2 Samuel 15:32 — meaning, Hebrew and Greek word study, commentary
2 Samuel 15:32
And it came to pass, that when David was come to the top of the mount, where he worshipped God, behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his coat rent, and earth upon his head:
to go or come (in a wide variety of applications) · verb, qal active participle, masculine singular absolute
top
הָרֹ֔אשׁha.Rosh
H7218
the head (as most easily shaken) · definite article + noun, common masculine singular absolute
worshipped
יִשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֥הyish.ta.cha.Veh
H7812
to depress · verb, hithpael imperfect, 3rd person masculine singular
God
לֵאלֹהִ֑יםle.lo.Him
H430
gods in the ordinary sense · preposition + noun, common masculine plural absolute
Hushai
חוּשַׁ֣יchu.Shai
H2365
Chushai · proper noun, a man's name
Archite
הָאַרְכִּ֔יha.'ar.Ki
H757
an Arkite or native of Erek · definite article + noun, gentilic masculine singular absolute
meet
קִרְאָהqirʼâh
H7125
an encountering
coat
כֻּתָּנְתּ֔וֹku.ta.ne.To
H3801
a shirt · noun, common feminine singular construct + pronominal suffix, 3rd person masculine singular
rent
קָר֙וּעַ֙ka.Ru.a'
H7167
to rend · verb, qal passive participle, masculine singular absolute
earth
וַאֲדָמָ֖הva.'a.da.Mah
H127
soil (from its general redness) · conjunction + noun, common feminine singular absolute
head
רֹאשֽׁוֹro.Sho
H7218
the head (as most easily shaken) · noun, common masculine singular construct + pronominal suffix, 3rd person masculine singular
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).
Cross-references
Joshua 16:2 And goeth out from Beth-el to Luz, and passeth along unto the borders of Archi to Ataroth,
2 Samuel 1:2 It came even to pass on the third day, that, behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul with his clothes rent, and earth upon his head: an…
Psalms 3:3-5 But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.
2 Samuel 13:19 And Tamar put ashes on her head, and rent her garment of divers colours that was on her, and laid her hand on her head, and went on crying.
2 Samuel 15:30 And David went up by the ascent of mount Olivet, and wept as he went up, and had his head covered, and he went barefoot: and all the people…
2 Samuel 16:16-19 And it came to pass, when Hushai the Archite, David’s friend, was come unto Absalom, that Hushai said unto Absalom, God save the king, God s…
1 Kings 8:44-45 If thy people go out to battle against their enemy, whithersoever thou shalt send them, and shall pray unto the LORD toward the city which t…
1 Kings 11:7 Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomina…
Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).
Commentary
Matthew Henry on 2 Samuel 15:31–end
Nothing, it seems, appeared to David more threatening in Absalom's plot than that Ahithophel was in it; for one good head, in such a design, is worth a thousand good hands. Absalom was himself no politician, but he had got one entirely in his interest that was, and would be the more dangerous because he had been all along acquainted with David's counsels and affairs; if therefore he can be baffled, Absalom is as good as routed and the head of the conspiracy cut off. This David endeavours to do.
I. By prayer. When he heard that Ahithophel was in the plot he lifted up his heart to God in this short prayer: Lord, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness, Sa2 15:31. He had not opportunity…
when David was come to the top of the mount, where he worshipped--looking towards Jerusalem, where were the ark and tabernacle.
Hushai the Archite--A native of Archi, on the frontiers of Benjamin and Ephraim (Jos 16:2). Comparing the prayer against Ahithophel with the counsel to Hushai, we see how strongly a spirit of fervent piety was combined in his character with the devices of an active and far-seeing policy.
Next: 2 Samuel Chapter 16
Adam Clarke on 2 Samuel 15:32
Where he worshipped God - Though in danger of his life, he stops on the top of Mount Olivet for prayer! How true is the adage, Prayer and provender never hinder any man's journey! Reader, dost thou do likewise?
Hushai the Archite - He was the particular friend of David, and was now greatly affected by his calamity.
