2 Samuel 16 · Verse 21

2 Samuel 16:21

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.
2 Samuel 16:21, King James Version

2 Samuel 16:21 in other translations

BSBAhithophel replied, “Sleep with your father’s concubines, whom he has left to keep 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.”
WEBAhithophel said to Absalom, “Go in to your father’s concubines that he has left to keep the house. Then all Israel will hear that you are abhorred by your father. Then the hands of all who are with you will be strong.”
ASVAnd 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.
YLTAnd 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.'
DARBYAnd 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.
BBEAnd Ahithophel said to Absalom, Go in to your father's women who are here looking after his house; then all Israel will have the news that you are hated by your father, and the hands of your supporters will be strong.
WebsterAnd Ahithophel said to Absalom, Go in to thy father's concubines, which he hath left to keep the house; and all Israel shall hear that thou art abhorred by thy father: then shall the hands of all that are with thee be strong.

What does 2 Samuel 16:21 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
21. Ahithophel said unto Absalom--This councillor saw that now the die was cast; half measures would be inexpedient. To cut off all possibility of reconciliation between the king and his rebellious son, he gave this atrocious advice regarding the treatment of the royal women who had been left in charge of the palace. Women, being held sacred, are generally left inviolate in the casualties of war. The history of the East affords only one parallel to this infamous outrage of Absalom.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 21 Go in unto thy father's concubines - It may be remembered that David left ten of them behind to take care of the house, see 2Sam 15:16. Ahithophel advised this infernal measure, in order to prevent the possibility of a reconciliation between David and his son; thus was the prophecy to Nathan fulfilled, 2Sam 12:11. And this was probably transacted in the very same place where David's eye took the adulterous view of Bath-sheba; see 2Sam 11:2. The wives of the conquered king were always the property of the conqueror; and in possessing these, he appeared to possess the right to the kingdom. Herodotus informs us that Smerdis, having seized on the Persian throne after the death of Cambyses, espoused all the wives of his predecessor, lib. iii., c. 68. But for a son to take his father's wives was the sum of abomination, and was death by the law of God, Lev 20:11. This was a sin rarely found, even among the Gentiles. Every part of the conduct of Absalom shows him to have been a most profligate young man; he was proud, vindictive, adulterous, incestuous, a parricide, and, in fine, reprobate to every good word and work. We still however recollect that David had grievously sinned, and we should also recollect that he suffered grievously for it; and that his humiliation, repentance, and amendment, were most decisive and exemplary. Reader, God is as just as he is merciful.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 2 Samuel 16:15-23

The wisest counsellors of that age were Ahithophel and Hushai: Absalom thinks himself sure of success, when he has both; on them he relies, and consults not the ark, though he had that with him. But miserable counsellors were they both. Hushai would never counsel him to do wisely. Ahithophel counselled him to do wickedly; and so did as effectually betray him, as he did, who was designedly false to him: for they that…

Read the full comment on 2 Samuel 16:15-23 →

2 Samuel 16:21 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיֹּ֤אמֶרvai.Yo.merand he saidH559
אֲחִיתֹ֙פֶל֙'a.chi.To.felAhithophelH302
אֶל\־'el-toH413
אַבְשָׁלֹ֔ם'av.sha.LomAbsalomH53
בּ֚וֹאBo'goH935
אֶל\־'el-intoH413
פִּלַגְשֵׁ֣יpi.lag.Shei[the] concubines ofH6370
אָבִ֔יךָ'a.Vi.khafather yourH1
אֲשֶׁ֥ר'a.SherwhomH834
הִנִּ֖יחַhi.Ni.achhe leftH5117
לִשְׁמ֣וֹרlish.Morto keepH8104
הַבָּ֑יִתha.Ba.yitthe houseH1004
וְשָׁמַ֤עve.sha.Ma'and it will hearH8085
כָּל\־kol-allH3605
יִשְׂרָאֵל֙Yis.ra.'ElIsraelH3478
כִּֽי\־ki-thatH3588
נִבְאַ֣שְׁתָּniv.'Ash.tayou have made yourself odiousH887
אֶת\־'et-withH854
אָבִ֔יךָ'a.Vi.khafather yourH1
וְחָ֣זְק֔וּve.Cha.ze.Kuand they will be strongH2388
יְדֵ֖יye.Dei[the] hands ofH3027
כָּל\־kol-allH3605
אֲשֶׁ֥ר'a.SherwhoH834
אִתָּֽךְ\׃'i.Takh[are] with youH854

