2 Samuel 16:22

So they spread Absalom a tent upon the top of the house; and Absalom went in unto his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel.

So they spread {H5186} Absalom {H53} a tent {H168} upon the top of the house {H1406}; and Absalom {H53} went in {H935} unto his father's {H1} concubines {H6370} in the sight {H5869} of all Israel {H3478}.

So they set up a tent for Avshalom on the roof of the palace; and Avshalom went in to sleep with his father's concubines in the sight of all Isra'el.

So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, and he slept with his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.

So they spread Absalom a tent upon the top of the house; and Absalom went in unto his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.

Commentary

This verse describes a deeply shocking and strategically significant act during Absalom's rebellion against his father, King David. Following the counsel of Ahithophel, Absalom publicly disgraced David by taking his concubines. This act was not merely one of sexual transgression, but a powerful political statement designed to solidify Absalom's claim to the throne and prevent any possibility of reconciliation with his father.

Context

The scene unfolds in Jerusalem, which Absalom has seized after King David was forced to flee (2 Samuel 15:14). Absalom's trusted advisor, Ahithophel, whose counsel was often regarded as divine (2 Samuel 16:23), advised this specific action (2 Samuel 16:21). In ancient Near Eastern cultures, taking possession of a king's harem was a clear and undeniable symbol of having fully usurped his authority and throne. It was a public declaration that Absalom was the new king and that David's reign was definitively over.

Key Themes

  • Usurpation and Public Shame: Absalom's act was a brazen, public display of contempt for his father and a forceful assertion of his own kingship. By defiling David's concubines in the sight of all Israel, Absalom ensured that his rebellion was irreversible and his claim to the throne was undeniable.
  • Fulfillment of Prophecy: This disturbing event is a direct and chilling fulfillment of the prophet Nathan's words to David. After David's sin with Bathsheba and Uriah, Nathan prophesied that God would raise up evil against him from his own household and that his wives would be taken and lie with others in the sight of the sun (2 Samuel 12:11). This verse tragically illustrates the bitter consequences of sin, even for a man after God's own heart.
  • Ahithophel's Strategic Counsel: Ahithophel's advice was politically shrewd, designed to make Absalom's position permanent and eliminate any possibility of David's return or reconciliation. By committing such an egregious and public act, Absalom burned all bridges, forcing his followers to fully commit to his cause.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "upon the top of the house" indicates that the tent was spread on the rooftop, making the act visible to a large number of people. The Hebrew term for "concubines" (pilagshim) refers to secondary wives, often of lower social status than principal wives, but still integral to the king's household and symbolic of his power and legacy. The emphasis on "in the sight of all Israel" underscores the deliberate, public nature of the humiliation and the assertion of Absalom's dominion.

Practical Application

This passage serves as a stark reminder of several timeless truths:

  • The Destructive Power of Sin: It powerfully illustrates how sin, even when repented of, can have long-lasting and painful consequences, impacting families and nations. David's past actions bore bitter fruit in his own household.
  • The Nature of Rebellion and Pride: Absalom's ambition and pride led him to commit unspeakable acts against his own father, demonstrating the corrosive effects of unchecked desire for power.
  • God's Justice and Sovereignty: Even amidst human wickedness and rebellion, God's prophetic word is fulfilled, revealing His ultimate sovereignty and justice.
Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • 2 Samuel 12:11

    Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give [them] unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun.

  • 2 Samuel 12:12

    For thou didst [it] secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.

  • 2 Samuel 15:16

    And the king went forth, and all his household after him. And the king left ten women, [which were] concubines, to keep the house.

  • 2 Samuel 20:3

    And David came to his house at Jerusalem; and the king took the ten women [his] concubines, whom he had left to keep the house, and put them in ward, and fed them, but went not in unto them. So they were shut up unto the day of their death, living in widowhood.

  • Numbers 25:6

    ¶ And, behold, one of the children of Israel came and brought unto his brethren a Midianitish woman in the sight of Moses, and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel, who [were] weeping [before] the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

  • Ezekiel 24:7

    For her blood is in the midst of her; she set it upon the top of a rock; she poured it not upon the ground, to cover it with dust;

  • Jeremiah 8:12

    Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore shall they fall among them that fall: in the time of their visitation they shall be cast down, saith the LORD.
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