Bible Commentaries

choose out. Septuagint and Vulgate read "choose for myself".

men. Hebrew. "ish. App-14.

I will. Ahithophel manifests personal vengeance. See note on 2 Samuel 16:21 with 2 Samuel 17:11.

this night. Compare Psalms 4:8. Psalm 4 is concerning inheritances. David's was in jeopardy (2 Samuel 17:2), but his trust was in Jehovah's favour (2 Samuel 15:26; 2 Samuel 22:20. Psalms 18:19).

pleased = was good in the eyes of,

and = and [in the eyes of] all.

Call now. Hebrew "Call thou "(compare "thou", 2 Samuel 17:6); but Septuagint and Vulgate read "Call ye".

counsel . . . given. Hebrew counsel . . . counselled. Figure of speech Polyptoton (App-6) = the good counsel (but "not good "now).

men. Hebrew. "enosh. App-14.

mighty men. Hebrew. gibborim. App-14.

chafed = bitter.

minds = souls. Hebrew. nephesh. App-13.

Behold. Figure of speech Asterismos. App-6.

valiant men = sons of valour.

as. Figure of speech Parcemia. App-6.

thou = thou thyself. Hebrew "thy face". Figure of speech Synecdoche (of Part), App-6, put to emphasise the whole person. to battle. Hebrew. karat), never used of battle (which is milhamah). Bikkrab, rendered "to battle", is an abbreviation for bekirbah = "in the midst of them", which is the reading of the Septuagint and Vulgate.

in thine own person. By all this emphasis Hushai represents Ahithophel's personal malice (which need not disturb Absalom) as being personal pride aimed against Absalom. See verses: 2 Samuel 17:1-3, "I will arise"; "I will come"; "I will smite"; "I will bring back", &c.

as = according as.

the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4.

evil = the evil. Heb, ra`a". App-44.

En-rogel. Now the Virgin's Fount, on east side of Ophel, or Jebus, from which the Zinnor runs up to the citadel. See note on 2 Samuel 5:8. Compare Joshua 15:7; Joshua 18:16, and App-68, on "Zion".

a wench = a maidservant. Compare Matthew 26:69. Mark 14:66. Luke 22:56. John 18:17.

went down. Wells mostly dry in summer.

said. Probably misdirecting them.

Jordan. Compare Psalms 42:6 and Psalms 42:43; both Pss. referring to this period.

put his household in order = gave charge unto his household.

hanged himself. Not so much because his counsel was not, taken, but because his revenge was not taken on David (see note on 2 Samuel 11:3; 2 Samuel 16:21, and 2 Samuel 17:1), and that the conspiracy must fail. Same word in Matthew 27:5 as in Septuagint here (apegxato), as though to invite the comparison of Judas with Ahithophel.

all. Figure of speech Synecdoche (of Genus). App-6. The whole put for the greater part

made = set, or appointed.

captain of = captain over.

Ithra an Israelite = Jether an Ishmeelite. See 1 Chronicles 2:17.

went in to. Probably meaning seduced. If so, it would be during David's stay in Moab (1 Samuel 22:3, 1 Samuel 22:4 Abigail. David was probably half-brother to Abigail, and Zeruiah, having the same mother; he having Jess for his father, they having Nahash.

sister to Zeruiah. Implying that she was not sister to David.

Nahash. Compare 2 Samuel 10:2.

Machir. He had brought up Mephibosheth. Compare 2 Samuel 9:1

and. Note the Figure of speech Polysyndeton (App-6), 2 Samuel 17:28 and 2 Samuel 17:29, emphasising the items.

butter. Scarce in Lo-debar. Compare 2 Samuel 9:4. The word means place of "no pasture".