"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 purposed 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. This was the first time anyone said this – people always favored the advice of Ahithophel. But 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. J.P. Morgan states, “This is one of the great principles of life which every page of the Bible emphasizes and illustrates. Men cannot escape God. They go their own way, but that way never sets them free from the authority and the invincible power of God.”
The Truth: "Many plans are in a man's heart, But the counsel of the LORD will stand." (Proverbs 19:21)
