II
S A M U E L
CHAP. XVII.
The
contest between David and Absalom is now hasting towards a crisis. It must be
determined by the sword, and preparation is made accordingly in this chapter.
I. Absalom calls a council of war, in which Ahithophel urges despatch (ver.
1-4), but Hushai recommends deliberation (ver. 5-13); and Hushai's counsel is
agreed to (ver. 14), for vexation at which Ahithophel hangs himself, ver. 23.
II. Secret intelligence is sent to David (but with much difficulty) of their
proceedings, ver. 15-21. III. David marches to the other side Jordan (ver.
22-24), and there his camp is victualled by some of his friends in that
country, ver. 27-29. IV. Absalom and his forces march after him into the land
of Gilead on the other side Jordan, ver. 25, 26. There we shall, in the next
chapter, find the cause decided by a battle: hitherto, every thing has looked
black upon poor David, but now the day of his deliverance begins to dawn.
|
Hushai's Counsel.
|
B. C. 1023.
|
|
|
1
Moreover Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Let me now choose out twelve thousand
men, and I will arise and pursue after David this night: 2 And I
will come upon him while he is weary and weak handed, and will make him
afraid: and all the people that are with him shall flee; and I will
smite the king only: 3 And I will bring back all the people unto
thee: the man whom thou seekest is as if all returned: so all
the people shall be in peace. 4 And the saying pleased Absalom
well, and all the elders of Israel. 5 Then said Absalom, Call now
Hushai the Archite also, and let us hear likewise what he saith. 6
And when Hushai was come to Absalom, Absalom spake unto him, saying,
Ahithophel hath spoken after this manner: shall we do after his saying?
if not; speak thou. 7 And Hushai said unto Absalom, The counsel
that Ahithophel hath given is not good at this time. 8 For,
said Hushai, thou knowest thy father and his men, that they be mighty
men, and they be chafed in their minds, as a bear robbed of her whelps
in the field: and thy father is a man of war, and will not lodge with
the people. 9 Behold, he is hid now in some pit, or in some other
place: and it will come to pass, when some of them be overthrown at the first,
that whosoever heareth it will say, There is a slaughter among the people that
follow Absalom. 10 And he also that is valiant, whose heart
is as the heart of a lion, shall utterly melt: for all Israel knoweth
that thy father is a mighty man, and they which be with
him are valiant men. 11 Therefore I counsel that all Israel
be generally gathered unto thee, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, as the sand that
is by the sea for multitude; and that thou go to battle in thine own
person. 12 So shall we come upon him in some place where he shall
be found, and we will light upon him as the dew falleth on the ground: and of
him and of all the men that are with him there shall not be left so
much as one. 13 Moreover, if he be gotten into a city, then shall
all Israel bring ropes to that city, and we will draw it into the river, until
there be not one small stone found there. 14 And Absalom and all
the men of Israel said, The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better
than the counsel of Ahithophel. For the LORD
had appointed to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, to the intent that the
LORD might
bring evil upon Absalom.
Absalom is now in peaceable possession of Jerusalem; the palace-royal is his
own, as are the thrones of judgment, even the thrones of the house of
David. His good father reigned in Hebron, and only over the tribe of
Judah, above seven years, and was not hasty to destroy his rival; his
government was built upon a divine promise, the performance of which he was
sure of in due time, and therefore he waited patiently in the mean time. But
the young man, Absalom, not only hastens from Hebron to Jerusalem, but is
impatient there till he has destroyed his father, cannot be content with his
throne till he has his life; for his government is founded in iniquity, and
therefore feels itself tottering and thinks itself obliged to do every thing
with violence. That so profligate a wretch as Absalom should aim at the life
of so good a father is not so strange (there are here and there monsters in
nature); but that the body of the people of Israel, to whom David had been so
great a blessing in all respects, should join with him in his attempt, is very
amazing. But their fathers often mutinied against Moses. The best of parents,
and the best of princes will not think it strange if they be made uneasy by
those who should be their support and joy, when they consider what sons and
what subjects David himself had.
