2 Samuel 16:15-17:14 – Bad Advice: Ahithophel vs. Hushai

Translation & Sermon by Nate Wilson for Christ The Redeemer Church, Manhattan, KS, 7 Aug 2022

Introduction

16:15-19 Hushai Engages With Absalom

16:20-17:4 Ahithophel’s Advice to Absalom

17:5-14 Hushai’s Advice to Absalom

CONCLUSION


2 Samuel 16:15-23Side-by side comparison of versionsA

LXX

Brenton

DRB

KJV

NAW

MT

15 Καὶ Αβεσσαλωμ καὶ πᾶς X X ἀνὴρ Ισραηλ εἰσῆλθον εἰς Ιερουσαλημ καὶ Αχιτοφελ μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ.

15 And Abessalom and all X the men of Israel went into Jerusalem, and Achitophel with him.

15 But Absalom and all his people X X came into Jerusalem, and Achitophel was with him.

15 And Absalom, and all the people the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him.

15 Now, as for Absalom, he and all his people of the men of Israel entered Jerusalem, Ahithophel along with him.

15 וְאַבְשָׁלוֹם וְכָל-הָעָם אִישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵלB בָּאוּ יְרוּשָׁלִָם וַאֲחִיתֹפֶל אִתּוֹ:

16 καὶ ἐγενήθη ἡνίκα ἦλθεν Χουσι ὁ Αρχι ἑταῖρος Δαυιδ πρὸς Αβεσ­σαλωμ, καὶ εἶπεν Χουσι πρὸς Αβεσ­σαλωμ Ζήτω ὁ βασιλεύς X X X.

16 And it came to pass when Chusi the chief friend of David came to Abessalom, that Chusi said to Abessalom, Let the king live. X X X.

16 And X when Chusai the Arachite, David's friend, was come to Absalom, X he said to him: [God] save [thee,] O king, [God] save [thee,] O king.

16 And it came to pass, when Hushai the Archite, David's friend, was come unto Absalom, that Hushai said unto Absalom, [God] save the king, [God] save the king.

16 And it happened that just when David’s friend Hushai the Archite came to Absalom, then Hushai said to Absalom, “[Long] live the king! [Long] live the king!”

16 וַיְהִי כַּאֲשֶׁר- בָּא חוּשַׁי הָאַרְכִּי רֵעֶה דָוִד אֶל- אַבְשָׁלוֹם וַיֹּאמֶר חוּשַׁי אֶל-אַבְשָׁלֹם יְחִי הַמֶּלֶךְ יְחִי הַמֶּלֶךְ:

17 καὶ εἶπεν Αβεσσαλωμ πρὸς Χουσι Τοῦτο τὸ ἔλεός σου μετὰ τοῦ ἑταίρου σου; ἵνα τί οὐκ [ἀπ]ῆλθες μετὰ τοῦ ἑταίρου σου;

17 And Abessalom said to Chusi, Is this thy kindness to thy friend? why wentest thou not [forth] with thy friend?

17 And Absalom said to him, Is this thy kindness to thy friend? Why wentest thou not with thy friend?

17 And Absalom said to Hushai, Is this thy kindness to thy friend? why wentest thou not with thy friend?

17 Then Absalom said to Hushai, “Is this your loving­kindness to your friend? Why didn’t you go with your friend?”

17 וַיֹּאמֶר אַבְשָׁלוֹם אֶל- חוּשַׁי זֶה חַסְדְּךָ אֶת- רֵעֶךָ לָמָּה לֹא-הָלַכְתָּ אֶת-רֵעֶךָ:

18 καὶ εἶπεν Χουσι πρὸς Αβεσσαλωμ Οὐχί, ἀλλὰ [κατόπισθεν] οὗ ἐξελέξατο κύρ­ιος καὶ ὁ λαὸς οὗτος καὶ πᾶς ἀνὴρ Ισραηλ, αὐτῷ ἔσομαι καὶ μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ καθήσομαι·

18 And Chusi said to Abessalom, Nay, but [following] whom the Lord, and this people, and all Israel have chosen, --his will I be, and with him I will dwell.

18 And Chusai answered Absalom: Nay: for I will be his, whom the Lord hath chosen, and [all] this people, and all X Israel, and with him will I abide.

18 And Hushai said unto Absalom, Nay; but whom the LORD, and this people, and all the men of Israel, choose, his will I be, and with him will I abide.

18 And Hushai said to Absalom, “No, for he whom Yahweh has chosen (along with this people and all the men of Israel) I will {belong to him}, so it is with with him that I will dwell.

18 וַיֹּאמֶר חוּשַׁי אֶל-אַבְשָׁלֹם לֹא כִּי אֲשֶׁר בָּחַר יְהוָה וְהָעָם הַזֶּה וְכָל-אִישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹאC אֶהְיֶה וְאִתּוֹ אֵשֵׁב:

19 καὶ τὸ δεύτερον τίνι ἐγὼ δουλεύσω; οὐχὶ ἐνώπιον τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐ­τοῦ; καθάπερ ἐδούλευσα ἐνώπιον τοῦ πατρός σου, οὕτως ἔσομαι ἐνώπιόν σου.

19 And again, whom shall I X serve? should I not in the presence of his son? As I served in the sight of thy father, so will I be in thy presence.

19 Besides this, whom shall I X serve? is it not the X king's son? as I have served X thy father, so will I serve X thee also.

