2 Samuel 16:19-23

16:19 Moreover, whom should I serve? Should it not be his son? Just as I served your father, so I will serve you.” ¹ 

16:20 Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give us your advice. What should we do?” 16:21 Ahithophel replied to Absalom, “Have sex with ²  your father’s concubines whom he left to care for the palace. All Israel will hear that you have made yourself repulsive to your father. Then your followers will be motivated to support you.” ³  16:22 So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, ⁴  and Absalom had sex with ⁵  his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.

16:23 In those days Ahithophel’s advice was considered as valuable as a prophetic revelation. ⁶  Both David and Absalom highly regarded the advice of Ahithophel. ⁷ 

[16:19]  ¹ tn Heb “Just as I served before your father, so I will be before you.”

[16:21]  ² tn Heb “go to”; NAB “have (+ sexual NCV) relations with”; TEV “have intercourse with”; NLT “Go and sleep with.”

[16:21]  ³ tn Heb “and the hands of all who are with you will be strengthened.”

[16:22]  ⁴ sn That is, on top of the flat roof of the palace, so it would be visible to the public.

[16:22]  ⁵ tn Heb “went to”; NAB “he visited his father’s concubines”; NIV “lay with his father’s concubines”; TEV “went in and had intercourse with.”

[16:23]  ⁶ tn Heb “And the advice of Ahithophel which he advised in those days was as when one inquires of the word of God.”

[16:23]  ⁷ tn Heb “So was all the advice of Ahithophel, also to David, also to Absalom.”