counsel among you what we shall do; he orders them to form a counsel, consult among themselves what was proper to be now done at Jerusalem, whether it was right to stay here or pursue after David and his men. Absalom did not send to the high priest to ask counsel of God, by Urim and Thummim before the ark, but wholly confided in his privy council.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Give counsel among you; Hebrew, for you; but we have no way in English of expressing the force of this phrase. In Greek it is called the ethic dative, and is supposed to give character to the address, and indicate that those to whom the words are spoken have also an interest in the matter.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

After taking possession of the capital of the kingdom, the next thing to do was to form the resolution to take and keep the throne. Absalom therefore turned to Ahithophel, and said, "Give ye counsel what we are to do." The plural הבוּ (give ye) may be explained on the supposition that the other persons present were addressed as well as Ahithophel, as being capable of giving advice.

Keil & Delitzsch — Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament (1861–1891) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API. (Old Testament only.)

Ahithophel

See how you translated this man's name in 2 Samuel 15:12. (See: How to Translate Names)

to keep the palace

The phrase "to keep" means to take care of. AT: "to take care of the palace" (See: Idiom)

become a stench to your father

Ahithophel speaks of Absalom offending his father as if he would become something that had a strong and offensive odor. AT: "become offensive to your father" or "greatly insulted father" (See: Metaphor)

Then the hands of all who are with you will be strong

Here the people who followed Absalom are referred to by their hands. The news will strengthen the peoples' loyalty to Absalom and encourage them. This can be stated clearly. AT: "The news of this will strengthen the loyalty of all who follow you" (See: Synecdoche and Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

translationWords

advice

had relations with

concubine

palace

hand

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.