The counsel of Ahithophel, which he gave in those days, was as if a man inquired at the inner sanctuary of God. All the counsel of Ahithophel both was like this with David and with Absalom.
Parallel Translations
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The counsel of Ahithophel, which he gave in those days, was as if a man inquired at the inner sanctuary of God. All the counsel of Ahithophel both was like this with David and with Absalom.
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And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counselled in those days, was as if a man had enquired at the oracle of God: so was all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom.
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Now the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counselled in those days, was as if a man inquired of the word of God; so was all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom.
Cross-references (18)
Passages linked to 2 Samuel 16:23 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- 2 Samuel 15:12 Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, from his city, even from Giloh, while he was offering the sacrifices. The conspiracy was strong; for the people increased continually with Absalom.
- 2 Samuel 17:14 Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel.” For Yahweh had ordained to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, to the intent that Yahweh might bring evil on Absalom.
- 2 Samuel 17:23 When Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his donkey, arose, and went home, to his city, and set his house in order, and hanged himself; and he died, and was buried in the tomb of his father.
- 1 Corinthians 3:19-20 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, “He has taken the wise in their craftiness.” And again, “The Lord knows the reasoning of the wise, that it is worthless.”
- Numbers 27:21 He shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall inquire for him by the judgment of the Urim before Yahweh. At his word they shall go out, and at his word they shall come in, both he and all the children of Israel with him, even all the congregation.”
- 1 Samuel 30:8 David inquired of Yahweh, saying, “If I pursue after this troop, will I overtake them?” He answered him, “Pursue; for you will surely overtake them, and will without fail recover all.”
- Job 5:12 He frustrates the plans of the crafty, So that their hands can’t perform their enterprise.
- Job 28:28 To man he said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom. To depart from evil is understanding.’ ”
- Psalms 19:7 Yahweh’s law is perfect, restoring the soul. Yahweh’s covenant is sure, making wise the simple.
- Psalms 28:2 Hear the voice of my petitions, when I cry to you, when I lift up my hands toward your Most Holy Place.
- Ecclesiastes 10:1 Dead flies cause the oil of the perfumer to produce an evil odor; so does a little folly outweigh wisdom and honor.
- Jeremiah 4:22 “For my people are foolish. They don’t know me. They are foolish children, and they have no understanding. They are skillful in doing evil, but they don’t know how to do good.”
- Jeremiah 8:9 The wise men are disappointed. They are dismayed and trapped. Behold, they have rejected Yahweh’s word. What kind of wisdom is in them?
- Matthew 11:25 At that time, Jesus answered, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you hid these things from the wise and understanding, and revealed them to infants.
- Luke 16:8 “His lord commended the dishonest manager because he had done wisely, for the children of this world are, in their own generation, wiser than the children of the light.
- Romans 1:22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
- 1 Peter 4:11 If anyone speaks, let it be as it were the very words of God. If anyone serves, let it be as of the strength which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
- James 3:13-18 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by his good conduct that his deeds are done in gentleness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, don’t boast and don’t lie against the truth. This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, sensual, and demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition are, there is confusion and every evil deed. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceful, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (11 sources)
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Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain It was so esteemed for the success thereof.
It was so esteemed for the success thereof.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain 2Sa 16:23 And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he…
2Sa 16:23 And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counselled in those days, [was] as if a man had enquired at the oracle of God: so [was] all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom.
Ver. 23. And the counsel,] q.d., Though this was horrid counsel, yet because it was facinus maioris abollae, the counsel of Ahithophel, it passed for current, and was well approved by Absalom and the facilous Israelites. Dotibus scelerati Satanae et libidinibus suis ministrant. Wicked men abuse their abilities and their authority to the service of sin and Satan, as Augustine bitterly bewaileth it in Licentius, a scholar of his, learned but lewd.
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Was as if a man had inquired at the oracle of God.] So Plutarch saith of Archimedes the Syracusian, that he had the name and fame of understanding not human but divine. {a} And of Polybius, the historian, it is reported, that Scipio never miscarried in any enterprise, carried on according to his counsel.
