The Meaning of 2 Samuel 16:23 Explained

2 Samuel 16:23

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

YLT: And the counsel of Ahithophel which he counselled in those days is as when one inquireth at the word of God; so is all the counsel of Ahithophel both to David and to Absalom.

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

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

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does 2 Samuel 16:23 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 16:23 mean?

And the advice of Ahithophel which he gave in days those [was] as if had inquired concubines one at the oracle of God so [was] all the advice of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom -
וַעֲצַ֣ת אֲחִיתֹ֗פֶל אֲשֶׁ֤ר יָעַץ֙ בַּיָּמִ֣ים הָהֵ֔ם כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר יִשְׁאַל־ (אִ֖ישׁ) בִּדְבַ֣ר הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים כֵּ֚ן כָּל־ עֲצַ֣ת אֲחִיתֹ֔פֶל גַּם־ לְדָוִ֖ד גַּ֥ם לְאַבְשָׁלֹֽם ס

וַעֲצַ֣ת  And  the  advice 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: עֵצָה 
Sense: counsel, advice, purpose.
אֲחִיתֹ֗פֶל  of  Ahithophel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֲחִיתֹפֶל  
Sense: a counsellor of David, grandfather of Bathsheba (cf 2Sa :3,.
יָעַץ֙  he  gave 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יׄועֵץ 
Sense: to advise, consult, give counsel, counsel, purpose, devise, plan.
בַּיָּמִ֣ים  in  days 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
הָהֵ֔ם  those 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, third person masculine plural
Root: הֵם 
Sense: they, these, the same, who.
כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר  [was]  as  if 
Parse: Preposition-k, Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
יִשְׁאַל־  had  inquired 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁאַל 
Sense: to ask, enquire, borrow, beg.
(אִ֖ישׁ)  concubines  one 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
בִּדְבַ֣ר  at  the  oracle 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים  of  God 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
כֵּ֚ן  so 
Parse: Adverb
Root: כֵּן 
Sense: so, therefore, thus.
כָּל־  [was]  all 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
עֲצַ֣ת  the  advice 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: עֵצָה 
Sense: counsel, advice, purpose.
אֲחִיתֹ֔פֶל  of  Ahithophel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֲחִיתֹפֶל  
Sense: a counsellor of David, grandfather of Bathsheba (cf 2Sa :3,.
גַּם־  both 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: גַּם  
Sense: also, even, indeed, moreover, yea.
לְדָוִ֖ד  with  David 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
לְאַבְשָׁלֹֽם  with  Absalom 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֲבִישָׁלֹום 
Sense: father-in-law of Rehoboam.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation