2 Samuel 16:20--17:1

16:20 Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give us your advice. What should we do?” 16:21 Ahithophel replied to Absalom, “Have sex with ¹  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.” ²  16:22 So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, ³  and Absalom had sex with ⁴  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. ⁵  Both David and Absalom highly regarded the advice of Ahithophel. ⁶ 

The Death of Ahithophel

17:1 Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Let me pick out twelve thousand men. Then I will go and pursue David this very night.

2 Samuel 17:14

17:14 Then Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The advice of Hushai the Arkite sounds better than the advice of Ahithophel.” Now the Lord had decided ⁷  to frustrate the sound advice of Ahithophel, so that the Lord could bring disaster on Absalom.

Matthew 26:3-4

26:3 Then the chief priests and the elders of the people met together in the palace of the high priest, who was named Caiaphas. 26:4 They ⁸  planned to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him.

Matthew 27:1-2

Jesus Brought Before Pilate

27:1 When ⁹  it was early in the morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people plotted against Jesus to execute him. 27:2 They ¹⁰  tied him up, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate ¹¹  the governor. ¹² 

Acts 4:27-28

4:27 “For indeed both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, assembled together in this city against ¹³  your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, ¹⁴  4:28 to do as much as your power ¹⁵  and your plan ¹⁶  had decided beforehand ¹⁷  would happen.

[16:21]  ¹ tn Heb “go to”; NAB “have (+ sexual NCV) relations with”; TEV “have intercourse with”; NLT “Go and sleep with.”

[16:21]  ² tn Heb “and the hands of all who are with you will be strengthened.”

[16:22]  ³ sn That is, on top of the flat roof of the palace, so it would be visible to the public.

[16:22]  ⁴ 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]  ⁵ 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]  ⁶ tn Heb “So was all the advice of Ahithophel, also to David, also to Absalom.”

[17:14]  ⁷ tn Heb “commanded.”

[26:4]  ⁸ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.

[27:1]  ⁹ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[27:2]  ¹⁰ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.

[27:2]  ¹¹ tc Most mss (A C W Θ 0250 Ë^1,13 Ï latt) have Ποντίῳ (Pontiw, “Pontius”) before Πιλάτῳ (Pilatw, “Pilate”), but there seems to be no reason for omitting the tribal name, either intentionally or unintentionally. Adding “Pontius,” however, is a natural expansion on the text, and is in keeping with several other NT and patristic references to the Roman governor (cf. Luke 3:1; Acts 4:27; 1 Tim 6:13; Ign. Magn. 11.1; Ign. Trall. 9.1; Ign. Smyrn. 1.2; Justin Martyr, passim). The shorter reading, supported by א B L 0281 33 pc co, is thus strongly preferred.

[27:2]  ¹² sn The Jews most assuredly wanted to put Jesus to death, but they lacked the authority to do so. For this reason they handed him over to Pilate in hopes of securing a death sentence. The Romans kept close control of the death penalty in conquered territories to prevent it from being used to execute Roman sympathizers.

[4:27]  ¹³ sn The application of Ps 2:1-2 is that Jews and Gentiles are opposing Jesus. The surprise of the application is that Jews are now found among the enemies of God’s plan.

[4:27]  ¹⁴ sn A wordplay on “Christ,” v. 26, which means “one who has been anointed.”

[4:28]  ¹⁵ tn Grk “hand,” here a metaphor for God’s strength or power or authority.

[4:28]  ¹⁶ tn Or “purpose,” “will.”

[4:28]  ¹⁷ tn Or “had predestined.” Since the term “predestine” is something of a technical theological term, not in wide usage in contemporary English, the translation “decide beforehand” was used instead (see L&N 30.84). God’s direction remains as the major theme.