2 Samuel 17:6-16

6 When Hushai had come to Absalom, Absalom said to him, "Ahithophel has spoken thus *. Shall we carry out his plan? If not, you speak."

7 So Hushai said to Absalom, "¹This time the advice that Ahithophel has given is not good."

8 Moreover, Hushai said, "You know your father and his men, that they are mighty men and they are fierce *, ²like a bear robbed of her cubs in the field. And your father is an expert in warfare, and will not spend the night with the people.

9 "Behold, he has now hidden himself in one of the caves or in another place; and it will be when he falls on them at the first attack, that whoever hears it will say, 'There has been a slaughter among the people who follow Absalom.'

10 "And even the one who is valiant *, whose heart is like the heart of a lion, ³will completely lose heart; for all Israel knows that your father is a mighty man and those who are with him are valiant men.

11 "But I counsel that all Israel be surely gathered to you, ⁴from Dan even to Beersheba, ⁵as the sand that is by the sea in abundance, and that you personally go into battle.

12 "So we shall come to him in one of the places where * he can be found, and we will fall on him ⁶as the dew falls on the ground; and of him and of all the men who are with him, not even one will be left.

13 "If he withdraws into a city, then all Israel shall bring ropes to that city, and we will ⁷drag it into the valley until * not even a small stone is found there."

14 Then Absalom and all the men of Israel said, "The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel." For ⁸the LORD had ordained to thwart the good counsel of Ahithophel, so that the LORD might bring calamity on Absalom.

Hushai's Warning Saves David

15 Then ⁹Hushai said to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, "This is what Ahithophel counseled Absalom and the elders of Israel, and this is what I have counseled.

16 "Now therefore, send quickly and tell David, saying, '¹⁰Do not spend the night at the fords of the wilderness, but by all * means cross over, or else the king and all the people who are with him will be destroyed.' "

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2 Samuel 17:6-16 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO SECOND SAMUEL 17

This chapter relates the advice Ahithophel gave to march out speedily with a number of men in pursuit of David, which at first seemed agreeable, 2Sa 17:1-4; but Hushai's opinion being asked, and he giving counsel to raise a larger army, which required time, and was taken to, hereby the counsel of Ahithophel was defeated, 2Sa 17:5-14; upon which he hanged himself, 2Sa 17:23; these different counsels being communicated by Hushai to the priests, they found means to transmit them to David, with an instruction to him to pass over Jordan immediately; which he did, and pitched in Gilead, and whither he was followed by Absalom, 2Sa 17:15-26; and where he met with a supply of provisions for his army from some eminent persons in and near that place, 2Sa 17:27-29.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Cross References 10

1. 2 Samuel 16:21
2. Hosea 13:8
3. Joshua 2:9-11
4. 1 Samuel 3:20
5. Genesis 22:17; 1 Samuel 13:5
6. Psalms 110:3; Micah 5:7
7. Micah 1:6
8. 2 Samuel 15:31, 34; Psalms 9:15, 16
9. 2 Samuel 15:35, 36
10. 2 Samuel 15:28

Footnotes 15

[a]. Lit "him, saying"
[b]. Lit "according to this word"
[c]. Lit "do his word"
[d]. Lit "advised"
[e]. Lit "bitter of soul"
[f]. Lit "man of war"
[g]. Lit "pits"
[h]. Lit "according to a falling among them"
[i]. Lit "melt"
[j]. Lit "your face go"
[k]. Lit "settle down"
[l]. Or "wadi"
[m]. Lit "Thus and thus"
[n]. Lit "Thus and thus"
[o]. Lit "swallowed up"