2 Samuel 17:14

BSB · Public Domain (CC0)

“Then Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The advice of Hushai the Archite is better than that of Ahithophel.” For the LORD had purposed to thwart the good counsel of Ahithophel in order to bring disaster on Absalom.”

What this verse means

A short, plain-language explanation of 2 Samuel 17:14 goes here — the kind of answer a reader (or an AI assistant) can quote in one breath. Original meaning coming soon.

Compare translations
BSBPD

“Then Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The advice of Hushai the Archite is better than that of Ahithophel.” For the LORD had purposed to thwart the good counsel of Ahithophel in order to bring disaster on Absalom.”

Berean Standard Bible · Public Domain (CC0)
KJVPD

“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.”

King James Version · Public Domain
ASVPD

“And Absalom and all the men of Israel said, The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel. For Jehovah had ordained to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, to the intent that Jehovah might bring evil upon Absalom.”

American Standard Version · Public Domain
YLTPD

“And Absalom saith--and all the men of Israel--`Better <FI>is<Fi> the counsel of Hushai the Archite than the counsel of Ahithophel;' and Jehovah willed to make void the good counsel of Ahithophel for the sake of Jehovah's bringing unto Absalom the evil.”

Young's Literal Translation · Public Domain
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Cross references

Other passages that echo 2 Samuel 17:14 — 22 related verses from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  1. Genesis 32:28Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men, and you have prevailed.”
  2. Exodus 9:16But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display My power to you, and that My name might be proclaimed in all the earth.
  3. Deuteronomy 2:30But Sihon king of Heshbon would not let us pass through, for the LORD your God had made his spirit stubborn and his heart obstinate, that He might deliver him into your hand, as is the case this day.
  4. Joshua 11:20For it was of the LORD to harden their hearts to engage Israel in battle, so that they would be set apart for destruction and would receive no mercy, being annihilated as the LORD had commanded Moses.
  5. 2 Samuel 15:31Now someone told David: “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” So David pleaded, “O LORD, please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness!”
  6. 2 Samuel 15:34But you can thwart the counsel of Ahithophel for me if you return to the city and say to Absalom: ‘I will be your servant, my king; in the past I was your father’s servant, but now I will be your servant.’
  7. 2 Samuel 16:23Now 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.
  8. 2 Chronicles 10:15So the king did not listen to the people, and indeed this turn of events was from God, in order that the LORD might fulfill the word that He had spoken through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam son of Nebat.
  9. 2 Chronicles 25:16While he was still speaking, the king asked, “Have we made you the counselor to the king? Stop! Why be struck down?” So the prophet stopped, but he said, “I know that God has determined to destroy you, because you have done this and have not heeded my advice.”
  10. 2 Chronicles 25:20But Amaziah would not listen, for this had come from God in order to deliver them into the hand of Jehoash, because they had sought the gods of Edom.
  11. Job 5:12He thwarts the schemes of the crafty, so that their hands find no success.
  12. Job 12:17He leads counselors away barefoot and makes fools of judges.
  13. Psalms 9:16The LORD is known by the justice He brings; the wicked are ensnared by the work of their hands. Higgaion Selah
  14. Psalms 33:9For He spoke, and it came to be; He commanded, and it stood firm.
  15. Proverbs 19:21Many plans are in a man’s heart, but the purpose of the LORD will prevail.
  16. Proverbs 21:30There is no wisdom, no understanding, no counsel that can prevail against the LORD.
  17. Isaiah 8:10Devise a plan, but it will be thwarted; state a proposal, but it will not happen. For God is with us.”
  18. Lamentations 3:37Who has spoken and it came to pass, unless the Lord has ordained it?
  19. Amos 9:3Though they hide themselves atop Carmel, there I will track them and seize them; and though they hide from Me at the bottom of the sea, there I will command the serpent to bite them.
  20. Luke 16:8The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the sons of this age are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the sons of light.
  21. 1 Corinthians 1:19For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”
  22. 1 Corinthians 3:19For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness.”

Cross-reference data: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain) via OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0).

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