2 Samuel17

Ahithophel advises Absalom to immediately pursue David with twelve thousand men to kill only the king, a plan initially pleasing to Absalom. However, Hushai the Archite offers counter-counsel, urging Absalom to gather all Israel and personally lead a massive army, which Absalom accepts, a decision divinely influenced to defeat Ahithophel's plan. Hushai then sends a warning to David, who swiftly crosses the Jordan, leading to Ahithophel's suicide upon the rejection of his counsel.

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Ahithophel Counsels Immediate Pursuit

Furthermore, Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Let me choose twelve thousand men and set out tonight in pursuit of David.

I will attack him while he is weak and weary; I will throw him into a panic, and all the people with him will flee; I will strike down only the king

and bring all the people back to you as a bride returning to her husband. You seek the life of only one man; then all the people will be at peace.”

This proposal seemed good to Absalom and all the elders of Israel.

Hushai's Counter-Counsel

Then Absalom said, “Summon Hushai the Archite as well, and let us hear what he too has to say.”

So Hushai came to Absalom, who told him, “Ahithophel has spoken this proposal. Should we carry it out? If not, what do you say?”

Hushai replied, “This time the advice of Ahithophel is not sound.”

He continued, “You know your father and his men. They are mighty men, and as fierce as a wild bear robbed of her cubs. Moreover, your father is a man of war who will not spend the night with the troops.

Surely by now he is hiding in a cave or some other location. If some of your troops fall first, whoever hears of it will say, ‘There has been a slaughter among the troops who follow Absalom.’

Then even the most valiant soldier with the heart of a lion will melt with fear, because all Israel knows that your father is a mighty man who has valiant men with him.

Instead, I advise that all Israel from Dan to Beersheba—a multitude like the sand on the seashore—be gathered to you, and that you yourself lead them into battle.

Then we will attack David wherever we find him, and we will descend on him like dew on the ground. And of all the men with him, not even one will remain.

If he retreats to a city, all Israel will bring ropes to that city, and we will drag it down to the valley until not even a pebble can be found.”

Then Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The advice of Hushai the Archite is better than that of Ahithophel.” For the LORD had purposed to thwart the good counsel of Ahithophel in order to bring disaster on Absalom.

The Warning is Delivered to David

So Hushai told Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, “This is what Ahithophel has advised Absalom and the elders of Israel, and this is what I have advised.

Now send quickly and tell David, ‘Do not spend the night at the fords of the wilderness, but be sure to cross over. Otherwise the king and all the people with him will be swallowed up.’”

Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz were staying at En-rogel, where a servant girl would come and pass along information to them. They in turn would go and inform King David, for they dared not be seen entering the city.

But a young man did see them and told Absalom. So the two left quickly and came to the house of a man in Bahurim. He had a well in his courtyard, and they climbed down into it.

Then the man’s wife took a covering and spread it over the mouth of the well, scattering grain over it so nobody would know a thing.

When Absalom’s servants came to the woman at the house, they asked, “Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?” “They have crossed over the brook,” she replied. The men searched but did not find them, so they returned to Jerusalem.

After the men had gone, Ahimaaz and Jonathan climbed up out of the well and went to inform King David, saying, “Get up and cross over the river at once, for Ahithophel has given this advice against you.”

So David and all the people with him got up and crossed the Jordan. By daybreak, there was no one left who had not crossed the Jordan.

Ahithophel Commits Suicide

When Ahithophel saw that his advice had not been followed, he saddled his donkey and set out for his house in his hometown. He put his affairs in order and hanged himself. So he died and was buried in his father’s tomb.

David Finds Refuge East of Jordan

Then David went to Mahanaim, and Absalom crossed the Jordan with all the men of Israel.

Absalom had appointed Amasa over the army in place of Joab. Amasa was the son of a man named Ithra, the Ishmaelite who had married Abigail, the daughter of Nahash and sister of Zeruiah the mother of Joab.

So the Israelites and Absalom camped in the land of Gilead.

When David came to Mahanaim, he was met by Shobi son of Nahash from Rabbah of the Ammonites, Machir son of Ammiel from Lo-debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim.

They brought beds, basins, and earthen vessels, as well as wheat, barley, flour, roasted grain, beans, lentils,

honey, curds, sheep, and cheese from the herd for David and his people to eat. For they said, “The people have become hungry, exhausted, and thirsty in the wilderness.”

Study Notes for 2 Samuel 17

Verse 1

Ahithophel’s plan was militarily sound and decisive, focusing on eliminating David quickly before he could organize resistance. He understood that the rebellion depended entirely on the rapid removal of the king.

Verse 2

The strategy was to 'smite the king only,' ensuring minimal bloodshed among the Israelite population and guaranteeing a swift, peaceful transition of power to Absalom.

Verse 4

The immediate acceptance of Ahithophel’s counsel highlights its perceived wisdom and urgency. By seeking a second opinion (v. 5), Absalom displays a fatal indecision that ultimately costs him the throne.

Verse 5

Absalom calls for Hushai, David’s loyal spy, demonstrating his vanity. He wants consensus and validation, failing to recognize that Ahithophel's counsel was the only path to swift victory.

Verse 8

Hushai uses powerful rhetoric, appealing to Absalom’s pride while simultaneously elevating David’s reputation as a fearsome warrior. The comparison to a 'bear robbed of her whelps' emphasizes David’s dangerous desperation.

Verse 11

Hushai’s plan for slow, massive mobilization from Dan to Beersheba was designed to waste time and allow David the crucial opportunity to escape across the Jordan and prepare his forces.

Verse 14

This verse is the theological key to the chapter. The success of Hushai’s inferior advice was due to divine intervention; God actively worked to defeat Ahithophel’s 'good counsel' and bring disaster upon Absalom, fulfilling the prophecies against David's house.

Verse 15

Hushai immediately relays both counsels to the priests, Zadok and Abiathar, who were vital participants in the intelligence network established earlier by David (2 Sam 15:27).

Verse 17

Jonathan and Ahimaaz, the priests' sons, waited at Enrogel (a spring outside the city walls) to receive the message covertly, as entering Jerusalem would have exposed them as spies.

Verse 21

The message emphasizes the urgency of Ahithophel's original plan, confirming that David’s immediate flight was necessary to prevent his immediate defeat and death.

Verse 23

Ahithophel realized that if his counsel was rejected, Absalom was doomed, and he himself would face execution by David. His suicide fulfills the prayer David offered in 2 Samuel 15:31, confirming his reputation as a man whose advice was ruined by divine decree.

Verse 24

By crossing the Jordan River, David gained a natural defensive barrier and strategic ground, moving his forces toward the territory of Gilead, a region known for its loyalty to the house of Saul and David.

Verse 25

Absalom's decision to appoint Amasa, his cousin, as commander instead of Joab (David’s established general) further demonstrates his political maneuvering but sacrifices military experience for personal loyalty. Amasa was related to both David and Joab through their mother/sister, Abigail/Zeruiah.

Verse 27

Upon reaching Mahanaim, David immediately receives crucial support. Shobi, Machir, and Barzillai represent vital loyalists, some of whom had previously shown kindness to the house of Saul, now extending aid to David in his time of need.

Verse 29

The detailed list of provisions emphasizes the dire condition of David’s followers—hungry, weary, and thirsty—and underscores the immense generosity and practical loyalty displayed by the people of Gilead.

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2 Samuel17

Ahithophel Counsels Immediate Pursuit

Hushai's Counter-Counsel

The Warning is Delivered to David

Ahithophel Commits Suicide

David Finds Refuge East of Jordan

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