12<\/strong>. Gilonite<\/em> ] Formed from Giloh<\/em>, as Shilonite<\/em> (1Ki 11:29<\/span>) from Shiloh<\/em>. Giloh was one of a group of cities in the mountains of Judah, to the south or south-west of Hebron (Jos 15:51<\/span>).<\/p>\n sent<\/em> for Ahithophel<\/em> ] The sense is no doubt right, but it cannot be got out of the existing text. Probably some word has dropped out; the original reading may have been sent and called Ahithophel<\/em>.<\/p>\n Ahithophel has justly been regarded as a type of the arch-traitor Judas. Even if the words “mine own familiar friend in whom I trusted which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me” (Psa 41:9<\/span>, quoted in Joh 13:18<\/span>), were not written of Ahithophel, the parallel between his treachery and suicide, and the treachery and suicide of Judas, is too striking to be neglected.<\/p>\n while he offered sacrifices<\/em> ] While he offered the sacrifices.<\/strong> In order to give time for his adherents to gather, Absalom celebrated the sacrifice, which was the ostensible object of his journey. To Ahithophel, who no doubt had already been sounded, he sent a special invitation to join him.<\/p>\n Ahithophel – <\/B>It has been with great probability supposed that Ahithophel was estranged from David by personal resentment for his conduct in the matter of Bath-sheba and Uriah (see 2Sa 11:3<\/span>).<\/P> While he offered sacrifices – <\/B>Rather, that Absalom sent for Ahithophel to be present when he offered the sacrifices; the intention being that all who partook of the sacrifice should be bound together to prosecute the enterprise. Absalom, too, would take advantage of the excitement of the great feast to inflame the ardour of the guests, and pledge them irrevocably to his cause.<\/P> <\/p>\n Verse 12<\/span>. Sent for Ahithophel<\/B><\/I>] When Absalom got him<\/I>, he in effect got the prime minister<\/I> of the kingdom to join him.<\/P> <\/p>\n Ahithophel<\/B> is thought to have been the author, or, at least, the fomenter of this rebellion; either because he was discontented with David, for which there might be many reasons; or because he saw the father was old and nigh his end, and he thought it best policy to worship the rising sun, and to follow the young prince, whom he observed to have so great an interest in the hearts of the people, and whom he supposed he could easily manage as he pleased, which he could not do with David. <\/P> While he offered sacrifices; <\/B>which he did not in devotion to God, for he neither feared God, nor reverenced man; nor to implore Gods favour and assistance against his father, which he knew was a vain thing to expect; but merely that upon this pretence he might call great numbers of the people together, whereof many would come to join with him in the worship of God, and most to partake of the feasts which were made of the remainders of the sacrifices, according to the manner. <\/P> <\/p>\n 12. Absalom sent for Ahithophel<\/B>whohe knew was ready to join the revolt, through disgust and revenge, asJewish writers assert, at David’s conduct towards Bath-sheba, who washis granddaughter. <\/P> Giloh<\/B>near Hebron. <\/P> the conspiracy was strong<\/B>Therapid accession of one place after another in all parts of thekingdom to the party of the insurgents, shows that deep and generaldissatisfaction existed at this time against the person andgovernment of David. The remnant of Saul’s partisans, the unhappyaffair of Bath-sheba, the overbearing insolence and crimes of Joab,negligence and obstruction in the administration of justicethesewere some of the principal causes that contributed to the success ofthis widespread insurrection. <\/P> 2Sa15:13-37<\/span>. DAVID FLEESFROM JERUSALEM.<\/P><\/p>\n And Absalom sent for Ahithophel, the Gilonite, David’s counsellor<\/strong>,…. To advise with about this treasonable affair he was engaged in, and to get out of him David’s secrets, who was reckoned the best counsellor in the land; and he might rather hope he would come to him, if he was the grandfather of Bathsheba, as say the Jews, 2Sa 11:3<\/span>; since he might be disgusted with and resent David’s adultery with Bathsheba his granddaughter, and the murder of her husband Uriah: him he sent for,<\/p>\n from his city, [even] from Giloh<\/strong>; a city in the tribe of Judah, in the mountainous part of it, near to Hebron, where Absalom now was; and, according to Bunting i, twenty miles from Jerusalem, see<\/p>\n Jos 15:48<\/span>;<\/p>\n while he offered sacrifices<\/strong>; not Ahithophel, but Absalom, his peace offerings at Hebron, to which he invited Ahithophel to come and partake of:<\/p>\n and the conspiracy was strong<\/strong>; or there was a great number in the conspiracy, who were assembled together:<\/p>\n for the people increased continually with Absalom<\/strong>; being drawn to him by the comeliness of his person, his affable behaviour, the pomp and magnificence in which he appeared, the great number of the principal inhabitants of Jerusalem with him, and he the king’s eldest son, and so heir to the crown; whereas it might begin to be rumoured about, that David designed Solomon, a son of Bathsheba, a young prince, to be his successor, which did not meet with general approbation at first.<\/p>\n i Travels, &c. p. 149.<\/p>\n Moreover, Absalom sent for Ahithophel, David’s councillor, to come from his own town Giloh, when he offered the sacrifices. The unusual construction of with may be explained from the pregnant character of the expression: he sent and bade come, i.e., he summoned Ahithophel out of his city. Giloh<\/em>, Ahithophel’s home, was upon the mountains of Judah, to the south or south-west of Hebron (see at Jos 15:51<\/span>). Ahithophel had no doubt been previously initiated into Absalom’s plans, and had probably gone to his native city, merely that he might come to him with the greater ease; since his general place of abode, as king’s councillor, must have been in Jerusalem. “And the conspiracy became strong; for the people multiplied continually with Absalom”<\/em> (the latter is a circumstantial clause). These words give a condensed summary of the result of the enterprise. <\/p>\n (12) Sent for Ahithophel.<\/strong>Giloh, the city of Ahithophel, was one of the groups of towns just south of Hebron (Jos. 15:51<\/span>), and Ahithophel may have gone there in readiness to be summoned by Absalom. Why he deserted David does not appear. It has been conjectured that he was aggrieved at Davids treatment of Bath-sheba, who is supposed to have been his granddaughter. Bath-shebas father was Eliam (2Sa. 11:3<\/span>) and Ahithophel had a son Eliam (2Sa. 23:34<\/span>), but there is no evidence that these were the same, and if they had been, Ahithophel probably would have felt honoured rather than aggrieved that his daughter should have been made queen. It is more likely that Ahithophel and many others of the tribe of Judah were alienated because, in the rapidly growing empire of David, their relative importance was of necessity constantly diminishing. It is noteworthy that the rebellion was cradled in Judah, and seems to have found there its chief strength.<\/p>\n There is a difference of opinion whether Psalms 41<\/span> was written on this occasion; but its ninth verse certainly applies very pointedly to Ahithophel; and his conduct, both in his treachery and his suicide, forms a striking parallel to that of Judas, to whom this verse is applied in Joh. 13:18<\/span>. Many writers also consider that Psalms 55<\/span> was composed with reference to Ahithophel.<\/p>\n While he offered sacrifices.<\/strong>Absalom had arranged these, apparently with pomp and circumstance, to continue through several days. This gave time for the conspiracy to gain strength, and the accompanying feasting allowed Absalom an excellent opportunity for using his popular arts, and with such success that the people increased continually with Absalom.<\/p>\n 12<\/strong>. <\/strong> Ahithophel the Gilonite <\/strong> So called from Giloh, his native city in the southern hills of Judah. In nothing was the strength of Absalom’s conspiracy more manifest than in his attaching to his cause a man of so much influence as this wisest of David’s counsellors. His counsel was as an oracle of God, (2Sa 16:23<\/span>,) and nothing seemed to disturb David more than the information that Ahithophel was among his foes. 2Sa 15:31<\/span>.<\/p>\n The manner of Absalom’s sending for him, as here stated, seems to indicate that he was already privy to the plot. He had perhaps become disaffected toward David on account of his seduction of Bathsheba, his granddaughter. <\/p>\n Giloh <\/strong> Somewhere to the south of Hebron, but its site is unknown. See at Jos 15:51<\/span>. <\/p>\n While he offered sacrifices <\/strong> That is, while Absalom was offering the sacrifices connected with the festival which he made for his followers. “When we reflect,” says Ewald, “that the men who played the most important parts under Absalom his general, Amasa, who was a near relative of Joab and of David, and Ahithophel, a citizen of Giloh belonged to the tribe of Judah, and that the insurrection itself sprung into being at Hebron, the ancient capital of Judah, it becomes certain that some discontent in David’s own tribe here came into play.”