2 Samuel 15:12
New International Version
While Absalom was offering sacrifices, he also sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, to come from Giloh, his hometown. And so the conspiracy gained strength, and Absalom’s following kept on increasing.

New Living Translation
While Absalom was offering the sacrifices, he sent for Ahithophel, one of David’s counselors who lived in Giloh. Soon many others also joined Absalom, and the conspiracy gained momentum.

English Standard Version
And while Absalom was offering the sacrifices, he sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, from his city Giloh. And the conspiracy grew strong, and the people with Absalom kept increasing.

Berean Standard Bible
While Absalom was offering the sacrifices, he sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, to come from his hometown of Giloh. So the conspiracy gained strength, and Absalom’s following kept increasing.

King James Bible
And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's counseller, from his city, even from Giloh, while he offered sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong; for the people increased continually with Absalom.

New King James Version
Then Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, from his city—from Giloh—while he offered sacrifices. And the conspiracy grew strong, for the people with Absalom continually increased in number.

New American Standard Bible
And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, from his city Giloh, while he was offering the sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong, for the people continually increased with Absalom.

NASB 1995
And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, from his city Giloh, while he was offering the sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong, for the people increased continually with Absalom.

NASB 1977
And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, from his city Giloh, while he was offering the sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong, for the people increased continually with Absalom.

Legacy Standard Bible
And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, from his city Giloh, while he was offering the sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong, for the people increased continually with Absalom.

Amplified Bible
And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, from his city Giloh, while he was offering sacrifices. And the conspiracy grew strong, for the people with Absalom increased continually.

Christian Standard Bible
While he was offering the sacrifices, Absalom sent for David’s adviser Ahithophel the Gilonite, from his city of Giloh. So the conspiracy grew strong, and the people supporting Absalom continued to increase.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
While he was offering the sacrifices, Absalom sent for David’s adviser Ahithophel the Gilonite, from his city of Giloh. So the conspiracy grew strong, and the people supporting Absalom continued to increase.

American Standard Version
And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's counsellor, from his city, even from Giloh, while he was offering the sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong; for the people increased continually with Absalom.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And Abishlum sent for Akhithuphel the Galiunite, Counselor of King David, and he brought him from his city from Gelyu as he sacrificed a sacrifice, and a rebellion was going on and was strong, and the people were greatly increasing on the side of Abishlum

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Abessalom sent to Achitophel the Theconite, the counsellor of David, from his city, from Gola, where he was sacrificing: and there was a strong conspiracy; and the people with Abessalom were increasingly numerous.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Absalom also sent for Achitophel the Gilonite, David's counsellor, from his city Gilo. And while he was offering sacrifices, there was a strong conspiracy, and the people running together increased with Absalom.

English Revised Version
And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's counsellor, from his city, even from Giloh, while he offered the sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong; for the people increased continually with Absalom.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
While Absalom was offering sacrifices, he sent for Ahithophel, David's adviser, to come from his home in Giloh. Meanwhile, the conspiracy grew stronger, and the number of people siding with Absalom kept getting larger.

Good News Translation
And while he was offering sacrifices, Absalom also sent to the town of Gilo for Ahithophel, who was one of King David's advisers. The plot against the king gained strength, and Absalom's followers grew in number.

International Standard Version
Absalom also sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's counselor, to come from his home town of Giloh while Absalom was presenting the sacrificial offerings. And so the conspiracy widened, because the common people increasingly sided with Absalom.

JPS Tanakh 1917
And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's counsellor, from his city, even from Giloh, while he offered the sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong; for the people increased continually with Absalom.

Literal Standard Version
and Absalom sends Ahithophel the Gilonite, a counselor of David, out of his city, out of Gilo, in his sacrificing sacrifices; and the conspiracy is strong, and the people are going and increasing with Absalom.

Majority Standard Bible
While Absalom was offering the sacrifices, he sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, to come from his hometown of Giloh. So the conspiracy gained strength, and Absalom’s following kept increasing.

New American Bible
Absalom also sent to Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, an invitation to come from his town, Giloh, for the sacrifices he was about to offer. So the conspiracy gained strength, and the people with Absalom increased in numbers.

NET Bible
While he was offering sacrifices, Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's adviser, to come from his city, Giloh. The conspiracy was gaining momentum, and the people were starting to side with Absalom.

New Revised Standard Version
While Absalom was offering the sacrifices, he sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, from his city Giloh. The conspiracy grew in strength, and the people with Absalom kept increasing.

New Heart English Bible
And he sent and invited Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's counselor, from his city, even from Giloh, while he was offering the sacrifices. The conspiracy was strong; for the people increased continually with Absalom.

Webster's Bible Translation
And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's counselor, from his city, even from Giloh, while he offered sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong; for the people increased continually with Absalom.

