Poole on 2 Samuel 17:5-14: Ahithophel's Counsel Thwarted

Verse 5:[1]  Then said Absalom, Call now Hushai the Archite also, and let us hear likewise what he saith (Heb. what is in his mouth[2]).

[Call ye Hushai…and let us hear what he might say also, ‎מַה־בְּפִיו גַּם־הוּא׃]  What is in his mouth, or in the mouth of him, even he himself (Montanus), or even of him (Septuagint), or even to him (Junius and Tremellius); so that we might hear him and what he has to say (Tigurinus).  Note the divine providence; although the words of Ahithophel were after the likeness of an oracle, yet he would not acquiesce in them, unless the authority of Hushai be added also (Sanchez).  God had blinded Absalom, to believe that Hushai was a faithful friend to himself, who had been an intimate friend to David.  He deserved this.  Let us observe, that Absalom had the Ark and the priests:  yet he does not consult God, but is satisfied in human counsels (Martyr on verse 13).

Call now Hushai, etc.:  A wonderful effect of Divine Providence, blinding his mind, and influencing his heart, that he could not rest in Ahithophel’s counsel, though it was so evidently wise, and good, and approved by the general consent of his whole party; and that he should desire Hushai’s advice, though neither his reputation for wisdom was equal to Ahithophel’s, nor had he yet given any one proof of his fidelity to Absalom as Ahithophel had done; nor was he so fixed by his interest to him as Ahithophel was; and though there wanted not just cause to suspect him and his counsel too.  But there is no contending with that God who can arm a man against himself, and destroy him by his own mistakes and passions, without any other help.

Verse 6:[3]  And when Hushai was come to Absalom, Absalom spake unto him, saying, Ahithophel hath spoken after this manner:  shall we do after his saying (Heb. word[4])? if not; speak thou.

Verse 7:[5]  And Hushai said unto Absalom, The counsel that Ahithophel hath given (Heb. counselled[6]) is not good at this time.

[It is not good…at this juncture]  That is to say, at other times he has given good counsels (Piscator); modestly and urbanely does he decline from the counsel of Ahithophel, lest he render himself suspect; that is to say, with the indulgence of that most prudent man I would say, that in this case he is mistaken (Malvenda out of Junius).  Sometimes even worthy Homer nods[7] (Lyra).  Hushai first subverts the counsel of Ahithophel as full of danger, and then sets forth his own (Martyr).

Not good at this time:  Though at other times he generally gives most wise and admirable counsel; yet, as he is a man, he seems now to be under a mistake, and not sufficiently to consider all the present circumstances of this business.

Verse 8:[8]  For, said Hushai, thou knowest thy father and his men, that they be mighty men, and they be chafed in their minds (Heb. bitter of soul;[9] Judg. 18:25[10]), as (Hos. 13:8) a bear robbed of her whelps in the field:  and thy father is a man of war, and will not lodge with the people.

Mighty men; of approved courage and strength, therefore not so soon vanquished as Ahithophel supposeth.

[And of a bitter soul (thus Vatablus)]  That is, exceedingly enraged (Vatablus); of an exasperated soul (Piscator); that is to say, it is dangerous to fight with desperate men; they will not fall without cost (Menochius, similarly Sanchez).  They want to avenge injuries, both the King’s and their own (Martyr).

Chafed in their minds; Hebrew, bitter of soul, inflamed with rage; desperate, and therefore resolved to sell their lives at a dear rate.

[Just as a bear with her whelps taken away, etc.]  Which is wont to attack the first that it meets (Martyr).  Thus the Poets, no more securely wouldest thou tempt the fuming nose of a living bear[11] (Grotius).  The madness of those exceedingly enraged is also called ursine.  See also Proverbs 17:12 (Martyr).

[He will not lodge with the people, ‎וְלֹ֥א יָלִ֖ין אֶת־הָעָֽם׃]  And he will not spend the night (stays not [Munster]) with the people (Montanus, Pagnine) [similarly most interpreters], that is, he will not sleep (Vatablus).  He is familiar with all stratagems of war, and does not stay more than one night in any one place, lest he be overtaken unexpectedly by enemies (Munster).  He will have watches; he will not be overtaken without warning; he himself will be hidden (Martyr).  Or, thus, he will not allow the people to spend the night (Osiander).  [The verb יָלִין is in the Hiphil.[12]]

A man of war; a wise prince and general; who knowing of what importance it is to secure his own person, and that your great design is against his life, will doubtless use extraordinary care to keep out of your reach, which he may easily do.

