2 Samuel

2 Samuel 16:20–23

20Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give me counsel. What should we do?”

21Ahithophel replied, “Sleep with your father’s concubines, whom he has left to take care of the palace. When all Israel hears that you have become a stench to your father, then the hands of all who are with you will be strengthened.”

22So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, and he slept with his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.

23Now in those days the advice of Ahithophel was like the consultation of the word of God. Such was the regard that both David and Absalom had for Ahithophel’s advice.

Read all of 2 Samuel 16

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

2 Samuel 16:20

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Then Absalomאַבְשָׁל֖וֹם’aḇ·šā·lō·wmNoun - proper - masculine singularH53 Abshalom
saidוַיֹּ֥אמֶרway·yō·merConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
toאֶל־’el-PrepositionH413 motion to
Ahithophelאֲחִיתֹ֑פֶל’ă·ḥî·ṯō·p̄elNoun - proper - masculine singularH302 Achithophel
Give meהָב֥וּhā·ḇūVerb - Qal - Imperative - masculine pluralH3051 give
counselעֵצָ֖ה‘ê·ṣāhNoun - feminine singularH6098 counsel, advice
Whatמַֽה־mah-InterrogativeH4100 what? how? aught
should we doנַּעֲשֶֽׂה׃na·‘ă·śehVerb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common pluralH6213 do, make

2 Samuel 16:21

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Ahithophelאֲחִיתֹ֙פֶל֙’ă·ḥî·ṯō·p̄elNoun - proper - masculine singularH302 Achithophel
repliedוַיֹּ֤אמֶרway·yō·merConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
Sleep withבּ֚וֹאbō·wVerb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singularH935 come in, come, go in, go
your father’sאָבִ֔יךָ’ā·ḇî·ḵāNoun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singularH1 father
concubinesפִּלַגְשֵׁ֣יpi·laḡ·šêNoun - feminine plural constructH6370 concubine
whomאֲשֶׁ֥ר’ă·šerPronoun - relativeH834 particle of relation
he has leftהִנִּ֖יחַhin·nî·aḥVerb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singularH5117 rest
to take care ofלִשְׁמ֣וֹרliš·mō·wrPreposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructH8104 keep, watch, preserve
the palaceהַבָּ֑יִתhab·bā·yiṯArticle; Noun - masculine singularH1004 house
When allכָּל־kāl-Noun - masculine singular constructH3605 the whole, all
Israelיִשְׂרָאֵל֙yiś·rā·’êlNoun - proper - masculine singularH3478 Israel
hearsוְשָׁמַ֤עwə·šā·ma‘Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularH8085 hear
thatכִּֽי־kî-ConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
you have become a stenchנִבְאַ֣שְׁתָּniḇ·’aš·tāVerb - Nifal - Perfect - second person masculine singularH887 be evil, bad
toאֶת־’eṯ-PrepositionH854 with
your fatherאָבִ֔יךָ’ā·ḇî·ḵāNoun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singularH1 father
then the handsיְדֵ֖יyə·ḏêNoun - feminine dual constructH3027 hand
of allכָּל־kāl-Noun - masculine singular constructH3605 the whole, all
who areאֲשֶׁ֥ר’ă·šerPronoun - relativeH834 particle of relation
with youאִתָּֽךְ׃’it·tāḵPreposition; second person masculine singularH854 with
will be strengthenedוְחָ֣זְק֔וּwə·ḥā·zə·qūConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common pluralH2388 be or grow firm, strong, strengthen

2 Samuel 16:22

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
So they pitchedוַיַּטּ֧וּway·yaṭ·ṭūConjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine pluralH5186 stretch out, spread out, extend, incline, bend
a tentהָאֹ֖הֶלhā·’ō·helArticle; Noun - masculine singularH168 tent
for Absalomלְאַבְשָׁל֛וֹםlə·’aḇ·šā·lō·wmPreposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singularH53 Abshalom
onעַל־‘al-PrepositionH5921 height
the roofהַגָּ֑גhag·gāḡArticle; Noun - masculine singularH1406 roof, top
and heאַבְשָׁלוֹם֙’aḇ·šā·lō·wmNoun - proper - masculine singularH53 Abshalom
slept withוַיָּבֹ֤אway·yā·ḇōConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH935 come in, come, go in, go
his father’sאָבִ֔יו’ā·ḇîwNoun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singularH1 father
concubinesפִּֽלַגְשֵׁ֣יpi·laḡ·šêNoun - feminine plural constructH6370 concubine
in the sightלְעֵינֵ֖יlə·‘ê·nêPreposition-l; Noun - cdcH5869 eye
of allכָּל־kāl-Noun - masculine singular constructH3605 the whole, all
Israelיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃yiś·rā·’êlNoun - proper - masculine singularH3478 Israel

2 Samuel 16:23

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Now in thoseהָהֵ֔םhā·hêmArticle; Pronoun - third person masculine pluralH1992 they, them
daysבַּיָּמִ֣יםbay·yā·mîmPreposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine pluralH3117 day
the adviceוַעֲצַ֣תwa·‘ă·ṣaṯConjunctive waw; Noun - feminine singular constructH6098 counsel, advice
of Ahithophelאֲחִיתֹ֗פֶל’ă·ḥî·ṯō·p̄elNoun - proper - masculine singularH302 Achithophel
was likeאֲשֶׁ֤ר’ă·šerPronoun - relativeH834 particle of relation
the consultationיִשְׁאַלִ֖־yiš·ʾa·li-Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularH7592 ask, inquire
of the wordבִּדְבַ֣רbiḏ·ḇarPreposition-b; Noun - masculine singular constructH1697 speech, word
of Godהָאֱלֹהִ֑יםhā·’ĕ·lō·hîmArticle; Noun - masculine pluralH430 God
Suchכֵּ֚ןkênAdverbH3651 right, veritable, honest
was the regardכָּל־kāl-Noun - masculine singular constructH3605 the whole, all
that bothגַּם־gam-ConjunctionH1571 also, moreover, yea
Davidלְדָוִ֖דlə·ḏā·wiḏPreposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singularH1732 David
andגַּ֥םgamConjunctionH1571 also, moreover, yea
Absalomלְאַבְשָׁלֹֽם׃סlə·’aḇ·šā·lōmPreposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singularH53 Abshalom
had for Ahithophel’sאֲחִיתֹ֔פֶל’ă·ḥî·ṯō·p̄elNoun - proper - masculine singularH302 Achithophel
adviceעֲצַ֣ת‘ă·ṣaṯNoun - feminine singular constructH6098 counsel, advice

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

2 Samuel 16:21 2 Samuel 20:3 · 2 Samuel 15:16 · 2 Samuel 2:7 · Zechariah 8:13 · Leviticus 18:8

2 Samuel 16:22 2 Samuel 15:16 · 2 Samuel 12:11–12 · 2 Samuel 20:3

2 Samuel 16:23 2 Samuel 15:12 · 2 Samuel 17:23 · 2 Samuel 17:14 · 1 Corinthians 3:19–20

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.