What is the meaning of 2 Samuel 16:21? Ahithophel replied • Ahithophel, once David’s trusted counselor (2 Samuel 15:12, 31; 1 Chronicles 27:33), now speaks as chief strategist for Absalom. • His words carry weight; they are treated “as though one inquired of the word of God” (2 Samuel 16:23). • At this moment his counsel is entirely political, not godly. His aim: secure Absalom’s throne by a shocking public act. Sleep with your father’s concubines • Sexual possession of a former king’s wives was an ancient Near-Eastern signal of taking the throne (Genesis 35:22; 1 Kings 2:22). • Nathan had foretold this humiliation for David: “I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor… in broad daylight” (2 Samuel 12:11–12). • The sin Ahithophel proposes is also a direct breach of God’s moral law (Leviticus 18:8; Deuteronomy 27:20). • By urging Absalom to sin publicly, Ahithophel hopes to make reconciliation with David impossible and force the nation to choose sides. Whom he has left to take care of the palace • David fled Jerusalem with haste yet “left ten concubines to take care of the palace” (2 Samuel 15:16). • These women symbolize David’s continuing claim to the throne; violating them is a symbolic seizure of royal authority. • Tragically, the concubines become pawns in a power struggle that later leaves them isolated and widowed (2 Samuel 20:3). When all Israel hears • Ahithophel’s plan depends on maximum publicity. The deed is carried out “in the sight of all Israel” (2 Samuel 16:22). • Public knowledge forces the undecided to recognize Absalom as the one openly occupying the royal harem, a visible sign of kingship (cf. 1 Samuel 18:16; 2 Samuel 19:9). You have become a stench • The phrase echoes earlier Scriptures where wrongful actions made someone “a stench” to others (Genesis 34:30; Exodus 5:21; 1 Samuel 13:4). • By disgracing David so boldly, Absalom burns every bridge; he and his father can never reunite peacefully. • In Ahithophel’s calculation, total estrangement eliminates any hope of David’s supporters returning to him. Then the hands of all who are with you will be strengthened • Morale matters in rebellion. If followers believe the die is cast, their “hands” (courage and resolve) gain strength (Joshua 1:7; 2 Samuel 2:7). • Ahithophel anticipates that decisive, scandalous action will galvanize Absalom’s forces and intimidate waverers. • Yet his counsel, though politically shrewd, sets the stage for divine judgment and his own eventual downfall (2 Samuel 17:14, 23). summary Ahithophel’s advice in 2 Samuel 16:21 is a calculated strategy: by publicly violating David’s concubines, Absalom would assert royal authority, make reconciliation impossible, and stiffen the resolve of his troops. The counsel fulfills Nathan’s prophecy, displays the devastating ripple effects of David’s earlier sin, and illustrates how human schemes, even when politically astute, cannot overturn God’s sovereign purposes. |
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