How many times is Ahithophel mentioned in the Bible?
The word Ahithophel appears 20 times in the King James Version, in 17 verses. It is found in 2 of the 66 books. The World English Bible uses Ahithophel 20 times.
Ahithophel in the King James Version and the World English Bible
Each form of Ahithophel counted in each translation.
| Form | KJV | WEB |
|---|---|---|
| Ahithophel | 20 | 20 |
| Total | 20 | 20 |
What the name Ahithophel means
Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary glosses Ahithophel as "brother of ruin or folly".
This is the 1869 traditional meaning; modern scholars often read names differently.
See every name and place with its meaning and count on Bible names and their meanings.
Source: Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary (1869), checked 2026-10-22.
Which books mention Ahithophel most
Ahithophel appears in 2 books of the 66 in the King James Version. 2 Samuel has the most (18), then 1 Chronicles (2).
First and last mention of Ahithophel
And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counsellor, from his city, even from Giloh, while he offered sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong; for the people increased continually with Absalom.
And after Ahithophel was Jehoiada the son of Benaiah, and Abiathar: and the general of the king’s army was Joab.
The verse that uses it most is 2 Samuel 15:31, 2 times (tied with 2 Samuel 16:23, 2 Samuel 17:14):
And one told David, saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. And David said, O LORD, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.
Common questions
How many times is Ahithophel in the Old Testament and the New Testament?
In the King James Version, counting every form, 20 of the 20 uses are in the Old Testament and 0 in the New Testament. Ahithophel appears in 2 books of the 66 in the King James Version. 2 Samuel has the most (18), then 1 Chronicles (2).
Where is Ahithophel first mentioned in the Bible?
The first use in the King James Version is 2 Samuel 15:12: "And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counsellor, from his city, even from Giloh, while he offered sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong; for the people increased continually with Absalom." The last is 1 Chronicles 27:34.
What does the name Ahithophel mean in the Bible?
Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary glosses Ahithophel as "brother of ruin or folly".
More word counts: Obadiah, Joel, Michal, Nabal, Omri, Abigail, Athaliah, Naaman, or all 484 words.
Counted by Bible Says About from the full public-domain text of the King James Version (1769 edition) and the World English Bible. Verse text only: headings and psalm titles are left out. A word is a run of letters: a hyphenated name like Beer-sheba counts as two, and an apostrophe stays inside its word (LORD'S is one). Matching ignores capital letters. Data compiled 2026-10-22.