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Chapter 17: Absalom's Plans to Defeat David's Army
2 Samuel 17:1-4 ~ Absalom Consults Ahithophel
Ahithophel's first word of advice to Absalom was to take sexual possession of David's concubines (2 Sam 16:20-23) as evidence of his power over his father and proof to his supporters that there was no chance of reconciliation between father and son.
Question: What is the second advice that Ahithophel gives Absalom?
Answer: The second advice he gave Absalom was to let him set out immediately that night to come upon an unprepared David and his supporters and their families while they were still weary from their forced march out of Jerusalem.
Question: Why is the plan to kill only David?
Answer: The plan is to kill David and then all the people will turn to Absalom. Both Absalom and Ahithophel see this as the necessary act that will give Absalom the throne, make him king over Israel, and end the civil war.
Hushai and Absolom
2 Samuel 17:5-16 ~ Hushai Thwarts Ahithophel's Plans
Question: What are the two parts to Hushai's plan to discourage Absalom from accepting Ahithophel's plan to attack David that night?
Answer:
- He points out the shortcomings of Ahithophel's plan: It has no chance of success because of the experience of David and his warriors, and the plan can do great harm to Absalom's forces if they lose heart because of significant losses and then desert him (verses 8-10).
- He offers an alternate plan: Preparations must be made to increase the number of Absalom's supporters then, with superior numbers and with Absalom leading them, his forces will be able to utterly crush David's army (verses 11-13).
It is partly Hushai's rhetorical skill and psychological insight that achieves the rejection of Ahithophel's plan. Hushai's plan appeals to Absalom's vanity with him leading the army instead of Ahithophel and driving the victorious attack against David's forces. The elders, knowing David's reputation as a warrior, are convinced it is safer to not attack David without more troops, and so they approve of Hushai's plan over Ahithophel's plan. This is the turning point in David's fourfold penance because God is once again with David, protecting him and directing his success against his enemies. From now on, all developments in the narrative move in David's favor.
Question: What advantage has Hushai given David?
Answer: Hushai plan is to buy David some time to organize his army and to take his supporters across the Jordan River into the Transjordan to safety.
2 Samuel 17:17-23 ~ David is warned and Crosses the Jordan River into Transjordan
David's two spies seek sanctuary at a house in Bahurim were a woman, probably the wife of the man in Bahurim, cleverly hides them and lies about their whereabouts to Absalom's men and misdirects their search. This is the third time the town of Bahurim on the northeast side of the Mount of Olives has figured in the narrative:
- David's sons were seen coming down the road from Bahurim after Absalom had Amnon killed (2 Sam 13:34).
- David was cursed by Shimei the Benjaminite as he reached Bahurim (2 Sam 16:5).
- David's spies hid in the house of a man in Bahurim (2 Sam 17:18).
The sons of the two chief priests have successfully warned David to get his people across the Jordan River and into the Transjordan before Absalom's army can cut them off.
Question: What does Ahithophel's treachery and betrayal of David prefigure in the New Testament? See 1 Sam 16:12-13; 2 Sam 17:1-2, 23 compared to Mt 3:16-17; 26:47-48; 27:5; Lk 6:13-16; Jn 18:1-3; Acts 4:27; 10:38, and name four points of comparison.
Answer: David's betrayal by his friend and advisor Ahithophel prefigures Judas Iscariot's betrayal of the Son of David, Jesus Christ:
- Both David and Jesus were God's anointed.
- Both Ahithophel and Judas were trusted friends who betrayed their masters.
- Both planned to personally lead soldiers at night to capture their victims.
- Both men hanged themselves in a final act of despair.
2 Samuel 17:24-29 ~ Absalom crosses the Jordan and David and his Men reach the Stronghold at Mahanaim
You will recall that Mahanaim was a stronghold in Gilead (Transjordan) that was the last refuge of Saul's son Ishbaal (2 Sam 2:8).
Question: Who is Amasa? See 1 Chr 2:13-17.
Answer: He is the son of David's other sister Abigail; therefore, he is David's nephew and the cousin of Joab, Abishai, and Absalom.
David's nephew, who is listed as the leader of David's thirty champions in 1 Chronicles 12:19/18 and who served under the command of his cousin Joab, has abandoned his uncle to become the commander of his cousin Absalom's rebel forces. It must have been another bitter blow to David to hear of Amasa's defection.
The defection of David's nephew is now contrasted with three wealthy men who remain loyal to David and who bring supplies to his army:
- Shobi son of King Nahash of the Ammonites (2 Sam 10:2): David must have treated the Ammonites honorably after he conquered them for the Ammonites to remain his loyal vassals. He probably placed this son on his father's throne after defeating his arrogant brother (2 Sam 10:1-5; 12:29).
- Machir son of Ammiel from Lo-Debar: He is an Israelite from the Transjordan and a former retainer of the House of Saul who gave sanctuary to Jonathan's son Meribbaal and became David's ally (see 2 Sam 9:4-5).
- Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim: He is an elderly and wealthy Israelite from the Transjordan.
Once again we see a mixture of both Israelites and Gentiles supporting David.
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A Daily Defense
DAY 135 Jesus’ Brothers
CHALLENGE: “Scripture mentions that Jesus had at least four brothers: James, Joses, Judas, and Simon (Mark 6:3). Therefore, there’s no way Mary could have remained a virgin after the birth of Christ.“
DEFENSE: Just because someone is described as a brother does not mean he had the same mother. The word is used more than one way.
The most common use of “brother” is for a male sibling who has the same mother and father (i.e., a full brother). However, Jesus had no full brothers, for Joseph was not his biological father (Matt. 1:18; Luke 1:26–35). This means that, when Scripture refers to the brothers of Jesus, it is not using the term in its most common sense.
The term can also refer to a brother who has one parent in common (a half brother). This option is preferred by those who hold that Mary did not remain a virgin. However, it is not the only option. The word can refer to a brother by marriage (a stepbrother) or to a brother by adoption (an adopted brother). And there are other uses still.
It can be used for close relations. Genesis 12:5 and 14:12 make it clear that Lot was the son of Abraham’s brother (i.e., his nephew), but Genesis 14:14 and 14:16 describe Lot as Abraham’s“brother” (Hebrew, ’akh), and Abraham describes himself and Lot as “brothers ” (’akhim) in Genesis 13:8.
Thus the fact that brother is used does not show that Mary had other children. If we had no evidence for the Virgin Birth, then the most natural understanding of Jesus’ brothers would be full brothers—children of both Joseph and Mary. But we do have evidence of the Virgin Birth, so we must seek another understanding.
In the same way, if we had no evidence that Mary remained a virgin, then it would be reasonable to think Jesus’ brothers were half brothers—fellow sons of Mary. But we do have evidence that Mary remained a virgin, meaning we must look to another sense (see Day 188).
The earliest reference we have to who the brothers were is in the second-century document called the Protoevangelium of James. It says they were stepbrothers (children of Joseph—who had been a widower—by a former marriage). Later, the idea the “brothers” were close relations such as cousins also became popular.
Jimmy Akin, A Daily Defense: 365 Days (Plus One) to Becoming a Better Apologist
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