19 And again, whom should I X serve? should I not serve in the presence of his son? as I have served in thy father's presence, so will I be in thy presence.

19 And secondly, who is it that I myself should serve? Shouldn’t I be in the presence of his son? Just as I served in the presence of your father so shall I be in your presence.”

19 וְהַשֵּׁנִית לְמִי אֲנִי אֶעֱבֹד הֲלוֹא לִפְנֵי בְנוֹ כַּאֲשֶׁר עָבַדְתִּי לִפְנֵי אָבִיךָ כֵּן אֶהְיֶה לִפָנֶיךָ: פ

20 καὶ εἶπεν Αβεσσαλωμ πρὸς Αχιτοφελ Φέρετε ἑαυτοῖς βουλὴν τί ποιήσωμεν.

20 And Abes­salom said to Achitophel, Deliberate among yourselves [concerning] what we should do.

20 And Absalom said to Achitophel: Consult X X what we are to do.

20 Then said Absalom to Ahithophel, Give counsel among you what we shall do.

20 Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Y’all come up with a plan among yourselves. What should we do?”

20 וַיֹּאמֶר אַבְשָׁלוֹם אֶל-אֲחִיתֹפֶל הָבוּ לָכֶם עֵצָה מַה-נַּעֲשֶׂה:

21 καὶ εἶπεν Αχιτοφελ πρὸς Αβεσσαλωμ Εἴσελθε πρὸς τὰς παλλακὰς τοῦ πατρός σου, ἃς κατ­έλιπεν φυλάσ­σειν τὸν οἶκον [αὐτοῦ], καὶ ἀκούσεται πᾶς Ισραηλ ὅτι κατῄσχυνας τὸν πατέρα σου, καὶ ἐν­ισχύσουσιν αἱ χεῖρες πάντων τῶν μετὰ σοῦ.

21 And Achitophel said to Abessalom, Go in to thy father's concubines, whom he left to keep his house; and all Israel shall hear that thou hast dishonoured thy father; and the hands of all that are with thee shall be strengthened.

21 And Achitophel said to Absalom: Go in to the concubines of thy father, whom he hath left to keep the house: that when all Israel shall hear that thou hast disgraced thy father, their hands X X may be strengthened with thee.

21 And Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Go in unto thy father's concubines, which he hath left to keep the house; and all Israel shall hear that thou art abhorred of thy father: then shall the hands of all that are with thee be strong.

21 Then Ahith­ophel said to Absalom, “Go in to your father’s concubines whom he left home to tend to the palace. Then all Israel will hear that you made yourself obnoxious to your father, and the hands of all who are with you will become strong.”

21 וַיֹּאמֶר אֲחִיתֹפֶל אֶל- אַבְשָׁלֹם בּוֹא אֶל-פִּלַגְשֵׁי אָבִיךָ אֲשֶׁר הִנִּיחַ לִשְׁמוֹר הַבָּיִת וְשָׁמַע כָּל-יִשְׂרָאֵל כִּי-נִבְאַשְׁתָּD אֶת-אָבִיךָ וְחָזְקוּ יְדֵי כָּל- אֲשֶׁר אִתָּךְ:

22 καὶ ἔπηξαν τὴν σκηνὴν τῷ Αβεσσαλωμ ἐπὶ τὸ δῶμα, καὶ εἰσῆλθεν Αβεσσαλωμ πρὸς τὰς παλ­λακὰς τοῦ πατ­ρὸς αὐτοῦ κατ᾿ ὀφθαλμοὺς παντὸς Ισραηλ.

22 And they pitched a tent for Abessalom on the roof, and Abessalom went in to his father's concubines in the sightX of all Israel.

22 So they spread a tent for Absalom on the top [of the house], and he went in to his father's concubines before X all Israel.

22 So they spread Absalom a tent upon the top [of the house]; and Absalom went in unto his father's concubines in the sightX of all Israel.

22 So they pitched Absalom’s tent for him on the housetop, and Absalom went in to his father’s concubines before the eyes of all Israel.

22 וַיַּטּוּ לְאַבְשָׁלוֹם הָאֹהֶל עַל-הַגָּג וַיָּבֹא אַבְשָׁלוֹם אֶל-פִּלַגְשֵׁי אָבִיו לְעֵינֵי כָּל-יִשְׂרָאֵל:

23 καὶ ἡ βουλὴ Αχιτοφελ, ἣν ἐβουλεύσατο ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ταῖς πρώταις, ὃν τρόπον ἐπερωτήσῃ ἐν λόγῳ τοῦ θεοῦ, οὕτως πᾶσα ἡ βουλὴ τοῦ Αχιτοφελ καί γε τῷ Δαυιδ καί γε τῷ Αβεσσαλωμ. --

23 And the counsel of Achitophel, which he counselled in former days, was as if one should enquire of the word of God: so was all the counsel of Achitophel both to David and also to Abessalom.

23 Now the counsel of Achitophel, which he gave in those days, was as if a man should consult X X God: so was all the counsel of Achitophel, both [when he was] with David, and [when he was] with Absalom.

23 And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counselled in those days, was as if a man had enquired at the oracle of God: so was all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom.

23 Indeed, the counsel of Ahithophel which he counseled in those days was like when {a man} would consult with the word of God. The counsel of Ahithophel was like that, both for David as well as for Absalom.

