2 Samuelchapter 17

A.Jehovah defeats the good counsel of Ahithophelvv. 1-14

1 Furthermore, Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Let me choose twelve thousand men and set out tonight in pursuit of David. 2 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 3 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.” 4 This proposal seemed good to Absalom and all the elders of Israel. 5 Then Absalom said, “Summon Hushai the Archite as well, and let us hear what he too has to say.” 6 So Hushai came to Absalom, who told him, “Ahithophel has spoken this proposal. Should we carry it out? If not, what do you say?” 7 Hushai replied, “This time the advice of Ahithophel is not sound.” 8 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. 9 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.’ 10 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. 11 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. 12 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. 13 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.” 14 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.

B.A cloth spread over a well at Bahurimvv. 15-22

15 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. 16 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.’” 17 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. 18 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. 19 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. 20 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. 21 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.” 22 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.

C.Ahithophel sets his house in order and hangs himselfvv. 23-26

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 affairs in order and hanged himself. So he died and was buried in his father’s tomb. 24 Then David went to Mahanaim, and Absalom crossed the Jordan with all the men of Israel. 25 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. 26 So the Israelites and Absalom camped in the land of Gilead.

D.Barzillai brings beds, wheat, and honey to Mahanaimvv. 27-29

27 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. 28 They brought beds, basins, and earthen vessels, as well as wheat, barley, flour, roasted grain, beans, lentils, 29 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.”

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Chapter summary

Ahithophel's plan is militarily perfect: give me twelve thousand men, pursue tonight while he is weary and weak-handed, strike the king only, and bring all the people back.

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Ahithophel's plan is militarily perfect: give me twelve thousand men, pursue tonight while he is weary and weak-handed, strike the king only, and bring all the people back. Hushai's counter-plan is theater and buys the night, thy father is a mighty man, and chafed in his mind as a bear robbed of her whelps; gather all Israel from Dan to Beersheba and go in person. Absalom prefers it, and the narrator says why: 'Jehovah had ordained to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, to the intent that Jehovah might bring evil upon Absalom.' The warning goes by Jonathan and Ahimaaz, hidden in a well at Bahurim. Ahithophel sets his house in order and hangs himself.

Drawn from Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory, Matthew Henry, Complete Commentary and John Wesley, Notes on the Old Testament.

Context

History · Nathan, Gad — 2 Samuel overview

A. 1–14 Jehovah defeats the good counsel of Ahithophel
B. 15–22 A cloth spread over a well at Bahurim
C. 23–26 Ahithophel sets his house in order and hangs himself
D. 27–29 Barzillai brings beds, wheat, and honey to Mahanaim

Top cross-references8 chapters ▾

2 Samuel 157 verses
- 2 Samuel 15:12While Absalom was offering the sacrifices, he sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, to come from his hometown of Giloh. So the conspiracy gained strength, and Absalom’s following kept increasing.
- 2 Samuel 15:27The king also said to Zadok the priest, “Are you not a seer? Return to the city in peace—you with your son Ahimaaz, and Abiathar with his son Jonathan.
- 2 Samuel 15:28See, I will wait at the fords of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me.”
- 2 Samuel 15:32When David came to the summit, where he used to worship God, Hushai the Archite was there to meet him with his robe torn and dust on his head.
- 2 Samuel 15:34But you can thwart the counsel of Ahithophel for me if you return to the city and say to Absalom: ‘I will be your servant, my king; in the past I was your father’s servant, but now I will be your servant.’
- 2 Samuel 15:35Will not Zadok and Abiathar the priests be there with you? Report to them everything you hear from the king’s palace.
- Read 2 Samuel 15: 1 more there →
2 Samuel 164 verses
- 2 Samuel 16:2“Why do you have these?” asked the king. Ziba replied, “The donkeys are for the king’s household to ride, the bread and summer fruit are for the young men to eat, and the wine is to refresh those who become exhausted in the wilderness.”
- 2 Samuel 16:5As King David approached Bahurim, a man from the family of the house of Saul was just coming out. His name was Shimei son of Gera, and as he approached, he kept yelling out curses.
- 2 Samuel 16:14Finally, the king and all the people with him arrived, exhausted. And there he refreshed himself.
- 2 Samuel 16:16And David’s friend Hushai the Archite went to Absalom and said to him, “Long live the king! Long live the king!”
- Read 2 Samuel 16 →
2 Samuel 32 verses
- 2 Samuel 3:16Her husband followed her, weeping all the way to Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, “Go back.” So he returned home.
- 2 Samuel 3:21Then Abner said to David, “Let me go at once, and I will gather all Israel to my lord the king, that they may make a covenant with you, and that you may rule over all that your heart desires.” So David dismissed Abner, and he went in peace.
- Read 2 Samuel 3 →
Judges 202 verses
- Judges 20:1Then all the Israelites from Dan to Beersheba and from the land of Gilead came out, and the congregation assembled as one man before the LORD at Mizpah.
- Judges 20:32“We are defeating them as before,” said the Benjamites. But the Israelites said, “Let us retreat and draw them away from the city onto the roads.”
- Read Judges 20 →

4 more chapters this one speaks with

Joshua 22 verses
- Joshua 2:4But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. So she said, “Yes, the men did come to me, but I did not know where they had come from.
- Joshua 2:9and said to them, “I know that the LORD has given you this land and that the fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who dwell in the land are melting in fear of you.
- Read Joshua 2 →
2 Samuel 192 verses
- 2 Samuel 19:13And say to Amasa, ‘Aren’t you my flesh and blood? May God punish me, and ever so severely, if from this time you are not the commander of my army in place of Joab!’”
- 2 Samuel 19:16Then Shimei son of Gera, a Benjamite from Bahurim, hurried down with the men of Judah to meet King David,
- Read 2 Samuel 19 →
Exodus 11 verse
- Exodus 1:19The midwives answered Pharaoh, “The Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women, for they are vigorous and give birth before a midwife arrives.”
- Read Exodus 1 →
Isaiah 591 verse
- Isaiah 59:7Their feet run to evil; they are swift to shed innocent blood. Their thoughts are sinful thoughts; ruin and destruction lie in their wake.
- Read Isaiah 59 →

Cross-references from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and OpenBible.info.