2 Samuel 17:1 Meaning and Explanation
“Moreover Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Let me now choose out twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue after David this night:”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Ahithophel urges Absalom to let him take twelve thousand men and pursue the fleeing David at once, that very night.
What Does 2 Samuel 17:1 Mean?
David has fled Jerusalem before his son Absalom's revolt, and Absalom now sits in counsel. Ahithophel, David's old and trusted adviser who has gone over to the rebellion, speaks first. He asks for twelve thousand men to strike immediately, before David can regroup.
His plan is shrewd: speed will catch a weary king off guard. Yet the reader already knows David's prayer that this man's counsel be turned to foolishness. Human cunning may seem unanswerable, but no scheme stands when God has heard the cry of His servant. The night that looks like David's ruin is held in a hand the plotters cannot see.
Frequently Asked Questions About 2 Samuel 17:1
What does 2 Samuel 17:1 mean?
Ahithophel urges Absalom to let him take twelve thousand men and pursue the fleeing David at once, that very night.