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Here we see the council of Ahithophel being questioned. Ahithophel advises Absalom to choose 12,000 men and go after David before David and his men had a chance to rest. "They will be weary and discouraged and when they see you coming, they will run and leave David and you can kill him." "Then all of David's people will come back to you like a bride comes home to her husband." Well this advice pleased Absalom and also the Elders of Israel, but Absalom wanted a second opinion. He called in Hushei and told him Ahithophel's plan to which Hushei replied, "This time his advice is not good." Then he spelled out why it was not good. He explained that David and his men were angry and would fight like a female bear fights for her cubs; besides, David would not be with his men but would be hiding in a cave somewhere.
Then he gave Absalom a plan that he thought would work. "Gather all the men of Israel and personally lead them into battle against David." "Systematically hunt him down then light upon him like the dew falls upon the ground". "If he retreats into a city, destroy the city so that not even a pebble can be found." Well, truthfully, this was a lousy plan, doomed from the beginning. But it was the Lord's will to defeat the good council of Ahithophel and make Hushei's plan seem more logical in order that Absalom would be judged for his evil deeds.
Absalom and the Elders of Israel decided to go with Hushei's plan and secretly Hushei gets word to Zadok and Abithar who in turn got word by their sons to David with this added advice, "Do not stay tonight on the west side of the Jordan River but go across and go into the wilderness beyond."
Now notice how the word got to David. The Priest's sons, Jonathan and Ahimaaz were staying at En-ro-gel, a spring outside Jerusalem near the Dung Gate. This was done so that they would not be seen leaving the city. A servant girl took the message to them from their fathers, the Priests. Everything went well until the two boys left En-ro-gel. They were seen by a boy who went to Absalom and told him about it. Absalom sent some of his men after them but by the time they caught up the two boys had arrived at the Village of Bahurim and were hid by a man in his well and his wife put a cloth over it with grain on it to dry in the sun.
When Absalom's men arrived at the Village and inquired about the two boys, they were told that they had gone on toward the Jordan. A search of the area failed to turn up the two boys so the men returned to Jerusalem. Then the two boys got out of the well and went and found David and gave him the message. So David and all that were with him, crossed the Jordan that night and were on the other side by morning. Meanwhile, back in Jerusalem, Ahithophel, publicly disgraced because Absalom had not accepted his plan, saddled a donkey, settled his affairs and hanged himself and was buried in the tomb of his father.
The public life of Ahithophel in an interesting story. This man had been David's councilor, friend and guide for many years. David wrote of this man in Psalm 55, when he turned against David and went with Absalom. "It is not an enemy the taunts me, this I could bare." "It is not an adversary who deals insolently with me, this I could hid from." " But it is you, my equal, my companion, my familiar friend." We used to hold sweet conversations together within God's house, we walked in fellowship."
In Psalm 41 David also wrote of this man, "Even my bosom friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted his heal against me." We wonder how one so close to David could have been caught up in this insurrection. Little is known about this man. He is described as a man with a "clear head" and a "great mind". A politician who many sought after. He had been David's trusted friend for years, until it seemed that David might lose his kingdom and Absalom would become King of Israel. He became a traitor to David only to be shamed by Absalom, thus he committed suicide.
Meanwhile, David continued east to Ma-han-a-am a city in Gad near the Jabbok River where Abner had made Ishbosheth King of Israel for a time (II Sam. 2). When Absalom heard where David was, he assembled the entire army of Israel and headed across the Jordan River. Absalom had appointed Amasa General of the Army, replacing Joab. Amasa was Joab's 2nd. cousin. he was an Ishmaelite. The Ishmaelites were descendants of Ishmael. Ishmael was Abraham's son by Hagar, Sarah's handmaid or slave. In Gen. 21, Abraham sent Hagar and her son Ishmael, away into the wilderness where a nation of descendants grew up over a period of 900 years.
Absalom and his army camped on the east side of the Jordan in the area of Gilead.
When David arrived at Mahanaim he was warmly greeted by the Ammonites, the people of Gilead and the people of Lodebar which was the home of Mephibosheth, the lame son of Jonathan, before David called him to Jerusalem. These people brought David and his friends, food, cooking utensils and sleeping mats for they were weary and hungry after the long march thru the wilderness.
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