THE STORY OF AHITHOPEL IN THE BIBLE

 THE RESULT OF THE WISDOM OF ONE WHO DID NOT MAKE GOD HIS COUNSELOR. 

      "Ahithophel was destitute of divine enlightenment, or he could not have based the success of treason on the crime of incest. Men of corrupt hearts plot wickedness, as if there were no overruling Providence to cross their designs. "EP 536.2

What's wisdom ?

 According to NWAD, wisdom is defined as ;

If wisdom is to be considered as a faculty of the mind, it is the faculty of discerning or judging what is most just, proper and useful, and if it is to be considered as an acquirement, it is the knowledge and use of what is best, most just, most proper, most conducive to prosperity or happiness.

From the above statement two things come out distinctly concerning wisdom  i.e. using what is most just and proper. 

Let's have another definition from the Advanced English Dictionary ;

"The quality of being prudent and sensible."

How does the bible talk about it , let us have a look at it ; Proverbs 9:10

"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. " KJV 

We can now clearly see and understand that wisdom comes from God i.e by fearing Him - keeping his commandments - . Anything apart from following his will is not wisdom at all before God's eyes . Therefore to say that one is wise , he must be one who is ready to take God at his word. Are you wise ?

Let us have a case study from the Bible of : Wisdom of one who doesn't make God his counselor.  The book of 2 Samuel 16:20 - 17:1-23

"20Then said Absalom to Ahithophel, Give counsel among you what we shall do.21And Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Go in unto thy father’s concubines, which he hath left to keep the house; and all Israel shall hear that thou art abhorred of thy father: then shall the hands of all that are with thee be strong.22So they spread Absalom a tent upon the top of the house; and Absalom went in unto his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.23And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counselled in those days, was as if a man had enquired at the oracle of God: so was all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom."

2Samuel Chapter 17

1Moreover Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Let me now choose out twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue after David this night:2And 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:3And 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.4And the saying pleased Absalom well, and all the elders of Israel.5Then said Absalom, Call now Hushai the Archite also, and let us hear likewise what he saith.6And 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.7And Hushai said unto Absalom, The counsel that Ahithophel hath given is not good at this time.8For, 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.9Behold, 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.10And 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.11Therefore I counsel that all Israel be generally gathered unto thee, from Dan even to Beersheba, as the sand that is by the sea for multitude; and that thou go to battle in thine own person.12So 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.13Moreover, 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.14And 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.15Then 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.16Now 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.17Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz stayed by Enrogel; 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.18Nevertheless 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.19And the woman took and spread a covering over the well’s mouth, and spread ground corn thereon; and the thing was not known.20And 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.21And 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.22Then 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.23And 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."  

From the above scriptural passage we see a man by the name Ahithophel who is the main character here . Now we can ask ourselves a few questions, Who is this Ahithophel ? What is there for us to learn from him ?  Our study today will revolve around his counsel .

Ahithophel

Background

Ahithophel, also spelled Achitophel, in the Old Testament, one of King David’s most trusted advisers. He took a leading part in the revolt of David’s son Absalom, and Ahithophel’s defection was a severe blow to David.

His story is one of a traitor, a betrayal, one who perverted his gift of wisdom, one which shows what sin does when we have cherished it in our hearts. It is a story of a man betrayed by a friend ! And he sought revenge but he wasn't able to get it ,thus  his bitterness got him to a tragical end. - wisdom of one who doesn't make God his counselor -

He is a best example of what friends can be when they have cherished a bitterness spirit and looking for an opportunity for revenge and if they don't find it , they may take their own life or have a tragic end .

His story also puts into question the saying that ' old is gold ' while some say that old age comes with wisdom. But wisdom that comes out of the mouth of one who doesn't reverence God is foolishness. I don't what to be misquoted, but what I do mean is that if one doesn't fear God it's not easy for such a person to lead you to higher thoughts even holiness. - The case with Ahithophel -

From verse 23 above of Chapter 16, we note that :

Ahithophel was well-known for his advice, so much i.e he. had the gift of wisdom.

Ahithophel’s rank

I Chronicles 27:33:

“And Ahithophel was the king’s counselor: and Hushai the Archite was the king’s companion.”

  Ahithophel was one of David’s most cherished and trusted advisers.  But how did he become a traitor ? 

2 Samuel 11:2-3:

“And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king’s house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon.  And David sent and enquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite.”

From the above scriptural passage we note that ; 

Bathsheba is the daughter of Eliam.  

Now, who was Eliam ?

