“The Counsel Of Ahithophel”

“And Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Go in unto thy father’s concubines, which he hath left to keep the house; and all Israel shall hear that thou art abhorred of thy father: then shall the hands of all that are with thee be strong.” (2 Samuel 16:21)

Introduction

אחיתפל in Ancient Hebrew means “Brother of Folly”, or “My Brother of Folly”. When David, before David became King, Ahithophel was one of David’s trusted advisors. Ahithophel had been known as an Oracle of God.

While serving with David, Ahithophel would have appeared to speak for God, but little is said of that while David is struggling with Saul. In fact, Ahithophel does not show up in Samuel until Absalom begins his rebellion. It is not like every incident that happened in the Bible lists everyone that was there, unless they actually mattered in the incident. When Absalom begins to build his advisors then Ahithophel is in the forefront.

Ahithophel was a deeply political person. He knew how to read people. He knew what people wanted and he knew how to control them.

Concubines

There is a difference between a “Concubine” and a “Wife” in ancient Israel. This where things get difficult to understand. We know God intended Marriage to be between One Man and One Woman. For instance, Abram’s wife Sari was barren and Sari’s slave Hagar was used to bring a son into the world.

Concubines were also women who found that their protector (men) had died, and the only protection was to become part of a family headed by men.

No where in the Bible did God explicitly forbid Concubines. However, God did condemn it implicitly. The problems incurred by the addition of Concubines and wives is apparent in the lives of men and women, from Abram to current day. Every sin has a consequence.

Ahithophel’s Plan

Ahithophel wanted Absalom to degrade King David so completely that it would pull more people into the Absalom Camp.

“So they spread Absalom a tent upon the top of the house; and Absalom went in unto his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.” (2 Samuel 16:22)

Ahithophel wants Absalom to defile David’s Concubines in the most horrible way, in full view of the people in Jerusalem. Absalom has no problem with this since abuse is his thing.

This is the consequence King David pays for his sin.

“11Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun.

12For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun”. (2 Samuel 12:11,12)

Stay Tuned…