David and all that adhered to him must be cut off. This was resolved, for
aught that appears, nemine contradicente--unanimously. None
durst mention his personal merits, and the great services done to his country,
in opposition to this resolve, nor so much as ask, "Why, what evil has
he done to forfeit his crown, much less his head?" None durst propose
that his banishment should suffice, for the present, nor that agents should be
sent to treat with him to resign the crown, which, having so tamely quitted
the city, they might think he would easily be persuaded to do. It was not long
since that Absalom himself fled for a crime, and David contented himself with
his being an exile, though he deserved death, nay, he mourned and longed for
him; but so perfectly void of all natural affection is this ungrateful Absalom
that he eagerly thirsts after his own father's blood. It is past dispute that
David must be destroyed; all the question is how he may be destroyed.
I. Ahithophel advises that he be pursued immediately, this very night, with a
flying army (which he himself undertakes the command of), that the king only
be smitten and his forces dispersed, and then the people that were now for him
would fall in with Absalom of course, and there would not be such a long war
as had been between the house of Saul and David: The man whom thou seekest
is as if all returned, v. 1-3. By this it appears that Absalom had
declared his design to be upon David's life, and Ahithophel concurs with him
in it. Smite the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered, and be an
easy prey to the wolf. Thus he contrives to include the war in a little
compass, by fighting neither with small nor great but the king of Israel only,
and to conclude it in a little time, by falling upon him immediately. Nothing
could be more fatal to David than the taking of these measures. It was too
true that he was weary and weak-handed, that a little thing would make him
afraid, else he would not have fled from his house upon the first alarm of
Absalom's rebellion; it was probable enough that upon a fierce attack,
especially in the night, the small force he had would be put into confusion
and disorder, and it would bean easy thing to smite the king only, and
then the business would be done, the whole nation would be reduced, of course,
and all the people, says he, shall be in peace. See how a
general ruin is called by usurpers a general peace; but thus the
devil's palace is in peace, while he, as a strong man armed, keeps it. Compare
with this the plot of Caiaphas (that second Ahithophel) against the Son of
David, to crush his interest by destroying him. Let that one man die for
the people, John xi. 50. Kill the heir, and the inheritance shall be
ours, Matt. xxi. 38. But the counsel of them both was turned into
foolishness. Yet the children of light may, in their generation, learn wisdom
from the children of this world. What our hand finds to do let us do quickly,
and with all our might. It is prudence to be vigorous and expeditious, and not
to lose time, particularly in our spiritual warfare. If Satan flee from us,
let us follow our blow. Those that have quarrelled with crowned heads have
generally observed the decorum of declaring only against their evil
counsellors, and calling them to an account (The king himself can do no
wrong, it is they that do it); but Absalom's bare-faced villany strikes at
the king directly, nay, at the king only; for (would you think it?) this
saying, I will smite the king only, pleased Absalom well (v. 4),
nor had he so much sense of honour and virtue left him to pretend to startle
at it or even to be reluctant in this barbarous and monstrous resolution. What
good can stand before the heat of a furious ambition?
II. Hushai advises that they be not too hasty in pursuing David, but take time
to draw up all their force against him, and to overpower him with numbers, as
Ahithophel had advised to take him by surprise. Now Hushai, in giving this
counsel, really intended to serve David and his interest, that he might have
time to send him notice of his proceedings, and that David might gain time to
gather an army and to remove into those countries beyond Jordan, in which,
lying more remote, Absalom had probably least interest. Nothing would be of
greater advantage to David in this juncture than time to turn himself in; that
he may have this, Hushai counsels Absalom to do nothing rashly, but to proceed
with caution and secure his success by securing his strength. Now,
1. Absalom gave Hushai a fair invitation to advise him. All the elders of
Israel approved of Ahithophel's counsel, yet God overruled the heart of
Absalom not to proceed upon it, till he had consulted Hushai (v. 5): Let
us hear what he saith. Herein he thought he did wisely (two heads are
better than one), but God taketh the wise in their own craftiness. See Mr.
Poole's note on this.
2. Hushai gave very plausible reasons for what he said.
(1.) He argued against Ahithophel's counsel, and undertook to show the danger
of following his advice. It is with modesty, and all possible deference to
Ahithophel's settled reputation, that he begs leave to differ from him, v.