Both with David and with Absalom.] 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; and held it for a rule that if any "spoke not according to these, it was because there was no light in them." {Isa 8:20} Indeed, Absalom and his adherents followed Ahithophel’s counsel howsoever, as infallible, because it was for their purpose. So the Papists would persuade us that the Pope’s placits are ipsissimum De; verbum. {b} And if a priest teach this or that, be it true or false, the people are, without further trial, to take it as God’s oracle. {c} Is not this to be "the servants of men?" {1Co 7:23} Is it not an honour due to Christ alone, to be believed on his bare word, to be the only Aυτος εφα, to be self-credible?
{a} ουκ ανθρωπινης αλλα δαιμονιου τινος συνεσεως. - Pausan. lib. viii.
{b} Hosius.
{c} Stapleton.
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.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain Was as if a man had inquired at the…
Was as if a man had inquired at the oracle of God; it was received by the people with equal authority and veneration, and was usually attended with as certain success; which is mentioned as the reason why a counsel which had so ill a face, should meet with such general approbation.
With David; to whose pious disposition he accommodated himself, as policy obliged him; but being weary of it, he takes this first occasion to discover himself, and execute that wickedness which before lay in his heart.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he had counselled…
And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he had counselled in those days,.... Both in the days of David, and in the days of Absalom, before and since the rebellion:
was as if a man had inquired of the oracle of God; such an opinion was entertained of it, so well satisfied were they with it, and as confident of success in taking it, as if the Lord himself had been consulted by Urim and Thummim; this is a very great exaggeration of Ahithophel's counsel, and is observed as a reason why it was so readily taken, though so bad in the preceding instance:
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so was all the counsel of Ahithophel, both with David and with Absalom; Ahithophel was a crafty man, a time server, that temporized with princes, and knew how to suit his counsels with their tempers and interests: to David he gave good counsel, what was acceptable with him, and to Absalom bad counsel, which was pleasing to him.
Next: 2 Samuel Chapter 17
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain The counsel, &c. - It was received by the…
The counsel, &c. - It was received by the people with equal veneration, and was usually attended with as certain success. Which is mentioned as the reason why a counsel which had so ill a face, should meet with such general approbation.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain 2Sa 16:23. The counsel of Ahithophel, &c. — It…
2Sa 16:23. The counsel of Ahithophel, &c. — It was deemed as unerring, and was commonly followed with as little doubt of its success, as though the oracle of God had dictated it. This is mentioned as the reason why counsel, which carried so ill a face, should meet with such general approbation.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain Absalom. It tended to promote the end which was…
Absalom. It tended to promote the end which was desired, (Haydock) whether good or bad. His prudence is hyperbolically compared with the divine oracles; (Menochius) and his authority must have had great weight, since David began to take precautions, only after he had heard that Achitophel had joined the rebels; and Absalom was persuaded (Calmet) to perpetrate so foul and unnatural a crime publicly, no one daring to make any opposition. Chusai was silent; as he was aware that, if he began to contradict this counsellor at first, he would only incur suspicion. (Haydock) --- The unjust commonly endeavour by all means to attach people to themselves: but God, in the end, turns their counsels against themselves. (Worthington)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 23. As if a man had inquired at the…
23. As if a man had inquired at the oracle of God — That is, it was treated with the utmost respect and reverence, and acted upon as if it had given as much assurance as the word of God. This fact seems to be here stated as a reason for Absalom’s incest. That prince would hardly have gone as far as this without the counsel of his impious adviser, for such a crime demanded the punishment of death. Lev_20:11.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 23. had inquired at the oracle of God] Lit.…
23. had inquired at the oracle of God] Lit. had inquired of the word of God = had inquired of God, which was done by means of the Urim and Thummim in the breastplate upon the High-priest’s ephod. Cp. 1Sa_10:22.
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.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain The counsel of Ahithophel, etc. These words form a…
The counsel of Ahithophel, etc. These words form a sort of apology for Absalom. He ought to have had more respect for his father than to offer him so grievous an insult, and aggravate by so terrible a deed the quarrel between them. But his conduct from first to last was utterly mean and selfish, and his only excuse here is that there was such a glamour round Ahithophel, that men yielded up their own judgment to him without an effort, and did what he advised as if it had a religious sanction. At the oracle of God; Hebrew, had asked the Word of God; that is, had consulted God by Urim and Thummim. When a man went to the priest to inquire in this way, he did whatever he was told; and the word of Ahithophel was accepted with equal deference.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 16:23 from the mouth of God: Cp. 17:14.
16:23 from the mouth of God: Cp. 17:14.
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.