Ahithophel the Gilonite was one of the most enigmatic and tragic figures in the court of King David. Renowned for a wisdom so profound it was likened to the very “oracle of God,” Ahithophel served as David’s trusted privy counsellor. His story, detailed primarily in the Book of Second Samuel, is one of brilliance turned to bitter betrayal, culminating in an infamous act of suicide.
The Counsellor and the Conspiracy
Ahithophel’s influence in the kingdom was immense; his counsel was considered infallible by both King David and, later, by his rebellious son.
“And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counselled in those days, was as if a man had inquired at the oracle of God: so was all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom.” — 2 Samuel 16:23 (KJV)
Despite this high honour, Ahithophel suddenly defected from David and joined the rebellion of Absalom, David’s son. The Bible does not explicitly state his motive, but many scholars believe his loyalty was broken by David’s actions concerning Bathsheba, as Ahithophel’s son, Eliam, was one of David’s mighty men and is understood to be the father of Bathsheba, making Ahithophel her grandfather (compare 2 Samuel 11:3 and 2 Samuel 23:34).
Upon joining Absalom, Ahithophel immediately gave two sharp, ruthless pieces of advice intended to make reconciliation between Absalom and David impossible:
- Publicly Defile David’s Concubines: This act would signal to all Israel that Absalom had taken permanent possession of the throne (2 Samuel 16:20-22).
- Immediate Pursuit of David: Ahithophel advised taking twelve thousand chosen men to pursue David that very night, striking him while weary and weak, thus ensuring the swift and certain capture of the king alone (2 Samuel 17:1-3).
The first counsel was immediately followed, fulfilling the prophecy of the Lord regarding David’s sin (2 Samuel 12:11). The second, however, was thwarted by Divine intervention.
Prophetic Hotspot: The Counsel Overthrown
When Ahithophel’s devastating plan of immediate pursuit was presented, David, fleeing over the Mount of Olives, prayed a desperate, profound prayer:
“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.” — 2 Samuel 15:31 (KJV)
In answer to this prayer, David’s friend Hushai the Archite was sent back to Jerusalem to act as a double agent. Hushai offered counter-counsel, advising Absalom to delay and gather all the men of Israel for a massive, personal display of power. Absalom, in the pride of his new power, chose to follow the flattering, yet ultimately disastrous, advice of Hushai.
“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 upon Absalom.” — 2 Samuel 17:14 (KJV)
The Lord had literally fulfilled David’s prayer, turning the famously sound counsel of Ahithophel into rejected foolishness, thereby saving David’s life and ensuring Absalom’s inevitable downfall.
The Return Question: A Type of the Final Betrayal
Ahithophel’s end is marked by bitter despair and is often highlighted in Scripture as a striking type or foreshadowing of the New Testament’s great betrayal.
The details of Ahithophel’s death are soberly recorded:
“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 was buried in the sepulchre of his father.” — 2 Samuel 17:23 (KJV)
This desperate act, done after he “put his household in order,” shows a chilling premeditation and a recognition that the failure of his counsel meant the failure of the entire rebellion—and his own doom. The parallel is drawn by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, who applied David’s words concerning Ahithophel to Judas Iscariot, the disciple who betrayed the Son of David:
“Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.” — Psalm 41:9 (KJV)
This connection addresses “The Return Question” by reminding us that the spirit of betrayal, driven by pride, resentment, and the rejection of God’s plan, remains a dangerous current through history, from David’s court to the passion of Christ, and will be present in the final days preceding the Lord’s glorious Return.