Verse 9:[13]  Behold, he is hid now in some pit, or in some other place:  and it will come to pass, when some of them be overthrown (Heb. fallen[14]) at the first, that whosoever heareth it will say, There is a slaughter among the people that follow Absalom.

[He is hidden in pits, etc., ‎הֽוּא־נֶחְבָּא֙ בְּאַחַ֣ת הַפְּחָתִ֔ים א֖וֹ בְּאַחַ֣ד הַמְּקוֹמֹ֑ת]  Lurking in one of the pits (Montanus, Vatablus, similarly Pagnine, Junius and Tremellius) (or in a cave [Tigurinus, thus Jonathan, Strigelius]), or in one of the places (Montanus), in some other place (Pagnine, thus the Syriac, Arabic, Tigurinus), in some safe place (Munster), in one of his places (Junius and Tremellius), that is, known to him from the time of the persecution of Saul (Junius).  The sense:  He lays an ambush (Mariana, similarly Osiander), and awaits occasions, whereon he might make a sudden assault upon the army (Osiander).

He is hid now in some pit, or in some other place; having been oft accustomed to that course, and well acquainted with all hiding places from Saul’s time.  In one of them, unknown to us, he will lurk with some of his chosen men, and lie in ambush for us; and when they see a fit opportunity, they will suddenly come forth and surprise some of our men when they least expect it, and fall upon them with great fury, and probably will at first put them to flight.

[And when whatever on will have fallen at the beginning, וְהָיָ֗ה כִּנְפֹ֤ל בָּהֶם֙ בַּתְּחִלָּ֔ה]  When they will have fallen upon those at the beginning (Pagnine, thus the Septuagint).  When thy men will have happened upon those placed occupied by David, or upon David himself, etc. (Nobilius).  When thy soldiers will have attacked those in complete readiness for battle (Vatablus).  Now, if (or therefore, when [Arabic]) we run upon them as previously (Syriac, similarly the Arabic); when they will have fallen of those (or among them [Jonathan], understanding, some [Junius and Tremellius, thus Munster]) in or at the beginning (Junius and Tremellius, Munster), or at the first engagement (Tigurinus).

Some of them, to wit, of Absalom’s men sent against David.  Overthrown at the first; implying that their good success at first would mightily animate David’s men to proceed vigorously in the fight, and intimidate Absalom’s army, and consequently would be both a presage and an occasion of their total defeat.  Whosoever heareth it  will say; they who first hear these ill tidings will propagate it, and strike terror with it into the rest of the army.

[A wound has been made, etc.]  He was wishing that which Tacitus said, Histories 2, that, as the beginning of the war had gone forth, so would the report be thereafter (Grotius).  The first battle, of what sort it may be, will seem a certain prelude of the entire contest (Martyr).  In war, trade, and navigation, men are wont to draw conclusion about the future from how things begin (Sanchez).

Verse 10:[15]  And he also that is valiant, whose heart is as the heart of a lion, shall utterly (Josh. 2:11) melt:  for all Israel knoweth that thy father is a mighty man, and they which be with him are valiant men.

[And the mightiest man]  Hebrew:  He himself also a man of might[16] (Vatablus), or of strength (Piscator).  Whatever mightiest man, or even Ahithophel himself, who gives this counsel (Menochius), although incredibly mighty, shall tremble (Vatablus).

For all Israel knoweth, etc.:  The known fame of the prodigious valour of David and his followers will easily gain credit to that report, and strike the stoutest of our men with dread, even Ahithophel himself, if he should go with them.

Verse 11:[17]  Therefore I counsel that all Israel be generally gathered unto thee, (Judg. 20:1) from Dan even to Beersheba, (Gen. 22:17) as the sand that is by the sea for multitude; and that thou go to battle in thine own person (Heb. that thy face, or presence,[18] go, etc.).

[But this, etc., ‎כִּ֣י יָעַ֗צְתִּי]  Because I have counseled (Montanus); but I counsel (Pagnine) [similarly most interpreters]; but I would counsel (Tigurinus Notes); thus I counsel, with כִּי/that/because in the place of כֵּי/thus (Mariana).

