2 Samuel 17:5-15

5 And Absalom said, Call ye also Hushai of Archi, and hear we what also he saith. (And Absalom said, Now call ye Hushai the Archite, and let us hear what he saith.)
6 And when Hushai had come to Absalom, Absalom said to him, Ahithophel hath spoken such a word; ought we (to) do thereafter, either nay? what counsel givest thou?
7 And Hushai said to Absalom, This is not good counsel, that Ahithophel hath given in this time. (And Hushai said to Absalom, This is not good advice which Ahithophel hath given thee at this time.)
8 And again Hushai said, Thou knowest, that thy father, and the men that be with him, be most strong, and in bitter soul, as if a she bear is fierce in the forest, when her whelps be ravished from her; but also thy father is a man warrior, and he shall not dwell with the people. (And Hushai said, Thou knowest, that thy father, and the men who be with him, be most strong, and with bitter souls, like when a she bear is fierce in the forest, after her cubs be stolen from her; but also thy father is a fighting man, and he shall not stay with the army.)
9 In hap now he is hid, either lurketh, in ditches, either in one place, in which he will hide him; and when any man falleth in the beginning, whoever shall hear (of) it, he shall hear, and shall say, Vengeance is done in the people that followed Absalom. (Perhaps even now he is hid, or lurketh, in a ditch, or some other place, where he hideth himself; and when any of your men falleth at the beginning, whoever shall hear of it, he shall say, Revenge is now taken on the people who followed Absalom.)
10 And each full strong man, whose heart is as the heart of a lion, shall be discomforted for dread; for all the people of Israel knoweth, that thy father is strong, and that all the men be strong, that be with him. (And then even the strongest man, whose heart is like the heart of a lion, shall be enfeebled by fear; for all the people of Israel know that thy father is strong, and that all the men who be with him also be strong.)
11 But this seemeth to me to be rightful counsel; (let) all Israel be gathered to thee, from Dan till to Beersheba, (and they shall be as) unnumberable as the sand of the sea; and thou shalt be in the midst of them.
12 And we shall fall upon him, in whatever place he is found, and we shall cover him, as dew is wont to fall on the earth; and we shall not leave (any) of the men that be with him, soothly not one. (And then we shall fall on David wherever he is found, and we shall cover him like dew is wont to fall on the ground; and we shall not leave alive any of the men who be with him, no not one.)
13 That if he entereth into any city, all Israel shall compass that city with ropes, and we shall draw it into the strand, yea that nothing be found, soothly not a little stone thereof. (And if he entereth into any city, all Israel shall surround that city with ropes, and we shall draw it into the stream, yea so that nothing be found of it, truly not even a little stone of it.)
14 And Absalom said, and all the men of Israel, The counsel of Hushai of Archi is better than the counsel of Ahithophel; and the profitable counsel of Ahithophel was destroyed by God's will, that the Lord should bring in evil on Absalom. (And Absalom, and all the men of Israel, said, Hushai the Archite's advice is better than Ahithophel's; and so Ahithophel's good advice was destroyed by God's will, so that the Lord could bring in evil upon Absalom.)
15 And Hushai said to Zadok and to Abiathar, the priests, Ahithophel gave counsel to Absalom, and to the elder men of Israel in this and this manner, and I gave such and such counsel.

2 Samuel 17:5-15 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.

Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.