The Meaning of 2 Samuel 16:21 Explained

2 Samuel 16:21

KJV: 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.

YLT: And Ahithophel saith unto Absalom, 'Go in unto the concubines of thy father, whom he left to keep the house, and all Israel hath heard that thou hast been abhorred by thy father, and the hands of all who are with thee have been strong.'

Darby: And Ahithophel said to Absalom, Go in to thy father's concubines, whom he has left to keep the house; and all Israel shall hear that thou art become odious with thy father; and the hands of all that are with thee shall be strong.

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

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does 2 Samuel 16:21 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Samuel 16:13-23 - The True King's Loyal Friend
There are always some alleviations in our trials. Every cloud is edged with a silver or golden fringe. Shimei may curse, but Ittai swears allegiance; Zadok and Abiathar forget their ancient rivalry in a common sorrow; Ahithophel's defection may cut us to the quick, but Hushai is willing to plead our cause.
Beware of any advice which complies with and gratifies the impulses of your own lower nature. He who begins by counseling you to do what is morally wrong can never be trusted as an adviser in matters that require consummate prudence. He is no oracle of God who does not take his stand on righteousness and purity. "The wisdom which is from above is first pure, then peaceable,"¦ and without hypocrisy," James 3:17. Let us not run hither and thither to seek counsel of man. If any lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth to all liberally, and upbraideth not. The one characteristic of a heaven-guided man is his calm decision and deliberateness. They that believe do not make haste! [source]

Chapter Summary: 2 Samuel 16

1  Ziba, by presents and false suggestions, obtains his master's inheritance
5  At Bahurim, Shimei curses David
9  David with patience abstains, and restrains others, from revenge
15  Hushai insinuates himself into Absalom's counsel
20  Ahithophel's counsel

What do the individual words in 2 Samuel 16:21 mean?

And said Ahithophel to Absalom go in concubines of your father whom he has left to keep the house and will hear all Israel that you are abhorred by your father And will be strong The hands of all who are with you
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲחִיתֹ֙פֶל֙ אֶל־ אַבְשָׁלֹ֔ם בּ֚וֹא פִּלַגְשֵׁ֣י אָבִ֔יךָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר הִנִּ֖יחַ לִשְׁמ֣וֹר הַבָּ֑יִת וְשָׁמַ֤ע כָּל־ יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ כִּֽי־ נִבְאַ֣שְׁתָּ אֶת־ אָבִ֔יךָ וְחָ֣זְק֔וּ יְדֵ֖י כָּל־ אֲשֶׁ֥ר אִתָּֽךְ

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר  And  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אֲחִיתֹ֙פֶל֙  Ahithophel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֲחִיתֹפֶל  
Sense: a counsellor of David, grandfather of Bathsheba (cf 2Sa :3,.
אַבְשָׁלֹ֔ם  Absalom 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֲבִישָׁלֹום 
Sense: father-in-law of Rehoboam.
בּ֚וֹא  go  in 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
פִּלַגְשֵׁ֣י  concubines 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct
Root: פִּלֶגֶשׁ  
Sense: concubine, paramour.
אָבִ֔יךָ  of  your  father 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
אֲשֶׁ֥ר  whom 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
הִנִּ֖יחַ  he  has  left 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: מֻנָּח  
Sense: to rest.
לִשְׁמ֣וֹר  to  keep 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: שָׁמַר  
Sense: to keep, guard, observe, give heed.
הַבָּ֑יִת  the  house 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
וְשָׁמַ֤ע  and  will  hear 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
יִשְׂרָאֵל֙  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
כִּֽי־  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
נִבְאַ֣שְׁתָּ  you  are  abhorred 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: בָּאַשׁ  
Sense: to have a bad smell, stink, smell bad.
אָבִ֔יךָ  your  father 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
וְחָ֣זְק֔וּ  And  will  be  strong 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: חָזַק  
Sense: to strengthen, prevail, harden, be strong, become strong, be courageous, be firm, grow firm, be resolute, be sore.
יְדֵ֖י  The  hands 
Parse: Noun, fdc
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
כָּל־  of  all 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
אֲשֶׁ֥ר  who  are 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
אִתָּֽךְ  with  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
Root: אֵת 
Sense: with, near, together with.