23 וַעֲצַת אֲחִיתֹפֶל אֲשֶׁר יָעַץ בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם כַּאֲשֶׁר יִשְׁאַל-זזE בִּדְבַר הָאֱלֹהִים כֵּן כָּל-עֲצַת אֲחִיתֹפֶל גַּם-לְדָוִד גַּם לְאַבְשָׁלֹם: ס


2 Samuel 17:1-14Side-by side comparison of versions

LXX

Brenton

DRB

KJV

NAW

MT

1 καὶ εἶπεν Αχιτο­φελ πρὸς Αβεσ­σαλωμ Ἐπιλέξω δὴ [ἐμαυτῷ] δώδεκα χιλιάδας ἀνδρῶν καὶ ἀναστήσομαι καὶ καταδιώξω ὀπίσω Δαυιδ τὴν νύκτα·

1 And Achitophel said to Abessalom, Let me now choose out [for myself] twelve thousand men, and I will arise and follow after David this night:

1 And Achitophel said to Absalom: I will choose me twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue after David this night.

1 Moreover Ahi­thophel said unto Absalom, Let me now choose out twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue after David this night:

1 Ahithophel also said to Absalom, “Please let me select 12,000 men, so I can get up and chase after David tonight.

1 וַיֹּאמֶר אֲחִיתֹפֶל אֶל-אַבְשָׁלֹם אֶבְחֲרָה נָּא שְׁנֵים- עָשָׂר אֶלֶף אִישׁ וְאָקוּמָה וְאֶרְדְּפָה אַחֲרֵי-דָוִד הַלָּיְלָה:

2 καὶ ἐπελεύσ­ομαι ἐπ᾿ αὐτόν, καὶ αὐτὸς κοπιῶν καὶ ἐκλελυμένος χερσίν, καὶ ἐκστήσω αὐτόν, καὶ φεύξεται πᾶς ὁ λαὸς ὁ μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ, καὶ πατάξω τὸν βασιλέα μονώτατον·

2 and I will come upon him when he is weary and weak-handed, and I will strike him with terror; and all the people X with him shall flee, and I will smite the king only [of all].

2 And coming upon him ([for] he is now weary, and weak handed) I will defeat him: and when all the people is put to flight that is with him, X I will kill the king [who will be left] alone.

2 And I will come upon him while he is weary and weak handed, and will make him afraid: and all the people that are with him shall flee; and I will smite the king only:

2 Thus I will go against him while he is weary and his hands are weak, and I will frighten him. Then all the people that is with him will flee, and I will strike down the king by himself.

2 וְאָבוֹא עָלָיו וְהוּא יָגֵעַ וּרְפֵהF יָדַיִם וְהַחֲרַדְתִּי אֹתוֹ וְנָס כָּל- הָעָם אֲשֶׁר-אִתּוֹ וְהִכֵּיתִי אֶת- הַמֶּלֶךְ לְבַדּוֹ:

3 καὶ ἐπιστρέψω πάντα τὸν λαὸν πρὸς σέ, ὃν τρόπον ἐπι­στρέφει ἡ νύμφη [πρὸς τὸν ἄνδρα αὐτῆς]· πλὴν [ψυχὴν ἑνὸς] ἀνδρὸς σὺ ζητεῖς, [καὶ] παντὶ τῷ λαῷ ἔσται εἰρήνη.

3 And I will bring back all the people to thee, as a bride returns [to her husband]: only thou seekest the [life of one] man, [and] all the people shall have peace.

3 And I will bring back all the people X X, as if they were but one man: [for] thou seekest [but one] man: [and] all the people shall be in peace.

3 And I will bring back all the people unto thee: the man whom thou seekest is as if all returned: so all the people shall be in peace.G

3 Thus I will return all the people to you like the turning of the {bride to her husband.} If you take {the life of only one} man, {then} all the people will be at peace.”

3 וְאָשִׁיבָה כָל-הָעָם אֵלֶיךָ כְּשׁוּב הַכֹּלH הָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה מְבַקֵּשׁ Iכָּל-הָעָם יִהְיֶה שָׁלוֹם:

4 καὶ εὐθὴς ὁ λόγος ἐν ὀφθαλ­μοῖς Αβεσσαλωμ καὶ ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς πάντων τῶν πρεσβυτέρων Ισραηλ.

4 And the saying was right in the eyes of Abessalom, and in the eyes of all the elders of Israel.

4 And his saying pleased X X Absalom, and X X all the ancients of Israel.

4 And the saying [pleased] X X Absalom well, and X X all the elders of Israel.

4 Well, this statement seemed right in the eyes of Absalom and in the eyes of all the elders of Israel.

4 וַיִּישַׁר הַדָּבָר בְּעֵינֵי אַבְשָׁלֹם וּבְעֵינֵי כָּל-זִקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל: ס

5 καὶ εἶπεν Αβε­σσαλωμ Καλέ­σατε δὴ καί γε τὸν Χουσι τὸν Αραχι, καὶ ἀκούσωμεν τί ἐν τῷ στόματι αὐ­τοῦ καί γε αὐτοῦ.

