2 Samuel 17

2 Samuel 17:15-21

1. Abfalom calls a council of war, in which Ahithophel advises him to dispatch, ver. 1—4. Hufhai to deliberation, ver. 5—13. Hufhai’s counsel is agreed to, ver. 14. for vacation Ahithophel hangs himself, ver. 23. 2. Secret intelligence is sent to David, ver. 15—21. 3. David marches to the other side forden, ver. 22—24. his camp is withheld by some of his friends in that country, ver. 27—29. 4. Abfalom and his forces march after him, ver. 25, 26.

2. Moreover, Ahithophel said unto Abfalom, 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 sinite the king only. 3. And I will bring back all the people unto thee: the man whom thou seeketh, is as if all returned: so all the people shall be in peace. 4. And the saying pleased Abfalom well, and all the elders of Israel. 5. Then said Abfalom, Call now Hufhai the Archite also, and let us hear likewise what he saith. 6. And when Hufhai was come to Abfalom, Abfalom spake unto him, saying, Ahithophel hath spoken after this manner: shall we do after his saying? If not, speak thou. 7. And Hufhai said unto Abfalom, The counsel that Ahithophel hath given is not good at this time. 8. For (said Hufhai) thou knoweth thy father and his men, that they be mighty men, and they be chafed in their minds, as a bear robbed of her whipps 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 pale, when some of them be overthrown at the first, that whosoever heareth it, will say, there is a slaughter among the people that follow Abfalom. 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 he with him are valiant men. 11. Therefore I counsel, that all Israel be generally gathered unto thee,

from Dan even to Beerstheba, as the land that is by the sea for multitude, and that I 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 haileth 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 Abfalom and all the men of Israel said, The counsel of Hufhai 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 Abfalom.

9. 1—14. Abfalom, in triumph, being entered into his father’s deserved palace, such changes do these sublunary kingdoms undergo, confides next how to heath what seemed so happily begun. A counsel is summoned the same day, after the above-mentioned illumination was over, and David’s ruin being resolved, the question is how to accomplish it.

10. Ahithophel speaks according to his place, and with his wonted sagacity, and wider and wickeler counsel could not be given. He is for an immediate pursuit, falling upon the fugitives, weary and disputed, and making an easy conquest; he offers himself to be the leader, and also only twelve thousand men to execute his design, nor doubts but with one stroke to put an end to the council, by limiting the king and letting the people go, who would then peaceably submit to Abfalom’s government. Thus the man (to be calls him, neither king nor father) whom he sought would be removed, and his throne established without a rival. The scheme is so feasible and desirable, that this bloody lion is delighted with it, and, astonishing to tell not one of the elders of Israel express their disapprobation, but advise, according to Ahithophel’s counsel, its immediate execution. Note, (1.) The best of kings, and best of fathers, may be unhappy enough to find rebellious subjects, and unnatural children. (2.) They who are once involved in sin, are driven deeper and deeper, till the most horrid crimes become necessary, as it were, to ensure their own safety. (3.) Delays are dangerous in every cause, which expedition usually ensures success.

11. Before this advice is put in execution, Abfalom moves to call for Hufhai, and hear his opinion, or rather, have his concurrence in the matter; thus God, by the secret working of his providence, in the critical moment wards off the imminent danger, and, as it seems, inevitable ruin. Hufhai appears, and Abfalom bids him speak his opinion on Ahithophel’s advice, which, with great appearance of argument and zeal for the cause, he gives; he opens with the admission of Ahithophel’s wisdom; but though in general he must pay submission and deference to his sagacity, he at present is obliged to differ from him, and that on the following plausible reasons; David was not so easily to be imitate as Ahithophel seemed to suggest; he was well known to be a mighty man, and when, if not now, would he exert himself. Nor were his forces so few or despicable as were represented; they were a considerable body, and all men of approved valour, not to be daunted at danger, and much more enured to war than their raw undisciplined troops; and in their present situation fixed with resentment, nay, armed with despair, would fight like bears robbed of their whipps: nor was it as all probable that David would be surprised, provident against danger, he, with some chofen body acquainted with every cave and hold, was safe from surprise, and ready to fall out as from an ambush. Such an attack might make even Ahithophel’s lion-like heart to fail, at least his small body of troops to flee, and the consequence of such a repulse might be said to the cause; for should it be noised that Abfalom’s forces were routed, the people would be disputed and in danger of deserting him. His advice therefore is to gather all the forces from Dan to Beerstheba, and put himself at the head of them; with such an army, and under such a leader, nothing could be hazarded. If David and his men were in the field, thick as the drops of dew they would light upon him, and not a man could escape; or if he took refuge in a wailed city, such an holt would in an infant scale the walls, or even with ropes draw the battlements into the ditch, or the adjoining river, as easily as a log of wood. Thus Abfalom’s pride was flattered, and his success ensured, not without a secret rebellion on Ahithophel’s rashness; the advice easily took, God having infatuated their minds, and Abfalom and his counsel gave it for Hufhai, impolitic and improbable as his suggestions were. Note, (1.) They take counsel in vain who aim the ruin of God’s church and people. (2.) God hath secret ways of diverting the fatal blows, aimed by our spiritual enemies at our helpless souls.

