The critical factor that can keep us from following good advice – 2 Samuel 16—20, Part 2

Where do you get wise advice? Do you have trusted friends? Maybe a therapist? Do you view authors or commentators as sources of quality perspective? Lately I’ve been deeply impressed with Ted Gioia. I also appreciate the wisdom of numerous close friends. But it is my wife who, on a daily basis, shines with her ability to analyze situations and cut through the clutter to arrive at a clear conclusion.

But here’s the crux of the matter: while good advice can be hard to come by, will we follow the advice? In today’s post, we’ll learn about advisors, wisdom, and the critical factor that can keep us from following good advice.

In 2 Samuel chapter 16, Israel’s great king David has fled the city of Jerusalem, while his son Absalom betrays him in a coup. In the previous post, we learned how others betray and insult David, as he is on the run. But David has a secret agent in the city. In 2 Samuel chapter 16 verse 20 through chapter 17, verse 14, that operative, Hushai, starts to undermine Absalom. 

First, Absalom seeks advice from the man considered to be the wisest of his officials, Ahithophel.  Ahithophel’s advice was so good people said it was as though it came straight from the mouth of God.  Ahithophel has two pieces of advice.  The first is shocking, and it refers to David’s concubines.  Concubines were women who were at best second-tier wives, at worst, sexual slaves.  When David fled the city, David left his concubines in the palace to care for it.  Little did David know how disastrous that decision would be.

Ahithophel advises Absalom to sleep with his father’s concubines, and here is how Ahithophel explains it, “Then all Israel will hear that you have made yourself obnoxious to your father, and the hands of everyone with you will be more resolute.”  If Absalom were to go through with Ahithophel’s advice, in other words, it would send an unmistakable signal to the entire nation that Absalom has become king. 

To make sure the signal is loud and clear, Absalom sets up a tent on the roof of the palace where everyone can see what is happening, and Absalom sleeps with the ten concubines in plain sight.  As if things were not broken enough already, this wicked act makes it clear that Absalom has no desire to reconcile with his father. 

Then Ahithophel has more advice to finally put an end to any question about who is king.  He says, “Absalom, your father and his followers are in a very weak and vulnerable position.  Muster 12000 soldiers and immediately attack them.  But only kill David, and you will find that everyone will turn their allegiance to you.”  It seemed like an amazing plan.  Actually, it was an amazing plan.  Ahithophel is masterminding the total takeover of the kingdom.

But where Absalom is okay with sleeping with his father’s concubines, it seems he has some misgivings about killing his father.  So he summons David’s secret agent, Hushai, for a second opinion, and Absalom has no idea that Hushai is still loyal to David.  Hushai tells Absalom that Ahithophel’s plan is terrible because David and his men are seasoned fighters, and the whole plan will fall apart if David’s men inflict damage on Absalom’s men.  Hushai advises Absalom to wait, and gather a large force so that there is no contest when they attack David. 

This passage reminds me of a spy novel, such as when a CIA operative goes undercover to infiltrate a foreign government.  Notice how Hushai uses fear and doubt to undermine Absalom?  Fear is a powerful motivator.  And it works.  In verse 14, we read that the Lord frustrated the strategically wise advice of Ahithophel, and Absalom chooses to wait. 

The narrative continues in that spy novel genre in verses 15 and following.  Hushai sends two trusted associates to inform David about what has been happening back at the palace.  But the two messengers get spotted by one of Absalom’s men.  They hide in a well, and when a group of Absalom’s men come looking for them, the owner of the well lies to Absalom’s men.  When the coast clears the men sneak out, and they inform David. 

Back in Jerusalem, the wise advisor Ahithophel learns that Absalom did not follow his advice, so he hangs himself.  Doesn’t that seem extreme? Why would Ahithophel commit suicide?  One scholar I read suggested that Ahithophel believed that when Absalom followed Hushai’s advice to wait, Absalom’s rebellion was now doomed. Why? Because waiting would give David time to gather a fighting force himself. David had been weak and vulnerable, and now David would gather strength. In other words, Ahithophel believed David would return to power.  And when David returns to power, the people who had been in league with Absalom, like Ahithophel, would be killed, especially considering that Ahithophel was the one who advised Absalom to sleep with David’s concubines.  Ahithophel was likely 100% correct in that prediction, and rather than prolong the inevitable, he hung himself right then and there.

At the conclusion of chapter 17, Jerusalem and the surrounding country is filled with the sights and sounds of soldiers preparing for war. It will be a war of father, David, and his men, against son, Absalom, and his men.  We learn that Absalom gathers the military of Israel, while the author describes David and his men as hungry, tired and thirsty in the desert.  If we stopped there, it would seem that Ahithophel was way off base to hang himself.  David still seems weak and vulnerable. At the end of chapter 17, it seems like Absalom and the army of Israel are going to decimate David and his men.

Check back to the next post to find out what happens when battle breaks out.

Photo by Korney Violin on Unsplash