[Let all Israel be gathered as the sand, etc.]  What is he driving at in his counsel?  A dilation of the time; he does not want David to be pressed speedily, lest he be unprepared.  He says this, I counsel a different thing:  I do not say, Let it be done by night; let it be delayed, let us fight securely, let us not expose ourselves to the hazards of fortune (Martyr).  In gathering let it be gathered, that is, let it be gathered with all speed (Vatablus).

That all Israel be generally gathered, etc.:  His pretence was, that they might have a far greater army, and make sure though slow work; his design was to gain David more time, that he might increase his army, and make better provisions for the battle; and that the present heat of the people might be cooled, and they might at last bethink themselves of their duty to David, and return to their former allegiance.

[Thou shalt be in the midst of them, ‎וּפָנֶ֥יךָ הֹלְכִ֖ים בַּקְרָֽב׃]  And thy faces going in the conflict[19] (Montanus); let them proceed (go [Tigurinus Notes]) to the battle (Munster); going to the approach, that is, to war (Mariana).  And let thy face go to war (Pagnine); and thy face proceeding in the midst of them (Septuagint); let thee thyself be present in the conflict (Tigurinus, Vatablus).  Thy presence is necessary in the battle; for thus the people will be bolder (Munster).  The soldiers are going to think more highly of thee, than of Ahithophel (from whom they were not going to receive a reward [Sanchez]), and thou couldest more readily meet all difficulties (Tirinus nearly out of Sanchez).  Just how much the appearance of the Emperor adds in wars, all annals teach.  See Pliny’s[20] Panegyric on Trajan, and Onasander’s The Strategist[21] (Sanchez).  Also, the victory will be ascribed to thee, not to thine officer.  Meanwhile, the destruction of Absalom is sought; for, if he is present, then he may be killed.  He teaches him to trust in a multitude:  in which a curse lurks.  No mention is made of divine help.  All things are Thrasonic[22] (Martyr), and accommodated to the vain nature of that infatuated youth (Sanchez).

That thou go to battle in thine own person; for thy presence will put more life and courage into all thy soldiers, who will be ambitious to show their utmost skill and courage in defending thy person and cause, when they know that all their actions are observed by him who hath the distribution of rewards and punishments in his hands.  So mayst thou also give counsel as occasion offers, and encourage thy men to kill David, which otherwise they may possibly be afraid to do.  Besides, the glory of the victory will be wholly thine, which now Ahithophel seeks to get to himself.

Verse 12:[23]  So shall we come upon him in some place where he shall be found, and we will light upon him as the dew falleth on the ground:  and of him and of all the men that are with him there shall not be left so much as one.

[And we will overspread him, ‎וְנַ֣חְנוּ עָלָ֔יו]  And we will encamp upon (or against [Vatablus]) him (Montanus, Septuagint), from חָנָה, to encamp (certain interpreters in Vatablus); let us besiege him (Syriac, similarly the Arabic); and we will light upon him (Jonathan); we will rush upon him (Pagnine, Junius and Tremellius); and let us advantageously sally upon him (Junius and Tremellius); and let us rest (we will rest [Vatablus]) upon him (Junius, Piscator), from נוּח, to rest, that is, we will occupy, we will overwhelm, him, either unexpectedly, or with the multitude (Vatablus).  [Perhaps ְנַחְנוּ is in the place of אֲנַחְנוּ/we, which is wont to happen; so that it might be emphatically stated, and we upon him, understanding, will be, or will fall.]  And we will overspread him; thus Claudius Marcellus in his declamation for the three hundred at Thermopylæ, They shall not conquer, but rather overwhelm, us.[24]  And the flatterers of Xerxes,[25] …with that crowd Greece could not only be conquered, but overwhelmed, Seneca the Younger’s Concerning Benefits 6:31 (Grotius).

[As the dew]  The little drops of which are innumerable (Menochius).

As the dew falleth on the ground, that is, plenteously, suddenly, irresistibly, and on all sides; for so the dew falls.

Verse 13:[26]  Moreover, if he be gotten into a city, then shall all Israel bring ropes to that city, and we will draw it into the river, until there be not one small stone found there.