 2 Samuel 23:34(b), 

“…Eliam son of Ahithophel the Gilonite.”  

He was also among the catalogue of  David's mighty men . Men who could risk everything including their  lives for the safety of the King and the Kingdom . 

Now, we see a clear picture, Bathsheba was the daughter of Eliam and the grand-daughter of Ahithophel.

And we know the story of how David  defiles Bathsheba; the daughter of Eliam, who had risked his life in the service of the King; the grand-daughter of Ahithophel, the one in whom he had taken sweet counsel.”

Ahithophel’s grand-daughter had been defiled and disgraced by his best friend, King David.

"The defection of Ahithophel, the ablest of political leaders, was prompted by revenge for the wrong to Bathsheba, his granddaughter."  EP 533.2

Thus we have clearly seen how Ahithophel's fury came to being. How he cherished a revengeful spirit. How he was hurt deeply by his own closest friend, one whom he knew very well, one who put food at his table . 

Psalm Chapter 94

1"O LORD God, to whom vengeance belongeth; O God, to whom vengeance belongeth, shew thyself."

From the above Psalm we see the counsel that vengeance belongs to God . Yes it maybe that we have been hurt , we have been wronged by our closest friend,spouse . Yet we ought not to cherish a revengeful spirit. This is what Ahithophel missed and his end was tragical.

"Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:" Ephesians 4:26

"And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him." 

Betrayed by his friend the king, Ahithophel saddled his donkey and returned to his home in Giloh.   We hear from Ahithophel again about ten years later, shortly before Absalom’s rebellion.   For ten years, Ahithophel nursed his offenses, stoked the fire of his pain, and fanned the flames of the injustice done to him.  

2 Samuel 15:12:

"While Absalom was offering sacrifices, he also sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, to come from Giloh, his hometown. And so the conspiracy gained strength, and Absalom’s following kept on increasing.”

It is a myth that time heals all wounds.  Left unhealed, time just causes wounds to fester.  The sting of betrayal is like serpents bite leaving a deadly venom that could eventually destroy you – as it did Ahithophel.”

We all have our stories…  Hurt is real.  Pain is real.  Jesus does not dismiss the wrong done to us.  However, we miss God when we demand revenge. “Well, you say someone has to pay.”  Jesus already paid.  Jesus covers the offense, the offender, and the offended with His precious BLOOD – and if we stay in His presence, He will bring us to a place of lasting peace. “

For ten years, Ahithophel, sat in his house, and waited for the opportune time to strike at David.  Yet, little did Ahithophel know that during those ten years, David was dealing with the consequences of sin.  We cannot be the victim, the judge, the jury, and the executioner.  GOD IS IN CONTROL – and He handles these hard situations for better than we can.

Ahithophel's Counsel 

After Absalom captured Jerusalem, Ahithophel’s first piece of advice to him was that he sleep with all his father’s concubines—in a public manner—so as to become a “stench in your father’s nostrils,” and to strengthen his following (2 Samuel 16:21–22). In those days, taking possession of a king’s concubines was a declaration of one’s right to the throne. This fulfilled God’s word to David after his adultery with Bathsheba: “This is what the Lord says: ‘Out of your own household I am going to bring calamity on you. Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to one who is close to you, and he will sleep with your wives in broad daylight. You did it in secret, but I will do this thing in broad daylight before all Israel’” (2 Samuel 12:11–12). Absalom followed the advice of Ahithophel and performed this wicked act on the top of the palace roof for all Israel to see (2 Samuel 16:22).

"Ahithophel well knew that a large part of the nation were still true to David; he was surrounded by tried warriors commanded by able and experienced generals. Ahithophel knew that after the first burst of enthusiasm in favor of the new king, a reaction would come. Should the rebellion fail, Absalom might secure a reconciliation with his father. Then Ahithophel, as his chief counselor, would be held most guilty; upon him the heaviest punishment would fall. EP 535.5

"To prevent Absalom from retracing his steps, Ahithophel counseled an act that would make reconciliation impossible. With hellish cunning, this unprincipled statesman urged Absalom to add the crime of incest to that of rebellion. In the sight of all Israel he was to take to himself his father’s concubines, thus declaring that he succeeded to his father’s throne. And Absalom carried out the vile suggestion. " EP 536.1

When Absalom began his rebellion, King David knew that Ahithophel’s advice would be dangerous in the hands of his son. During his escape up the Mount of Olives, David prayed to the Lord that Ahithophel’s counsel would be turned into foolishness (2 Samuel 15:31). In answer to David’s prayer, when David reached the summit of the Mount of Olives, he met Hushai the Arkite. David sent Hushai back to Absalom in Jerusalem as a secret agent to frustrate the advice of Ahithophel (2 Samuel 15:32–37). In Jerusalem Hushai pledged his loyalty to Absalom but began to give advice to work to David’s benefit (2 Samuel 17:14).