7. He acknowledges that the counsel of Ahithophel is usually the best, and
such as may be relied on; but, with submission to that noble peer, he is of
opinion that his counsel is not good at this time, and that it is by no means
safe to venture so great a cause as that in which they are now engaged upon so
small a number, and such a hasty sally, as Ahithophel advises, remembering the
defeat of Israel before Ai, Josh. vii. 4. It has often proved of bad
consequence to despise an enemy. See how plausibly Hushai reasoned. [1.] He
insisted much upon it that David was a great soldier, a man of great conduct,
courage, and experience; all knew and owned this, even Absalom himself: "Thy
father is a man of war (v. 8), a mighty man (v. 10),
and not so weary and weak-handed as Ahithophel imagines. His retiring from
Jerusalem must be imputed, not to his cowardice, but his prudence." [2.]
His attendants, though few, were mighty men (v. 8), valiant men (v.
10), men of celebrated bravery and versed in all the arts of war. Ahithophel,
who perhaps had worn the gown more than the sword, would find himself an
unequal match for them. One of them would chase a thousand. [3.] They
were all exasperated against Absalom, who was the author of all this mischief,
were chafed in their minds, and would fight with the utmost fury; so that,
what with their courage, and what with their rage, there would be no standing
before them, especially for such raw soldiers as Absalom's generally were.
Thus did he represent them as formidable as Ahithophel had made them
despicable. [4.] He suggested that probably David and some of his men would
lie in ambush, in some pit, or other close place, and fall upon Absalom's
soldiers before they were aware the terror of which would put them to flight;
and the defeat, though but of a small party, would dispirit all the rest,
especially their own consciences at the same time accusing them of treason
against one that, they were sure, was not only God's anointed, but a man
after his own heart, v. 9. "It will soon be given out that
there is a slaughter among Absalom's men, and then they will all make the best
of their way, and the heart of Ahithophel himself, though now it seems like
the heart of a lion, will utterly melt. In short, he will not find it so easy
a matter to deal with David and his men as he thinks it is; and, if he be
foiled, we shall all be routed."
(2.) He offered his own advice, and gave his reasons; and, [1.] He counselled
that which he knew would gratify Absalom's proud vain-glorious humour, though
it would not be really serviceable to his interest. First, He advised
that all Israel should be gathered together, that is, the militia of all the
tribes. His taking it for granted that they are all for him, and giving him an
opportunity to see them all together under his command, would gratify him as
much as any thing. Secondly, He advises that Absalom go to battle in
his own person, as if he looked upon him to be a better soldier than
Ahithophel, more fit to give command and have the honour of the victory,
insinuating that Ahithophel had put a slight upon him in offering to go
without him. See how easy it is to betray proud men, by applauding them, and
feeding their pride. [2.] He counselled that which seemed to secure the
success, at last, infallibly, without running any hazard. For, if they could
raise such vast numbers as they promised themselves, wherever they found David
they could not fail to crush him. First, If in the field, they should
fall upon him, as the dew that covers the face of the ground, and cut off all
his men with him, v. 12. Perhaps Absalom was better pleased with the
design of cutting off all the men that were with him, having a particular
antipathy to some of David's friends, than with Ahithophel's project of
smiting the king only. Thus Hushai gained his point by humouring his revenge,
as well as his pride. Secondly, If in a city, they need not fear
conquering him, for they should have hands enough, if occasion were, to draw
the city itself into its river with ropes, v. 13. This strange
suggestion, how impracticable soever, being new, served for an amusement, and
recommended itself by pleasing the fancy, for they would all smile at the
humour of it.
(3.) By all these arts, Hushai gained not only Absalom's approbation of his
advice, but the unanimous concurrence of this great counsel of war; they all
agreed that the counsel of Hushai was better than the counsel of Ahithophel, v.
14. See here, [1.] How much the policy of man can do; If Hushai had not been
there, Ahithophel's counsel would certainly have prevailed; and, though all
had given their opinion, nothing could be really more for Absalom's interest
than that which he advised; yet Hushai, with his management, brings them all
over to his side, and none of them are aware that he says all this in favour
of David and his interest, but all say as he says. See how the unthinking are
imposed upon by the designing part of mankind; what tools, what fools, great
men make of one another by their intrigues; and what tricks there are often in
courts and councils, which those are happiest that are least conversant with.
