Ahithophel’s Advice Is Eliminated

Having successfully convinced Absalom and the people to delay attacking Davd until they God organized, Hushai contacted the priests to get a message to David letting him know what was going on and warning him to get across the Jordan before Absalom’s forces caught him, in II Samuel 17:15-16.  

“Then said Hushai unto Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, Thus and thus did Ahithophel counsel Absalom and the elders of Israel; and thus and thus have I counselled.  Now therefore send quickly, and tell David, saying, Lodge not this night in the plains of the wilderness, but speedily pass over; lest the king be swallowed up, and all the people that are with him.”

The priests had agreed to allow their sons serve as messengers, and fearing they would be stopped the two boys were waiting a short distance away, at Enrogel.  The priests sent a servant girl to give them the message.  A boy spotted them and reported it, but they were able to escape and hide themselves, in II Samuel 17:17-19.  “Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz stayed by Enrogel; for they might not be seen to come into the city: and a wench went and told them; and they went and told king David.  Nevertheless a lad saw them, and told Absalom: but they went both of them away quickly, and came to a man's house in Bahurim, which had a well in his court; whither they went down.  And the woman took and spread a covering over the well's mouth, and spread ground corn thereon; and the thing was not known.”

The house where they hid was sympathetic to David, and had the boys hide in their well.  they then covered the well and spread a bundh of ground grain around, making it appear to be where they normally ground the crops, so no one would suspect the well was there.  The ruse worked, and Absalom’s searchers were told they had gone a different direction.  Once they were gone, the boys made their way to David’s camp and gave him the message, in II Samuel 17:20-22.  “And when Absalom's servants came to the woman to the house, they said, Where is Ahimaaz and Jonathan? And the woman said unto them, They be gone over the brook of water. And when they had sought and could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem.  

And it came to pass, after they were departed, that they came up out of the well, and went and told king David, and said unto David, Arise, and pass quickly over the water: for thus hath Ahithophel counselled against you.  Then David arose, and all the people that were with him, and they passed over Jordan: by the morning light there lacked not one of them that was not gone over Jordan.”  David acted immediately, and by daylight, his entire force had crossed the Jordan. 

Knowing thsat the delay would give David and his army tome to get ready, and that his advice to Absalom would be considered treason if David escaped, Ahithophel went home and made preparations for his family before committing suicide, in II Samuel 17:23.  “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.”   Ahithophel knew that David’s men were experienced campaigners, and with a little preparation, would be able to defend themselves against an attack by inexperienced troops.  He knew that for treason he would be put to death, and preferred to avoid the indignity.  His suicide eliminated one of David’s worst fears, leaving Absalom without a valuable advisor. 

Absalom and his followers crossed the Jordan and camped on the east side, where he put Amasa, a distant relative of Joab’s in as general to lead his army.    David and his supporters went north to Mananaim, where they were met by a three groups who brought supplies for him and his men.  One of these was the son o fthe Ammonite king David had defeated, as we see in II Samuel 17:24-29.  “Then David came to Mahanaim. And Absalom passed over Jordan, he and all the men of Israel with him.  And Absalom made Amasa captain of the host instead of Joab: which Amasa was a man's son, whose name was Ithra an Israelite, that went in to Abigail the daughter of Nahash, sister to Zeruiah Joab's mother.  So Israel and Absalom pitched in the land of Gilead.

And it came to pass, when David was come to Mahanaim, that Shobi the son of Nahash of Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and Machir the son of Ammiel of Lodebar, and Barzillai the Gileadite of Rogelim,  Brought beds, and basins, and earthen vessels, and wheat, and barley, and flour, and parched corn, and beans, and lentiles, and parched pulse, And honey, and butter, and sheep, and cheese of kine, for David, and for the people that were with him, to eat: for they said, The people is hungry, and weary, and thirsty, in the wilderness.”

While Absalom had gotten the support of political leaders and many of the people around Jerusalem and Judah, he had not reached the majority of the people, and many did not understand what he was trying to do.  As they began tounderstand, they stood up for David.  Ahithophel had understood this and knew the conspiracy’s success depended on killing David before the people figured out what was going on.  If the people rallied around David, it would be almost impossible to defeat him.