2 Samuel 17:15-29 - The Providential Hand of God

2 Samuel 17:15-29

Hushai Warns David to Escape

15 Then Hushai said to Zadok and Abiathar the priests, “Thus and so Ahithophel advised Absalom and the elders of Israel, and thus and so I have advised. 16 Now therefore, send quickly and tell David, saying, ‘Do not spend this night in the plains of the wilderness, but speedily cross over, lest the king and all the people who are with him be swallowed up.’” 17 Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz stayed at En Rogel, for they dared not be seen coming into the city; so a female servant would come and tell them, and they would go and tell King David. 18 Nevertheless a lad saw them, and told Absalom. But both of them went away quickly and came to a man’s house in Bahurim, who had a well in his court; and they went down into it. 19 Then the woman took and spread a covering over the well’s mouth, and spread ground grain on it; and the thing was not known. 20 And when Absalom’s servants came to the woman at the house, they said, “Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?”

So the woman said to them, “They have gone over the water brook.”

And when they had searched and could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem. 21 Now it came to pass, after they had departed, that they came up out of the well and went and told King David, and said to David, “Arise and cross over the water quickly. For thus has Ahithophel advised against you.” 22 So David and all the people who were with him arose and crossed over the Jordan. By morning light not one of them was left who had not gone over the Jordan.

23 Now when Ahithophel saw that his advice was not followed, he saddled a donkey, and arose and went home to his house, to his city. Then he put his household in order, and hanged himself, and died; and he was buried in his father’s tomb.

24 Then David went to Mahanaim. And Absalom crossed over the Jordan, he and all the men of Israel with him. 25 And Absalom made Amasa captain of the army instead of Joab. This Amasa was the son of a man whose name was Jithra, an Israelite, who had gone in to Abigail the daughter of Nahash, sister of Zeruiah, Joab’s mother. 26 So Israel and Absalom encamped in the land of Gilead.

27 Now it happened, when David had come to Mahanaim, that Shobi the son of Nahash from Rabbah of the people of Ammon, Machir the son of Ammiel from Lo Debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim, 28 brought beds and basins, earthen vessels and wheat, barley and flour, parched grain and beans, lentils and parched seeds, 29 honey and curds, sheep and cheese of the herd, for David and the people who were with him to eat. For they said, “The people are hungry and weary and thirsty in the wilderness.”

Hushai, the inside man for David (2 Samuel 15:34), set a warning when he knew of Absalom’s plan to hunt the king down.  He sent Ahimaaz and Jonathan through an intermediary woman servant via the priests Zadok and Abiathar (2 Samuel 15:35, 36) as prearranged for this kind of warning.  Unfortunately, a boy saw the two and told Absalom; they hid in a well until danger had passed and then passed the warning on to David who crossed over the Jordan before being apprehended by Absalom.  This failure to follow his counsel distressed Ahithophel to the point of committing suicide by hanging himself after first settling his family affairs.  David and his band of brothers continued on to Mahanaim with Absalom on his heels crossing the river behind them.  David and his companions were fed in Mahanaim by several supporters there to ease their weary and starving bodies worn out by the hasty and swift escape from danger.  This shows God’s sovereign providence in protecting His own and bringing the plans against him to nothing through the efforts of those supporting God’s anointed one.  We see this time and again such as when Saul escaped out of a window (2 Corinthians 11:32-33) and Peter was miraculously released from prison (Acts 5:19, 12:7) by the hand of God through circumstance and divine messengers.  These things demonstrate the providential hand of God to protect and provide for His own.  Do we read these accounts and choose to trust His counsel over the enemy and His deliverance to serve Him for His glory?