Anakalypsis / Unveiling the Word

Biblical Person · Old · United Monarchy

Ahithophel

Ahithophel was a counselor to King David who betrayed him by supporting Absalom's rebellion, ultimately leading to his own demise.

AI-assisted summary — may contain inaccuracies.

Where Ahithophel appears

17 verses across 2 books.

2Sam15×1Chr2×

Verses mentioning Ahithophel

  • 1Chr 27:33 — And Ahithophel was the king’s counsellor: and Hushai the Archite was the king’s companion:
  • 1Chr 27:34 — And after Ahithophel was Jehoiada the son of Benaiah, and Abiathar: and the general of the king’s army was Joab.
  • 2Sam 15:12 — And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counsellor, from his city, even from Giloh, while he offered sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong; for the people increased continually with
  • 2Sam 15:31 — And one told David, saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. And David said, O LORD, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.
  • 2Sam 15:34 — But if thou return to the city, and say unto Absalom, I will be thy servant, O king; as I have been thy father’s servant hitherto, so will I now also be thy servant: then mayest thou for me defeat the
  • 2Sam 16:15 — And Absalom, and all the people the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him.
  • 2Sam 16:20 — Then said Absalom to Ahithophel, Give counsel among you what we shall do.
  • 2Sam 16:21 — 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
  • 2Sam 16:23 — And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counselled in those days, was as if a man had enquired at the oracle of God: so was all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom.
  • 2Sam 17:1 — Moreover Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Let me now choose out twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue after David this night:
  • 2Sam 17:6 — And when Hushai was come to Absalom, Absalom spake unto him, saying, Ahithophel hath spoken after this manner: shall we do after his saying? if not; speak thou.
  • 2Sam 17:7 — And Hushai said unto Absalom, The counsel that Ahithophel hath given is not good at this time.
  • 2Sam 17:14 — 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 inte
  • 2Sam 17:15 — Then said Hushai unto Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, Thus and thus did Ahithophel counsel Absalom and the elders of Israel; and thus and thus have I counselled.
  • 2Sam 17:21 — And it came to pass, after they were departed, that they came up out of the well, and went and told king David, and said unto David, Arise, and pass quickly over the water: for thus hath Ahithophel co
  • 2Sam 17:23 — And when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his ass, and arose, and gat him home to his house, to his city, and put his household in order, and hanged himself, and died, and
  • 2Sam 23:34 — Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maachathite, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,
Voices from the tradition

The Church Fathers on Ahithophel

Patristic commentary on the Scriptures that name Ahithophel.

For in the history, Hushai is mentioned as the chief companion of David and the son of Arachi, but in the psalm, Hushai is the son of Jemini. Neither he nor any other of those appearing in the history was the son of Jemini. Perhaps he was called the son of Jemini for this reason, because he displayed great valor and strength through a…

Thus, then, the Lord knew how to bring to nothing the counsels of nations. We learned in the time of Ahithophel how he cast away the counsels of the princes, when David prayed, saying, "Infatuate the counsel of Ahithophel." Therefore, when you hear someone making great threats and announcing that he will bring upon you all sorts of ill…

Accordingly, as the Scripture says, "And by the command of the Lord the good counsel of Ahithophel was defeated, that the Lord might bring evil upon Absalom." The counsel of Ahithophel was called "good" because it served his purpose for the time, since it favored Absalom over his father whom he had risen up against in rebellion. And it…

For what shall we say about Hushai's pious deception of Absalom for the sake of King David's safety which, although formulated with good will by the deceiver and cheater and opposed to the well-being of the questioner, is approved by the text of divine Scripture that says, "By the will of the Lord the useful advice of Ahithophel was…

And the book of his history also sheweth us David's innocency, for on account of his simplicity in the direction of the affairs of this world he had one to give him counsel concerning human business with him continually; for the Book maketh known to us that Ahithophel was David's counsellor.

Historic voices touch this life

18 passages from 6 historic works cite verses that mention Ahithophel.