“And one told David, saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. And David said, O LORD, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness. And it came to pass, that when David was come to the top of the mount, where he worshipped God, behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his coat rent, and earth upon his head: Unto whom David said, If thou passest on with me, then thou shalt be a burden unto me: But if thou return to the city, and say unto Absalom, I will be thy servant, O king; as I have been thy father's servant hitherto, so will I now also be thy servant: then mayest thou for me defeat the counsel of Ahithophel. And hast thou not there with thee Zadok and Abiathar the priests? therefore it shall be, that what thing soever thou shalt hear out of the king's house, thou shalt tell it to Zadok and Abiathar the priests. Behold, they have there with them their two sons, Ahimaaz Zadok's son, and Jonathan Abiathar's son; and by them ye shall send unto me every thing that ye can hear. So Hushai David's friend came into the city, and Absalom came into Jerusalem” (2 Samuel 15:31-37).
Introduction
This passage tells us that David had enemies who were willing to sell him out, but that he also had secret friends who would lay down their lives for him. We have already seen that he had his spies in Absalom’s camp, and here we find Hushai who would be the one who would collect information and intelligence.
Foes
Ahithophel, the grandfather of Bathsheba, was one of those close family members who conspired against him by siding with Absalom and would do all he could to destroy David. David prays that whatever advice Ahithohel might offer Absalom would prove to be useless and foolish. “The counsel of the crafty worldlings does more harm than the open force of the enemy” (Geneva Study Bible Notes).
Instead of seeking for ways to get even with this traitor, David took the matter to the Lord in prayer. We notice also that he went up Mount Olivet to praise the Lord, maybe even “looking towards Jerusalem, where were the ark and tabernacle” (Jamieson, Fausset and Brown Commentary). When he first went up the hill he was weeping, but now we find him worshipping. Matthew Henry writes, “Weeping must not hinder worshipping but quicken it.” Far too often Christians allow their personal problems and family dilemmas to get in the way of their relationship with God and thus dampen their faith. David was not going to allow this to happen to him.
Friends
While David was worshipping God and no doubt seeking His will for the way ahead, Hushai comes on the scene. Here is the answer to prayer in the flesh, for God would use this man to defeat the counsel of Ahithophel (see 2 Samuel 17). Hushai was from Archi, which was part of the tribe of Ephraim. In 1 Chronicles 27:33 he is called “the king's companion” or friend.
David felt that Hushai would be of better use to him back in Jerusalem. It is likely that he was an older man and would not be able for the journey to Mahanaim, thus making himself a burden to David. It was probably unnecessary to order him to tell lies to Absalom but we see here that, though he knew that Hushai was an answer to prayer, he was also trying to help God out to. God did not need to use deceitful means to get the results He wanted. “David's suggesting this crafty counsel must be reckoned amongst his sins” (John Wesley). Hushai could just as well complete the task set for him without trying to convince Absalom of his defection to him. Absalom would have simply accepted that the presence of Hushai was proof enough that he was no longer a friend of his father in exactly the same way he would with Zadok and Abiathar did.
Hushai would work right inside the palace, and all Absalom’s decisions and plans would be noted. The sons of the priests, who were probably youths that no one would be suspicious of, would be the actual messengers who brought David word of all that was happening. Because Hushai was respected and honoured by Absalom he would have the freedom to contradict any advice Ahithophel might offer. “He leadeth counsellors away spoiled, and maketh the judges fools” (Job 12:17).
Conclusion
This is the beginning of God’s plan to humiliate and destroy Absalom, and though the way was going to be tough and tragic, it had to be done to thwart Satan’s attempt to stop the Messianic line, and the prophecies concerning it, coming to pass. It is not simply David’s kingdom and reputation at stake here, but the entire plan of salvation that God had set in motion in the Garden of Eden.
© 28/6/2010