[All Israel shall surround that city with ropes]  Hebrew:  they shall bring or lift up ropes[27] (Munster), that is, siege engines of war, whether those for climbing or those for demolishing, drawn by ropes (Malvenda out of Junius).  They shall bring ropes, namely, to erect the military machines, many of which are constructed with ropes (Martyr).  The ropes, chains, and counterpoise of the catapults, Tacitus’ Histories 3 (Grotius).  Either it is Hyperbole, which the Hebrews call גוזמא/guzma (Munster).  This was said with military ostentation (Malvenda).  He speaks all things dramatically and most magnificently, so that he might commend his counsel to that ambitious youth.  Or חֲבָלִים signifies battalions or troops, as in 1 Samuel 10.[28]  Thus the sense shall be:  we shall bring up the cohorts from every side of the city (Martyr).  Squadrons shall surround it (Jonathan in Munster).

Then shall all Israel bring ropes to that city; not that they should do so, or that it was the custom to do so; but it is an hyperbolical and thrasonical expression, suited to the vain-glorious temper of this insolent young man; and therefore most likely to prevail with him; implying that they would do so if they could not discover and destroy him another way; or that they should be enough to do so, if there were occasion.

[We will draw it into the river[29] (thus Montanus, Pagnine, etc.)]  That is, into the trenches of the city.  Those are generally filled with water (Martyr).  Unto the river (Junius and Tremellius); I translate it, a certain river.  The article ה here has the force of an indefinite pronoun (Piscator).  By the labor of so many hands, we will easily carry all the remainders or ashes of the ruin to the river, in such a way that they are carried off to the sea, never to be seen again (Grotius).  It is the proverbial and hyperbolic boasting of vain-glorious soldiers; which sort is found in Isaiah 7:6, and let us make a breach in it (Judah) for us (Tirinus out of Sanchez).  Thus he expresses the ease and gravity of the overthrow, as in 1 Kings 20:10 (Malvenda out of Junius).  ‎אֹתוֹ/it is masculine, while ‎עִיר/city is feminine.  For which reason, Kimchi understands מִגְדָּל/tower (Martyr).

We will draw it into the river, adjoining to the city; it being usual to build cities near some river, both for defence, and for other accommodations.

[So that not even a pebble, ‎צְרוֹר]  A little stone (Montanus, Pagnine, Piscator), so called from צָרַר, to bind up, because a little stone is bound up in a shoe and distresses[30] the foot (Piscator).  Similar hyperboles occur elsewhere, as in Ezekiel 26:4, I will scrape her dust, etc.; in Matthew 24:2, there shall not be left a stone upon a stone (Piscator).

[Of it, ‎שָׁם [31]]  There, that is, in that city; or in that river; for rivers are wont to abound in stones (Piscator).

Verse 14:[32]  And Absalom and all the men of Israel said, The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel.  For (2 Sam. 15:31, 34) the LORD had appointed (Heb. commanded[33]) to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, to the intent that the LORD might bring evil upon Absalom.

Absalom and all the men of Israel were infatuated by a Divine power, and given up to believe lies and mistakes.

[At the beck of the Lord the advantageous counsel of Ahithophel was broken, ‎וַיהוָ֣ה צִוָּ֗ה לְהָפֵ֞ר אֶת־עֲצַ֤ת אֲחִיתֹ֙פֶל֙ הַטּוֹבָ֔ה]  And the Lord had ordered (Montanus, Vatablus, Piscator), understanding, either the angels (Vatablus), or Hushai, to give such counsel; that is, He had instilled in his mind, and had urged to it.  A Metaphor (Piscator).  He had foreordained (Junius and Tremellius) (He ordered [Septuagint and Jonathan in Mariana], that is, He willed, provided for [Mariana]) to break (to destroy [Pagnine], to make ineffective [Junius and Tremellius, Piscator]) Ahithophel’s good counsel (Montanus, Pagnine).  Scripture speaks in a human manner; it calls it good, that is, an apt and useful means to accomplish that which was proposed (Martyr, similarly Junius, Malvenda).  Well does Ammianus[34] say, Matters Conducted 14, with the Fates interjecting their hand, the senses of men are dulled and blunted.  Thus Homer:  …Τῷ δὲ φρένας ἐξέλετο Ζεὺς, Zeus withheld perception from him (Grotius).  Ahithophel had given two suggestions, 1.  that he violate the wives of his father, and, 2.  this of which we speak.  God did not break the former, because He had determined to punish David by a penalty in kind.  He breaks the other, because He decreed that David would not be killed by them.  Therefore, God impedes counsels as they either make or not against His own decrees.  This is a great consolation to the pious.  We see here that the hearts of kings are in the hand of God;[35] the providence of God is exceedingly broad; it mixed itself with all things (Martyr).