World English Bible
Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, from his city, even from Giloh, while he was offering the sacrifices. The conspiracy was strong, for the people increased continually with Absalom.

Young's Literal Translation
and Absalom sendeth Ahithophel the Gilonite, a counsellor of David, out of his city, out of Gilo, in his sacrificing sacrifices; and the conspiracy is strong, and the people are going and increasing with Absalom.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Absalom's Conspiracy
11Two hundred men from Jerusalem accompanied Absalom. They had been invited as guests and they went along innocently, for they knew nothing about the matter. 12While Absalom was offering the sacrifices, he sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, to come from his hometown of Giloh. So the conspiracy gained strength, and Absalom’s following kept increasing.

Cross References
Joshua 15:51
Goshen, Holon, and Giloh--eleven cities, along with their villages.

2 Samuel 15:31
Now someone told David: "Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom." So David pleaded, "O LORD, please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness!"

2 Samuel 16:15
Then Absalom and all the men of Israel came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel was with him.

2 Samuel 16:23
Now in those days the advice of Ahithophel was like the consultation of the word of God. Such was the regard that both David and Absalom had for Ahithophel's advice.

2 Samuel 17:23
When Ahithophel saw that his advice had not been followed, he saddled his donkey and set out for his house in his hometown. He put his affairs in order and hanged himself. So he died and was buried in his father's tomb.

2 Samuel 23:34
Eliphelet son of Ahasbai the Maacathite, Eliam son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,

1 Chronicles 27:33
Ahithophel was the king's counselor. Hushai the Archite was the king's friend.


Treasury of Scripture

And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's counselor, from his city, even from Giloh, while he offered sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong; for the people increased continually with Absalom.

Ahithophel

2 Samuel 15:31
And one told David, saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. And David said, O LORD, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.

2 Samuel 16:20-23
Then said Absalom to Ahithophel, Give counsel among you what we shall do…

2 Samuel 17:14,23
And Absalom and all the men of Israel said, The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel. For the LORD had appointed to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, to the intent that the LORD might bring evil upon Absalom…

David's

Psalm 41:9
Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.

Psalm 55:12-14
For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have borne it: neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me; then I would have hid myself from him: …

Micah 7:5,6
Trust ye not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a guide: keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom…

Giloh

Joshua 15:51
And Goshen, and Holon, and Giloh; eleven cities with their villages:

while he offered

Numbers 23:1,14,30
And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven oxen and seven rams…

1 Kings 21:9,12
And she wrote in the letters, saying, Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people: …

Psalm 50:16-21
But unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth? …

the people

Psalm 3:1,2
A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son. LORD, how are they increased that trouble me! many are they that rise up against me…

Psalm 43:1,2
Judge me, O God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation: O deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man…

Jump to Previous
Absalom Ab'salom Absalom's Ahithophel Ahith'ophel City Conspiracy Continually Counsellor Counselor David David's Design Gained Gathered Giloh Gilonite Grew Hometown Increased Increasing Joined Kept Making Offered Offering Offerings Sacrifices Strength Strong
Jump to Next
Absalom Ab'salom Absalom's Ahithophel Ahith'ophel City Conspiracy Continually Counsellor Counselor David David's Design Gained Gathered Giloh Gilonite Grew Hometown Increased Increasing Joined Kept Making Offered Offering Offerings Sacrifices Strength Strong
2 Samuel 15
1. Absalom, by fair speeches and courtesies, steals the hearts of Israel.
7. By pretense of a vow, he obtains leave to go to Hebron
10. He makes there a great conspiracy
13. David upon the news flees from Jerusalem
19. Ittai will leave him
24. Zadok and Abiathar are sent back with the ark
30. David and his company go up mount Olivet weeping,
31. He curses Ahithophel's counsel
32. Hushai is sent back with instructions














(12) Sent for Ahithophel.--Giloh, the city of Ahithophel, was one of the groups of towns just south of Hebron (Joshua 15:51), and Ahithophel may have gone there in readiness to be summoned by Absalom. Why he deserted David does not appear. It has been conjectured that he was aggrieved at David's treatment of Bath-sheba, who is supposed to have been his granddaughter. Bath-sheba's father was Eliam (2Samuel 11:3) and Ahithophel had a son Eliam (2Samuel 23:34), but there is no evidence that these were the same, and if they had been, Ahithophel probably would have felt honoured rather than aggrieved that his daughter should have been made queen. It is more likely that Ahithophel and many others of the tribe of Judah were alienated because, in the rapidly growing empire of David, their relative importance was of necessity constantly diminishing. It is noteworthy that the rebellion was cradled in Judah, and seems to have found there its chief strength.

There is a difference of opinion whether Psalms 41 was written on this occasion; but its ninth verse certainly applies very pointedly to Ahithophel; and his conduct, both in his treachery and his suicide, forms a striking parallel to that of Judas, to whom this verse is applied in John 13:18. Many writers also consider that Psalms 55 was composed with reference to Ahithophel.

