a scribe] Not the chief scribe; compare xviii. 16, note.
with the king’s sons] As tutor; compare 2 Kings x. 6.
³³and Ahithophel was the king’s counsellor: and Hushai the Archite was the king’s friend:
33. Ahithophel] See 2 Samuel xv. 31; xvi. 20–xvii. 23.
Hushai] See 2 Samuel xv. 32–37, xvi. 16–19, xvii. 5–16.
Archite] The “border of the Archites” was near Bethel (Joshua xvi. 2). The word has no connection with the “Arkite” of i. 15.
king’s friend] compare 2 Samuel xvi. 16. “Special titles served to signify the degree of rank the great men held with respect to the king [of Egypt]. In old times the most important were the friend and the well-beloved friend of the king” (Erman, Ancient Egypt, English translation p. 72). The Greek kings of Syria granted similar titles to their chief dependents; compare 1 Maccabees ii. 18 (Revised Version with margin), “thou and thy house shall be in the number of the king’s Friends.”
³⁴and after Ahithophel was Jehoiada the son of Benaiah, and Abiathar: and the captain of the king’s host was Joab.
34. after Ahithophel] Compare verse 33.
Jehoiada the son of Benaiah] Either we must read, “Benaiah the son of Jehoiada” (compare xviii. 17), or we must assume that a person known only from this passage is meant.