“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 appointed to defeat the
good counsel of Ahithophel, to the intent that the LORD might bring evil on
Absalom.” (v.14)
In 2 Samuel
15:31, when David learned that Ahithophel was among the conspirators with
Absalom, he prayed that God would turn Ahithopel’s counsel into foolishness.
However here in chapter 17, Ahithophel gives Absalom excellent counsel on
defeating king David (vv.1-3). So how will this counsel get turned around to no
effect? Enter Hushai king David’ friend.
Hushai was
in Jerusalem when Absalom and all the people of Israel arrived looking for the King
(16:15). Absalom, being convinced by Hushai that he was no longer loyal to king
David, asked him for his counsel on the best course of action for capturing the
king. As we can see by our text, Hushai’s counsel was deemed better that
Ahithophel’s and, God turned the hearts of these men to accomplish the eventual end
of Absalom.
This speaks
to the fact that God will bend events, people, plans to His will and His purpose.
While we, like Absalom, may think we are in control, we could not be further from the truth. He
has an overruling hand in all counsels and bends men’s hearts as the rivers of
water.
The Truth
"Many plans are in a man's heart, But the counsel of the LORD will stand." (Proverbs 19:21)
