2 Samuel 16:22

22 On dressa donc un pavillon pour Absalom sur la plate-forme; et Absalom entra vers les concubines de son père, à la vue de tout Israël.

2 Samuel 16:22 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 16:22

So they spread Absalom a tent on the top of the house
On the top of his father's palace; this, as houses in Jerusalem and Judea were, was built flat, ( Deuteronomy 22:8 ) ; and it was on the very spot from whence David had a sight of Bathsheba, and conceived an impure lust after her. The Targum renders it, a canopy; which Kimchi describes as consisting of four pillars, upon and round about which curtains were hung:

and Absalom went in unto his father's concubines in the sight of all
Israel;
they saw the tent or canopy erected, and saw him go into it, and might reasonably conclude he lay with his father's concubines, or half wives, in it; and this being done in so public a manner fulfilled the prophecy, which said it should be done in the sight of the sun, and of all Israel, ( 2 Samuel 12:11 2 Samuel 12:12 ) ; this shows how corrupt the people of Israel were at this time, at least those that were with Absalom, that there should be none to object to the counsel Ahithophel gave, nor any to remonstrate against the execution of it, but all seemed to look upon it with pleasure; nor even did Hushai, David's friend, oppose it; perhaps he saw it was to no purpose.

2 Samuel 16:22 In-Context

20 Alors Absalom dit à Achithophel: Prenez conseil entre vous sur ce que nous avons à faire.
21 Et Achithophel dit à Absalom: Va vers les concubines de ton père, qu'il a laissées pour garder la maison; et quand tout Israël saura que tu t'es rendu odieux à ton père, les mains de ceux qui sont avec toi, seront fortifiées:
22 On dressa donc un pavillon pour Absalom sur la plate-forme; et Absalom entra vers les concubines de son père, à la vue de tout Israël.
23 Or, en ce temps-là, un conseil donné par Achithophel était autant estimé, que si l'on eût consulté Dieu. Telle était la valeur des conseils d'Achithophel, soit pour David, soit pour Absalom.
The Ostervald translation is in the public domain.