Absalom asked his counsellors what next step he should take. Ahithophel said to pursue David immediately with an army of twelve thousand men and “attack him while he is weary and weak” (2 Samuel 17:1). Hushai, however, counselled Absalom to delay the attack, form a larger force, and totally annihilate David and his men (verses 7–13). Absalom chose to follow the advice of Hushai and reject Ahithophel’s counsel. This was of God, since “the Lord had determined to frustrate the good advice of Ahithophel in order to bring disaster on Absalom” (verse 14).

In chapter 17 verse 14 of 2 Samuel :

We learn of Absalom, (David's beloved son ) and Ahithophel plotting together to seize the scepter of the Kingdom and to take the king's life .

The Bible indicates that God had to intervene or else David would have been killed.

When Absalom rejected his advice, Ahithophel’s pride was injured, and “he put his house in order and then hanged himself” (2 Samuel 17:23). In following Hushai’s advice, Absalom was defeated and received the punishment due his rebellion (2 Samuel 18:6–15).

"But there was one who clearly foresaw the result of this fatal mistake of Absalom’s. Ahithophel knew that the cause of the rebels was lost. And he knew that whatever might be the fate of the prince, there was no hope for the counselor who had instigated his greatest crimes. Ahithophel had encouraged Absalom in rebellion; he had counseled him to the most abominable wickedness, to the dishonor of his father; he had advised the slaying of David; he had cut off the last possibility of his own reconciliation with the king; and now another was preferred before him by Absalom. Jealous, angry, and desperate, Ahithophel “gat him home to his house, ... and hanged himself, and died.” Such was the result of the wisdom of one who did not make God his counselor." EP 537.3

Ahithophel died as fool - by taking his own life and by cherishing a bitterness spirit in which always sought for revenge and when it didn't get , it lead one to take his own life but after trying all means possible to make the inflictor suffer for his cause of betrayal - " such was the result of one who did not make God his counselor." - one who adds sin unto sin . Perhaps he thought his counsel was always right since Absalom and King David always took into consideration his counsel - 

Friends it doesn't matter what you know what you think of about a situation or whatever opinion you hold . But if it's contrary to God's will even your level of Education doesn't matter ! When God speaks let every man be a liar including his Majesty ! 

Because of Ahithophel’s betrayal of David, many scholars see him as a type of Judas Iscariot. Just as David’s counselor betrayed him, so also did Jesus’ disciple Judas betray Him. Similarities between Ahithophel and Judas include the following:

 they both were trusted friends who betrayed their friend (2 Samuel 15:31; Matthew 26:14–16).

they both sided with the enemy to plot their king’s death (2 Samuel 17:1–4; Luke 22:2–6).

 they both hanged themselves once the betrayal was complete (2 Samuel 17:23; Matthew 27:5).

In Psalm 41:9

 David laments, “Even my close friend, someone I trusted, one who shared my bread, has turned against me.” This is, most immediately, a reference to the treachery of Ahithophel. But it is also a prophetic reference to Judas, as Jesus points out in John 13:18, where He quotes Psalm 41:9. Like Judas, Ahithophel will forever be remembered as a traitor.

"Ahithophel had been held in high esteem for his wisdom, but he was destitute of the enlightenment which comes from God. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Proverbs 9:10); and this, Ahithophel did not possess, or he could hardly have based the success of treason upon the crime of incest. Men of corrupt hearts plot wickedness, as if there were no overruling Providence to cross their designs; but “He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.” Psalm 2:4. The Lord declares: “They would none of My counsel: they despised all My reproof. Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices. For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.” Proverbs 1:30-32. " PP 739.1

Reference : 

NWAD - Noah Webster's 1828 Dictionary

https://bestofchristianity.com/the-story-of-ahithophel-in-the-bible/

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ahithophel

https://thegodblog.org/2019/03/29/the-tragedy-of-ahithophel-a-saga-of-betrayal-bitterness-revenge/

https://www.gotquestions.org/ahithophel-in-the-bible.html

Prepared By :

God's Minister; 

Zachary Nyakoe 

nyakoezachary3@gmail.com