5 And Abessalom said, Call now also Chusi the Arachite, and let us hear what is in his mouth, even in his [also].

5 But Absalom said: Call X X Chusai the Arachite, and let us hear what he also X X saith.

5 Then said Absalom, Call now Hushai the Archite also, and let us hear likewise what he X X saith.

5 But Absalom said, “Please call for Hushai the Archite also, and let us hear also from him what is in his mouth.”

5 וַיֹּאמֶר אַבְשָׁלוֹם קְרָאJ נָא גַּם לְחוּשַׁי הָאַרְכִּי וְנִשְׁמְעָה מַה-בְּפִיו גַּם-הוּא:

6 καὶ εἰσῆλθεν Χουσι πρὸς Αβεσσαλωμ· καὶ εἶπεν Αβεσσαλωμ πρὸς αὐτὸν λέγων Κατὰ τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο ἐλάλησεν Αχιτοφελ· εἰ ποιήσομεν κατὰ τὸν λόγον αὐτοῦ; εἰ [δὲK] μή, σὺ λάλησον.

6 And Chusi went in to Abessalom, and Abessalom spoke to him, saying, After this manner spoke Achitophel: shall we do according to his word? [but] if not, do thou speak.

6 And when Chusai was come to Absalom, Absalom said to him X: Achitophel hath spoken after this manner: shall we do it [or] not? what X [counsel dost] thou give?

6 And when Hushai was come to Absalom, Absalom spake unto him, saying, Ahitho­phel hath spoken after this manner: shall we do after his saying? if not; speak thou.

6 Then Hushai went to Absalom, and Absalom spoke to him saying, “Ahithophel stated things this way. Should we do it his way? If not, speak yourself.”

6 וַיָּבֹא חוּשַׁי אֶל-אַבְשָׁלוֹם וַיֹּאמֶר אַבְשָׁלוֹם אֵלָיו לֵאמֹר כַּדָּבָר הַזֶּה דִּבֶּר אֲחִיתֹפֶל הֲנַעֲשֶׂה אֶת-דְּבָרוֹ אִם- אַיִן אַתָּה דַבֵּר: ס

7 καὶ εἶπεν Χουσι πρὸς Αβεσσαλωμ Οὐκ ἀγαθὴ αὕτη ἡ βουλή, ἣν ἐβουλεύσατο Αχιτοφελ X τὸ ἅπαξ τοῦτο.

7 And Chusi said to Abessalom, This counsel which Achitophel has counselled X this one time is not good.

7 And Chusai said to Absalom: The counsel that Achitophel hath given X this time is not good.

7 And Hushai said unto Absalom, The counsel that Ahithophel hath given is not good at this time.

7 So Hushai said to Absalom, “The advice which Ahithophel has advised is not good at this time.”

7 וַיֹּאמֶר חוּשַׁי אֶל-אַבְשָׁלוֹם לֹא-טוֹבָה הָעֵצָה אֲשֶׁר-יָעַץ אֲחִיתֹפֶל בַּפַּעַם הַזֹּאת:

8 καὶ εἶπεν Χουσι Σὺ οἶδας τὸν πατέρα σου καὶ τοὺς ἄνδρας αὐτοῦ ὅτι δυνατοί εἰσιν [σφόδρα] καὶ κατάπικροι τῇ ψυχῇ αὐτῶν ὡς ἄρκος ἠτεκν­ωμένη ἐν ἀγρῷ [καὶ ὡς ὗς τραχεῖα ἐν τῷ πεδίῳ], καὶ ὁ πατήρ σου ἀνὴρ πολεμιστὴς καὶ οὐ μὴ καταλύσῃ τὸν λαόν·

8 And Chusi said, Thou X knowest thy father and his men, that they are [very] mighty, and bitter in their spirit, as a bereaved bear in the field, [and as a wild boar in the plain]: and thy father is a man of war, and will not give the people rest.

8 And [again] Chusai said: Thou X knowest thy father, and the men [that are with] him, that they are [very] valiant, and bitter in their mind, as a bear raging in the wood [when her whelps are taken away]: and thy father is a X warrior, and will not lodge with the people.

8 For, said Hushai, thou X knowest thy father and his men, that they be mighty men, and they be chafed in their mind[s], as a bear robbed [of her whelps] in the field: and thy father is a man of war, and will not lodge with the people.

8 Then Hushai explained, “You yourself know your father and his men, that they are mighty men and they are bitter of soul, like a bear bereaved of cubs in the field. Also, your father is a man of war, so he will not spend the night with his people.

8 וַיֹּאמֶרL חוּשַׁי אַתָּה יָדַעְתָּ אֶת-אָבִיךָ וְאֶת- אֲנָשָׁיו כִּי גִבֹּרִים הֵמָּה וּמָרֵי נֶפֶשׁM הֵמָּהN כְּדֹבO שַׁכּוּלP בַּשָּׂדֶה וְאָבִיךָ אִישׁ מִלְחָמָה וְלֹא יָלִין Qאֶת-הָעָם:

9 ἰδοὺ [γὰρ] αὐτὸς νῦν κέκρυπται ἐν ἑνὶ τῶν βουνῶν ἢ ἐν ἑνὶ τῶν τόπων, καὶ ἔσται ἐν τῷ ἐπιπεσεῖν αὐτοῖς ἐν ἀρχῇ καὶ ἀκούσῃ ὁ ἀκούων καὶ εἴπῃ Ἐγενήθη θραῦσις ἐν τῷ λαῷ τῷ ὀπίσω Αβεσσαλωμ,

9 [For,] behold, he is now hidden in one of the hills or in some other placeX: and it shall come to pass when he falls upon them at the beginning, that some one will certainly hear, and say, There has been a slaughter among the people that follow after Abessalom.