[2.] See how much more the providence of God can do. Hushai managed the plot
with dexterity, yet the success is ascribed to God, and his agency on the
minds of those concerned: The Lord had appointed to defeat the good counsel
of Ahithophel. Be it observed, to the comfort of all that fear God, he
turns all men's hearts as the rivers of water, though they know not the
thoughts of the Lord. He stands in the congregation of the mighty, has an
overruling hand in all counsels and a negative voice in all resolves, and
laughs at men's projects against his anointed.
|
Information
Sent to David.
|
B. C. 1023.
|
|
|
15
Then said Hushai unto Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, Thus and thus did
Ahithophel counsel Absalom and the elders of Israel; and thus and thus have I
counselled. 16 Now therefore send quickly, and tell David, saying,
Lodge not this night in the plains of the wilderness, but speedily pass over;
lest the king be swallowed up, and all the people that are with
him. 17 Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz stayed by En-rogel; for they
might not be seen to come into the city: and a wench went and told them; and
they went and told king David. 18 Nevertheless a lad saw them, and
told Absalom: but they went both of them away quickly, and came to a man's
house in Bahurim, which had a well in his court; whither they went down.
19 And the woman took and spread a covering over the well's mouth, and spread
ground corn thereon; and the thing was not known. 20 And when
Absalom's servants came to the woman to the house, they said, Where is
Ahimaaz and Jonathan? And the woman said unto them, They be gone over the
brook of water. And when they had sought and could not find them, they
returned to Jerusalem. 21 And it came to pass, after they were
departed, that they came up out of the well, and went and told king David, and
said unto David, Arise, and pass quickly over the water: for thus hath
Ahithophel counselled against you.
We must now leave David's enemies pleasing themselves with the thoughts of a
sure victory by following Hushai's counsel, and sending a summons, no doubt,
to all the tribes of Israel, to come to the general rendezvous at a place
appointed, pursuant to that counsel; and we next find David's friends
consulting how to get him notice of all this, that he might steer his course
accordingly. Hushai tells the priests what had passed in council, v.
15. But, it should seem, he was not sure but that yet Ahithophel's counsel
might be followed, and was therefore jealous lest, if he made not the best of
his way, the king would be swallowed up, and all the people that were with
him, v. 16. Perhaps, as he was called in to give advice (v.
5), so he was dismissed before they came to that resolve (v. 14) in
favour of his advice, or he feared they might afterwards change their mind.
However, it was good to provide against the worst, and therefore to hasten
those valuable lives out of the reach of these destroyers. Such strict guards
did Absalom set upon all the avenues to Jerusalem that they had much ado to
get this necessary intelligence to David. 1. The young priests that were to be
the messengers were forced to retire secretly out of the city, by En-rogel,
which signifies, as some say, the fountain of a spy. Surely it went ill
with Jerusalem when two such faithful priests as they were might not be seen
to come into the city. 2. Instructions were sent to them by a poor simple
young woman, who probably went to that well under pretence of fetching water, v.
17. If she carried the message by word of mouth, there was danger of her
making some mistake or blunder in it; but Providence can make an ignorant girl
a trusty messenger, and serve its wise counsels by the foolish things of the
world. 3. Yet, by the vigilance of Absalom's spies, they were discovered, and
information was brought to Absalom of their motions: A lad saw them and
told him, v. 18. 4. They, being aware that they were discovered,
sheltered themselves in a friend's house in Bahurim, where David had refreshed
himself but just before, ch. xvi. 14. There they were happily hidden in
a well, which now, in summer time, perhaps was dry, v. 18. The woman of
the house very ingeniously covered the mouth of the well with a cloth, on
which she spread corn to dry, so that the pursuers were not aware that there
was a well; else they would have searched it, v. 19. Thus far the woman
did well; but we know not how to justify her further concealing them with a
lie, v. 20. We must not do evil that good may come of it. However,
hereby the messengers were protected, and the pursuers were defeated and
returned to Absalom without their prey. It was well that Absalom did not
hereupon fall upon their two fathers, Zadok and Abiathar, as Saul on Ahimelech
for his kindness to David: but God restrained him. Being thus preserved, they
brought their intelligence very faithfully to David (v. 21), with this
advice of his friends, that he should not delay to pass over Jordan, near to
which, it seems, he now was. There, as some think, he penned the 42nd and 43rd
Psalms, looking back upon Jerusalem from the land of Jordan, Ps. xlii.
