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Friday, August 1st, 2025
the Week of Proper 12 / Ordinary 17
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Read the Bible

Contemporary English Version

2 Samuel 16:22

Absalom had a tent set up on the flat roof of the palace, and everyone watched as he went into the tent with his father's wives.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Adultery;   Ahithophel;   House;   Incest;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Houses;   Tents;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Abishag;   Absalom;   Concubine;   Easton Bible Dictionary - House;   King;   Prayer;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - House;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Ahithophel;   Concubine;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - House;   Inheritance;   Marriage;   Samuel, Books of;   Tent;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - House (2);   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Ahithophel ;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Absalom;   Dance;   Dwelling;   Jerusalem;   Smith Bible Dictionary - House;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Hebrew Monarchy, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Crime;   Heir;   House;   Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia - Ahithophel;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - House;   Incest;   Inheritance;   Rizpah;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, and he slept with his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.
Hebrew Names Version
So they spread Avshalom a tent on the top of the house; and Avshalom went in to his father's concubines in the sight of all Yisra'el.
King James Version
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.
Lexham English Bible
Then they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, and he went in to the concubines of his father before the eyes of all Israel.
English Standard Version
So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof. And Absalom went in to his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel.
New Century Version
So they put up a tent for Absalom on the roof of the palace where everyone in Israel could see it. And Absalom had sexual relations with his father's slave women.
New English Translation
So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, and Absalom had sex with his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel.
Amplified Bible
So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof [of the king's palace], and Absalom went in to his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel.
New American Standard Bible
So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, and Absalom had relations with his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel.
Geneva Bible (1587)
So they spread Absalom a tent vpon the top of the house, and Absalom went in to his fathers concubines in the sight of all Israel.
Legacy Standard Bible
So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, and Absalom went in to his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel.
Complete Jewish Bible
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.
Darby Translation
So they spread a tent for Absalom upon the roof; and Absalom went in to his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel.
Easy-to-Read Version
Then they put up a tent for Absalom up on the roof of the house. Absalom had sexual relations with his father's wives so that all the Israelites could see what happened.
George Lamsa Translation
So they pitched a tent for Absalom upon the roof; and Absalom went in to his fathers concubines in the sight of all Israel.
Good News Translation
So they set up a tent for Absalom on the palace roof, and in the sight of everyone Absalom went in and had intercourse with his father's concubines.
Literal Translation
And they spread out a tent for Absalom on the roof. And Absalom went in to his father's concubines before the eyes of all Israel.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Then made they a tente vnto Absalom vpon the house toppe. And Absalom laye with his fathers concubynes in the sighte of all Israel.
American Standard Version
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.
Bible in Basic English
So they put up the tent for Absalom on the top of the house, and Absalom went in to his father's women before the eyes of all Israel.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And so they spread Absalom a tent vpon the toppe of the house, and Absalom went in vnto his fathers concubines in the sight of all Israel.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
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.--
King James Version (1611)
So they spread Absalom a tent vpon the top of the house, and Absalom went in vnto his fathers concubines, in the sight of all Israel.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And they pitched a tent for Abessalom on the roof, and Abessalom went in to his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.
English Revised Version
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.
Berean Standard Bible
So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, and he slept with his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Therfor thei tildeden Absolon a tabernacle in the soler, and he entride to the concubyns of his fadir bifor al Israel.
Young's Literal Translation
And they spread out for Absalom the tent on the roof, and Absalom goeth in unto the concubines of his father before the eyes of all Israel.
Update Bible Version
So they spread Absalom a tent on the top of the house; and Absalom went in to his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel.
Webster's Bible Translation
So they spread Absalom a tent upon the top of the house; and Absalom went in to his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel.
World English Bible
So they spread Absalom a tent on the top of the house; and Absalom went in to his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel.
New King James Version
So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the top of the house, and Absalom went in to his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel.
New Living Translation
So they set up a tent on the palace roof where everyone could see it, and Absalom went in and had sex with his father's concubines.
New Life Bible
So they set up a tent for Absalom on the roof. And Absalom went in to his father's women so that the eyes of all Israel could see.
New Revised Standard
So they pitched a tent for Absalom upon the roof; and Absalom went in to his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And they stretched out for Absolom a tent, upon the house-top, - and Absolom went in unto his father's concubines, in the sight of all Israel.
Douay-Rheims Bible
So they spread a tent for Absalom on the top of the house, and he went in to his father’s concubines before all Israel.
Revised Standard Version
So they pitched a tent for Ab'salom upon the roof; and Ab'salom went in to his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, and Absalom went in to his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel.

Contextual Overview

15 By this time, Absalom, Ahithophel, and the others had reached Jerusalem. 16 David's friend Hushai came to Absalom and said, "Long live the king! Long live the king!" 17 But Absalom asked Hushai, "Is this how you show loyalty to your friend David? Why didn't you go with him?" 18 Hushai answered, "The Lord and the people of Israel have chosen you to be king. I can't leave. I have to stay and serve the one they've chosen. 19 Besides, it seems right for me to serve you, just as I served your father." 20 Absalom turned to Ahithophel and said, "Give us your advice! What should we do?" 21 Ahithophel answered, "Some of your father's wives were left here to take care of the palace. You should have sex with them. Then everyone will find out that you have publicly disgraced your father. This will make you and your followers even more powerful." 22 Absalom had a tent set up on the flat roof of the palace, and everyone watched as he went into the tent with his father's wives. 23 Ahithophel gave such good advice in those days that both Absalom and David thought it came straight from God.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the top: 2 Samuel 11:2

went in: 2 Samuel 12:11, 2 Samuel 12:12, 2 Samuel 15:16, 2 Samuel 20:3, Numbers 25:6, Isaiah 3:9, Jeremiah 3:3, Jeremiah 8:12, Ezekiel 24:7, Philippians 3:19

Reciprocal: Genesis 35:22 - lay with Genesis 38:26 - And he knew Leviticus 18:8 - General Deuteronomy 27:20 - General Judges 19:1 - a concubine 2 Samuel 3:7 - gone in 1 Kings 2:21 - Let Abishag Psalms 55:10 - mischief Psalms 71:4 - out of the Ezekiel 22:10 - discovered 1 Corinthians 5:1 - that one

Gill's Notes on the Bible

So they spread Absalom a tent on the top of the house,.... On the top of his father's palace; this, as houses in Jerusalem and Judea were, was built flat, Deuteronomy 22:8; and it was on the very spot from whence David had a sight of Bathsheba, and conceived an impure lust after her. The Targum renders it, a canopy; which Kimchi describes as consisting of four pillars, upon and round about which curtains were hung:

and Absalom went in unto his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel; they saw the tent or canopy erected, and saw him go into it, and might reasonably conclude he lay with his father's concubines, or half wives, in it; and this being done in so public a manner fulfilled the prophecy, which said it should be done in the sight of the sun, and of all Israel, 2 Samuel 12:11; this shows how corrupt the people of Israel were at this time, at least those that were with Absalom, that there should be none to object to the counsel Ahithophel gave, nor any to remonstrate against the execution of it, but all seemed to look upon it with pleasure; nor even did Hushai, David's friend, oppose it; perhaps he saw it was to no purpose.


 
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