9 Perhaps he now lieth hid in X X pits, or in some other placeX [where he liest]: and when [any] one shall fall X X at the first, X every one that heareth it X X shall say: There is a slaughter among the people that followed Absalom.

9 Behold, he is hid now in some X pitX, or in some other X placeX: and it will come to pass, when some of them [be] overthrown at the first, that X who[soever] heareth it X X will say, There is a slaughter among the people that follow Absalom.

9 Probably now he is hiding himself in one of his trenches or in one of his hiding-places, and it will happen, when he gets the drop on them at the outset, that he who hears will hear of it and say that a rout happened to the people who followed Absalom.

9 הִנֵּה עַתָּה הוּא-נֶחְבָּאR בְּאַחַת הַפְּחָתִיםS אוֹ בְּאַחַד הַמְּקוֹמֹת וְהָיָה כִּנְפֹלT בָּהֶם בַּתְּחִלָּה וְשָׁמַע הַשֹּׁמֵעַ וְאָמַר הָיְתָה מַגֵּפָה בָּעָם אֲשֶׁר אַחֲרֵי אַבְשָׁלֹם:

10 καί γε αὐτὸς υἱὸς δυνάμεως, οὗ ἡ καρδία καθὼς ἡ καρδία τοῦ λέοντος, τηκομένη τακήσεται, ὅτι οἶδεν πᾶς Ισραηλ ὅτι δυνατὸς ὁ πατήρ σου καὶ υἱοὶ δυνάμεως οἱ μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ.

10 Then even he that is X strong, whose heart is as the heart of a lion, --it shall utterly melt: for all Israel knows that thy father is mighty, and they that are with him are mighty men.

10 And X the most valiant man whose heart is as the heart of a lion, shall melt for fear: for all [the people of] Israel know thy father to be a valiant man, and [that all] who are with him are valiant.

10 And he also that is X valiant, whose heart is as the heart of a lion, shall utterly melt: for all Israel knoweth that thy father is a mighty man, and they which be with him are valiant men.

10 Then even the one who is an army-guy - whose heart is like the heart of the lion - will surely be melted, because all Israel knows that your father is a mighty-man, as well as the army guys who are with him.

10 וְהוּא גַם- בֶּן-חַיִלU אֲשֶׁר לִבּוֹ כְּלֵב הָאַרְיֵה הִמֵּס יִמָּס כִּי-יֹדֵעַ כָּל-יִשְׂרָאֵל כִּי-גִבּוֹר אָבִיךָ וּבְנֵי-חַיִל אֲשֶׁר אִתּוֹ:

11 ὅτι [οὕτως συμβουλεύων] ἐγὼ συνεβούλ­ευσα, καὶ συναγ­όμενος συναχ­θήσεται ἐπὶ σὲ πᾶς Ισραηλ ἀπὸ Δαν καὶ ἕως Βηρσαβεε ὡς ἡ ἄμμος ἡ ἐπὶ τῆς θαλάσσης εἰς πλῆθος, καὶ τὸ πρόσωπόν σου πορευόμενον ἐν μέσῳ [αὐτῶν],

11 For [thus] I have [surely] given counsel, that all Israel be generally gathered to thee from Dan even to Bersabee, as the sand that is upon the sea-shore for multitude: and that thy presence go in the midst [of them].

11 But [this seemeth to me to be good] counsel: Let all Israel be X gathered to thee, from Dan X to Bersabee, as the sand X of the sea which [cannot be] numbered: and thou X shalt be in the midst [of them].

11 Therefore I counsel that all Israel be generally gathered unto thee, from Dan even to Beersheba, as the sand that is by the sea for multitude; and that thou X go [to battle] in [thine own] person.

11 That’s why I advise that all Israel - from Dan all the way to Beersheba - be diligently recruited to you, like the sand which is at the sea in its multitude, with your presence going in {their} midst.

11 כִּי יָעַצְתִּיV הֵאָסֹף יֵאָסֵף עָלֶיךָ כָל-יִשְׂרָאֵל מִדָּן וְעַד-בְּאֵר שֶׁבַע כַּחוֹל אֲשֶׁר-עַל-הַיָּם לָרֹבW וּפָנֶיךָX הֹלְכִים בַּקְרָבY:

12 καὶ ἥξομεν πρὸς αὐτὸν εἰς ἕνα τῶν τόπων, οὗ ἐὰν εὕρωμεν αὐτὸν ἐκεῖ, καὶ παρεμβαλοῦμεν ἐπ᾿ αὐτόν, ὡς πίπτει ἡ δρόσος ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν, καὶ οὐχ ὑπολειψ­όμεθα ἐν αὐτῷ καὶ X τοῖς ἀνδράσιν τοῖς μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ καί γε ἕνα·

12 And we will come upon him in one of the places where Zwe shall find him X, and we will encampAA against him, as the dew falls upon the earth; and we will not leave of him and of X his men so much as one.

12 And we shall come upon him in what placeX soever he shall be found X: and we shall cover X him, as the dew falleth upon the ground, and we shall not leave X X X of X the men that are with him, [not] so much as one.

12 So shall we come upon him in some placeX where he shall be found X, and we will light upon him as the dew falleth on the ground: and of him and of all the men that are with him there shall not be left so much as one.

12 Then we will go to him - to one of the places where he will be found there, and we will alight upon him like when the dew falls upon the ground, and {we} will not let even one man remain with him, even among all the men who were with him!