The Lord had appointed to defeat the good counsel; so it was, politically considered; being the wisest and most effectual course to accomplish Absalom’s end.

[1] Hebrew:  ‎וַ֙יֹּאמֶר֙ אַבְשָׁל֔וֹם קְרָ֣א נָ֔א גַּ֖ם לְחוּשַׁ֣י הָאַרְכִּ֑י וְנִשְׁמְעָ֥ה מַה־בְּפִ֖יו גַּם־הֽוּא׃

[2] Hebrew:  מַה־בְּפִיו.

[3] Hebrew:  ‎וַיָּבֹ֣א חוּשַׁי֘ אֶל־אַבְשָׁלוֹם֒ וַיֹּאמֶר֩ אַבְשָׁל֙וֹם אֵלָ֜יו לֵאמֹ֗ר כַּדָּבָ֤ר הַזֶּה֙ דִּבֶּ֣ר אֲחִיתֹ֔פֶל הֲנַעֲשֶׂ֖ה אֶת־דְּבָר֑וֹ אִם־אַ֖יִן אַתָּ֥ה דַבֵּֽר׃ ס

[4] Hebrew:  ‎דְּבָרוֹ.

[5] Hebrew:  ‎וַיֹּ֥אמֶר חוּשַׁ֖י אֶל־אַבְשָׁל֑וֹם לֹֽא־טוֹבָ֧ה הָעֵצָ֛ה אֲשֶׁר־יָעַ֥ץ אֲחִיתֹ֖פֶל בַּפַּ֥עַם הַזֹּֽאת׃

[6] Hebrew:  ‎יָעַץ.

[7] Horace’s Poetic Art 1:359.

[8] Hebrew: ‎וַיֹּ֣אמֶר חוּשַׁ֗י אַתָּ֣ה יָ֠דַעְתָּ אֶת־אָבִ֙יךָ וְאֶת־אֲנָשָׁ֜יו כִּ֧י גִבֹּרִ֣ים הֵ֗מָּה וּמָרֵ֥י נֶ֙פֶשׁ֙ הֵ֔מָּה כְּדֹ֥ב שַׁכּ֖וּל בַּשָּׂדֶ֑ה וְאָבִ֙יךָ֙ אִ֣ישׁ מִלְחָמָ֔ה וְלֹ֥א יָלִ֖ין אֶת־הָעָֽם׃

[9] Hebrew:  ‎וּמָרֵ֥י נֶ֙פֶשׁ֙.

[10] Judges 18:25:  “And the children of Dan said unto him, Let not thy voice be heard among us, lest angry fellows (‎אֲנָשִׁים֙ מָ֣רֵי נֶ֔פֶשׁ, men bitter of soul) run upon thee, and thou lose thy life, with the lives of thy household.”

[11] Martial’s Epigrams 6:64.

[12] The Hiphil frequently conveys a causative sense.

[13] Hebrew: ‎הִנֵּ֙ה עַתָּ֤ה הֽוּא־נֶחְבָּא֙ בְּאַחַ֣ת הַפְּחָתִ֔ים א֖וֹ בְּאַחַ֣ד הַמְּקוֹמֹ֑ת וְהָיָ֗ה כִּנְפֹ֤ל בָּהֶם֙ בַּתְּחִלָּ֔ה וְשָׁמַ֤ע הַשֹּׁמֵ֙עַ֙ וְאָמַ֔ר הָֽיְתָה֙ מַגֵּפָ֔ה בָּעָ֕ם אֲשֶׁ֖ר אַחֲרֵ֥י אַבְשָׁלֹֽם׃

[14] Hebrew:  ‎כִּנְפֹל.

[15] Hebrew: ‎וְה֣וּא גַם־בֶּן־חַ֗יִל אֲשֶׁ֥ר לִבּ֛וֹ כְּלֵ֥ב הָאַרְיֵ֖ה הִמֵּ֣ס יִמָּ֑ס כִּֽי־יֹדֵ֤עַ כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ כִּי־גִבּ֣וֹר אָבִ֔יךָ וּבְנֵי־חַ֖יִל אֲשֶׁ֥ר אִתּֽוֹ׃

[16] Hebrew:  וְה֣וּא גַם־בֶּן־חַ֗יִל.

