2 Samuel 15:31

¶ 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.

And one told {H5046} David {H1732}, saying {H559}, Ahithophel {H302} is among the conspirators {H7194} with Absalom {H53}. And David {H1732} said {H559}, O LORD {H3068}, I pray thee, turn the counsel {H6098} of Ahithophel {H302} into foolishness {H5528}.

One of them told David, "Achitofel is among the conspirators with Avshalom." David said, "ADONAI, please! Turn Achitofel's advice into foolishness!"

Now someone told David: “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” So David pleaded, “O LORD, please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness!”

And one told David, saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. And David said, O Jehovah, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.

Commentary

2 Samuel 15:31 captures a pivotal moment during Absalom's rebellion against his father, King David. This verse reveals David's immediate and profound reaction to the devastating news that Ahithophel, his trusted and highly esteemed counselor, had joined the ranks of the conspirators.

Context

King David was in flight from Jerusalem, having evacuated the city to avoid direct conflict with his rebellious son, Absalom. The rebellion had gained significant momentum, drawing many Israelites to Absalom's side. The news that Ahithophel, whose counsel was so highly regarded it was "as if one had inquired at the oracle of God" (2 Samuel 16:23), had defected was a severe blow. Ahithophel's strategic brilliance posed a unique and formidable threat to David's survival and the stability of his kingdom. This betrayal by a close confidant would have been deeply painful, echoing the lament found in Psalm 55:12-14.

Key Themes

  • Betrayal and Trust: Ahithophel's defection highlights the painful reality of betrayal, even from those in positions of trust and closeness. It underscores the fragility of human loyalty.
  • The Power of Prayer: David's immediate response is not panic or strategic planning, but fervent prayer. He turns to God, demonstrating his profound reliance on divine intervention in the face of overwhelming odds. This exemplifies a deep faith in God's ability to alter circumstances.
  • Divine Sovereignty Over Human Wisdom: David's request, "turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness," reveals his conviction that God's will can override even the most astute human strategies. No human wisdom or plan, no matter how clever, is beyond God's power to confound.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word for "counsel" here is 'etsah (עֵצָה), which signifies advice, strategy, or a plan. Ahithophel's counsel was known for its shrewdness and effectiveness. David's prayer asks God to transform this highly regarded advice into sikhluth (סִכְלֻת), meaning "foolishness" or "absurdity." This isn't just about making the advice ineffective, but rendering it utterly senseless or self-defeating, thereby causing the conspirators to stumble.

Practical Application

This verse offers a powerful lesson for believers today. When faced with seemingly insurmountable challenges, shrewd adversaries, or deep betrayals, our first recourse should be prayer. David's example teaches us to:

  • Pray Immediately: In moments of crisis, turn to God without delay.
  • Trust God's Sovereignty: Recognize that God can intervene in any situation, no matter how dire, and can make the wisdom of the world appear foolish.
  • Rely on Divine Wisdom: Instead of relying solely on human ingenuity or despairing over difficult circumstances, seek God's guiding hand and trust His ultimate plan for your life and situations. The subsequent narrative in 2 Samuel 17:14 shows how God indeed answered David's prayer through Hushai's counter-counsel.
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Cross-References

  • 2 Samuel 17:23 (10 votes)

    And when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled [his] ass, and arose, and gat him home to his house, to his city, and put his household in order, and hanged himself, and died, and was buried in the sepulchre of his father.

  • 2 Samuel 17:14 (10 votes)

    And Absalom and all the men of Israel said, The counsel of Hushai the Archite [is] better than the counsel of Ahithophel. For the LORD had appointed to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, to the intent that the LORD might bring evil upon Absalom.

  • Psalms 41:9 (8 votes)

    Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up [his] heel against me.

  • James 3:15 (8 votes)

    This wisdom descendeth not from above, but [is] earthly, sensual, devilish.

  • Isaiah 19:11 (6 votes)

    Surely the princes of Zoan [are] fools, the counsel of the wise counsellors of Pharaoh is become brutish: how say ye unto Pharaoh, I [am] the son of the wise, the son of ancient kings?

  • Isaiah 19:25 (6 votes)

    Whom the LORD of hosts shall bless, saying, Blessed [be] Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel mine inheritance.

  • 2 Samuel 16:23 (6 votes)

    And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counselled in those days, [was] as if a man had enquired at the oracle of God: so [was] all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom.