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.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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What's so striking here isn't just Absalom's choice, but that the reason Ahithophel's counsel was rejected was divine intervention. God actively stepped in, not just allowing, but ordaining the better advice to be chosen, all to bring about His purposes for Absalom. This reveals that even the twists and turns of human decisions can be sovereignly directed by God for His ultimate good.
Absalom and his advisors are in a desperate situation, needing to decide their next move after David's forces have been routed. Ahithophel, a trusted counselor, proposes a brutal plan to attack David immediately, but Hushai, a spy for David, offers an alternative that delays the confrontation. The narrator reveals that God intentionally allowed Ahithophel's counsel to be rejected so that Absalom's rebellion would ultimately fail and David's kingdom would be preserved.
Have you ever seen clearly bad advice given and accepted, and wondered how it could be? This verse reveals a profound truth about God's ultimate control.
The passage states plainly that "the LORD had ordained to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel." This isn't just about Absalom making a poor choice; it's about God actively intervening to turn a wise human plan into a foolish one.
God's Purpose in Permitting Evil
This doesn't mean God tempts people to evil or causes them to sin. Instead, He can use the wicked plans and bad decisions of humanity to bring about His own righteous purposes. In this case, Ahithophel's counsel was good from a human perspective – it was strategically sound for rebellion. But God, in His sovereignty, rendered it ineffective.
The Goal: God's Will Prevails
The ultimate outcome was that "the LORD might bring harm upon Absalom." God's overarching plan was moving forward, and even the seemingly brilliant strategies of men were subject to His sovereign will. This reminds us that no human scheme can ultimately thwart God's intentions.
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Ahithophel's advice was considered the best, yet it was overruled. Why can human wisdom be so easily led astray?
Ahithophel was renowned for his wisdom, almost like an oracle. His counsel was so highly valued that it's described as "the counsel of Ahithophel" as if it were a singular, definitive source of good advice. However, the text calls it 'good counsel' only in a limited, human sense.
Wisdom Without God
True wisdom, the kind that aligns with God's purposes, is distinct from mere cleverness or strategic brilliance. Ahithophel's advice, though strategically sound for Absalom's immediate goal of overthrowing David, ultimately served a destructive path.
The Trap of Pride
When human wisdom operates independently of or in opposition to God, it can quickly become a tool for destruction. The pride in one's own intelligence can blind individuals to the deeper, divine plan, leading them down a path that seems right but ends in ruin.
Understand the original words
tsavah · Hebrew Verb
To appoint, decree, or command. Biblically, this term emphasizes God’s sovereign control over history, where He determines the outcome of events to fulfill His divine purpose.
ra'ah · Hebrew Noun
A moral failure or misfortune. In the context of divine judgment, it refers to the calamity or destruction that God brings upon those who oppose His will or His anointed.
This passage highlights a pivotal moment where a divine intervention, presented through the rejection of sound human advice (Ahithophel's) in favor of a flawed, though divinely-ordained, alternative (Hushai's), steers the course of history towards God's ultimate purposes.
c. 1000 BC
David Anointed King
David is anointed king of Israel, ushering in a period of significant growth and expansion for the kingdom.
c. 992 BC
Absalom Born
Absalom, known for his beauty and rebellious spirit, is born to David and Maacah.
c. 990-985 BC
Absalom's Rebellion Begins
Absalom, seeking the throne, begins to win the hearts of the people and plots against his father, David.
c. 985 BC
Absalom Seizes Jerusalem
Absalom's popularity and cunning lead to him being proclaimed king in Hebron, and he successfully forces David to flee Jerusalem.
c. 985 BC
Ahithophel's Counsel
Ahithophel, a trusted advisor to David who defects to Absalom, gives counsel intended to ensure Absalom's victory.
c. 985 BC— this verse
Hushai's Counter-Counsel
David's loyal advisor Hushai, acting as a double agent, advises Absalom to gather a massive army, delaying the pursuit of David.
c. 985 BC
Absalom's Defeat and Death
Absalom ignores Ahithophel's advice and follows Hushai's, leading to a disastrous battle where his army is defeated and he is killed.
This verse highlights how human plans are ultimately guided by God, mirroring how the LORD deliberately steered Absalom's situation towards a specific outcome, even through flawed human counsel.
Esther 4:14Just as Esther's rise to power was for 'such a time as this,' this passage shows God orchestrating events through seemingly human decisions to fulfill His ultimate purposes, even when those purposes involve judgment.
Jeremiah 29:11While this verse speaks of God's plans for welfare and hope, it underscores the truth that God has definite plans. In 2 Samuel, His plan involved bringing harm, demonstrating that God's overarching purposes can include discipline and judgment.
Romans 9:18This passage directly addresses God's sovereignty in mercy and hardening, paralleling how He actively 'ordained' the defeat of Ahithophel's counsel to bring about a specific consequence for Absalom.
What's so striking here isn't just Absalom's choice, but that the reason Ahithophel's counsel was rejected was divine intervention. God actively stepped in, not just allowing, but ordaining the better advice to be chosen, all to bring about His purposes for Absalom. This reveals that even the twists and turns of human decisions can be sovereignly directed by God for His ultimate good.
Absalom and his advisors are in a desperate situation, needing to decide their next move after David's forces have been routed. Ahithophel, a trusted counselor, proposes a brutal plan to attack David immediately, but Hushai, a spy for David, offers an alternative that delays the confrontation. The narrator reveals that God intentionally allowed Ahithophel's counsel to be rejected so that Absalom's rebellion would ultimately fail and David's kingdom would be preserved.
Absalom and his advisors are in a desperate situation, needing to decide their next move after David's forces have been routed. Ahithophel, a trusted counselor, proposes a brutal plan to attack David immediately, but Hushai, a spy for David, offers an alternative that delays the confrontation. The narrator reveals that God intentionally allowed Ahithophel's counsel to be rejected so that Absalom's rebellion would ultimately fail and David's kingdom would be preserved.
"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." — What's so striking here isn't just Absalom's choice, but that the reason Ahithophel's counsel was rejected was divine intervention. God actively stepped in, not just allowing, but ordaining the b…
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