14 And Absalom H53 and all the men H376 of Israel H3478 said, H559 The counsel H6098 of Hushai H2365 the Archite H757 is better H2896 than the counsel H6098 of Ahithophel. H302 For the LORD H3068 had appointed H6680 to defeat H6565 the good H2896 counsel H6098 of Ahithophel, H302 to the intent H5668 that the LORD H3068 might bring H935 evil H7451 upon Absalom. H53
But if thou return H7725 to the city, H5892 and say H559 unto Absalom, H53 I will be thy servant, H5650 O king; H4428 as I have been thy father's H1 servant H5650 hitherto, H227 so will I now also be thy servant: H5650 then mayest thou for me defeat H6565 the counsel H6098 of Ahithophel. H302
And one told H5046 David, H1732 saying, H559 Ahithophel H302 is among the conspirators H7194 with Absalom. H53 And David H1732 said, H559 O LORD, H3068 I pray thee, turn the counsel H6098 of Ahithophel H302 into foolishness. H5528
There is no wisdom H2451 nor understanding H8394 nor counsel H6098 against the LORD. H3068
For G1063 the wisdom G4678 of this G5127 world G2889 is G2076 foolishness G3472 with G3844 God. G2316 For G1063 it is written, G1125 He taketh G1405 the wise G4680 in G1722 their own G846 craftiness. G3834
For G1063 it is written, G1125 I will destroy G622 the wisdom G4678 of the wise, G4680 and G2532 will bring to nothing G114 the understanding G4907 of the prudent. G4908 Where G4226 is the wise? G4680 where G4226 is the scribe? G1122 where G4226 is the disputer G4804 of this G5127 world? G165 hath G3471 not G3780 God G2316 made foolish G3471 the wisdom G4678 of this G5127 world? G2889
And G2532 the lord G2962 commended G1867 the unjust G93 steward, G3623 because G3754 he had done G4160 wisely: G5430 for G3754 the children G5207 of this G5127 world G165 are G1526 in G1519 their G1438 generation G1074 wiser G5429 than G5228 the children G5207 of light. G5457
And though they hide H2244 themselves in the top H7218 of Carmel, H3760 I will search H2664 and take them out H3947 thence; and though they be hid H5641 from my sight H5869 in the bottom H7172 of the sea, H3220 thence will I command H6680 the serpent, H5175 and he shall bite H5391 them:
Take H5779 counsel H6098 together, H5779 and it shall come to nought; H6565 speak H1696 the word, H1697 and it shall not stand: H6965 for God H410 is with us.
For he spake, H559 and it was done; he commanded, H6680 and it stood fast. H5975 The LORD H3068 bringeth H6331 the counsel H6098 of the heathen H1471 to nought: H6331 he maketh H5106 the devices H4284 of the people H5971 of none effect. H5106
The LORD H3068 is known H3045 by the judgment H4941 which he executeth: H6213 the wicked H7563 is snared H5367 in the work H6467 of his own hands. H3709 Higgaion. H1902 Selah. H5542
He disappointeth H6565 the devices H4284 of the crafty, H6175 so that their hands H3027 cannot perform H6213 their enterprise. H8454 He taketh H3920 the wise H2450 in their own craftiness: H6193 and the counsel H6098 of the froward H6617 is carried headlong. H4116 They meet H6298 with darkness H2822 in the daytime, H3119 and grope H4959 in the noonday H6672 as in the night. H3915
But Amaziah H558 would not hear; H8085 for it came of God, H430 that he might deliver H5414 them into the hand H3027 of their enemies, because they sought H1875 after the gods H430 of Edom. H123
And it came to pass, as he talked H1696 with him, that the king said H559 unto him, Art thou made H5414 of the king's H4428 counsel? H3289 forbear; H2308 why shouldest thou be smitten? H5221 Then the prophet H5030 forbare, H2308 and said, H559 I know H3045 that God H430 hath determined H3289 to destroy H7843 thee, because thou hast done H6213 this, and hast not hearkened H8085 unto my counsel. H6098
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 2 Samuel 17
Commentary on 2 Samuel 17 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 17
The contest between David and Absalom is now hasting towards a crisis. It must be determined by the sword, and preparation is made accordingly in this chapter.
There we shall, in the next chapter, find the cause decided by a battle: hitherto, every thing has looked black upon poor David, but now the day of his deliverance begins to dawn.
2Sa 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 and thinks itself obliged to do every thing with violence. That so profligate a wretch as Absalom should aim at the life of so good a father is not so strange (there are here and there monsters in nature); but that the body of the people of Israel, to whom David had been so great a blessing in all respects, should join with him in his attempt, is very amazing. But their fathers often mutinied against Moses. The best of parents, and the best of princes will not think it strange if they be made uneasy by those who should be their support and joy, when they consider what sons and what subjects David himself had.
David and all that adhered to him must be cut off. This was resolved, for aught that appears, nemine contradicente-unanimously. None durst mention his personal merits, and the great services done to his country, in opposition to this resolve, nor so much as ask, "Why, what evil has he done to forfeit his crown, much less his head?' None durst propose that his banishment should suffice, for the present, nor that agents should be sent to treat with him to resign the crown, which, having so tamely quitted the city, they might think he would easily be persuaded to do. It was not long since that Absalom himself fled for a crime, and David contented himself with his being an exile, though he deserved death, nay, he mourned and longed for him; but so perfectly void of all natural affection is this ungrateful Absalom that he eagerly thirsts after his own father's blood. It is past dispute that David must be destroyed; all the question is how he may be destroyed.
2Sa 17:15-21
We must now leave David's enemies pleasing themselves with the thoughts of a sure victory by following Hushai's counsel, and sending a summons, no doubt, to all the tribes of Israel, to come to the general rendezvous at a place appointed, pursuant to that counsel; and we next find David's friends consulting how to get him notice of all this, that he might steer his course accordingly. Hushai tells the priests what had passed in council, v. 15. But, it should seem, he was not sure but that yet Ahithophel's counsel might be followed, and was therefore jealous lest, if he made not the best of his way, the king would be swallowed up, and all the people that were with him, v. 16. Perhaps, as he was called in to give advice (v. 5), so he was dismissed before they came to that resolve (v. 14) in favour of his advice, or he feared they might afterwards change their mind. However, it was good to provide against the worst, and therefore to hasten those valuable lives out of the reach of these destroyers. Such strict guards did Absalom set upon all the avenues to Jerusalem that they had much ado to get this necessary intelligence to David.
2Sa 17:22-29
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