<\/p>\n David Learns Of The Rebellion And Flees Jerusalem While Absalom Enlists The Services of Ahithophel ( 2Sa 15:12-31<\/strong><\/span><\/strong> ). <\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n Once messengers had gone out throughout Israel, and preparations had begun in Hebron for Absalom’s coronation (he was anointed by the people as king in Hebron – 2Sa 19:10<\/span>), it was inevitable that David’s loyal supporters would bring him news of the fact, and on receiving that news David immediately determined to quit Jerusalem. He was aware of the unrest in the country and that being shut up in Jerusalem would have prevented him from gathering his own support around the country, and would also have cut him off from that support. It would also inevitably have brought destruction and desolation on Jerusalem itself. Thus he needed to find a safer haven in an area where he still had strong support, and from the intelligence that he had he clearly considered that to be in Transjordan. Furthermore the city that he had in mind, Mahanaim, was a recognised royal city in opposition to Hebron. (While David had reigned in Hebron, Ish-bosheth had reigned in Mahanaim). And they would be delighted to be recognised as such once more. <\/p>\n His immediate decision to leave Jerusalem and cross the Jordan into Transjordan meant that all those who were in Jerusalem also had to consider their own positions. The question was whether they should accompany David on his flight and subsequent fight back, or whether they should remain in Jerusalem and appear to be loyal to whoever ruled from Jerusalem. It would make David aware of who were truly his friends. <\/p>\n David was accompanied on his flight by the royal bodyguard, his loyal courtiers, his wives and concubines (apart from those left to tend his palace in Jerusalem), and many who also joined him as his loyal supporters. Absalom meanwhile hastily summoned Ahithophel to join him from his home city of Giloh, because he was aware that he needed his expert advice. The importance of Ahithophel, because of his wisdom, was clearly appreciated by both sides (2Sa 15:12<\/span>; 2Sa 15:31<\/span>). Both sides knew that his wise advice might turn the tide in favour of the one whom he supported, and his being summoned, and the description of his wisdom, forms an inclusio for this passage. <\/p>\n Analysis. <\/p>\n a <\/strong> And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counsellor, from his city, even from Giloh, while he was offering the sacrifices (2Sa 15:12<\/span> a). <\/p>\n b <\/strong> And the conspiracy was strong, for the people increased continually with Absalom. And there came a messenger to David, saying, “The hearts of the men of Israel are after Absalom” (2Sa 15:12-13<\/span>). <\/p>\n c <\/strong> And David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, “Arise, and let us flee, for otherwise none of us will escape from Absalom. Make haste to depart, lest he overtake us quickly, and bring down evil on us, and smite the city with the edge of the sword” (2Sa 15:14<\/span>). <\/p>\n d <\/strong> And the king’s servants said to the king, “Look, your servants are ready to do whatever my lord the king shall choose” (2Sa 15:15<\/span>). <\/p>\n e <\/strong> And the king went forth, and all his household after him. And the king left ten women, who were concubines, to keep the house (2Sa 15:16<\/span>). <\/p>\n f <\/strong> And the king went forth, and all the people after him, and they tarried in Beth-merhak (2Sa 15:17<\/span>). <\/p>\n g <\/strong> And all his servants passed on beside him, and all the Cherethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, six hundred men who came after him from Gath, passed on before the king (2Sa 15:18<\/span>). <\/p>\n h <\/strong> Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why do you also go with us? Return, and abide with the king, for you are a foreigner, and also an exile. Return to your own place. Inasmuch as you came but yesterday, should I this day make you go up and down with us, seeing I go wherever I may? Return you, and take back your brothers. Mercy and truth be with you” (2Sa 15:19-20<\/span>). <\/p>\n i <\/strong> And Ittai answered the king, and said, “As YHWH lives, and as my lord the king lives, surely in what place my lord the king shall be, whether for death or for life, even there also will your servant be” (2Sa 15:21<\/span>). <\/p>\n h <\/strong> And David said to Ittai, “Go and pass over.” And Ittai the Gittite passed over, and all his men, and all the little ones who were with him (2Sa 15:22<\/span>). <\/p>\n g <\/strong> And all the country wept with a loud voice, and all the people passed over. The king also himself passed over the brook Kidron, and all the people passed over, towards the way of the wilderness (2Sa 15:23<\/span>). <\/p>\n f <\/strong> And, lo, Zadok also came, and all the Levites with him, bearing the ark of the covenant of God. And they set down the ark of God. And Abiathar went up, until all the people had done passing out of the city (2Sa 15:24<\/span>). <\/p>\n e <\/strong> And the king said to Zadok, “Carry back the ark of God into the city. If I shall find favour in the eyes of YHWH, he will bring me again, and show me both it, and his habitation, but if he say thus, ‘I have no delight in you’, behold, here am I, let him do to me as seems good to him” (2Sa 15:25-26<\/span>). <\/p>\n d <\/strong> The king said also to Zadok the priest, “Are you not a seer? Return into the city in peace, and your two sons with you, Ahimaaz your son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar. See, I will tarry at the fords of the wilderness, until there come word from you to certify me” (2Sa 15:27-28<\/span>). <\/p>\n c <\/strong> Zadok therefore and Abiathar carried the ark of God again to Jerusalem: and they abode there (2Sa 15:29<\/span>). <\/p>\n b <\/strong> And David went up by the ascent of the mount of Olives, and wept as he went up, and he had his head covered, and went barefoot, and all the people who were with him covered every man his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up (2Sa 15:30<\/span>). <\/p>\n a <\/strong> And one told David, saying, “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” And David said, “O YHWH, I pray you, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness” (2Sa 15:31<\/span>). <\/p>\n Note that in ‘a’ Absalom sent for Ahithophel, and in the parallel David prayed that Ahithiophel’s advice might be seen by Absalom as foolishness. In ‘b’ all the people followed Absalom, and in the parallel all the people who followed David were weeping as they thought of what this was going to mean. In ‘c’ David and those who were with him in Jerusalem fled, and in the parallel, at David’s request, the Ark remained in Jerusalem and abode there. In ‘d’ all declared their willingness to do whatever David required, and in the parallel Zadok and his two sons were to return to Jerusalem before Absalom arrived there so as to attend to the Ark and act as seer in Jerusalem and also in order to keep David informed of what happened in Jerusalem. In ‘e’ David left his concubines to attend to his palace in Jerusalem and in the parallel he left Zadok, along with the Ark, to attend to YHWH’s habitation in Jerusalem. In ‘f’ David went forth and all the people after him, and tarried in Beth-merhak, and in the parallel Zadok and all the Levites came too him there bearing the Ark of God, along with Abiathar when all the people had finished passing out of the city. In ‘g’ all David’s courtiers and commanders passed on beside him, together with his bodyguard, and in the parallel all the people passed over, including the king himself. In ‘h’ David gives Ittai the Gittite and his ‘brothers’ permission to return because they are recently arrived foreigners and have no real duty owed to David, and in the parallel David gives Ittai permission to go over with him because he has declared his loyalty. Centrally in ‘i’ Ittai declares his loyalty to David ‘as YHWH lives’ demonstrating both his loyalty to YHWH and to David, thus symbolising the loyalty of all who were following David. <\/p>\n 2Sa 15:12<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n ‘<\/strong> And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counsellor, from his city, even from Giloh, while he was offering the sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong, for the people increased continually with Absalom.’ <\/p>\n Even while Absalom was offering his sacrifices in Hebron in accordance with his proclaimed purpose for coming there, he sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counsellor, to come from his home city Giloh to act as his adviser. Ahithophel’s home city was in the mountains of Judah, to the south or south-west of Hebron (see Jos 15:51<\/span>). Meanwhile support for Absalom was growing as the news of his coup began to spread around. There is in this confirmation that there was general disillusionment about David’s kingship, possibly because in his period of complacency and arrogance, he had become too overbearing and inaccessible to the common people. He was no longer the David of Ziklag. <\/p>\n The importance of Ahithophel in this situation clearly cannot be overstated, as even David realised (2Sa 15:31<\/span>). He was a man of genius such that his counsel was ‘as if a man had enquired at the oracle of God’ (2Sa 16:23<\/span>), and it is in fact possible that had his advice been followed things might have turned out very differently (although not necessarily so, for while David might certainly have been at a disadvantage, there was no doubt that he was accompanied by an extremely efficient and militarily effective fighting force, and already had many friends gathering to him. He was never a man to be trifled with). But there is no doubt that following Ahithophel’s advice would certainly have given Absalom a better chance of succeeding. Indeed once Absalom refused his advice Ahithophel hung himself because he knew that with that refusal all hope of success had gone. <\/p>\n Ahithophel’s defection must be seen in the light of the fact that he was probably Bathsheba’s uncle. Bathsheba was the daughter of Eliam and Ahithophel had a son named Eliam who was one of David’s mighty men (2Sa 23:34<\/span>). This would serve to explain the depth of his bitterness against David because of what he had done to his family, and his disaffection is emphasised by his being at Giloh at this time, either because he was no longer acting as counsellor, or because he was in on the conspiracy and had gone there in readiness for it. David was once more reaping what he had sown with Bathsheba. <\/p>\n 2Sa 15:13<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n ‘<\/strong> And there came a messenger to David, saying, “The hearts of the men of Israel are after Absalom.” ’ <\/p>\n Inevitably as the news of the growing tide in favour of Absalom spread around those who remained loyal to David sent messengers to David informing him of the revolt, and of the way in which people were flocking to Absalom’s banner. <\/p>\n 2Sa 15:14<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n ‘<\/strong> And David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, “Arise, and let us flee, for otherwise none of us will escape from Absalom. Make haste to depart, lest he overtake us quickly, and bring down evil on us, and smite the city with the edge of the sword.” ’ <\/p>\n On receipt of this news David recognised that his wisest course would be to leave Jerusalem, where he could have become entrapped by the arrival of Absalom’s forces, and move immediately into an area over the Jordan which had not been so affected by Absalom’s propaganda. From there he could then begin to organise his own counter measures. Transjordan was regularly the place of refuge for those who fled the central part of Israel, for the Transjordanians were, to some extent at least, a unit in themselves and historically their loyalty was not so tied in with the tribes on the western side of the Jordan. To quite a large extent they saw themselves as having their own agenda. And they would have been delighted at the thought that Mahanaim was being recognised once more as a royal city. David’s departure would also save Jerusalem from being taken before the defences could be properly and efficiently organised, something which would be accompanied by great slaughter, or alternatively from suffering the effects of a prolonged siege, with all the consequences that would then follow if the siege was successful. He could also not be sure quite how many in Jerusalem might be supporting Absalom. <\/p>\n 2Sa 15:15<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n ‘<\/strong> And the king’s servants said to the king, “Look, your servants are ready to do whatever my lord the king shall choose.” ’ <\/p>\n All his courtiers and commanders declared that they would acquiesce in whatever David decided was best. They clearly had full confidence in his ability to escape from the net that was drawing in around him, and were ready to trust his experience. He was after all the most outstanding general that Israel had ever had, and furthermore had under his command a fighting force which though small, was of massive experience and military efficiency. <\/p>\n 2Sa 15:16<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n ‘<\/strong> And the king went forth, and all his household after him. And the king left ten women, who were concubines, to keep the house.’ <\/p>\n So the king departed with all his household, including his wives and children and most of his concubines, and all the palace officers and servants, leaving behind a handful of concubines (‘ten’ often means ‘a number of’) to look after the needs of the palace. His hope was that Absalom would see no need to ill-treat his concubines. He should perhaps have foreseen what Ahithophel would advise Absalom to do, make use of the concubines for propaganda purposes by making love to them, but he seemingly either did not think of it, or did not consider that it mattered. There is no suggestion, however, that they were treated cruelly. Having to lie with ‘the king’ would simply have been seen as a reasonable part of their duties. <\/p>\n 2Sa 15:17<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n ‘<\/strong> And the king went forth, and all the people after him, and they tarried in Beth-merhak.’ <\/p>\n The king not only went forth with his household, but also with ‘all the people’, that means, of course, all his followers in Jerusalem, not stopping until they came to Beth-hermack (‘the house of the distances’) where they organised themselves and regrouped. Beth-hermack may have been the name given to the last house in the environs of greater Jerusalem which was seen as indicating its boundary. It would be the natural place to wait for all who wanted to join them in their flight as they arrived from different parts of the city and the countryside round about. <\/p>\n 2Sa 15:18<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n ‘<\/strong> And all his servants passed on beside him, and all the Cherethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, six hundred men who came after him from Gath, passed on before the king.’ <\/p>\n David was not only accompanied by his own large household, but also by all his loyal courtiers and by his equally loyal bodyguard (‘his men’). This bodyguard included the highly effective Cherethites and Pelethites (see on 2Sa 8:18<\/span>), possibly already under Benaiah’s command, who were both highly skilled and very experienced warriors. In view of the reference to ‘the six hundred’ (compare 1Sa 27:2<\/span> and often) ‘all the Gittites’ would appear simply to have been repeating the idea of the Cherethites and Pelethites (‘all the Cherethites and all the Pelethites, even all the Gittites’), called Gittites because they had been with David in Gath. These formed six military units. Whichever way we take the description they were not the kind of men you would wish to suddenly come up against in the mountains, something of which Absalom would be well aware. That was why he would choose the pathway of caution which guaranteed his downfall. Absalom may have had the numbers, but he knew perfectly well that David had the quality. <\/p>\n 2Sa 15:19<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n ‘<\/strong> Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why do you also go with us? Return, and abide with the king, for you are a foreigner, and also an exile. Return to your own place.” ’ <\/p>\n On top of David’s six hundred there was a mercenary force of Gittites under Ittai who were recent arrivals (the ‘six hundred’ might refer to them). David, however, did not see them as being under any obligation to stay with him in the circumstances. So when Ittai arrived in order to go with him he encouraged him to return and serve whoever was king in Jerusalem, pointing out that as a foreigner, and an exile from his own country, he only owed a duty to those who paid him. Alternately reference to ‘your own place’ may signify that the king in mind was Achish, the king of Gath, to whom he should return. <\/p>\n 2Sa 15:20<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n “<\/strong> Inasmuch as you came but yesterday, should I this day make you go up and down with us, seeing I go wherever I may? Return you, and take back your brothers. Mercy and truth be with you.” <\/p>\n After all Ittai had only come to Jerusalem recently (although ‘yesterday’ was probably not intended to be taken literally). How then could David expect him to share his flight down to the Jordan rift and then into Transjordan, going wherever he felt it necessary in order to avoid Absalom’s forces, not knowing what the outcome may be? He might even never have the means by which to pay them. So David suggested that he go back to Gath, and take with him his brother Philistines, and wished him ‘mercy and truth’. <\/p>\n 2Sa 15:21<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n ‘<\/strong> And Ittai answered the king, and said, “As YHWH lives, and as my lord the king lives, surely in what place my lord the king shall be, whether for death or for life, even there also will your servant be.” ’ <\/p>\n But Ittai was made of sterner stuff. He would having nothing of it. He knew enough about David to have summed him up, and he liked what he had seen. So he swore his loyalty to David on the life of YHWH (compare how Achish had done the same – 1Sa 29:6<\/span>) and on the life of the king himself. He stressed that he was willing to follow David no matter whether such a path led to life or death, for he saw David as his true lord and king. <\/p>\n 2Sa 15:22<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n ‘<\/strong> And David said to Ittai, “Go and pass over.” And Ittai the Gittite passed over, and all his men, and all the little ones who were with him.’ <\/p>\n Acknowledging his bravery and loyalty David acquiesced in his position and told him to go forward and pass over along with the others. And so Ittai the Gittite passed over, along with all his mercenaries, and all their children who were with them. They added great strength to David’s arm. We can in fact see why Ahithophel was so eager for Absalom to catch David and his forces while they were still disjointed and unorganised. It was his only chance of defeating them. David certainly had with him ‘a hundred’ (and more) who would be quite capable of ‘putting ten thousand to flight’ (Lev 26:8<\/span>). <\/p>\n 2Sa 15:23<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n ‘<\/strong> And all the country wept with a loud voice, and all the people passed over. The king also himself passed over the brook Kidron, and all the people passed over, towards the way of the wilderness.’ <\/p>\n Meanwhile the whole country was in mourning. We are not necessarily to see that they were weeping simply for David. They were indeed mainly weeping because civil war was coming and they did not like what they saw ahead. (To many it made little difference who was king as long as there was peace in the land). They knew that civil war was especially hard on everyone. Meanwhile all the people who were with David passed over the Wadi Kidron which was on the edge of Jerusalem towards the east before reaching the Mount of Olives. They were moving forward towards The Way of the Wilderness, the road which would lead them via Jericho into Transjordan. The Wadi Kidron was dry in summer but would flood with the winter rains. <\/p>\n 2Sa 15:24<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n ‘<\/strong> And, lo, Zadok also came, and all the Levites with him, bearing the ark of the covenant of God. And they set down the ark of God. And Abiathar went up, until all the people had done passing out of the city.’ <\/p>\n Along with all the others came Zadok and the Levites, bearing the Ark of the Covenant of God (suitably covered) which they had carried from the Tent in Jerusalem. And once there they took the Ark of God up a hillside and set it down where all the people could see it as they passed by as an indication that YHWH was with David. Meanwhile Abiathar the Priest had arrived later, possibly from the Tabernacle at Hebron, and he also went up on the hillside before the Ark in front of all the people. Thus all knew by this that YHWH was with David. And this continued until all the people who were likely to come had arrived and had finished passing out of the city. <\/p>\n 2Sa 15:25-26<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n ‘<\/strong> And the king said to Zadok, “Carry back the ark of God into the city. If I shall find favour in the eyes of YHWH, he will bring me again, and show me both it, and his habitation, but if he say thus, ‘I have no delight in you’, behold, here am I, let him do to me as seems good to him.” ’ <\/p>\n But David was not happy at the thought that the Ark of God should be required to join their wanderings. He had established it in a sacred Tent in Jerusalem, and in his view that was where it belonged. And he had no doubt that YHWH could help him from there. In his view to remove it would be an act of surrender and an indication that he was not expecting to return. So he informed Zadok that he should take it back to the city. As far as he was concerned all, including his own future, was in YHWH’s hands and YHWH would do whatever He would, no matter where His physical abode. Thus whether he himself was to find favour at YHWH’s hands did not depend on the whereabouts of the Ark, for YHWH was not limited and could work how and where He would. It simply depended on YHWH’s own will and purpose. And that was what mattered. If YHWH was intending to show favour to him then he would be brought safely back to the place where the Ark dwelt, but if YHWH was, on the other hand, now saying ‘I have no delight in you’, then he was willing to leave all in His hands. Let YHWH do to him what seemed good. Emergencies like this always brought out the best in David, and he was being reminded both of how dependent he was on YHWH, and how universal was His power. <\/p>\n 2Sa 15:27<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n ‘<\/strong> The king said also to Zadok the priest, “Are you not a seer? Return into the city in peace, and your two sons with you, Ahimaaz your son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar.” ’ <\/p>\n David then pointed out to Zadok that he was a seer. He was thus one who could see farther than others, could even see into men’s hearts, and could act as David’s eyes in Jerusalem. That was why he and Abiathar should return there with his son and Abiathar’s