John Gill on 2 Samuel 15:32
And it came to pass, that when David was come to the top of the mount,.... Of the mount of Olives:
where he worshipped God; by prayer and praise; here very probably he composed and sung the third psalm Psa 3:1, which, as the title shows, was made when he fled from Absalom:
behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him, with his coat rent, and earth upon his head; in token of mourning, and as a bringer of bad tidings, see 2 Samuel 1:2; perhaps he was an inhabitant of Archi, at least originally, which lay on the borders of the tribe of Ephraim, Joshua 16:2; from whence he had his name.
Dictionary and topics
Ahimaaz — Brother of anger = irascible. (1.) The father Ahinoam, the wife of Saul (1 Sam. 14:50). (2.) The son and successor of Zadok in the office of high priest (1 Chr. 6:8, 53). On the occasion of the…
Ahithophel — Brother of insipidity or impiety, a man greatly renowned for his sagacity among the Jews. At the time of Absalom’s revolt he deserted David (Ps. 41:9; 55:12-14) and espoused the cause of Absalom (2…
Archite — The usual designation of Hushai (2 Sam. 15:32; 17:5, 14; 1 Chr. 27:33), who was a native of Archi. He was “the king’s friend”, i.e., he held office under David similar to that of our modern privy…
Archite, The — (as if from a place named Erech, on the frontiers of Ephraim), the usual designation of David’s friend Hushai. (2 Samuel 15:32; 17:5,14; 1 Chronicles 27:33)
Coat — The tunic worn like the shirt next the skin (Lev. 16:4; Cant. 5:3; 2 Sam. 15:32; Ex. 28:4; 29:5). The “coats of skins” prepared by God for Adam and Eve were probably nothing more than aprons (Gen.…
Hushai — Quick, “the Archite,” “the king’s friend” (1 Chr. 27:33). When David fled from Jerusalem, on account of the rebellion of Absalom, and had reached the summit of Olivet, he there met Hushai, whom he…
Hushai, Or Hushai — (hasting) an Archite i.e. possibly an inhabitant of a place called Erec. (2 Samuel 15:32) ff.; (2 Samuel 16:16) ff. He is called the “friend” of David. (2 Samuel 15:37) comp. 1Chr 27:33 To him David…
Mourning — One marked feature of Oriental mourning is what may be called its studies publicity and the careful observance of the prescribed ceremonies. (Genesis 23:2; Job 1:20; 2:12)
Nob — High place, a city of the priests, first mentioned in the history of David’s wanderings (1 Sam. 21:1). Here the tabernacle was then standing, and here Ahimelech the priest resided. (See AHIMELECH.)…
Diplomacy · .David, in sending Hushai Absalom’s court — .David, in sending Hushai Absalom’s court
Keil & Delitzsch on 2 Samuel 15:32-34
On David's arrival at the height where people were accustomed to worship, i.e., upon the top of the Mount of Olives, the Archite Hushai came to meet him with his clothes rent and earth upon his head, that is to say, in the deepest mourning (see Sa1 4:12). It is evident from the words וגו אשׁר־ישׁתּחוה that there was a place of worship upon the top of the Mount of Olives, probably a bamah, such as continued to exist in different places throughout the land, even after the building of the temple. According to Sa2 15:37; Sa2 16:16, and Ch1 27:33, Hushai was רעה, a friend of David, i.e., one of his privy councillors. הארכּי (the Archite), if we may judge from Jos 16:2, was the name of a family wh…
At this point in Israel’s history, people worshiped God at multiple altars across the land. The Tabernacle as it had existed from the time of Joshua and Samuel was gone and the Temple was yet to be built. • An Arkite was possibly a non-Israelite from the region south of Bethel (Josh 16:2).
Rashi on 2 Samuel 15:32
Arrived at the summit. At the mountain's summit.
Where he used to bow down to Elokim. Where he used to bow down. When he used to come to Yerusholoyim he would see from that [vantage] point the tent in which the Ark was [placed] and he would bow down.
Rending · .Of garments, an outward sign of affliction — .Of garments, an outward sign of affliction
Strategy · In war — In war
Zadok · Absalom’ s usurpation; returns with the ark of the covenant at David’ s command — Absalom’ s usurpation; returns with the ark of the covenant at David’ s command
Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).
