This proposal seemed good to Absalom and all the elders of Israel.
Parallel translations
- WEB The saying pleased Absalom well, and all the elders of Israel.
- KJV And the saying pleased Absalom well, and all the elders of Israel.
- NKJV And the saying pleased Absalom and all the elders of Israel.
- NASB And the plan pleased Absalom and all the elders of Israel.
- NLT This plan seemed good to Absalom and to all the elders of Israel.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Absalom and the elders are pleased with Ahithophel's plan. The rebellion seems poised to succeed, raising the stakes for David.
Overview
The endorsement of both Absalom and Israel's elders shows the counsel's persuasive force and the gravity of David's peril. With such unanimity, only divine intervention can change the outcome. The verse heightens tension before Hushai is summoned, reminding readers that what seems settled in human courts remains subject to God's overruling will.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 6
- Esth 5:14His wife Zeresh and all his friends told him, “Have them build a gallows fifty cubits high, and ask the king in the morning to have Mordecai hanged on it. Then go to the banquet with the king and enjoy yourself.” The advice pleased Haman, and he had the gallows constructed.
- Rom 1:32Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things are worthy of death, they not only continue to do these things, but also approve of those who practice them.
- 2 Chr 30:4This proposal pleased the king and the whole assembly.
- 1 Sam 18:20–21Now Saul’s daughter Michal loved David, and when this was reported to Saul, it pleased him.
- Esth 1:21The king and his princes were pleased with this counsel; so the king did as Memucan had advised.
- 1 Sam 23:21“May you be blessed by the LORD,” replied Saul, “for you have had compassion on me.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
God's covenant with David — a son whose throne and kingdom would last forever (7:12–16) — finds its yes in Jesus, the Son of David who reigns without end.
How 2 Samuel 17:4 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.