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 2 Samuel 16:21

  • 2 Samuel 20:3

    And David came to his house at Jerusalem; and the king took the ten women his concubines, whom he had left to keep the house, and put them in ward, and fed them, but went not in unto them. So they were shut up unto the day of their death, living in widowhood.

  • 2 Samuel 15:16

    And the king went forth, and all his household after him. And the king left ten women, which were concubines, to keep the house.

  • 2 Samuel 2:7

    Therefore now let your hands be strengthened, and be ye valiant: for your master Saul is dead, and also the house of Judah have anointed me king over them.

  • Leviticus 18:8

    The nakedness of thy father’s wife shalt thou not uncover: it is thy father’s nakedness.

  • Zechariah 8:13

    And it shall come to pass, that as ye were a curse among the heathen, O house of Judah, and house of Israel; so will I save you, and ye shall be a blessing: fear not, but let your hands be strong.

  • 1 Kings 2:17

    And he said, Speak, I pray thee, unto Solomon the king, (for he will not say thee nay,) that he give me Abishag the Shunammite to wife.

  • Genesis 49:3-4

    Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power: Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel; because thou wentest up to thy father’s bed; then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch.

  • Genesis 34:30

    And Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, Ye have troubled me to make me to stink among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites: and I being few in number, they shall gather themselves together against me, and slay me; and I shall be destroyed, I and my house.

  • 1 Samuel 13:4

    And all Israel heard say that Saul had smitten a garrison of the Philistines, and that Israel also was had in abomination with the Philistines. And the people were called together after Saul to Gilgal.

  • 2 Samuel 12:11

    Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun.

  • 1 Samuel 27:12

    And Achish believed David, saying, He hath made his people Israel utterly to abhor him; therefore he shall be my servant for ever.

  • Genesis 35:22

    And it came to pass, when Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine: and Israel heard it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve:

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Go in.
Ge 6:4; 38:16
unto thy.
12:11; 15:16; 20:3; Ge 35:22; Le 18:8; 20:11; 1Ki 2:17,22; 1Co 5:1
abhorred.
Ge 34:30; 1Sa 13:4
thy father.
Ge 49:3,4
then shall.
1Sa 27:12
the hands.
2:7; Zec 8:13

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 2 Samuel 16:20

    Then said Absalom to Ahithophel, Give counsel among you what we shall do.

  • 2 Samuel 16:21

    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.

  • 2 Samuel 16:22

    So they spread Absalom a tent upon the top of the house; and Absalom went in unto his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.

Read all of 2 Samuel 16

2 Samuel 16:21 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y Achitophel dijo á Absalom: Entra á las concubinas de tu padre, que él dejó para guardar la casa; y todo el pueblo de Israel oirá que te has hecho aborrecible á tu padre, y así se esforzarán las manos de todos los que están contigo.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et Akhitophel dit à Absalom: Va vers les concubines de ton père, qu’il a laissées pour garder la maison; et tout Israël entendra dire que tu es en mauvaise odeur auprès de ton père, et les mains de tous ceux qui sont avec toi seront fortifiées.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und Ahitophel sprach zu Absalom: Gehe ein zu den Kebsweibern deines Vaters, die er zurückgelassen hat, um das Haus zu bewahren; so wird ganz Israel hören, daß du dich bei deinem Vater stinkend gemacht hast, und die Hände aller derer, die mit dir sind, werden erstarken.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et ait Achitophel ad Absalom: Ingredere ad concubinas patris tui, quas dimisit ad custodiendam domum: ut cum audierit omnis Israël quod fœdaveris patrem tuum, roborentur tecum manus eorum.