son. It was clear that he was confident that Zadok and Abiathar would be safe in Jerusalem because they would be expected to be where the Ark of God was whoever ruled there. Their loyalty was to YHWH. <\/p>\n “Are you not a seer? Return into the city –” could equally be translated as, ‘You seer. Return to the city,’ but it makes little difference. The emphasis is on the fact that Zadok could ‘see’ beyond the ordinary. Whether this was because he and Abiathar could make use of the Urim in order to discern YHWH’s will, or because Zadok actually had special prophetic gifts, is not made clear to us. What mattered was that David’s expectation was that Zadok would be aware of all that was happening and yet, as long as he arrived back there before the coming of Absalom, would not be under suspicion because as a priest and prophet his place was with the Ark of God. <\/p>\n 2Sa 15:28<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n “<\/strong> See, I will tarry at the fords of the wilderness, until there come word from you to certify me.” <\/p>\n Meanwhile David would go on and tarry at the fords of the Jordan on the Way of the Wilderness until he had received certification as to what the true situation was from Zadok and Abiathar. <\/p>\n 2Sa 15:29<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n ‘<\/strong> Zadok therefore and Abiathar carried the ark of God again to Jerusalem: and they abode there.’ <\/p>\n Accordingly, in obedience to David’s wish, Zadok and Abiathar bore the Ark of God back to Jerusalem and continued their residence there. They were to be David’s eyes in Jerusalem. <\/p>\n 2Sa 15:30<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n ‘<\/strong> And David went up by the ascent of the mount of Olives, and wept as he went up, and he had his head covered, and went barefoot, and all the people who were with him covered every man his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up.’ <\/p>\n David and his attendants then went up over the Mount of Olives, and as he went he wept, had his hair covered, and went barefoot. These were all symbols of mourning and repentance before YHWH, and an indication of great distress (compare Est 6:12<\/span>; Eze 24:17<\/span>; Isa 20:2-3<\/span>). David wanted YHWH to recognise that he recognised the sinfulness of his own heart and was aware that all this was a chastisement from YHWH because of his sins. <\/p>\n 2Sa 15:31<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n ‘<\/strong> And one told David, saying, “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” And David said, “O YHWH, I pray you, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.” ’ <\/p>\n And as he went up the Mount someone came to him with the worst news that he had received up to this point. It was that his famed and wise counsellor Ahithophel had joined the rebellion on Absalom’s side, and was advising Absalom. Recognising what that could mean for the success of the rebellion David turned to the only One Whom he felt could help him in such a situation and prayed, “O YHWH, I pray you, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.” David knew how much depended on that prayer. He knew that Ahithophel’s advice could make all the difference between success and failure. <\/p>\n 2Sa 15:12<\/span><\/em><\/strong>. <\/strong>Absalom sent for Ahithophel<\/em><\/strong><\/strong> Ahithophel’s junction with Absalom seems to have given the finishing stroke to the rebellion. He was too sagacious to discover himself, till he saw all things favourable and prosperous on the part of Absalom; and they both very well judged that his accession to the conspiracy in those circumstances was the likeliest means to secure its success. <\/p>\n 2Sa 15:12 And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counsellor, from his city, [even] from Giloh, while he offered sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong; for the people increased continually with Absalom.<\/p>\n Ver. 12. And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite.<\/strong> ] Who doubtless of all his virtues made best vice of his dissimulation; as our historian saith of that Earl of Warwick in Edward VI’s days. See on 2Sa 15:10<\/span> . Some think that Ahithophel joined with Absalom against David, in revenge of the abuse done by him to Bathsheba, – who is supposed to be Ahithophel’s grand-daughter, – and the murdering of Uriah, her husband. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n For the people increased continually with Absalom.<\/strong> ] Bewitched by his flatteries, as 2Sa 15:6<\/span> , affecting novelties, , Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible <\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n