The Meaning of 2 Samuel 17:14 Explained

2 Samuel 17:14

KJV: 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.

YLT: And Absalom saith -- and all the men of Israel -- 'Better is 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.

Darby: And Absalom and all the men of Israel said, The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel. And Jehovah had appointed to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, in order that Jehovah might bring evil upon Absalom.

ASV: 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does 2 Samuel 17:14 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Samuel 17:1-14 - Tripped By Flattering Counsel
What a contrast to the plottings of David's foes was his own state of mind, as disclosed in Psalms 3:1-8; Psalms 4:1-8, written at this time! At Jerusalem they were taking counsel against him. Ahithophel describes the deposed king as weary and weak-handed, and shows how easily he may be smitten. Hushai pictures him as chafed and savage. The messengers are hastened on their way, lest he should be swallowed up. But David betakes himself to God.
He knows that God is a Shield unto him, so that there is no need to be afraid of ten thousands of people. He lies down in peace and sleeps, because God makes him to dwell in safety. He knows that God hath set him apart for Himself, and will answer to his call. He said all this, though he knew that these disasters were the result of his sin. But this is the prerogative of all whose iniquity is forgiven and whose sin is covered. Though we continue to blame ourselves, and "go softly" as we remember the past, yet we absolutely accept our Lord's assurances that He will deliver us from the complications caused by our sins, and act as our rearguard against the consequences. [source]

Chapter Summary: 2 Samuel 17

1  Ahithophel's counsel is overthrown by Hushai's
15  Secret intelligence is sent unto David
23  Ahithophel hangs himself
25  Amasa is made captain
27  David at Mahanaim is furnished with provisions

What do the individual words in 2 Samuel 17:14 mean?

So said Absalom and all the men of Israel [is] better the advice of Hushai the Archite than the advice of Ahithophel For Yahweh had purposed to defeat - advice of Ahithophel the good to the intent that might bring Yahweh on Absalom Disaster -
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אַבְשָׁלוֹם֙ וְכָל־ אִ֣ישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל טוֹבָ֗ה עֲצַת֙ חוּשַׁ֣י הָאַרְכִּ֔י מֵעֲצַ֖ת אֲחִיתֹ֑פֶל וַיהוָ֣ה צִוָּ֗ה לְהָפֵ֞ר אֶת־ עֲצַ֤ת אֲחִיתֹ֙פֶל֙ הַטּוֹבָ֔ה לְבַעֲב֗וּר הָבִ֧יא יְהוָ֛ה אֶל־ אַבְשָׁל֖וֹם הָרָעָֽה ס

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר  So  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אַבְשָׁלוֹם֙  Absalom 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֲבִישָׁלֹום 
Sense: father-in-law of Rehoboam.
וְכָל־  and  all 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
אִ֣ישׁ  the  men 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
טוֹבָ֗ה  [is]  better 
Parse: Adjective, feminine singular
Root: טָבַב 
Sense: good, pleasant, agreeable.
עֲצַת֙  the  advice 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: עֵצָה 
Sense: counsel, advice, purpose.
חוּשַׁ֣י  of  Hushai 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: חוּשַׁי  
Sense: an Archite, a friend of David.
הָאַרְכִּ֔י  the  Archite 
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אַרְכִּי  
Sense: referring to the home city of Hushai.
מֵעֲצַ֖ת  than  the  advice 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: עֵצָה 
Sense: counsel, advice, purpose.
אֲחִיתֹ֑פֶל  of  Ahithophel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֲחִיתֹפֶל  
Sense: a counsellor of David, grandfather of Bathsheba (cf 2Sa :3,.
וַיהוָ֣ה  For  Yahweh 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
צִוָּ֗ה  had  purposed 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: צָוָה  
Sense: to command, charge, give orders, lay charge, give charge to, order.
לְהָפֵ֞ר  to  defeat 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct
Root: פָּרַר 
Sense: to break, frustrate.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
עֲצַ֤ת  advice 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: עֵצָה 
Sense: counsel, advice, purpose.
אֲחִיתֹ֙פֶל֙  of  Ahithophel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֲחִיתֹפֶל  
Sense: a counsellor of David, grandfather of Bathsheba (cf 2Sa :3,.
הַטּוֹבָ֔ה  the  good 
Parse: Article, Adjective, feminine singular
Root: טָבַב 
Sense: good, pleasant, agreeable.
לְבַעֲב֗וּר  to  the  intent 
Parse: Preposition-l, Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֲבוּר  
Sense: for the sake of, on account of, because of, in order to conj.
הָבִ֧יא  that  might  bring 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
יְהוָ֛ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אַבְשָׁל֖וֹם  Absalom 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֲבִישָׁלֹום 
Sense: father-in-law of Rehoboam.
הָרָעָֽה  Disaster 
Parse: Article, Adjective, feminine singular
Root: רַע 
Sense: bad, evil.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation