Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Samuel 15:31
And [one] told David, saying, Ahithophel [is] among the conspirators with Absalom. And David said, O LORD, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.
2Sa 15:31
O Lord, I pray Thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.
Conspirators
Unfortunately for mankind the time of religious conspirators is not at an end. Under the fair robe of Christianity, there are men who are plotting to take away from us the liberty of conscience. There is steadily growing in number and power a party whose object is to play into the hands of that church which proclaims itself to be infallible. Let us mention that great conspirator whose name is temptation. Mr. Ruskin says that the human soul is not a machine, the wheels of which you can scrape and polish, and set it going at the rate of, twenty or thirty miles an hour. The human soul is not a machine; it is a living thing which has to grow. Converts who begin to turn over a fresh leaf and to serve the Lord Jesus are often much distressed because they are still inclined to their old sins. Let all such young believers bear in mind that they are not a perfected machine, but are rather like a seed which has to grow, or a child that has to be trained. Like the conspirators who would hand our free country over to the chains of Rome, so the tempter in your heart, is working very gradually. When I was a boy I tried to light a thick piece of wood with a match, but failed to do so. Had I taken some shavings and lit, them, and then a few chips and placed them against the log it would soon have been in a blaze. So the inward conspirator works on, little by little. If we could see the devil in every temptation, no doubt we should act as old Dunstan is said to have done; but we have a tendency to sin, and when the inward conspirator makes our besetting sin very tempting, none of us can resist it without the grace of God. (W. Birch, jun.)
Prayer for the defeat of Chose who attempt to subvert good government
I. Briefly describe a good government. Some suppose that one form of government is as good as another, provided it be equally well administered. If this opinion could be admitted all observations upon this head would be entirely superseded. But there is no foundation to imagine that the goodness or badness of any government depends solely upon its administration. It must be allowed that the ultimate design of civil government is to restrain the corruptions of human nature. And since human nature is the same at all times and in all places, the same form of government which is best for one nation is best for all nations, if they would only agree to adopt it. Hence politicians may arrive at as great perfection in the art of government as in any other art which is founded on the principles of human nature. A civil constitution ought to resemble a good time-piece: A good clock, for instance, will constantly and regularly move of itself, if it be only wound up, from day to day, or from week to week. So a good constitution will support itself, without requiring anything more of the people than barely their setting it in motion, and choosing their own rulers, at a prescribed time, and in a prescribed manner.
II. To inquire who may be said to be aiming to overthrow a good government, There is such a great diversity in the natural abilities, acquired knowledge, local situations, and temporal interests of mankind, that it is not to be expected they should be perfectly agreed in their political sentiments. Individuals, therefore, may be good subjects of a good government, though they should really think that its constitution is not so perfect as it might be; or that those in administration do not in all cases conduct public affairs so well as they might conduct them. But we may justly consider those as aiming to subvert the government, who endeavour to alienate the affections of the people from it. This was the method which Absalom pursued, in order to take the kingdom out of his fathers hands into his own. Accordingly, when we find any description of men insidiously endeavouring to alienate the affections of the people from their government, we have no room to doubt of their malevolent and traitorous designs. They are certainly seeking the power of bringing about a revolution of government; and should they attain that power, we may presume they will employ it for that purpose.
III. The propriety of praying that God would disconcert the counsels of such designing and dangerous men. And this will appear, if we consider,
1. That the subversion of a good government is one of the greatest calamities than can fair upon a people. A good government is the security of everything which they hold most dear and valuable in life. It protects their persons, their property, and all their civil and religious privileges. And if this foundation of their public safety and happiness should be taken away they would be completely ruined. Hence David demands, If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?
2. It is the prerogative of God to frustrate the most secret and destructive counsels of men. He knows their down-sittings and up-risings. He understands their thoughts afar off. He looks on their hearts and ponders all their purposes. They cannot conceive an evil thought nor concert a malignant design which he cannot perfectly penetrate and comprehend. He is able therefore to discover and disconcert the most subtile and secret counsels against the peace and prosperity of any people. This the inspired writers firmly believed and abundantly taught.
3. That God has often defeated the most destructive and deep-laid designs of men, in answer to prayer. David entreated God to confound the designs of Ahithophel. O Lord, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness. This prayer was graciously heard and answered. (N. Emmons, D. D.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 31. Turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.] Ahithophel was a wise man, and well versed in state affairs; and God alone could confound his devices.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
One told David, or, David told, i.e. David being hereof informed, acquaints his friends and followers with it, to stir them up to join with him in the following prayer against him.
Turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness; either infatuate him, that he may give foolish counsel; or let his counsel be rejected as foolish, or spoiled by the foolish execution of it.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
31. David said, Turn, O Lord, . . .the counsel of Ahithophelthis senator being the mainstay ofthe conspiracy.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And [one] told David,…. That came either from Hebron or from Jerusalem:
Ahithophel [is] among the conspirators with Absalom; Absalom sent for him, and it seems he came to him, and continued with him, see
2Sa 15:12;
and David said, O Lord, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness; either suffer him to give foolish counsel, or confound the schemes projected by him, and let them not be carried into execution; for God can, and sometimes does, disappoint crafty counsellors, that they cannot perform what they devise, but they are taken in their own craftiness, and their counsel is carried headlong, Job 5:12; this prayer was answered, 2Sa 17:14.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
| David’s Request to Hushai. | B. C. 1023. |
31 And one told David, saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. And David said, O LORD, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness. 32 And it came to pass, that when David was come to the top of the mount, where he worshipped God, behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his coat rent, and earth upon his head: 33 Unto whom David said, If thou passest on with me, then thou shalt be a burden unto me: 34 But if thou return to the city, and say unto Absalom, I will be thy servant, O king; as I have been thy father’s servant hitherto, so will I now also be thy servant: then mayest thou for me defeat the counsel of Ahithophel. 35 And hast thou not there with thee Zadok and Abiathar the priests? therefore it shall be, that what thing soever thou shalt hear out of the king’s house, thou shalt tell it to Zadok and Abiathar the priests. 36 Behold, they have there with them their two sons, Ahimaaz Zadok’s son, and Jonathan Abiathar’s son; and by them ye shall send unto me every thing that ye can hear. 37 So Hushai David’s friend came into the city, and Absalom came into Jerusalem.
Nothing, it seems, appeared to David more threatening in Absalom’s plot than that Ahithophel was in it; for one good head, in such a design, is worth a thousand good hands. Absalom was himself no politician, but he had got one entirely in his interest that was, and would be the more dangerous because he had been all along acquainted with David’s counsels and affairs; if therefore he can be baffled, Absalom is as good as routed and the head of the conspiracy cut off. This David endeavours to do.
I. By prayer. When he heard that Ahithophel was in the plot he lifted up his heart to God in this short prayer: Lord, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness, v. 31. He had not opportunity for a long prayer, but he was not one of those that thought he should be heard for his much speaking. It was a fervent prayer: “Lord, I pray thee, do this.” God is well pleased with the importunity of those that come to him with their petitions. David is particular in this prayer; he names the person whose counsels he prays against. God gives us leave, in prayer, to be humbly and reverently free with him, and to mention the particular care, and fear, and grief, that lies heavily upon us. David prayed not against Ahithophel’s person, but against his counsel, that God would turn it into foolishness, that, though he was a wise man, he might at this time give foolish counsel, or, if he gave wise counsel, that it might be rejected as foolish, or, if it were followed, that by some providence or other it might be defeated, and not attain the end. David prayed this in a firm belief that God has all hearts in his hand, and tongues too, that, when he pleases, he can take away the understanding of the aged and make the judges fools, (Job 12:7; Isa 3:2; Isa 3:3), and in hope that God would own and plead his just and injured cause. Note, We may pray in faith, and should pray with fervency, that God will turn that counsel into foolishness which is taken against his people.
II. By policy. We must second our prayer with our endeavours, else we tempt God. It is good service to countermine the policy of the church’s enemies. When David came to the top of the mount, he worshipped God, v. 32. Note, Weeping must not hinder worshipping, but quicken it rather. Now he penned the third Psalm, as appears by the title; and some think that his singing this was the worship he now paid to God. Just now Providence brought Hushai to him. While he was yet speaking, God heard, and sent him the person that should be instrumental to befool Ahithophel. He came to condole with David on his present trouble, with his coat rent and earth upon his head; but David, having a great deal of confidence in his conduct and faithfulness, resolved to employ him as a spy upon Absalom. He would not take him with him (v. 33), for he had now more need of soldiers than counsellors, but sent him back to Jerusalem, to wait for Absalom’s arrival, as a deserter from David, and to offer him his service, v. 34. Thus he might insinuate himself into his counsels, and defeat Ahithophel, either by dissuading Absalom from following his advice or by discovering it to David, that he might know where to stand upon his guard. How this gross dissimulation, which David put Hushai upon, can be justified, as a stratagem in war, I do not see. The best that can be made of it is that Absalom, if he rebel against his father, must stand upon his guard against all mankind, and, if he will be deceived, let him be deceived. David recommended Hushai to Zadok and Abiathar, as persons proper to be consulted with (v. 35), and to their two sons, as trusty men to be sent on errands to David, v. 36. Hushai, thus instructed, came to Jerusalem (v. 37), whither also Absalom soon after came with his forces. How soon do royal palaces and royal cities change their masters! But we look for a kingdom which cannot be thus shaken and in the possession of which we cannot be disturbed.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
(31) One told David.This is no doubt the meaning, but the preposition has dropped out of the Hebrew text, leaving it unintelligible, and reading literally, and David told.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
HUSHAI SENT TO DEFEAT THE COUNSEL OF AHITHOPHEL, 2Sa 15:31-37.
31. Turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness This was spoken in allusion to the meaning of the name Ahithophel brother of folly. David dreaded the far-reaching counsel of this wisest of his former friends. See note on 2Sa 15:12.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
(31) And one told David, saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. And David said, O LORD, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.
Reader! do observe how near the Lord is to his people in all that they call upon him for. The issue of this prayer, and the success of it, the subsequent history proves. Ahithophel’s counsel was considered foolishness. And through this, as an instrument in the Lord’s hand, Absalom lost his cause, Oh! the privilege of the faithful, in their nearness of access to God!
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
2Sa 15:31 And [one] told David, saying, Ahithophel [is] among the conspirators with Absalom. And David said, O LORD, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.
Ver. 31. Turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness. ] This was done accordingly: great is the power of faithful prayer, The queen-mother of Scotland was heard to say, that she more feared the prayers of John Knox than an army of fighting men.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
told David. The news came when the trial was greatest. Compare Psa 41:9 with Psa 55:12-14
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Ahithophel: 2Sa 15:12, Psa 3:1, Psa 41:9, Psa 55:12, Psa 55:14, Mat 26:14, Mat 26:15, Joh 13:18
O Lord: Psa 55:15, Psa 109:3
turn the counsel: 2Sa 16:23, 2Sa 17:14, 2Sa 17:23, Job 5:12, Job 12:16-20, Isa 19:3, Isa 19:11-25, Jer 8:8, Jer 8:9, 1Co 1:20, 1Co 3:18-20, Jam 3:15
Reciprocal: 2Sa 23:34 – Eliam 2Ki 19:20 – which thou hast Neh 2:4 – So I prayed Neh 4:15 – God Job 5:13 – taketh Job 12:17 – General Job 17:4 – General Job 18:7 – his own Psa 5:10 – let Psa 33:10 – The Lord Psa 43:1 – the deceitful Psa 55:9 – divide Psa 62:9 – of high Psa 109:4 – but I Psa 109:5 – hatred Psa 140:8 – Grant not Psa 146:9 – the way Isa 8:10 – counsel Isa 37:21 – Whereas Isa 44:25 – turneth Jer 18:18 – counsel Jer 50:36 – dote Hab 2:13 – is it Act 23:13 – which 1Co 3:19 – He
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2Sa 15:31. One told David Or, David told; that is, being informed that Ahithophel was among the conspirators, he mentioned it to his friends, to excite them to join with him in the following prayer against him. Turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness. Either infatuate him, that he may give foolish counsel; or let his counsel be contemned and rejected as foolish; or let it miscarry in the execution. Thus Davids constant recourse, in all his dangers and difficulties, was unto God by prayer.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
15:31 And [one] told David, saying, Ahithophel [is] among the conspirators with Absalom. And David said, O LORD, I pray thee, turn the {t} counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.
(t) The counsel of the crafty worldlings does more harm than the open force of the enemy.