12 וּבָאנוּ אֵלָיו בְּאַחַתAB הַמְּקוֹמֹת אֲשֶׁר נִמְצָא שָׁם וְנַחְנוּAC עָלָיו כַּאֲשֶׁר יִפֹּל הַטַּל עַל-הָאֲדָמָה וְלֹא-נוֹתַרAD בּוֹ וּבְכָל-הָאֲנָשִׁים אֲשֶׁר-אִתּוֹ גַּם-אֶחָד:

13 καὶ ἐὰν εἰς πόλιν συναχθῇ, καὶ λήμψεται πᾶς Ισραηλ πρὸς τὴν πόλιν ἐκείνην σχοινία καὶ συροῦμεν αὐτὴν ἕως [εἰς] τὸν χειμάρρουν, ὅπως μὴ καταλειφθῇ ἐκεῖ μηδὲ λίθος.

13 And if he shall have taken refuge [with his army] in a city, then shall all Israel take ropes to that city, and we will draw it even into the river, that there may not be left there even a stone.

13 And if he shall enter into any city, X all Israel shall cast ropes round about that city, and we will draw it into the river, so that there shall not be found so much as one small stone thereof.

13 Moreover, if he be gotten into a city, then shall all Israel bring ropes to that city, and we will draw it into the river, until there be not X one small stone found there.

13 And, in case he rallies to a city, all Israel should also carry ropes to that city, and we will drag {it} off to the river until the point that there is not found there even one thing attached [to another]!”

13 וְאִם-אֶל-עִיר יֵאָסֵף וְהִשִּׂיאוּ כָל-יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל-הָעִיר הַהִיא חֲבָלִים וְסָחַבְנוּAE אֹתוֹAF עַד-הַנַּחַל עַד אֲשֶׁר-לֹא- נִמְצָא שָׁם גַּם-צְרוֹרAG: פ

14 καὶ εἶπεν Αβεσσαλωμ καὶ πᾶς ἀνὴρ Ισραηλ Ἀγαθὴ ἡ βουλὴ Χουσι τοῦ Αραχι ὑπὲρ τὴν βουλὴν Αχιτοφελ· καὶ κύριος ἐνετείλατο διασκεδάσαι τὴν βουλὴν Αχιτοφελ τὴν ἀγαθήν, ὅπως ἂν ἐπαγάγῃ κύριος ἐπὶ Αβεσσαλωμ τὰ κακὰ πάντα. --

14 And Abessalom, and all the men of Israel said, The counsel of Chusi the Arachite is better than the counsel of Achitophel. For the Lord ordained to disconcert the good counsel of Achitophel, that the Lord might bring all evil upon Abessalom.

14 And Absalom, and all the men of Israel said: The counsel of Chusai the Arachite is better than the counsel of Achitophel: and by the will of the Lord the profitable counsel of Achitophel X was defeated, that the Lord might bring evil upon Absalom.

14 And Absalom and all the men of Israel said, The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel. For the LORD had appointed to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, to the intent that the LORD might bring evil upon Absalom.

14 Then Absalom said, along with all the men of Israel, “The advice of Hu­shai the Archite is better than the advice of Ahith­ophel!” For Yahweh had decreed to subvert the good advice of Ahithophel, in order that Yahweh might bring his calam­ity {upon} Absalom.

14 וַיֹּאמֶר אַבְשָׁלוֹם וְכָל-אִישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל טוֹבָה עֲצַת חוּשַׁי הָאַרְכִּי מֵעֲצַת אֲחִיתֹפֶל וַיהוָה צִוָּה לְהָפֵרAH אֶת-עֲצַת אֲחִיתֹפֶל הַטּוֹבָה לְבַעֲבוּר הָבִיא יְהוָה אֶל- אַבְשָׁלוֹם אֶת- הָרָעָה: ס


12 Sam. 5:1 “Then all the tribes of Israel... and all the elders of Israel went to the King at Hebron, and King David contracted a covenant for them in Hebron in the presence of Yahweh. Then they anointed David to be king over Israel.” (NAW)

2ἐκλελεγμένος (“chosen” – the same Greeek verb used in the LXX of Hushai’s statement) is the reading of the oldest-known manuscripts of this passage; but the Byzantine majority read ἀγαπητός (“beloved”).

3Compare the NT Greek (οὗ εἰμι, ᾧ καὶ λατρεύω) with the OT Greek of Hushai’s statement (αὐτῷ ἔσομαι καὶ… δουλεύσω).

4Χριστοῦ ἐστε - compare to the OT Greek of Hushai’s statement αὐτῷ ἔσομαι.