12. ¶ Then said Hufhai unto Zadok, and to Abia- chap. xv. that the priests, Thus and thus did Ahithophel counsel 21—

Abfalom

Abishom 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; left the king be foreclosed up, and all the people that are with him. 17. Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz stayed by En-roget, (for they might not be seen to come into the city) and a wrench went and told them: and they went and told king David. 18. Nevertheless a lad saw them, and told Abishom: but they went both of them away quickly, and came to a man’s house in Bahurim, which had a well in his coars, whether 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 Abishom’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, Arife, and pass quickly over the water: for thus hath Ahihophel counselled against you.

Hufhai is no sooner dismissed from the council-board, than, fearful least his advice should not be followed, or, that they would change their resolution, he is in hadte to let the king know his danger, that he might escape without delay; yet how to do it was difficult, the aversors being every where carefully guarded, and none came in or out without notice. Zalok and Abishar therefore procure a young woman to go, as for water, to the well of En-roget, near which their sons lay concealed, not daring to come into the city, and thence they are dispatched to hasten the king over Jordan intimately; secret as the message was delivered, they are discovered, information is conveyed to Abishom, and immediate purlour made after them. Hard pressed, they are ready to be taken, when God, who is a refuge in every time of trial, providentially interpose; a woman at Bahurim, at which house they sought concealment, hid them in a well that was dry, and spreading a cloth, with some parched corn over it, the place is not searched, and with a lie the deceives the pursers, who now hasten on, and give the sons of Zalok and Abishar an opportunity to deliver their message. Note, (1.) The weakest instruments in God’s hand can answer the greatest purposes. (2.) A lie to serve a good cause, ceases not therefore to be a bad thing.

John viii. 11. J. i. c. A brother of Islip. Chap. xx. 12. 2. Heb. Cave charge concerning his house. Kings xx. 1. Joh. xxii. 2. P. 1. c. 1. Acc. Mat. 1. 1. 1. 1. Chap. ii. 4. 4. Prov. 1. 5. Mat. 1. 7. Chap. ii. 4. Prov. 1. 5. Mat. 1. 7. PC. xxiv. 8. 10.

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 Ahihophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he faddled his ass, and arose, and put him home to his house, to his city, and gave his household in order, and hanged himself, and died, and was buried in the sepulchre of his father. 24. Then David came to Mahanam: and Abishom passed over Jordan, he and all the men of Israel with him. 25. And Abishom made Amafa captain of the host instead of Joab: which Amafa was a man’s son whose name was Ithra: an Israelite, that went in to Abigail the daughter of Nahath, sister to Zeruiah, Joab’s mother. 26. So Israel and Abishom pitched in the land of Gilead. 27. And it came to pass when David was come to Mahanam, that Shohi the son of Nahath of Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and Machir the son of Ammiel of Lodester, and Barzilai the Gileadite of Kogelim. 28. Brought beds, and basons, and earthen vessels, and wheat, and barley, and flour, and parched corn, and beans, and lentilles, and parched paige. 29. And honey, and butter, and sheep, and cheese of kune 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.

2 Samuel 17:22-29

1. No sooner does David understand the imminence of his danger, than he instantly puts his troops to motion, and after a forced march that night, by day-break he passes Jordan without the loss of a man, and continuing on his root to Mahanam, in the tribe of God, there refuses to make a stand and collect his forces. Note, (1.) Whilst we depend on divine protection, we must use all diligence to save ourselves. (2.) Not one shall be lost in the passage at death of those spiritual followers, whom the Son of David leads as the captain of their servants.

2. Ahihophel brings himself to a miserable end. Unable to support this mortification of his pride, that another’s advice should be preferred before his, or heretofore now the opportunity was lost, that Abishom would ruin himself, and consequently that he would be first exposed to the king’s resentment, he refuses to prevent the ignominious death he feared; with deliberation therefore he prepares for self-murder, settles his family, and then hangs himself. Note, (1.) Disappointed pride often produces self-murder. (2.) They who fly into the arms of death to avoid present shame, will find a terrible disappointment, when everlasting shame shall cover them.

3. Abishom, having assembled his forces, pursues his father into the land of Gilead. Amafa is appointed captain of the host, a cousin-german of Joab’s, and a nephew of David, being son of his sister Abigail, the daughter of Nahath, another name for Isfil, or his wife, I Chem. xi. 16. See the millions of a civil war, where nearest relatives, espousing different parties, seek to find each other’s blood.

4. David, whilst he hails at Mahanam, meets with great kindness from some faithful friends, who were able to assist him. Shohi a younger son, whom David might have advanced in Hanan’s stead at Rabbah, when he subdued the Ammonites; and Machir, whose kindness to Mahanam was before observed, and Barzilai of Kogelim, these all liberally constituted to the supplying David and his men with both, unselfish, and the mortificers which they wanted, after their fatalizing march, having in their precipitate flight left all behind. Note, (1.) We must often wish greater kindness from strangers than our own relations. (2.) The best we can make of our influence, is the employment of it in the support of the suffering cause of the Son of David.