6.
|
Ahithophel's Death; Absalom's Pursuit of David.
|
B. C. 1023.
|
|
|
22
Then David arose, and all the people that were with him, and they
passed over Jordan: by the morning light there lacked not one of them that was
not gone over Jordan. 23 And when Ahithophel saw that his counsel
was not followed, he saddled his ass, and arose, and gat him home to
his house, to his city, and put his household in order, and hanged himself,
and died, and was buried in the sepulchre of his father. 24 Then
David came to Mahanaim. And Absalom passed over Jordan, he and all the men of
Israel with him. 25 And Absalom made Amasa captain of the host
instead of Joab: which Amasa was a man's son, whose name was
Ithra an Israelite, that went in to Abigail the daughter of Nahash, sister to
Zeruiah Joab's mother. 26 So Israel and Absalom pitched in the
land of Gilead. 27 And it came to pass, when David was come to
Mahanaim, that 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,
28 Brought beds, and basons, and earthen vessels, and wheat, and barley, and
flour, and parched corn, and beans, and lentiles, and parched pulse,
29 And honey, and butter, and sheep, and cheese of kine, for David, and for
the people that were with him, to eat: for they said, The people is
hungry, and weary, and thirsty, in the wilderness.
Here is, I. The transporting of David and his forces over Jordan, pursuant to
the advice he had received from his friends at Jerusalem, v. 22. He,
and all that were with him, went over in the night, whether in ferryboats,
which probably always plied there, or through the fords, does not appear. But
special notice is taken of this, that there lacked not one of them: none
deserted him, though his distress was great, none staid behind sick or weary,
nor were any lost or cast away in passing the river. Herein some make him a
type of the Messiah, who said, in a difficult day, Of all that thou hast
given me have I lost none. Having got over Jordan, he marched many miles
forward to Mahanaim, a Levites' city in the tribe of Gad, in the utmost border
of that tribe, and not far from Rabbah, the chief city of the Ammonites. This
city, which Ishbosheth had made his royal city (ch. ii. 8), David now
made his head-quarters, v. 24. And now he had time to raise an army
wherewith to oppose the rebels and give them a warm reception.
II. The death of Ahithophel, v. 23. He died by his own hands, felo
de se--a suicide. He hanged himself for vexation that his counsel
was not followed; for thereby, 1. He thought himself slighted, and an
intolerable slur cast upon his reputation for wisdom. His judgment always used
to sway at the counsel-board, but now another's opinion is thought wiser and
better than his. His proud heart cannot bear the affront; it rises and swells,
and the more he thinks of it the more violent his resentments grow, till they
bring him at last to this desperate resolve not to live to see another
preferred before him. All men think him a wise man, but he thinks himself the
only wise man; and therefore to be avenged upon mankind for not thinking so
too, he will die, that wisdom may die with him. The world is not worthy of
such an oracle as he is, and therefore he will make them know the want of him.
See what real enemies those are to themselves that think too well of
themselves, and what mischiefs those run upon that are impatient of contempt.
That will break a proud man's heart that will not break a humble man's sleep.
2. He thought himself endangered and his life exposed. He concluded that,
because his counsel was not followed, Absalom's cause would certainly
miscarry, and then, whoever would find David's mercy, he concluded that he,
who was the greatest criminal, and had particularly advised him to lie with
his father's concubines, must be sacrificed to justice. To prevent therefore
the shame and terror of a public and solemn execution, he does justice upon
himself, and, after his reputation for wisdom, by this last act puts a far
greater disgrace upon himself than Absalom's privy-council had put upon him,
and answers his name Ahithophel, which signifies, the brother of a
fool. Nothing indicates so much folly as self-murder. Observe, How
deliberately he did it, and of malice prepense against himself; not in a heat,
but he went home to his city, to his house, to do it; and, which is strange,
took time to consider of it, and yet did it. And, to prove himself compos
mentis--in his senses, when he did it, he first put his household in
order, made his will as a man of sane memory and understanding, settled his
estate, balanced his accounts; yet he that had sense and prudence enough to do
this had not consideration enough to revoke the sentence his pride and passion
had passed upon his own neck, nor so much as to suspend the execution of it
till he saw the event of Absalom's rebellion. Now herein we may see, (1.)
