Scripture Daily

Context No. 173 of 4322 · 2 Samuel

Context · Reflection

2 Samuel 17:21-29: in context

21After they had departed, they came up out of the well and went and told King David; and they said to David, “Arise and pass quickly over the water; for thus has Ahithophel counseled against you.” 22Then David arose, and all the people who were with him, and they passed over the Jordan. By the morning light there lacked not one of them who had not gone over the Jordan. 23When Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his donkey, arose, and went home to his city, set his house in order, and hanged himself; and he died, and was buried in the tomb of his father. 24Then David came to Mahanaim. Absalom passed over the Jordan, he and all the men of Israel with him. 25Absalom set Amasa over the army instead of Joab. Now Amasa was the son of a man whose name was Ithra the Israelite, who went in to Abigail the daughter of Nahash, sister to Zeruiah, Joab’s mother. 26Israel and Absalom encamped in the land of Gilead. 27When David had come to Mahanaim, 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, 28brought beds, basins, earthen vessels, wheat, barley, meal, parched grain, beans, lentils, roasted grain, 29honey, butter, sheep, and cheese of the herd, for David and for the people who were with him to eat; for they said, “The people are hungry, weary, and thirsty in the wilderness.”

Absalom has seized Jerusalem and David has fled. The whole revolt turns on one decision: whether Absalom follows the advice of Ahithophel, the best strategist of the age, to strike David immediately, or Hushai, who is secretly David's man and counsels delay. Absalom takes Hushai's advice. This passage is the news getting through.

Two messengers hide in a well to escape Absalom's men, then run to David: cross the water tonight, this is what Ahithophel advised. David crosses the Jordan and by daybreak not one of his people is left on the wrong bank. Then a single verse that changes register entirely. When Ahithophel saw his counsel was not followed, he saddled his donkey, went home to his own city, set his house in order, and hanged himself.

He knew the plan was right, knew rejecting it meant Absalom would lose, and worked out what that meant for him. He put his affairs in order first. The passage ends with three men bringing beds, basins, wheat, barley, honey, curds, and sheep to David's exhausted people in the wilderness, because they said the people are hungry and weary and thirsty. One man calculates the outcome and ends it. Others show up with bedding and cheese. When I can see how something is going to turn out, which of those two do I become?

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