While he offered sacrifices.--Absalom had arranged these, apparently with pomp and circumstance, to continue through several days. This gave time for the conspiracy to gain strength, and the accompanying feasting allowed Absalom an excellent opportunity for using his popular arts, and with such success that "the people increased continually with Absalom."

Verse 12. - Ahithophel the Gilonite. The desertion of David by Ahithophel is in every way remarkable, even if he were Bathsheba's grandfather (see note on 2 Samuel 11:3). For he was far too subtle a man to have joined the conspiracy unless he bad felt reasonably sure that it would be successful. Successful it would have been had his advice been followed; but so correctly did he estimate the result if David were allowed time to gather his friends, that, when his counsel was rejected, he withdrew immediately to Giloh, and committed suicide. Still if the revolt had been successful, it would have involved, if not the death of Bathsheba, yet certainly that of her sons, and the exclusion of Ahithophel's great-grandchildren from the throne. In Psalm 41, written at this time, we learn what were David's feelings when he heard the news of this conspiracy, and Ahithophel is the familiar friend, in whom he had trusted, and who had eaten at his table, but now raised up his heel to kick at him. In John 13:18 the words are quoted of Judas Iscariot, of whom Ahithophel was a type in his treachery and in his death by his own hand. The translation, "sent for Ahithophel," cannot be maintained. The Hebrew is "sent Ahithophel," but for what purpose or on what embassy is not mentioned. As thus something must have dropped out of the Hebrew text, it possibly may be the preposition "for," as this gives a good sense. For Giloh, Ahithophel's town, was situated a few miles to the south of Hebron (Joshua 15:51), and Ahithophel had probably been working there secretly for Absalom for some time. As David's counsellor, his proper place of residence would have been Jerusalem, but the conspiracy had been kept so secret that he had been able to get away without suspicion. He is now summoned to Absalom's side, and his presence there brings in so many adherents that a rapid march on Jerusalem might have put David into their power. The Revised Version is right in translating, while he offered the sacrifices; namely, those which he had vowed, and which were the reason given for his visit to Hebron.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
While [Absalom] was offering
בְּזָבְח֖וֹ (bə·zā·ḇə·ḥōw)
Preposition-b | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 2076: To slaughter for sacrifice

the sacrifices,
הַזְּבָחִ֑ים (haz·zə·ḇā·ḥîm)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 2077: A slaughter, the flesh of an animal, a sacrifice

[he]
אַ֠בְשָׁלוֹם (’aḇ·šā·lō·wm)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 53: Absalom -- 'my father is peace', two Israelites

sent for
וַיִּשְׁלַ֣ח (way·yiš·laḥ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7971: To send away, for, out

Ahithophel
אֲחִיתֹ֨פֶל (’ă·ḥî·ṯō·p̄el)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 302: Ahithophel -- an adviser of David

the Gilonite,
הַגִּֽילֹנִ֜י (hag·gî·lō·nî)
Article | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1526: Gilonite -- an inhabitant of Giloh

David’s
דָּוִ֗ד (dā·wiḏ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1732: David -- perhaps 'beloved one', a son of Jesse

counselor,
יוֹעֵ֣ץ (yō·w·‘êṣ)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3289: To advise, to deliberate, resolve

[to come] from his hometown
מֵֽעִירוֹ֙ (mê·‘î·rōw)
Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5892: Excitement

of Giloh.
מִגִּלֹ֔ה (mig·gi·lōh)
Preposition-m | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 1542: Giloh -- a city in Judah

So the conspiracy
הַקֶּ֙שֶׁר֙ (haq·qe·šer)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7195: An, alliance

gained
וַיְהִ֤י (way·hî)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

strength,
אַמִּ֔ץ (’am·miṣ)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 533: Strong, strength

and Absalom's
אַבְשָׁלֽוֹם׃ (’aḇ·šā·lō·wm)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 53: Absalom -- 'my father is peace', two Israelites

following
וְהָעָ֛ם (wə·hā·‘ām)
Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock

kept
הוֹלֵ֥ךְ (hō·w·lêḵ)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk

increasing.
וָרָ֖ב (wā·rāḇ)
Conjunctive waw | Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 7227: Much, many, great


Links
2 Samuel 15:12 NIV
2 Samuel 15:12 NLT
2 Samuel 15:12 ESV
2 Samuel 15:12 NASB
2 Samuel 15:12 KJV

2 Samuel 15:12 BibleApps.com
2 Samuel 15:12 Biblia Paralela
2 Samuel 15:12 Chinese Bible
2 Samuel 15:12 French Bible
2 Samuel 15:12 Catholic Bible

OT History: 2 Samuel 15:12 Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite David's (2Sa iiSam 2 Sam ii sam)
2 Samuel 15:11
Top of Page
Top of Page