[17] Hebrew: ‎כִּ֣י יָעַ֗צְתִּי הֵ֠אָסֹף יֵאָסֵ֙ף עָלֶ֤יךָ כָל־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ מִדָּן֙ וְעַד־בְּאֵ֣ר שֶׁ֔בַע כַּח֥וֹל אֲשֶׁר־עַל־הַיָּ֖ם לָרֹ֑ב וּפָנֶ֥יךָ הֹלְכִ֖ים בַּקְרָֽב׃

[18] Hebrew:  ‎וּפָנֶ֥יךָ הֹלְכִ֖ים.

[19] A woodenly literal rendering.

[20] Gaius Plinius Cæcilius Secundus (61-112), or Pliny the Younger, was a lawyer and natural philosopher, eventually serving as imperial governor of Bithynia-Pontus.

[21] Onasander was a first century AD Greek philosopher.  His commentary on Plato’s Republic is lost, but his Strategikos survives, and preserves rare material on Greek military matters.

[22] Thraso is a boastful soldier in Terence’s The Eunuch.

[23] Hebrew: ‎וּבָ֣אנוּ אֵלָ֗יו בְּאַחַ֤ת הַמְּקוֹמֹת֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נִמְצָ֣א שָׁ֔ם וְנַ֣חְנוּ עָלָ֔יו כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר יִפֹּ֥ל הַטַּ֖ל עַל־הָאֲדָמָ֑ה וְלֹֽא־נ֥וֹתַר בּ֛וֹ וּבְכָל־הָאֲנָשִׁ֥ים אֲשֶׁר־אִתּ֖וֹ גַּם־אֶחָֽד׃

[24] Seneca the Elder’s Controversies 2.  Lucius Annæus Seneca, or the Elder (c. 54 BC-c. 39 AD) was a Roman rhetorician.

[25] Xerxes I was the King of the Persians from 486 to 465 BC.

[26] Hebrew:  ‎וְאִם־אֶל־עִיר֙ יֵֽאָסֵ֔ף וְהִשִּׂ֧יאוּ כָֽל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל אֶל־הָעִ֥יר הַהִ֖יא חֲבָלִ֑ים וְסָחַ֤בְנוּ אֹתוֹ֙ עַד־הַנַּ֔חַל עַ֛ד אֲשֶֽׁר־לֹא־נִמְצָ֥א שָׁ֖ם גַּם־צְרֽוֹר׃ פ

[27] Hebrew:  ‎חֲבָלִ֑ים—וְהִשִּׂ֧יאוּ.

[28] 1 Samuel 10:5, 10:  “After that thou shalt come to the hill of God, where is the garrison of the Philistines:  and it shall come to pass, when thou art come thither to the city, that thou shalt meet a company (‎חֶבֶל) of prophets coming down from the high place with a psaltery, and a tabret, and a pipe, and a harp, before them; and they shall prophesy….  And when they came thither to the hill, behold, a company (‎חֶבֶל) of prophets met him; and the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied among them.”

[29] Hebrew:  ‎וְסָחַ֤בְנוּ אֹתוֹ֙ עַד־הַנַּ֔חַל.

[30] צָרַר can also signify to vex.

[31] 2 Samuel 17:13:  “Moreover, if he be gotten into a city, then shall all Israel bring ropes to that city, and we will draw it into the river, until there be not one small stone found there (‎שָׁם).”

[32] Hebrew:  ‎וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אַבְשָׁלוֹם֙ וְכָל־אִ֣ישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל טוֹבָ֗ה עֲצַת֙ חוּשַׁ֣י הָאַרְכִּ֔י מֵעֲצַ֖ת אֲחִיתֹ֑פֶל וַיהוָ֣ה צִוָּ֗ה לְהָפֵ֞ר אֶת־עֲצַ֤ת אֲחִיתֹ֙פֶל֙ הַטּוֹבָ֔ה לְבַעֲב֗וּר הָבִ֧יא יְהוָ֛ה אֶל־אַבְשָׁל֖וֹם אֶת־הָרָעָֽה׃ ס

[33] Hebrew:  צִוָּה.

[34] Ammianus Marcellinus (c. 330-c. 390) was Roman noble, soldier, and historian.  His Res Gestæ covered the period of Roman history from the reign of Nerva in 96 to the Battle of Adrianople in 378; unhappily, only the last portion (353-378) survives.

[35] Proverbs 21:1.