Contempt poured upon the wisdom of man. He that was more renowned for policy
than any man played the fool with himself more abundantly. Let not the wise
man glory in his wisdom, when he sees him that was so great an oracle
dying as a fool dies. (2.) Honour done to the justice of God. When the
wicked are thus snared in the work of their own hands, and sunk in a pit of
their own digging, the Lord is known by the judgment which he executeth,
and we must say, Higgaion, Selah; it is a thing to be marked and
meditated upon, Ps. vii. 15, 16. (3.) Prayer answered, and an honest cause
served even by its enemies. Now, as David had prayed, Ahithophel's counsel was
turned into foolishness to himself. Dr. Lightfoot supposes that David
penned the 55th Psalm upon occasion of Ahithophel's being in the plot against
him, and that he is the man complained of (v. 13) that had been his
equal, his guide, and his acquaintance; and, if so, this was an immediate
answer to his prayer there (v. 15): Let death seize upon them, and
let them go down quickly into hell. Ahithophel's death was an advantage to
David's interest; for had he digested that affront (as those must resolve
often to do that will live in this world), and continued his post at Absalom's
elbow, he might have given him counsel afterwards that might have been of
pernicious consequence to David. It is well that that breath is stopped and
that head laid from which nothing could be expected but mischief. It seems, it
was not then usual to disgrace the dead bodies of self-murderers, for
Ahithophel was buried, we may suppose honourably buried, in the
sepulchre of his father, though he deserved no better than the burial
of an ass. See Eccl. viii. 10.
III. Absalom's pursuit of his father. He had now got all the men of Israel
with him, as Hushai advised, and he himself, at the head of them, passed
over Jordan, v. 24. Not content that he had driven his good father
to the utmost corner of his kingdom, he resolved to chase him out of the
world. He pitched in the land of Gilead with all his forces, ready to
give David battle, v. 26. Absalom made one Amasa his general (v.
25), whose father was by birth Jether, an Ishmaelite (1 Chron. ii. 17), but by
religion Ithra (as he is here called), an Israelite; probably he was not only
proselyted, but, having married a near relation of David's, was, by some act
of the state, naturalized, and is therefore called an Israelite. His wife,
Amasa's mother, was Abigail, David's sister, whose other sister, Zeruiah, was
Joab's mother (1 Chron. ii. 16), so that Amasa was in the same relation to
David that Joab was. In honour to his family, even while he was in arms
against his father, Absalom made him commander-in-chief of all his forces.
Jesse is here called Nahash, for many had two names; or perhaps this
was his wife's name.
IV. The friends David met with in this distant country. Even Shobi, a younger
brother of the royal family of the Ammonites, was kind to him, v. 27.
It is probable that he had detested the indignity which his brother Hanun had
done to David's ambassadors, and for that had received favours from David,
which he now returned. Those that think their prosperity most confirmed know
not but, some time or other, they may stand in need of the kindness of those
that now lie at their mercy, and may be glad to be beholden to them, which is
a reason why we should, as we have opportunity, do good to all men, for
he that watereth shall be watered also himself, when there is occasion.
Machir, the son of Ammiel, was he that maintained Mephibosheth (ch. ix.
4), till David eased him of that charge, and is now repaid for it by that
generous man, who, it seems, was the common patron of distressed princes.
Barzillai we shall hear of again. These, compassionating David and his men,
now that they were weary with a long march, brought him furniture for his
house, beds and basins, and provision for his table, wheat and
barley, &c., v. 28, 29. He did not put them under contribution,
did not compel them to supply him, much less plunder them; but in token of
their dutiful affection to him, and their sincere concern for him in his
present straits, of their own good will they brought in plenty of all that
which he had occasion for. Let us learn hence to be generous and open-handed,
according as our ability is, to all in distress, especially great men, to whom
it is most grievous, and good men, who deserve better treatment; and see how
God sometimes makes up to his people that comfort from strangers which they
are disappointed of in their own families.
Contents
|
Next
Section