5δουλεύετε - compare to the OT Greek of Hushai’s statement: δουλεύσω

6 καθήσεσθε – compare to the OT Greek of Hushai’s statement: καθήσομαι (lit. “sit,” by extention “dwell/abide/remain”)

AMy original chart includes the NASB, NIV and ESV, but their copyright restrictions have forced me to remove them from the publicly-available edition of this chart. (NAW is my translation.) When a translation adds words not in the Hebrew text, but does not indicate it has done so by the use of italics (or greyed-out text), I put the added words in [square brackets]. When one version chooses a wording which is different from all the other translations, I underline it. When a version chooses a translation which, in my opinion, either departs too far from the root meaning of the Hebrew word or departs too far from the grammar form of the original text, I use strikeout. And when a version omits a word which is in the original text, I insert an X. (I also place an X at the end of a word if the original word is plural but the English translation is singular.) I occasionally use colors to help the reader see correlations between the various editions and versions when there are more than two different translations of a given word. The only known Dead Sea Scroll containing 2 Samuel 16 & 17 is 4Q51 Samuela containing parts of verses 1-22 of chapter 16 and verses 2, 3, 23, 24, 25 and 29 of chapter 17, dated between 50-25 B.C.. Where the DSS is legible and in agreement with the MT, the MT is colored purple. Where the DSS supports the LXX (or Vulgate/Syriac) with omissions or text not in the MT, I have highlighted with yellow the LXX and its translation into English, and where I have accepted that into my NAW translation, I have marked it with {pointed brackets}.

BGoldman noted that “men of Israel” is used repeatedly in this story to refer to Absalom’s followers, whereas “the people” is used to refer to David’s followers.

CAll (including Qere, Syriac, LXX, Vulgate, and Targums, and even other Hebrew manuscripts and all the English versions) seem to agree that the MT substituted a homophone (לאnot”) for the correct word (לו "to him”).

DDSS seems to add a paragogic he to the end of this word, which probably doesn’t change the meaning. The only other occurences of this verb in the Niphal stem are 1 Sam. 13:4 and 2 Sam. 10:6.

EThe Qere here is אִישׁ = “a man,” and there are multiple Hebrew manuscripts with the Qere reading instead. The LXX, Vulgate, Targums, and Syriac also read according to the Qere. The DSS is obliterated and unavailable for comparison.

FCf ‎ Deut. 25:18 describing the Amalekites attacking the “faint and weary” עָיֵף וְיָגֵעַ stragglers of the Israelites. The only other occurence of the latter (which is the former in 2 Sam. 17) is in Eccl. 1:8 “All things are wearisome…,” and the only other occurences of the other are Num. 13:18 “whether they are strong or weak”; Job 4:3 “strengthen weak hands”; and Isa. 35:3 “Strengthen the drooping hands and make firm the feeble knees.”

GNKJV is significantly different: “Then I will bring back all the people to you. When all return [except] the man whom you seek, all the people will be at peace." This follows the Geneva’s interpretation of the opening coph preposition as a temporal (“when”) as well as the AJV. The NET Bible, on the other hand, stretched the meaning of the opening coph preposition as “in exchange for” in order to get yet another plausible interpretation. The Lucian rescription translated the coph preposition in a more frequently-used way: “like/as,” and the LXX translation is similar “in the manner of.”

HLXX interpreted hakol as “bride” (which in Hebrew is כּלּה), followed by the ESV and NLT. The problem is that this pretty much requires adding the words “to her husband,” which are not in the MT or Vulgate. English versions KJV, NKJV, NASB, NIV, NET translated it “all/every,” which also seems to be the interpretation of the Syriac לכלה. The Vulgate omitted the word “all/bride” altogether. However, the DSS, even though it is partially obliterated, does not support the reading of the MT, whereas it does support the reading of the LXX with extra space for “to her husband” and with readable letters from the Hebrew words for “only” and for “soul” (yes those letters are in the Hebrew words for “seek” and “who/man” but the way they are spaced and sequenced in the DSS [ ?** q* ], they can’t be the wording of the MT.
https://hb.openscriptures.org/structure/OshbVerse/index.html?b=2Sam&c=17&v=3 associated the phrases of the MT thus:
And I will bring back all the people | unto thee ||| as the whole returned || the man | whom thou seekest || all the people | shall be in peace.

ILXX, Syriac, Vulgate, and some Targums as well as several Hebrew manuscripts insert a conjunction here.

JLXX, Syriac, and Vulgate all render this verb plural instead of singular. Plural seems more plausible in the circumstances.

KSyriac also adds a conjunction.

LTsumura (NICOT) noted that Hushai’s speech is about 3x the length of Ahithophel’s, suggesting that even in giving a long, drawn-out speech, he is trying to buy time.

MK&D = “of a ferocious disposition”

NThe Masoretic pointing indicates that this pronoun goes with the preceeding phrase (“bitter of soul are they”) not the following phrase (not “they are like a bear...”). https://hb.openscriptures.org/structure/OshbVerse/index.html?b=2Sam&c=17&v=8

OWillet made the point that this noun is masculine and therefore can’t be a “she-bear.” BDB says it is masculine, but later lexicons (such as Holiday and JDP - Groves-Wheeler Westminster Morphology and Lemma Database) label it as either gender.

PThe Targums ‎ תְכִיל seems to have the meaning of “taken by surprise” – perhaps also the meaning of the Syriac‎ דתברא ? The LXX is literally “childless,” but the text it adds next about a “wild boar” does not seem to be the same text that the Vulgate (followed curiously by the NLT) was rendering when it added text about “removed cubs.” The Syriac and Targums match the MT which doesn’t have any of those extra words. The extra words in the LXX and Vulgate add descriptiveness, but do not add anything new to the gist of Hushai’s statement.
cf. Proverbs 17:12 “Let a man meet a bear robbed of her cubs, Rather than a fool in his folly.” (NKJV) and Hosea 13:8 “I will encounter them like a bear robbed of her cubs” The only other instances of this verb in the Bible are Canticles 4:2/6:6 “your teeth are like sheep... none barrenKJV/lost youngNASB/alone/missingNIV”, and Isaiah 49:21/Jer. 18:21 “lost children/childless/bereaved.”

