Lesson 16:
The Darkest Days of David’s Life
(2 Samuel 16:20 -- 19:8) Introduction
The first paragraphs of our text sound like the introductory scene of the old television series, “Mission Impossible.” In “Mission Impossible,” Mr. Phelps was always given a vitally important task -- one which seemed virtually impossible to accomplish. Our text starts out almost the same way. Absalom is finally about to declare himself King of Israel, in place of his father. When David gets word of this impending revolution, he chooses to flee from Jerusalem, along with a number of his faithful followers. The preceding paragraphs are filled with tears as David must leave Jerusalem behind and flee toward the wilderness. He leaves Hushai, his faithful friend, and Zadok and Abiathar the priests (along with the ark), to remain in Jerusalem where they will be of more service to him. Zadok is a prophet, so he can give David an accurate (inspired) assessment of what Absalom is doing. The sons of Zadok and Abiathar, Ahimaaz and Jonathan, can serve as messengers to relay word from Zadok to David. David will wait for word from Zakok “at the fords of the wilderness,” just west of the Jordan, until he learns what Absalom has in mind.
Absalom has arrived at Jerusalem and taken possession of this royal city. He then calls Ahithophel and asks for his counsel about how he may best establish himself as king. Ahithophel's counsel comes in two parts, unfortunately separated (artificially) by the chapter division (chapter 17). The first part of Ahithophel's advice is that he should possess the throne symbolically by publicly sleeping with the ten wives David left behind to keep house in Jerusalem. This will send a very clear message to all Israel about his relationship to his father and to his throne.
The second part of Ahithophel's counsel is recorded in verses 1-3 of chapter 17. Ahithophel counsels Absalom to quickly pursue David, isolate him, and kill him, thus demoralizing David's followers and insuring his reign as king in David's place. The idea sounds good to Absalom and to all the elders of Israel, but Absalom decides to ask Hushai's advice as well. Hushai is summoned, and upon his arrival is told what counsel Ahithophel has already given.
How would you like to be in Hushai's sandals? He knows Absalom doubts his loyalty, because he has been David's friend (16:16-19). He must know that Absalom and all the elders have already given their approval to Ahithophel's plan. In addition, he knows Absalom's confidence in Ahithophel is great, for his counsel is as though one had “inquired of the word of God” (16:23). Hushai also is David's friend, and he knows David's life may depend on the response he gives to Absalom. Would you not agree that this is certainly a predicament fittingly called “mission impossible”?
There is a bit of a danger here because you and I know something else. David has already prayed that God would somehow nullify the counsel of Ahithophel (15:31). We will also be told in our text, “the LORD ordained to thwart the good counsel of Ahithophel, in order that the LORD might bring calamity on Absalom” (17:14). We might be inclined to minimize the difficulty of Hushai's task, as though Absalom and the elders of Israel must embrace Hushai's counsel no matter how foolish it might be. We are therefore inclined to think of Hushai's counsel as groundless and foolish, but accepted by Absalom and his servants because their eyes are blinded to the truth of the matter.
I would like to suggest that Hushai is given great wisdom by God, and that his plan makes perfect sense, when viewed from Absalom's point of view. We should also be careful about thinking of Ahithophel's counsel as “good” in a moral sense. It is a good plan in that, if followed, it seems it would result in David's death and in the consolidation of Absalom's rule over Israel. It is not “good” in any moral sense, for it sanctions -- no, it recommends -- the killing of God's anointed king. It is not “good” in that it urges Absalom to commit adultery by sleeping with his father's wives. Neither, I think, is it good in that Ahithophel has his own sinful ambitions and agenda which prompt him to give his counsel to Absalom.
This passage is filled with intrigue and all the elements needed for excellent drama. It is also a passage that describes David in the darkest hours of his life. I do not think David has ever been so overwhelmed by sorrow and suffering and grief as he is here. Let us look to God's dealings with David in such times, for we have all known in some measure the sorrow and sadness David experiences here. If there is deliverance and hope for David in these dark hours, then there is hope for us as well when we pass through the “valley of the shadow of death.”
