2 Samuel 17:14

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.

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Word by word — the Hebrew

Word	Hebrew	Strong’s	Meaning
Absalom	אַבְשָׁלוֹם֙ 'av.sha.lOm	H53	Abshalom · proper noun, a man's name
men	אִ֣ישׁ 'ish	H376	a man as an individual or a male person · noun, common masculine singular construct
Israel	יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל Yis.ra.'El	H3478	Jisrael · proper noun, a place name
said	וַיֹּ֤אמֶר vai.Yo.mer	H559	to say (used with great latitude) · conjunction + verb, qal sequential imperfect, 3rd person masculine singular
counsel	עֲצַת֙ 'a.Tzat	H6098	advice · noun, common feminine singular construct
Hushai	חוּשַׁ֣י chu.Shai	H2365	Chushai · proper noun, a man's name
Archite	הָאַרְכִּ֔י ha.'ar.Ki	H757	an Arkite or native of Erek · definite article + noun, gentilic masculine singular absolute
better	טוֹבָ֗ה to.Vah	H2896	good (as an adjective) in the widest sense · adjective, feminine singular absolute
counsel	מֵעֲצַ֖ת me.'a.Tzat	H6098	advice · preposition + noun, common feminine singular construct
Ahithophel	אֲחִיתֹ֑פֶל 'a.chi.To.fel	H302	Achithophel · proper noun, a man's name
LORD	וַיהוָ֣ה va.Yah.weh	H3068	Jehovah · conjunction + proper noun, a title
appointed	צִוָּ֗ה tzi.Vah	H6680	(intensively) to constitute · verb, piel perfect, 3rd person masculine singular
defeat	לְהָפֵ֞ר le.ha.Fer	H6565	to break up (usually figuratively) · preposition + verb, hiphil infinitive construct
good	הַטּוֹבָ֔ה ha.to.Vah	H2896	good (as an adjective) in the widest sense · definite article + adjective, feminine singular absolute
counsel	עֲצַ֤ת 'a.Tzat	H6098	advice · noun, common feminine singular construct
Ahithophel	אֲחִיתֹ֙פֶל֙ 'a.chi.To.fel	H302	Achithophel · proper noun, a man's name
intent	לְבַעֲב֗וּר le.va.'a.Vur	H5668	properly · preposition + preposition + noun, common masculine singular absolute
LORD	יְהוָ֛ה Yah.weh	H3068	Jehovah · proper noun, a title
bring	הָבִ֧יא ha.Vi'	H935	to go or come (in a wide variety of applications) · verb, hiphil infinitive construct
evil	הָרָעָֽה ha.ra.'Ah	H7451	bad or (as noun) evil (natural or moral) · definite article + noun, common feminine singular absolute
Absalom	אַבְשָׁל֖וֹם 'av.sha.Lom	H53	Abshalom · proper noun, a man's name

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

2 Samuel 15:34 But if thou return to the city, and say unto Absalom, I will be thy servant, O king; as I have been thy father’s servant hitherto, so will I…
1 Corinthians 1:19-20 For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.
Proverbs 19:21 There are many devices in a man’s heart; nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand.
Isaiah 8:10 Take counsel together, and it shall come to nought; speak the word, and it shall not stand: for God is with us.
2 Samuel 15:31 And one told David, saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. And David said, O LORD, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahit…
Job 5:12-14 He disappointeth the devices of the crafty, so that their hands cannot perform their enterprise.
Proverbs 21:30 There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the LORD.
1 Corinthians 3:19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.

Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 2 Samuel 17:1-14

Absalom is now in peaceable possession of Jerusalem; the palace-royal is his own, as are the thrones of judgment, even the thrones of the house of David. His good father reigned in Hebron, and only over the tribe of Judah, above seven years, and was not hasty to destroy his rival; his government was built upon a divine promise, the performance of which he was sure of in due time, and therefore he waited patiently in the mean time. But the young man, Absalom, not only hastens from Hebron to Jerusalem, but is impatient there till he has destroyed his father, cannot be content with his throne till he has his life; for his government is founded in iniquity, and therefore feels itself tottering a…

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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 2 Samuel 17:14

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 Lord.

Adam Clarke on 2 Samuel 17:13

Shall all Israel bring ropes to that city - The original word חבלים chabalim, which signifies ropes, and from which we have our word cable, may have some peculiarity of meaning here; for it is not likely that any city could be pulled down with ropes. The Chaldee, which should be best judge in this case, translates the original word by משרין mashreyan, towers: this gives an easy sense.

John Gill on 2 Samuel 17:14

And Absalom and all the men of Israel said,.... That is, the elders, who before approved of the counsel of Ahithophel, 2 Samuel 17:4, the counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel; it appeared to them most plausible, and most likely to be attended with success: for the Lord had appointed to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel; for so it was to Absalom and his party the best and wisest that could be given them; but it was the Lord's will it should be defeated, and therefore the minds of Absalom and of the elders of Israel were blinded: to the intent that the Lord might bring evil upon Absalom; his person and cause; that his cause might be ruined, and he himse…

The Church Fathers

Accordingly, as the Scripture says, "And by the command of the Lord the good counsel of Ahithophel was defeated, that the Lord might bring evil upon Absalom." The counsel of Ahithophel was called "good" because it served his purpose for the time, since it favored Absalom over his father whom he had risen up against in rebellion. And it might well have destroyed him if the Lord had not frustrated Ahithophel's counsel by influencing the heart of Absalom to reject this counsel and to choose another which was not to his advantage.
— Augustine of Hippo, ON GRACE AND FREE WILL 20.41

For what shall we say about Hushai's pious deception of Absalom for the sake of King David's safety which, although formulated with good will by the deceiver and cheater and opposed to the well-being of the questioner, is approved by the text of divine Scripture that says, "By the will of the Lord the useful advice of Ahithophel was undone, so that the Lord might bring evil upon Absalom"? For what was accomplished with a right intention and pious judgment for a good purpose and conceived for the safety and religious victory of a man whose piety was pleasing to God, all by way of deception, could not be blamed.
— John Cassian, CONFERENCE 17.19.5

The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).

Dictionary and topics

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)
Prayer — Is converse with God; the intercourse of the soul with God, not in contemplation or meditation, but in direct address to him. Prayer may be oral or mental, occasional or constant, ejaculatory or…
Ahithophel · Joins Absalom — Joins Absalom
Council · Of War — Of War
Diplomacy · .David, in sending Hushai Absalom’s court — .David, in sending Hushai Absalom’s court
Friendship · .David and Hushai — .David and Hushai
Providence Of God, The · Is exercised in: Defeating wicked designs — Is exercised in: Defeating wicked designs
Prudence · Exemplified: Abigail — Exemplified: Abigail
Spies · Used at the court of Absalom — Used at the court of Absalom
Strategy · In war — In war

2 Samuel 17:14

Word by word — the Hebrew

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 2 Samuel 17:1-14

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 2 Samuel 17:14

Adam Clarke on 2 Samuel 17:13

John Gill on 2 Samuel 17:14

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

2 Samuel 17:14

Word by word — the Hebrew

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 2 Samuel 17:1-14

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 2 Samuel 17:14

Adam Clarke on 2 Samuel 17:13

John Gill on 2 Samuel 17:14

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

Keil & Delitzsch on 2 Samuel 17:14

Tyndale Open Study Notes on 2 Samuel 17:14

Rashi on 2 Samuel 17:13