2 Samuel 16:17 Meaning and Explanation
“And Absalom said to Hushai, Is this thy kindness to thy friend? why wentest thou not with thy friend?”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Absalom challenges Hushai for not staying loyal to his friend David.
What Does 2 Samuel 16:17 Mean?
Absalom questions Hushai sharply, asking whether this is the loyalty he owes his friend, and why he did not follow David into exile.
The word for kindness here carries the weight of covenant faithfulness, the very loyalty Absalom himself has shattered toward his father. Irony fills the exchange: the rebel lectures another on faithfulness. The scene quietly exposes how sin twists judgment, so that the unfaithful become quick to accuse, while true devotion is mistaken for its opposite.
2 Samuel 16:17 in the Original Language
hesed (חֶסֶד), 'kindness' -- steadfast, loyal covenant love between friends.
Frequently Asked Questions About 2 Samuel 16:17
What does 2 Samuel 16:17 mean?
Absalom challenges Hushai for not staying loyal to his friend David.