Ahithophel's Counsel
(16:20--17:4)
16:20 Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give your advice. What shall we do?” 21 Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Go in to your father's concubines, whom he has left to keep the house; then all Israel will hear that you have made yourself odious to your father. The hands of all who are with you will also be strengthened.” 22 So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, and Absalom went in to his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel. 23 The advice of Ahithophel, which he gave in those days, was as if one inquired of the word of God; so was all the advice of Ahithophel regarded by both David and Absalom. 17:1 Furthermore, Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Please let me choose 12,000 men that I may arise and pursue David tonight. 2 “I will come upon him while he is weary and exhausted and terrify him, so that all the people who are with him will flee. Then I will strike down the king alone, 3 and I will bring back all the people to you. The return of everyone depends on the man you seek; then all the people will be at peace.” 4 So the plan pleased Absalom and all the elders of Israel.
It has taken me a good while to get a feel for this text. At first I was too inclined to separate in time the first part of Ahithophel's counsel from the second. I assumed Absalom sought Ahithophel's counsel and got it, as it relates to the “possession” of David's wives left in Jerusalem. I somehow managed to believe for a day or two that Absalom “possessed” David's wives, in the sight of all. Then, I thought, Absalom came back to Ahithophel for a second word of counsel, followed by a second opinion by Hushai. This can hardly be so.
First, let us think of the events of our chapter only in terms of timing. David learns Absalom is about to possess the throne and flees Jerusalem. He has with him his wives and children, some who are older which means he can hardly march double-time. The whole account is written in a way that underscores the urgency of haste. Absalom and his men are virtually hours behind David. If word is not sent to David immediately, and if he does not vanish into the wilderness quickly, Absalom will overtake David and those with him.
David flees from Jerusalem while Absalom is not far behind, ready to occupy Jerusalem and the throne. Absalom asks for Ahithophel's counsel after he arrives in Jerusalem, and Ahithophel gives it -- in two parts. The first part is his recommendation to Absalom as to what he should do -- possess David's wives. The second part pertains to what Ahithophel personally proposes to do for Absalom -- take command of 12,000 men immediately, set out in pursuit of David this very night, and then overtake him in a way that terrifies David and his followers. Ahithophel volunteers to personally kill David alone, thus minimizing bloodshed, and then consolidate the kingdom in short order.
If we take note of the pronouns in the text above, we will see that Ahithophel has a recommended course of action for Absalom and a recommended course of action for himself. I believe Ahithophel intends for these to be undertaken simultaneously, and not sequentially. The plan Ahithophel recommends is thus: (1) Absalom will devote himself to the task of possessing David's wives, in the sight of all Israel. (2) While Absalom is thus occupied, Ahithophel will take command of 12,000 men and set out in hot pursuit of David, whom they will overtake, and he will personally kill David, thus making the possession of the kingdom complete, in very short order.
Ahithophel's counsel is exceedingly “shrewd” in several ways. First, it would have worked, barring the direct intervention of God. Second, it offered an appealing course of action to Absalom. He, not unlike his father David, can stay home from the battle and “make love” while Ahithophel and his army are making war with David. Absalom can quickly enter into his possession of the throne, yet without the dangers or discomforts of going into battle. As an added incentive, he can indulge himself with David's wives in a way that gets back at David and hurts and humiliates his father. Only David will be killed, who is Absalom's real enemy.
When we are told that Absalom takes Ahithophel's counsel regarding David's wives, I believe he carries this out while all Israel is being assembled to do battle, rather than while Ahithophel leads the 12,000 in pursuit of David. If this is the case -- and it seems necessary to see it so -- then we are given a slightly different perspective of the possession of David's wives by Absalom. It does fulfill the words of Nathan the prophet. It is a symbolic statement by Absalom which is most painful for David. But at the same time it is a part of God's bigger plan to delay the pursuit of David so that he can escape, retrench, and defeat Absalom, and then return as Israel's king. Some of the most painful events in our life may also be some of the most fruitful in producing the good God wants for us. Ahithophel and Absalom mean this for evil (and for their own satisfaction), but God means it for good (see Genesis 50:20).
Ahithophel proposes a quick, easy victory for Absalom, won by Ahithophel while the “king” remains behind in Jerusalem. It is almost too good to be true. The fact is it would have worked, but God had other plans for David and for Absalom. Those plans are brought to pass through David's friends: Hushai, Zadok and Abiathar the priests, their sons Ahimaaz and Jonathan, a farmer's wife in Bahurim, and a number of other faithful friends and supporters of David. It is the story of David's deliverance we are now about to consider.
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