Lectionary Calendar
Wednesday, August 13th, 2025
the Week of Proper 14 / Ordinary 19
Attention!
For 10¢ a day you can enjoy StudyLight.org ads
free while helping to build churches and support pastors in Uganda.
Click here to learn more!

Read the Bible

Bible in Basic English

2 Samuel 17:4

And the saying was pleasing to Absalom and to the responsible men of Israel.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Ahithophel;   Citizens;   Council;   Diplomacy;   Friendship;   Government;   Spies;   War;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Ahithophel;   Amasa;   Hushai;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Absalom;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Elder;   Family Life and Relations;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Ahithophel;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Elder;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Samuel, Books of;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Ahithophel ;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Absalom;   Elder;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Ahith'ophel;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Hebrew Monarchy, the;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Elder;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
This proposal seemed right to Absalom and all the elders of Israel.
Hebrew Names Version
The saying pleased Avshalom well, and all the Zakenim of Yisra'el.
King James Version
And the saying pleased Absalom well, and all the elders of Israel.
Lexham English Bible
The word was right in the eyes of Absalom and in the eyes of all the elders of Israel.
English Standard Version
And the advice seemed right in the eyes of Absalom and all the elders of Israel.
New Century Version
This plan seemed good to Absalom and to all the leaders of Israel.
New English Translation
This seemed like a good idea to Absalom and to all the leaders of Israel.
Amplified Bible
So the plan pleased Absalom and all the elders of Israel.
New American Standard Bible
And the plan pleased Absalom and all the elders of Israel.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And the saying pleased Absalom well, and all the Elders of Israel.
Legacy Standard Bible
And the word was right in the eyes of Absalom and all the elders of Israel.
Contemporary English Version
Absalom and all the leaders of the tribes of Israel agreed that Ahithophel had a good plan.
Complete Jewish Bible
What he said pleased Avshalom and all the leaders of Isra'el.
Darby Translation
And the saying was right in the eyes of Absalom, and in the eyes of all the elders of Israel.
Easy-to-Read Version
This plan seemed good to Absalom and all the leaders of Israel.
George Lamsa Translation
And the saying pleased Absalom well, and all the elders of Israel.
Good News Translation
This seemed like good advice to Absalom and all the Israelite leaders.
Literal Translation
And the thing was pleasing in Absalom's eyes, and in the eyes of all the elders of Israel.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Absalom thought that good, and so dyd all the Elders in Israel.
American Standard Version
And the saying pleased Absalom well, and all the elders of Israel.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And the saying pleased Absalom wel and al the elders of Israel.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And the saying pleased Absalom well, and all the elders of Israel.
King James Version (1611)
And the saying pleased Absalom well, and all the Elders of Israel.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And the saying was right in the eyes of Abessalom, and in the eyes of all the elders of Israel.
English Revised Version
And the saying pleased Absalom well, and all the elders of Israel.
Berean Standard Bible
This proposal seemed good to Absalom and all the elders of Israel.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And the word of him plesyde Absolon, and alle the grete men in birthe of Israel.
Young's Literal Translation
And the thing is right in the eyes of Absalom, and in the eyes of all the elders of Israel.
Update Bible Version
And the saying pleased Absalom well, and all the elders of Israel.
Webster's Bible Translation
And the saying, pleased Absalom well, and all the elders of Israel.
World English Bible
The saying pleased Absalom well, and all the elders of Israel.
New King James Version
And the saying pleased Absalom and all the elders of Israel.
New Living Translation
This plan seemed good to Absalom and to all the elders of Israel.
New Life Bible
The plan pleased Absalom and all the leaders of Israel.
New Revised Standard
The advice pleased Absalom and all the elders of Israel.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And the saying was right in the eyes of Absolom, - and in the eyes of all the elders of Israel.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And his saying pleased Absalom, and all the ancients of Israel.
Revised Standard Version
And the advice pleased Ab'salom and all the elders of Israel.
THE MESSAGE
Absalom thought it was an excellent strategy, and all the elders of Israel agreed.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
So the plan pleased Absalom and all the elders of Israel.

Contextual Overview

1 Then Ahithophel said to Absalom, Let me take out twelve thousand men and this very night I will go after David: 2 And I will come up with him when he is tired and feeble, and make him full of fear: and all the people with him will go in flight; and I will make an attack on the king only: 3 And I will make all the people come back to you as a bride comes back to her husband: it is the life of only one man you are going after; so all the people will be at peace. 4 And the saying was pleasing to Absalom and to the responsible men of Israel. 5 Then Absalom said, Now send for Hushai the Archite, and let us give ear to what he has to say. 6 And when Hushai came, Absalom said to him, This is what Ahithophel has said: are we to do as he says? if not, what is your suggestion? 7 And Hushai said to Absalom, Ahithophel's idea is not a good one at this time. 8 Hushai said further, You have knowledge of your father and his men, that they are men of war, and that their feelings are bitter, like those of a bear in the field whose young ones have been taken from her: and your father is a man of war, and will not take his night's rest with the people; 9 But he will certainly have taken cover now in some hole or secret place; and if some of our people, at the first attack, are overcome, then any hearing of it will say, There is destruction among the people who are on Absalom's side. 10 Then even the strongest, whose heart is like the heart of a lion, will become like water; for all Israel is conscious that your father is a man of war, and those who are with him are strong and without fear.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the saying: 1 Samuel 18:20, 1 Samuel 18:21, 1 Samuel 23:21, Esther 5:14, Romans 1:32

pleased Absalom well: Heb. was right in the eyes of Absalom, 2 Chronicles 30:4, Esther 1:21

Reciprocal: 1 Samuel 20:7 - It is well Esther 2:4 - the thing Isaiah 8:10 - counsel

Cross-References

Genesis 12:2
And I will make of you a great nation, blessing you and making your name great; and you will be a blessing:
Genesis 13:16
And I will make your children like the dust of the earth, so that if the dust of the earth may be numbered, then will your children be numbered.
Genesis 16:10
And the angel of the Lord said, Your seed will be greatly increased so that it may not be numbered.
Genesis 17:1
When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord came to him, and said, I am God, Ruler of all; go in my ways and be upright in all things,
Genesis 17:11
In the flesh of your private parts you are to undergo it, as a mark of the agreement between me and you.
Genesis 17:18
And Abraham said to God, If only Ishmael's life might be your care!
Genesis 22:17
That I will certainly give you my blessing, and your seed will be increased like the stars of heaven and the sand by the seaside; your seed will take the land of those who are against them;
Genesis 32:12
And you said, Truly, I will be good to you, and make your seed like the sand of the sea which may not be numbered.
Genesis 35:11
And God said to him, I am God, the Ruler of all: be fertile, and have increase; a nation, truly a group of nations, will come from you, and kings will be your offspring;
Genesis 48:19
But his father would not, saying, I am doing it on purpose, my son; he will certainly become a nation and a great one; but his younger brother will be greater than he, and his seed will become a great family of nations.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And the saying pleased Absalom well, and all elders of Israel. That were of the privy council; for it was a well contrived scheme to surprise David his men by night, in the condition they were in; nothing like seizing an opportunity, and making quick dispatch in executing a villainous design; only it is strange that Absalom could so easily come into a scheme to take away the life of so indulgent a father, which is only to be accounted for by his ambition; but it is stranger still that the elders of Israel should be pleased with it, and agree to and determine upon the death of a prince, who had so many years ruled them with justice and equity, clemency and mercy; and fought their battles for them, and raised their nation to such a pitch of glory it never had before.


 
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile