|  Home  |  Old Testament Studies  |  2 Samuel Table of Contents  |  Previous Section  |  Next Section  |

2 SAMUEL 17

PARAGRAPH DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

READING CYCLE THREE (see "Bible Interpretation Seminar")

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT THE PARAGRAPH LEVEL

This is a study guide commentary, which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

Read the chapter in one sitting. Identify the subjects. Compare your subject divisions with the five translations above. Paragraphing is not inspired, but it is the key to following the original author's intent, which is the heart of interpretation. Every paragraph has one and only one subject.

1. First paragraph
2. Second paragraph
3. Etc.

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 17:1-4
  ¹Furthermore, Ahithophel said to Absalom, "Please let me choose 12,000 men that I may arise and pursue David tonight. ²I will come upon him while he is weary and exhausted and terrify him, so that all the people who are with him will flee. Then I will strike down the king alone, ³and I will bring back all the people to you. The return of everyone depends on the man you seek; then all the people will be at peace." ⁴So the plan pleased Absalom and all the elders of Israel.

17:1 There are three cohortatives in this first verse.

1. choose ‒ BDB 103, KB 119, Qal
2. arise ‒ BDB 877, KB 1086, Qal
3. pursue ‒ BDB 922, KB 1191, Qal

These are Ahithophel's first suggestions to Absalom. Ahithophel would lead 12,000 select troops to immediately defeat David.

Surprisingly, Joesphus, Antiq. 7.9.6, has "10,000 chosen men." Numbers are often confused in the way they are written in Hebrew.

17:2-3 Here is what he hopes will happen.

1. come upon him while he is weary and exhausted
2. he will be terrified and his supporters will flee
3. Ahithophel will personally kill David
4. all David's supporters will return to Absalom
5. all Israelites will then seek peace (i.e., no civil war)

17:3 This verse is difficult to translate because the Hebrew is uncertain (JPSOA footnote). It seems to imply that Absalom should kill only David and then his followers would return to Absalom as king of Israel.

See UBS Text Project, pp. 246-247 for details. It suggests that the MT is corrupt but also the LXX is not original. The LXX has:

"and I will turn all the people back to you, as a bride turning back to her husband. You seek only the life of one man, and there will be peace for all the people."

This LXX form is followed by NRSV, NJB, and REB.

Josephus, Antiq. 7.9.6, implies the promise is only to Absalom's fighting men.

17:4 "the elders" See SPECIAL TOPIC: ELDERS.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 17:5-14
  ⁵Then Absalom said, "Now call Hushai the Archite also, and let us hear what he has to say." ⁶When Hushai had come to Absalom, Absalom said to him, "Ahithophel has spoken thus. Shall we carry out his plan? If not, you speak." ⁷So Hushai said to Absalom, "This time the advice that Ahithophel has given is not good." ⁸Moreover, Hushai said, "You know your father and his men, that they are mighty men and they are fierce, like 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. ⁹Behold, 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.' ¹⁰And even the one who is valiant, whose heart is like the heart of a lion, will completely lose heart; for all Israel knows that your father is a mighty man and those who are with him are valiant men. ¹¹But I counsel that all Israel be surely gathered to you, from Dan even to Beersheba, as the sand that is by the sea in abundance, and that you personally go into battle. ¹²So we shall come to him in one of the places where he can be found, and we will fall on him as the dew falls on the ground; and of him and of all the men who are with him, not even one will be left. ¹³If he withdraws into a city, then all Israel shall bring ropes to that city, and we will drag it into the valley until not even a small stone is found there." ¹⁴Then 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 ordained to thwart the good counsel of Ahithophel, so that the Lord might bring calamity on Absalom.

17:7-14 This records Hushai's advice, as vv. 1-4 record Ahithophel's. The heart of Hushai's advice is "delay" because David is a fierce military man and his warriors are valiant men. Wait until you can gather all Israelite conscripts and attack in force. You personally must lead the force (v. 11).

This advice was from YHWH (v. 14).

17:7 "This time" Ahithophel was known for his wisdom (cf. 2 Sam. 16:23). So Hushai seems to acknowledge this but suggests in this particular situation, perhaps there is a better idea.

17:8-9 Notice how Hushai characterizes David and his men.

1. they are mighty men, vv. 8,10
2. they are fierce, like a bear robbed of her cubs (lit. "bitter of soul" for being run out of their homes in Jerusalem)
3. David is an expert in warfare (lit. "man of war")
4. they are valiant men, v. 10

17:9-10 If only some of Absalom's troops are killed it would be discouraging to all the other troops (i.e., lose heart). Because of David's experience in battle and the fighting ability of his men, causalities among Absalom's troops would be likely.

17:10 "will completely lose heart" This is an intensified grammatical form (i.e., the INFINITIVE ABSOLUTE and IMPERFECT VERB from the same root).

17:11 "be surely gathered" This is the same emphatic construction as v. 10.

▣ "from Dan even to Beersheba" These two cities, one in the far north of Canaan and one in southern Judah, became an idiom for all of the Promised Land (cf. Jdgs. 20:1; 1 Sam. 3:20; 2 Sam. 3:10; 24:2,15).

▣ "as sand that is by the sea" This imagery is often used of military forces (cf. Josh. 11:4; Jdgs. 7:12; 1 Sam. 13:5).

17:14 "For the Lord had ordained to thwart the good counsel of Ahithophel" Human's plans are one thing but "the" thing is YHWH's will! He uses people to accomplish His plans (i.e., Exod. 3:7-10).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 17:15-20
  ¹⁵Then Hushai 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. ¹⁶Now therefore, send quickly and tell David, saying, 'Do 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.'" ¹⁷Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz were staying at En-rogel, and a maidservant would go and tell them, and they would go and tell King David, for they could not be seen entering the city. ¹⁸But a lad did see them and told Absalom; so the two of them departed quickly and came to the house of a man in Bahurim, who had a well in his courtyard, and they went down into it. ¹⁹And the woman took a covering and spread it over the well's mouth and scattered grain on it, so that nothing was known. ²⁰Then Absalom's servants came to the woman at the house and said, "Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?" And the woman said to them, "They have crossed the brook of water." And when they searched and could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem.

17:15-21 This describes the efforts of Zadok and Abiathar and their sons (v. 17) to inform David of Absalom's plans.

17:16 "but by all means cross over" This is an emphatic grammatical form (i.e., the INFINITIVE ABSOLUTE and the IMPERFECT VERB from the same root).

The MT has the VERB (BDB 118, KB 134, Pual IMPERFECT) which literally means "to swallow," "to engulf," which is an idiom for destruction. It views death as

1. an animal with a large mouth (i.e., Jer. 51:34)
2. the ground opening and the earth swallowing (i.e., descent into Sheol, cf. Exod. 15:12; Num. 16:30,32; Deut. 11:6; Isa. 28:4)

17:18 "a lad did see them and told Absalom" Again the actions of men cannot thwart the will of YHWH. But notice He uses a man and a woman in Bahurim to accomplish His will.

Josephus, Antiq. 7.9.7, says "But certain horsemen saw them."

The NOUN (BDB 568, KB 576) occurs only here.

1. BDB ‒ "brook," "stream"
2. KB ‒ "collection," "container"

In context it seems to refer to the Jordan River (Targums).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 17:21-22
  ²¹It came about after they had departed that they came up out of the well and went and told King David; and they said to David, "Arise and cross over the water quickly for thus Ahithophel has counseled against you." ²²Then David and all the people who were with him arose and crossed the Jordan; and by dawn not even one remained who had not crossed the Jordan.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 17:23
  ²³Now when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his donkey and arose and went to his home, to his city, and set his house in order, and strangled himself; thus he died and was buried in the grave of his father.

17:23 Ahithophel realized that Absalom's actions would result in defeat. So he went home and took his own life. Suicide in the OT, mostly connected with warfare, was not condemned (i.e., Jdgs. 9:54; 1 Sam. 31:5; 1 Kgs. 16:18).

SPECIAL TOPIC: SUICIDE

▣ "buried in the grave of his father" This would refer to a family burial place (i.e., a cave, a special field).

SPECIAL TOPIC: SHEOL

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 17:24-26
  ²⁴Then David came to Mahanaim. And Absalom crossed the Jordan, he and all the men of Israel with him. ²⁵Absalom set Amasa over the army in place of Joab. Now Amasa was the son of a man whose name was Ithra the Israelite, who went in to Abigail the daughter of Nahash, sister of Zeruiah, Joab's mother. ²⁶And Israel and Absalom camped in the land of Gilead.

The MT has "Israelite." Some LXX MSS have "Israelite"; others "the Ishmaelite." The confusion comes from 1 Chr. 2:17, where this man is called "Jether the Ishmaelite." The UBS Text Project, p. 248, gives the MT a "B" rating (some doubt).

▣ "Nahash" Again, there is some question about the name because of a reference in 1 Chr. 2:13-17, where he is called "Jesse." The UBS Text Project, p. 248, gives the MT a "D" rating (highly doubtful).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 17:27-29
  ²⁷Now when David had come to Mahanaim, Shobi the son of Nahash from Rabbah of the sons of Ammon, Machir the son of Ammiel from Lo-debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim, ²⁸brought beds, basins, pottery, wheat, barley, flour, parched grain, beans, lentils, parched seeds, ²⁹honey, curds, sheep, and cheese of the herd, for David and for the people who were with him, to eat; for they said, "The people are hungry and weary and thirsty in the wilderness."

17:27 As Ziba had brought supplies for David and his men, family, and servants, so too, these others brought abundant supplies to David at Mahanaim.

1. Shobi (possibly the king of the Ammonites who replaced Hanum by David's command)
2. Machir (helped Mephibosheth, cf. 2 Sam. 9:45)
3. Barzillai (a friend of David's, cf. 2 Samuel 19)

In these days the armies were supplied by local residents.

The question is, does this series of items refer to

1. milk products and meat
2. diary products only

I think #2 fits the list best. Sheep would not be listed between curds and cow cheese.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

This is a study guide commentary which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought-provoking, not definitive.

1. What was Ahithophel's strategy?
2. Explain 2 Sam. 17:3 in your own words.
3. How did Hushai's plan of attack differ from Ahithophel's?
4. Why is 2 Sam. 17:4 significant?
5. Is suicide a special sin? Does it separate one from God?

|  Home  |  Old Testament Studies  |  2 Samuel Table of Contents  |  Previous Section  |  Next Section  |