seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
2 Samuel 17:1 Ahithophel said to Absalom, “I would choose twelve thousand men and set out tonight in pursuit of David. 2 I would attack him while he is weary and weak. I would strike him with terror, and then all the people with him will flee. I would strike down only the king 3 and bring all the people back to you. The death of the man you seek will mean the return of all; all the people will be unharmed.” 4 This plan seemed good to Absalom and to all the elders of Israel.
5 But Absalom said, “Summon also Hushai the Arkite, so we can hear what he has to say as well.” 6 When Hushai came to him, Absalom said, “Ahithophel has given this advice. Should we do what he says? If not, give us your opinion.”
7 Hushai replied to Absalom, “The advice Ahithophel has given is not good this time. 8 You know your father and his men; they are fighters, and as fierce as a wild bear robbed of her cubs. Besides, your father is an experienced fighter; he will not spend the night with the troops. 9 Even now, he is hidden in a cave or some other place. If he should attack your troops first, whoever hears about it will say, ‘There has been a slaughter among the troops who follow Absalom.’ 10 Then even the bravest soldier, whose heart is like the heart of a lion, will melt with fear, for all Israel knows that your father is a fighter and that those with him are brave.
11 “So I advise you: Let all Israel, from Dan to Beersheba—as numerous as the sand on the seashore—be gathered to you, with you yourself leading them into battle. 12 Then we will attack him wherever he may be found, and we will fall on him as dew settles on the ground. Neither he nor any of his men will be left alive. 13 If he withdraws into a city, then all Israel will bring ropes to that city, and we will drag it down to the valley until not so much as a pebble is left.”
14 Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The advice of Hushai the Arkite is better than that of Ahithophel.” For the Lord had determined to frustrate the good advice of Ahithophel in order to bring disaster on Absalom.
15 Hushai told Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, “Ahithophel has advised Absalom and the elders of Israel to do such and such, but I have advised them to do so and so. 16 Now send a message at once and tell David, ‘Do not spend the night at the fords in the wilderness; cross over without fail, or the king and all the people with him will be swallowed up.’”
17 Jonathan and Ahimaaz were staying at En Rogel. A female servant was to go and inform them, and they were to go and tell King David, for they could not risk being seen entering the city. 18 But a young man saw them and told Absalom. So the two of them left at once and went to the house of a man in Bahurim. He had a well in his courtyard, and they climbed down into it. 19 His wife took a covering and spread it out over the opening of the well and scattered grain over it. No one knew anything about it.
20 When Absalom’s men came to the woman at the house, they asked, “Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?”
The woman answered them, “They crossed over the brook.” The men searched but found no one, so they returned to Jerusalem.
21 After they had gone, the two climbed out of the well and went to inform King David. They said to him, “Set out and cross the river at once; Ahithophel has advised such and such against you.” 22 So David and all the people with him set out and crossed the Jordan. By daybreak, no one was left who had not crossed the Jordan.
23 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 house in order and then hanged himself. So he died and was buried in his father’s tomb.
Here's the link to the commentary I use.I got more confused when I read the commentary this morning. I would encourage you to follow the link and read it through for yourself.
I started to just skip this part of the chapter, until I realized that Bathsheba's grandfather showed up.
Absalom and the elders were trying to come up with a plan to take David completely out of the picture.
Bathsheba's grandfather, Ahithophel, wanted to do a precision strike and take out David... alone.
Absalom called in Hushai the Arkite to give them a second opinion. Hushai had been David's advisor and now he's posing as one of Absalom's advisors but he's still working for David, as a spy.
Hushai wanted to buy David some time, so he suggested a draft of all the Israelites to go in and wipe out David and all his troops. After all, David was known as a great warrior. Wiping David and all his men out would prove Absalom's waring prowess.
God sided with Hushai. So, God made Absalom choose Hushai's plan. Remember, God made a donkey talk so he could sure make a man "decide" to follow horrible advice to save His Anointed King David.
As soon as Absalom chose Hushai's plan, word was to go out to David. Now two of the priests' sons were the messengers. A young woman was assigned to spy for David, and deliver the news to the priests' sons who would run the message out to David. But some young man noticed the young woman going to deliver the message and told Absalom. They had to hide.
The two sons of the priests, Jonathan and Ahimaaz, had to hide in a well when Absalom's men came looking for them. The woman who pulled the tarp over the well, covering the priests' sons, told Absalom's men "they went that way". And Absalom's men were confounded and went home... a failure.
And now... the reason I posted these verses.... verse 23.....
Bathsheba's grandfather hung himself.
