2 Samuel 17 15

2 Samuel 17:15 kjv

Then said Hushai unto Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, Thus and thus did Ahithophel counsel Absalom and the elders of Israel; and thus and thus have I counseled.

2 Samuel 17:15 nkjv

Then Hushai said to Zadok and Abiathar the priests, "Thus and so Ahithophel advised Absalom and the elders of Israel, and thus and so I have advised.

2 Samuel 17:15 niv

Hushai told Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, "Ahithophel has advised Absalom and the elders of Israel to do such and such, but I have advised them to do so and so.

2 Samuel 17:15 esv

Then Hushai said to Zadok and Abiathar the priests, "Thus and so did Ahithophel counsel Absalom and the elders of Israel, and thus and so have I counseled.

2 Samuel 17:15 nlt

Hushai told Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, what Ahithophel had said to Absalom and the elders of Israel and what he himself had advised instead.

2 Samuel 17 verses

2 Samuel 17 15 Meaning

2 Samuel 17:15 details Hushai's immediate report to loyal priests, Zadok and Abiathar, informing them about the recent deliberations in Absalom's council. He recounts both Ahithophel's swift, deadly advice and his own counter-counsel, which was divinely favored by Absalom. This act initiates the critical communication chain to warn King David of the rebel army's plans and his immediate danger.

2 Samuel 17 15 Context

This verse is part of the pivotal account of Absalom's rebellion against his father, King David. Immediately following the decisive moment where Absalom and all the men of Israel chose Hushai's seemingly flattering but ultimately disastrous counsel over Ahithophel's sharp, immediate, and effective strategy (2 Sam 17:1-14). Having successfully thwarted Ahithophel's fatal plan, Hushai quickly shifts from deceptive counsel to intelligence reporting. This verse is the first step in conveying the critical information to David, allowing him time to escape beyond the Jordan and gather his forces. The historical and cultural context includes a political crisis in ancient Israel, where dynastic loyalty, divine anointing, and prophetic/priestly communication intertwined deeply in matters of state and war.

2 Samuel 17 15 Word analysis

• Then Hushai (וַיֹּאמֶר חוּשַׁי, vayyōʾmer Ḥūshāy): "Then" (וַיֹּאמֶר - vayyōʾmer, "and he said") signifies immediate action, highlighting Hushai's efficiency as a loyal agent after achieving his primary goal of thwarting Ahithophel's counsel. Hushai, David's "friend" (רֵעֶה - rēʿeh, confidant, companion; 2 Sam 15:37), rapidly transitions to relaying intelligence to ensure David's safety. His promptness reflects the urgency of the situation.
• said to Zadok and Abiathar the priests (אֶל־צָדוֹק וְאֶל־אֶבְיָתָר הַכֹּהֲנִים, ʾel-ṣāḏôq wəʾel-ʾăḇyāṯār hakkōhănîm): This highlights the trusted network David had established. Zadok and Abiathar were the two high priests, loyal to David even in his exile. They were pivotal figures not just in religious duties but also in state affairs, acting as channels for divine will (consulting the Urim and Thummim) and now, importantly, as key communicators and intelligence operatives (as per David's instruction in 2 Sam 15:35-36). Their priesthood afforded them a certain authority and trust that enabled their sons (Ahimaaz and Jonathan) to move freely.
• 'Thus and thus' (כָּזֹאת וְכָזֹאת, kāzōʾt wəḵāzōʾt): This is a common Hebrew idiomatic expression meaning "in this way and in that way," or "so and so." It implies a detailed summary or enumeration of specific points previously discussed. Hushai is relaying the full scope of the two conflicting counsels and Absalom's ultimate decision, rather than giving a general overview. It serves as a comprehensive report, covering Ahithophel's rejected advice (the dangerous one) and Hushai's accepted counter-advice (the seemingly "good" one, divinely purposed to thwart Absalom). The phrase encapsulates the entire strategic deliberation from 2 Samuel 17:1-14.
• have Ahithophel and I advised Absalom (יָעַץ אֲחִיתֹפֶל וַאֲנִי אֶת־אַבְשָׁלֹם, yāʿaṣ ʾăḥîṯōpel waʾănî ʾeṯ-ʾabšālôm): This clearly identifies the two key advisors and their recipient. Ahithophel's counsel (2 Sam 17:1-3) was strategically brilliant and deadly, while Hushai's (2 Sam 17:7-13) was a deliberate, God-orchestrated deception. The mention of "Ahithophel and I" indicates that the report would have detailed both the differing advice and Absalom's choice to accept Hushai's plan over Ahithophel's, which was the crucial piece of intelligence that confirmed David was temporarily safe from immediate pursuit. The entire event demonstrates divine intervention in human affairs, turning what seemed like sound human counsel into foolishness.

Words-group analysis:

• "Then Hushai said to Zadok and Abiathar the priests": This grouping emphasizes the immediate, coordinated effort of David's loyal network. Hushai, the royal confidant, trusts the priests as integral to David's survival plan. This underlines the essential role of loyal individuals, often from various sectors of society (royal court and temple), in sustaining God's appointed king.
• "'Thus and thus have Ahithophel and I advised Absalom'": This phrase functions as a concise intelligence brief, summarizing the entirety of the pivotal counsel given in Absalom's war council. It conveys not just the advice itself, but implicitly the outcome of that counsel – that Absalom adopted Hushai's protracted strategy over Ahithophel's immediate pursuit plan, a development orchestrated by divine hand. This provided David the vital window to escape.

2 Samuel 17 15 Bonus section

• Intelligence Network: The communication chain set up by David, utilizing Hushai (court spy) and Zadok and Abiathar (priests, leveraging their sons as couriers), was sophisticated and effective for its time, illustrating strategic planning in warfare and internal conflicts.
• Divine Providence in Detail: While 2 Samuel 17:14 explicitly states the Lord's hand in frustrating Ahithophel's counsel, verse 15 shows the immediate human action taken in response, demonstrating how God often uses faithful individuals and their cleverness to bring about His will, rather than solely direct miraculous intervention.
• Counter-intelligence: This verse signals a significant intelligence coup for David, shifting the advantage back towards him by providing foresight into Absalom's strategic delay. This foresight was critical for David's survival.

2 Samuel 17 15 Commentary

2 Samuel 17:15 is a critical verse, signifying the turning point in Absalom's rebellion where God's providence is explicitly seen frustrating human plans to protect His anointed King David. Hushai, having successfully delivered the counter-counsel that satisfied Absalom's vanity and secured a delay, wasted no time. He promptly briefed the faithful priests, Zadok and Abiathar, on the entirety of the council proceedings—the cunning yet dangerous advice of Ahithophel and his own elaborate deceptive scheme, along with Absalom's ultimate decision. The urgency implied by Hushai's swift action, coupled with the detailed report "thus and thus," underscore the gravity of the situation and the immediate need to inform David for his life and for the future of the kingdom. This act initiated the mechanism by which David would be warned, allowing him to gather strength and eventually prevail, all testament to God's sovereign hand orchestrating events to deliver His servant.