QThis word can either signal that “the people” is the direct object of the verb, as the LXX and some Targums interpreted it (“he will not lodge the people”), or it can mean “with,” as the Vulgate, English versions, and some Targums interpreted it (“he will not lodge WITH the people”).

RCf 1 Sam. 13:6 “Then each man of Israel saw that it was a crisis, for their army had been put in a stranglehold, so the people hid themselves in the caves and in the brambles and in the rock-mountains and in the cellars and in the cisterns.” (NAW) Also 1 Sam. 14:11 & 22, 19:2, and 23:23.

SThis word is rare. It is not the normal Hebrew word for “cave” (which is חר or מערה) or the most common word for “pit”
(באר/בור). Besides the other occurrence in 2 Sam 18:17 (describing the burial pit of Absalom), there is the “fear, pit, and trap” in Isa. 24:17-18/Jer. 48:43-44, and there is the “hole/cave/chasm/cleft” in Jer. 48:28, and the “trap/pitfall” in Lam. 3:47. BDB suggested that it is based on a verb which means “to dig.” This meaning, together with the plural form of this word and the adjective “one” modifying it, steer me away from interpreting it as simply “a cave,” and make me wonder if David had used trenches or pits in past battles to his advantage or if he had dug some as part of a national defense plan. K&D on the other hand, suggested “פְּחָתִים are hiding-places that are strong by nature, מְקֹומֹת are places rendered strong by art.”

TKJV and ESV interpret “with them” to be the subject of “when falls,” but the participle for “falls” is singular, and the pronoun “them” is plural, so the subject of the participle must be “he,” that is, David.

Ucf. 1 Samuel 14:52 “And there was heavy warfare against the Philistines all of Saul's days, so when Saul saw any strong man or any son of valor, he would gather him to himself” (NAW) - also 18:17.

V“a performative perfect, hence the translation I advise, rather than ‘I advised.’” ~Tsumura (NICOT)

Wcf. 1 Sam. 13:5 “Meanwhile, the Philistines were assembling 30,000 chariots and 6,000 horses, and a horde as vast as the sand which is upon the shore of the sea for war against Israel…” (NAW)

XK&D took the plural “your faces” to be the subject of “going.”

YLXX, Vulgate, Syriac, and Targums add the pronoun “them” to the end, supporting the word being interpreted according to the more common meaning of “midst” rather than as the more-obscure noun for “battle.” The Geneva Bible, however, translated it “battle,” followed by KJV, K&D, and most contemporary English versions, and there are about 8 other places where this word seems to mean “battle” rather than “midst”: Job 38:23; Psalms 55:18,21; 68:30; 78:9; 144:1; Eccl. 9:18; and Zech. 14:3.

ZThe ancient Hebrew text without the vowels could be interpreted as a 1st person plural Qal perfect (“we found”) or as a 3rd person singular Niphal perfect (“he was found”). The LXX chose the former, whereas the Masorites (followed by the Vulgate and English versions) chose the latter. It doesn’t really make for a different meaning.

AAThe Hebrew word for “we” bears resemblance to the word for “encamp” but wouldn’t quite match the spelling that “we will encamp” would require.

ABQere notes suggest בְּאַחַד, the masculine form instead of the feminine form, since macom/place is masculine.

ACThe JDP - Groves-Wheeler Westminster Morphology and Lemma Database parses this as a contraction of the Hebrew pronoun for “we,” and Beal & Banks’ OT Parsing Guide appears to concurr, but the Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible, LXX, Vulgate, and most English versions interpreted this as a verb (“alight/fall”). K&D wrote, “It is more correct, therefore, to take נַחְנוּ ... as the first pers. perf. of נוּחַ, as the early translators have done: so do we let ourselves down upon him.”

ADThe JDP - Groves-Wheeler Westminster Morphology and Lemma Database parses this as Hiphil Imperfect 3ms (“he will cause to remain”) and with this, Davidson’s Analytical Lexicon agrees. Beal & Banks’ OT Parsing Guide, however, labels it as Hiphil Jussive 1cp (“let us cause to remain”), and the Open Source Hebrew Bible labels it as Niphal Perfect 3ms (“he will be left”). The latter two make sense, but the first does not. Since the LXX and Vulgate followed the 1cs form, I’m following that. I also think that, despite the popularity of translating the beth prepositions which follow as ablatives (“of him… of them”), that meaning is pretty much the opposite of what that preposition means, so I have rendered it “with him… with them.” The same gist still comes through either way, however.

AERare word found as a verb only here and in Jer. 15:3; 22:19; 49:20; and 50:45.
“This strange suggestion, how impracticable soever, being new, served for an amusement, and recommended itself by pleasing the fancy, for they would all smile at the humour of it.” ~Matthew Henry

AFLXX changes this masculine pronoun to feminine, as do the Latin and the English versions, to match the feminine singular Hebrew word for “city.”

AGNowhere else in any English translation of the the Bible is this word translated “pebble.” It occurs in Gen. 42:35; 1 Sam. 9:1; 25:29; Job 14:17; Prov. 7:20; Cant. 1:13; Amos 9:9; and Hag. 1:6, and most of the time it is translated “bundle.”

AHcf. the same Hebrew word in 2 Sam. 15:34 “...you may subvert Ahithophel's counsel for me.”

14