The Reading
The Summary
Shemuel Bet Chapter 17
Avshalom is poised to consolidate his political gains and advance his agenda, so he once again seeks counsel from Ahitophel. Ahitophel recommends that Avshalom authorize him to personally gather 12,000 men and lead an immediate, nighttime attack while David and his men are still demoralized and weary. There will be no need to defeat all of David’s soldiers; merely assassinating David will be sufficient. Ahitophel will then take whatever steps are necessary to transition the population to acceptance of their new king.
Avshalom and the elders are pleased with the advice of Ahitophel; however, Avshalom wants to consult with Hushai before making a final decision. He summons Hushai and shares Ahitophel’s plan with him. Hushai declares that Ahitophel’s suggestion is misguided and offers an alternative. Hushai reminds Avshalom that his father is legendary for being a mighty and courageous warrior. David and his men are highly experienced, tough and ferocious fighters who are probably on high alert right now and will repel the kind of attack suggested by Ahitophel.
Hushai instead urges Avshalom to patiently gather a large army from all across the country and insists that Avshalom himself should lead them into battle. Rather than merely targeting David, all of his troops and supporters should be eliminated, and if they take refuge in a city, ropes should be tied around its walls so it can be dragged into the sea.
Avshalom and the men of Israel prefer the advice of Hushai over that of Ahitophel. The text remarks that this was not because of the superiority of Hushai’s plan – in fact, Ahitophel’s was wiser – but because of Hashem’s intent to thwart the evil designs of Ahitophel and to punish Avshalom. Unsure whether this will be Avshalom’s final decision or not, Hushai sends word through the Kohanim, informing him of the two proposals and warning him not to sleep in the camp; he tells David to cross over the Jordan and hide there because of the possibility that Avshalom will stage a sneak attack at night.
The elder Kohanim pass the message on to the younger kohanim, Yonatan and Ahimaatz, who communicate it to David. However, they are almost caught traveling back and forth and they only evade capture because they hide inside the well of a couple in Bahurim that covers for and protects them. When Ahitophel sees that his advice is not being followed, he returns home, sets his affairs in order, and commits suicide.
The chapter concludes by describing the transition of David’s camp to an unlikely location as well as the arrival of several new friends of David, many of them unlikely supporters. David moves to Mahanayim, the former capital of the short-lived kingdom of his rival, Ish-Boshet. Shovi, the son of Nahash, King of Ammon, Barzilai the Gileadite, and Makhir the son of Ammiel – all of whom had reason not to take David’s side in the conflict – come with all sorts of provisions to assist him.
David’s kindness to Nahash’s son, Hanun, had previously been rebuffed in a humiliating manner, igniting an intense war between the two nations. Nevertheless, Nahash’s other son, Shovi, joins David’s camp. Barzilai the Gileadite has ties to the house of Shaul and is probably a member of his family, and Makhir was Mefivoshet’s host and patron before David made other arrangements to take care of him. Despite their previous loyalties to Shaul, they recognize that David is the rightful king and deserves their support.
Moreover, the woman who protects the two Kohanim who serve as spies for David lives in Bahurim, a city closely associated with Shaul. The message here is that David’s efforts to unify the kingdom, to govern in a principled manner and even to conduct international affairs in a compassionate and judicious way have not gone unnoticed. His popularity endures among those who appreciate what he stands for as a person and as a leader.
One of the most fascinating aspects of this chapter is the contrast between the proposals of Hushai and Ahitophel. What is it that made Ahitophel’s advice superior but not attractive enough to win Avshalom’s endorsement? What was it about Hushai’s vision that appealed more to Avshalom and to the men of Israel?
Ahitophel has made a realistic and highly accurate assessment of the facts on the ground. His evaluation of David’s state of demoralization and weakness, and the resultant advantage to Avshalom, is likewise correct. Moreover, the notion of capitalizing on the momentum of the rebellion and assassinating David in a targeted strike would have been the wisest move for Avshalom, since it would have prevented the conflict from evolving into a long, protracted struggle.
However, there was one problem with Ahitophel’s advice – not a tactical or strategic flaw, but a lack of psychological appeal. It is too practical and perfunctory, and it assigns a decisive role to Ahitophel rather than Avshalom. While Ahitophel’s plan would have produced results, there was no glory or honor in his approach for the ego-driven Avshalom. Hushai picks up on this and utilizes it to make his proposal sound much more desirable. Let us consider how Hushai frames his vision differently.
First of all, Hushai is wise enough not to impugn or attack the personality of Ahitophel; instead, acknowledging the brilliance of Ahitophel, he “humbly” suggests that, this one time, Ahitophel has erred. Hushai describes David as a larger-than life Chuck Norris type warrior (a depiction obviously better suited to the early stages of his career than to his recent, more passive behavior), and characterizes his military prowess, courage and determination in glowing terms. He also repeatedly calls David “your father” when addressing Avshalom, rather than “the king”. Hushai then paints a picture of a clash of epic and almost ridiculous proportions in which Avshalom would utterly subdue and destroy the forces of the legendary King David.
Hushai realizes that Avshalom is motivated not only by a desire for practical political and military successes but by his desire for glory and honor in victory. This means that Avshalom WANTS to believe that his enemy is tremendously strong, not weak. And he wants to be sure that he himself vanquishes this formidable opponent in as dramatic and impressive a fashion as possible.
Hushai deliberately emphasizes that David is Avshalom’s father because every young man idealizes and wants to romanticize and exaggerate the greatness of his father. In a son’s mind, he, too, partakes of that greatness by virtue of being the father’s child. So Hushai magnifies both the image of David’s near-invincibility on the battlefield as well as Avshalom’s self-image as heir to that mightiness and valor. The dream of a “battle royale” with David’s army appeals not only to the honor-hungry Avshalom but to his troops as well.
Once again, it is Hushai’s psychological insight into the mind of Avshalom that enables him to succeed in sabotaging the rebellion. Ultimately, of course, Hushai’s real plan is to buy time for David by delaying the conflict as well as to make sure that Avshalom himself enters into the battle so he can be strategically eliminated.
Ahitophel’s reaction to Avshalom’s decision seems rash but it is warranted. Ahitophel was used to advising David, a humble, principled and essentially well intentioned king who was interested in the wisest and most effective strategies, not the ones that would buy him glory. Ahitophel realizes that the ego of Avshalom is eclipsing his intellect and will eventually cause his kingdom to unravel; if not in the first conflict, then not long afterwards.
Ahitophel correctly recognizes not only that Hushai’s plan is doomed to fail but that the character flaw in Avshalom – his seeking the most glorious route rather than the wisest – is a fatal defect. Knowing that the revolt would fail and that he would ultimately be condemned as a traitor to David, Ahitophel ended his life in what seemed to him a more noble way.