Four questions concerning 2 Samuel 17.14

2 Samuel 17.14: ‘And Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel.” For the LORD had ordained to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, so that the LORD might bring harm upon Absalom.’

In this verse, the renegade Absalom, who has set himself up as king in Jerusalem and chased his father David, the true king, out of Jerusalem, accepts the counsel of Hushai, who is secretly supporting David. This is a critical blunder on Absalom’s part. By accepting Hushai’s counsel and rejecting Ahithophel’s counsel, he allows David to escape and seals his own doom.

I have four questions concerning this verse.

1. Why do Absalom and the men of Israel prefer Hushai’s counsel?

The second part of this verse gives the answer: ‘For the LORD had ordained to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, so that the LORD might bring harm upon Absalom.’ This verse says that Ahithophel’s decision is due to the Lord’s ordaining of events.

2. Does the second part of the verse really say that the LORD had ‘ordained’ that Absalom be judged?

Yes. The verse says that the LORD had ‘commanded’ or ‘ordained’ that Ahithophel’s counsel be thwarted. This is a strong word. The reason for Absalom’s bad decision was God’s command. This is in accordance with what we read about God and kings in Proverbs 21.1: ‘The heart of the king is like a watercourse in the hands of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will.’

3. Is Absalom absolved of responsibility for his decision because it is due to God’s ordination or command?

Absolutely not. Absalom pays a steep price for his bad decision. His best counselor, Ahithophel, commits suicide (2 Samuel 17.23). And his decision eventually leads to his own downfall and death (2 Samuel 18).

4. How shall I respond to the truth about God this verse teaches?

Here’s how I responded when I read the verse this morning. I praised God for his sovereign control over all things, including human hearts. I found comfort and peace in God’s sovereignty. I thanked him for sovereignly awakening my dead heart to love Jesus, and acknowledged to God that all credit for my salvation goes to him. And Emma and I asked God, in his sovereign grace, to direct his electing love upon Samuel, to savingly draw our little boy’s heart to him.

Posted by Stephen Witmer on Jun 30, 09:38 AM