30 And David went up the ascent of the Mount of Olives, and wept as he went, and his head was covered and he walked barefoot. Then all the people who were with him each covered his head and went up weeping as they went. 31 Now someone told David, saying, “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” And David said, “O LORD, I pray, make the counsel of Ahithophel foolishness.” 32 It happened as David was coming to the summit, where God was worshipped, that behold, Hushai the Archite met him with his coat torn and dust on his head. 33 David said to him, “If you pass over with me, then you will be a burden to me. 34 “But if you return to the city, and say to Absalom, 'I will be your servant, O king; as I have been your father's servant in time past, so I will now be your servant,' then you can thwart the counsel of Ahithophel for me. 35 “Are not Zadok and Abiathar the priests with you there? So it shall be that whatever you hear from the king's house, you shall report to Zadok and Abiathar the priests. 36 “Behold their two sons are with them there, Ahimaaz, Zadok's son and Jonathan, Abiathar's son; and by them you shall send me everything that you hear.” 37 So Hushai, David's friend, came into the city, and Absalom came into Jerusalem.
It is a very sad scene indeed. David ascends the Mount of Olives, weeping as he makes his way toward the top of the ascent. His head is covered and his feet are bare, as is the case with all those accompanying him. The report reaches David that Ahithophel has joined Absalom in his revolt. This is a most devastating blow, because Ahithophel's counsel was so reliable:
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 (2 Samuel 16:23).
While the loss of Ahithophel was a devastating loss for David's administration, it should not come as a great surprise, based upon the relationship of these two texts:
So David sent and inquired about the woman. And one said, “Is this not Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?” (2 Samuel 11:3).
Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maacathite, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite (2 Samuel 23:34).
We learn from these two verses that Eliam was the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite, and that Bathsheba was the daughter of Eliam. In short, Bathsheba was Ahithophel's granddaughter. Does one have to ponder this very long to see why Ahithophel would desert David and side with his son, who intends to take over his father's throne, even if it requires the taking of his father's life? Ahithophel may have felt toward David as Absalom felt toward Amnon.5
David's response is to utter a prayer that God will somehow thwart the counsel of Ahithophel. The answer to his prayer is not that far off, for David has hardly gotten the prayer uttered when David's trusted friend, Hushai the Archite, arrives. His coat is torn, and he had cast dust on his head, all as a sign of mourning. This is indeed a most terrible thing that has happened. Hushai is ready to accompany David wherever he is going. David changes Hushai's plans. The king informs Hushai that if he does accompany him into hiding, he will only be an added burden. Hushai can perform a much more valuable service to David by returning to Jerusalem and pretending to become one of Ahithophel's loyal supporters. This way, Hushai will be in a position to counter the counsel of Ahithophel. David informs Hushai that Zadok and Abiathar the priests are also loyal supporters. When Zadok or Abiathar hear something from the palace, they can send a message to David by the sons of these two priests: Ahimaaz, Zadok's son; or, Jonathan, Abiathar's son. And so it is that Hushai goes to Jerusalem, where he is when Absalom arrives.
Scene Five: Just Over the Summit of the Mount of Olives
(16:1-4) Ziba, Mephibosheth, and David
1 Now when David had passed a little beyond the summit, behold, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him with a couple of saddled donkeys, and on them were two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred clusters of raisins, a hundred summer fruits, and a jug of wine. 2 The king said to Ziba, “Why do you have these?” And Ziba said, “The donkeys are for the king's household to ride, and the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat, and the wine, for whoever is faint in the wilderness to drink.” 3 Then the king said, “And where is your master's son?” And Ziba said to the king, “Behold, he is staying in Jerusalem, for he said, 'Today the house of Israel will restore the kingdom of my father to me.”' 4 So the king said to Ziba, “Behold, all that belongs to Mephibosheth is yours.” And Ziba said, “I prostrate myself; let me find favor in your sight, O my lord, the king!”
David and his followers have just passed the summit of the Mount of Olives. There he is met by Ziba, the servant of Mephibosheth. We first met Ziba in 2 Samuel 9. Ziba was a servant of King Saul. In order for David to fulfill his covenant with Jonathan, he needed to find an heir of Saul to whom he could show favor for Jonathan's sake. He was told of Ziba, who was formerly Saul's servant. Ziba was summoned, and there he informed David about Mephibosheth. When David brought Mephibosheth into his home, to eat at his table, he also restored to Mephibosheth all that was his as the heir of Saul and Jonathan. David also appointed Ziba and his family to serve Mephibosheth as his servant, as they had done before Saul's death.
Now we meet Ziba again. This time, Ziba meets David with provisions for the journey ahead. David inquires of Ziba why he is bringing these supplies, and Ziba informs him that it is for the king and those with him, since the journey ahead will prove difficult.6 David then asked Ziba where his master, Mephibosheth, was. Ziba told David that Mephibosheth had gone to Jerusalem, hoping that his father Saul's kingdom would be restored to him. On the basis of Ziba's account, David gave to Ziba and his sons all that had been given to Mephibosheth.
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