--- title: "The Rebellion of Absalom (Part 3)" description: "Then Absalom and all the men of Israel came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel was with him. And David’s friend Hushai the Archite went to Absalom and said to him, “Long live the king! Long live the king!” “Is this the loyalty you show your friend?” Absalom replied. “Why did you not go with your friend?” “Not at all,” Hushai answered. “For the one chosen by the LORD, by the people, and by all the men of Israel—his I will be, and with him I will remain. Furthermore, whom should I serve if not the son?" image: "" book: "2 Samuel" bookId: "2SA" testament: "old" startChapter: 16 startVerse: 15 endChapter: 17 endVerse: 14 coversChapters: [16,17] aiTitle: "The Rebellion of Absalom (Part 3)" aiDescription: "Then Absalom and all the men of Israel came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel was with him. And David’s friend Hushai the Archite went to Absalom and said to him, “Long live the king! Long live the king!” “Is this the loyalty you show your friend?” Absalom replied. “Why did you not go with your friend?” “Not at all,” Hushai answered. “For the one chosen by the LORD, by the people, and by all the men of Israel—his I will be, and with him I will remain. Furthermore, whom should I serve if not the son?" hasAiStory: true location: "Jerusalem" persons: ["Absalom","Ahithophel","David","God","Hushai the Archite"] hashtags: ["betrayal","guidance","judgment","war"] genre: "history" readingTime: 3 type: "adaptive" slug: "2SA/the-rebellion-of-absalom-part-3" canonicalId: "2SA.16.15-17.14" chronologicalOrder: 641 relatedSlugs: [] prevSlug: "2SA/the-rebellion-of-absalom-part-2" nextSlug: "2SA/the-rebellion-of-absalom-part-4" --- ### The Counsel of Ahithophel and Hushai Then [Absalom](/persons/absalom) and all the men of Israel came to Jerusalem, and [Ahithophel](/persons/ahithophel) was with him. And [David](/persons/david)’s friend [Hushai the Archite](/persons/hushai%20the%20archite) went to Absalom and said to him, “Long live the king! Long live the king!” “Is this the loyalty you show your friend?” Absalom replied. “Why did you not go with your friend?” “Not at all,” Hushai answered. “For the one chosen by the [LORD](/persons/god), by the people, and by all the men of Israel—his I will be, and with him I will remain. Furthermore, whom should I serve if not the son? As I served in your father’s presence, so also I will serve in yours.” Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give me counsel. What should we do?” Ahithophel replied, “Sleep with your father’s concubines, whom he has left to keep the palace. When all Israel hears that you have become a stench to your father, then the hands of all who are with you will be strengthened.” So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, and he slept with his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel. Now in those days the advice of Ahithophel was like the consultation of the word of God. Such was the regard that both David and Absalom had for Ahithophel’s advice. ### Hushai Counters Ahithophel’s Advice Furthermore, Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Let me choose twelve thousand men and set out tonight in pursuit of David. I will attack him while he is weak and weary; I will throw him into a panic, and all the people with him will flee; I will strike down only the king and bring all the people back to you as a bride returning to her husband. You seek the life of only one man; then all the people will be at peace.” This proposal seemed good to Absalom and all the elders of Israel. Then Absalom said, “Summon Hushai the Archite as well, and let us hear what he too has to say.” So Hushai came to Absalom, who told him, “Ahithophel has spoken this proposal. Should we carry it out? If not, what do you say?” Hushai replied, “This time the advice of Ahithophel is not sound.” He continued, “You know your father and his men. They are mighty men, and as fierce as a wild bear robbed of her cubs. Moreover, your father is a man of war who will not spend the night with the troops. Surely by now he is hiding in a cave or some other location. If some of your troops fall first, whoever hears of it will say, ‘There has been a slaughter among the troops who follow Absalom.’ Then even the most valiant soldier with the heart of a lion will melt with fear, because all Israel knows that your father is a mighty man who has valiant men with him. Instead, I advise that all Israel from Dan to Beersheba—a multitude like the sand on the seashore—be gathered to you, and that you yourself lead them into battle. Then we will attack David wherever we find him, and we will descend on him like dew on the ground. And of all the men with him, not even one will remain. If he retreats to a city, all Israel will bring ropes to that city, and we will drag it down to the valley until not even a pebble can be found.” Then Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The advice of Hushai the Archite is better than that of Ahithophel.” For the LORD had purposed to thwart the good counsel of Ahithophel in order to bring disaster on Absalom.

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