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The Advice of Ahithophel and Hushai
Second Samuel 16:15 to 17:29

The central unit of Absalom’s (Hebrew: my father is peace) rebellion against his father and David’s return to Yerushalayim deals with the conflicting advice of Ahithophel and Hushai. The previous file (to see link click DsShim’i Curses David) ended thus: The king and all the people with him arrived at their destination exhausted. And there he refreshed himself (Second Samuel 16:14). This file ends thus: The people were exhausted and hungry and thirsty in the wilderness (Second Samuel 17:29). Three key verses, interspersed throughout (16:23, 17:14 and 17:24), provide the clue for analyzing the section as three chiasms arranged within a larger chiastic structure, the clash between Ahithophel’s advice and Hushai’s advice serving as a focus for the whole.413

 

A. Arriving in Jerusalem, Absalom is befriended (16:15-19)

B1. Ahithophel advises Absalom (16:20-22)

B2. Ahithophel is described in glowing terms (16:23)

B3. Ahithophel advises Absalom (17:1-4)

C1. Hushai advises Absalom (17:5-13)

C2. Hushai’s advice is declared better than Ahithophel’s (17:14)

C3. Hushai advises Zadok and Abiathar (17:15-16)

B1. David crosses the Jordan (17:17-22)

B2. Ahithophel commits suicide (17:23)

B3. Absalom crosses the Jordan (17:24-26)

A. Arriving in Mahanaim, David is befriended (17:27-29)