Ahitophel
Encyclopedia
Ahitophel was a counselor of King David
and a man greatly renowned for his sagacity. At the time of Absalom
's revolt he deserted David (Psalm
. 41:9; 55:12-14) and espoused the cause of Absalom (2 Samuel
15:12).
David sent his old friend Hushai
back to Absalom, in order that he might counteract the counsel of Ahitophel (2 Sam
. 15:31-37). Ahitophel, seeing that his good advice against David had not been followed due to Hushai's influence, correctly predicted that the revolt would fail. He then left the camp of Absalom at once. He returned to Giloh, his native place, and after arranging his worldly affairs, hanged himself, and was buried in the sepulcher of his fathers (2 Sam
. 17:1-23).
A man named Ahitophel is also mentioned in 2 Samuel 23:34, and he is said to be the father of Eliab. Since 2 Samuel 11:3 notes that Eliab is the father of Bathsheba
, some scholars suggest that the Ahitophel of 2 Samuel 15 may in fact be Bathsheba's grandfather. Levenson
and Halpern
, for example, note that "the narrator is sufficiently subtle (or guileless) to have Bathsheba's grandfather... instigate the exaction of YHWH's pound of flesh," as Nathan
's curse in 2 Samuel 12:11 comes to fruition.
, whose great wisdom was not received in humility as a gift from heaven, and so became a stumbling-block to him" (Num. R. xxii.). He was "one of those who, while casting longing eyes upon things not belonging to them, lose also the things they possess" (Tosef., Soṭah, iv. 19). Ahithophel was granted access by Almighty God into the Divine powers of the Holy Name (YWH). And being thus familiar with Divine wisdom and knowledge as imparted through the Holy Spirit, he was consulted as an oracle like the Urim we-Tummim (II Sam. xvi. 23, Yer. Sanh. x. 29a, Suk. 53a et seq.). But he withheld his mystic knowledge from King David in the hour of peril, and was therefore doomed to die from strangulation (Tanna debe Eliyahu R. xxxi., Mid. Teh. iii. 7; Ex. R. iv., Mak. 11a). "Ahitophel of the house of Israel and Balaam of the heathen nations were the two great sages of the world who, failing to show gratitude to God for their wisdom, perished in dishonor. To them the prophetic word finds application: 'Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom,' Jer. ix. 23" (Num. R. xxii.). Socrates was said to have been a pupil of his.
David, during his reign, had many disagreeable encounters with Ahithophel. Shortly after his accession the king seems to have overlooked Ahithophel in his appointments of judges and other officials. Consequently, when David was in despair concerning the visitation upon Uzzah during the attempted transport of the ark (II Sam. vi. 6; see Uzzah) and sought counsel of Ahithophel, the latter mockingly suggested to him that he had better apply to his own wise men. Only upon David's malediction, that whoever knew a remedy and concealed it should surely end by committing suicide, did Ahithophel offer him some rather vague advice, concealing the true solution, which was that the ark must be carried on the shoulders of men instead of upon a wagon (Num. R. iv. 20, Yer. Sanh. x. 29a).
Ahithophel's death was a great loss to David; for his wisdom was so great that Scripture itself (II Sam. xvi. 23) avoids calling him a man; in the passage quoted the Hebrew word for man, , is omitted in the text, being supplied only by the Masorah. Indeed, his wisdom bordered on that of the angels (Yer. Sanh. x. 2; YalḲ. II Sam. § 142). His learning in the Law was also extensive, so that David did not scruple to call him "master" (Abot, vi. 2; the two things which David is there said to have learned from Ahithophel are more closely described in "Kallah," 16a (ed. N. Coronel). Ahithophel's disposition, however, was a jealous one; and he always sought to wound David by mocking remarks (PesiḲ. ii. 10b; Midr. Teh. iii. 3, and parallel passages in Buber, note 68). His devotion to the study of the Law was not founded on worthy motives (Sanh. 106b). Ahithophel was thirty-three years old when he died (l.c.). In his will he left warning to his children never to side against the royal Davidic family, and to take no part in their dissensions (Yer. l.c.). Ahithophel is counted among those that have no share in the world to come (Sanh. xi. 1; B. B. 147a). L. G. http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=993&letter=A&search=Ahitophel
David
David was the second king of the united Kingdom of Israel according to the Hebrew Bible and, according to the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, an ancestor of Jesus Christ through both Saint Joseph and Mary...
and a man greatly renowned for his sagacity. At the time of Absalom
Absalom
According to the Bible, Absalom or Avshalom was the third son of David, King of Israel with Maachah, daughter of Talmai, King of Geshur. describes him as the most handsome man in the kingdom...
's revolt he deserted David (Psalm
Psalms
The Book of Psalms , commonly referred to simply as Psalms, is a book of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Bible...
. 41:9; 55:12-14) and espoused the cause of Absalom (2 Samuel
Books of Samuel
The Books of Samuel in the Jewish bible are part of the Former Prophets, , a theological history of the Israelites affirming and explaining the Torah under the guidance of the prophets.Samuel begins by telling how the prophet Samuel is chosen by...
15:12).
David sent his old friend Hushai
Hushai
Hushai or Chusai was a friend of David and a spy according to the Hebrew Bible. During Absalom's rebellion described in the Second Book of Samuel, he agrees to act as an advisor to Absalom to sabotage his plans while secretly sending information to David...
back to Absalom, in order that he might counteract the counsel of Ahitophel (2 Sam
Books of Samuel
The Books of Samuel in the Jewish bible are part of the Former Prophets, , a theological history of the Israelites affirming and explaining the Torah under the guidance of the prophets.Samuel begins by telling how the prophet Samuel is chosen by...
. 15:31-37). Ahitophel, seeing that his good advice against David had not been followed due to Hushai's influence, correctly predicted that the revolt would fail. He then left the camp of Absalom at once. He returned to Giloh, his native place, and after arranging his worldly affairs, hanged himself, and was buried in the sepulcher of his fathers (2 Sam
Books of Samuel
The Books of Samuel in the Jewish bible are part of the Former Prophets, , a theological history of the Israelites affirming and explaining the Torah under the guidance of the prophets.Samuel begins by telling how the prophet Samuel is chosen by...
. 17:1-23).
A man named Ahitophel is also mentioned in 2 Samuel 23:34, and he is said to be the father of Eliab. Since 2 Samuel 11:3 notes that Eliab is the father of Bathsheba
Bathsheba
According to the Hebrew Bible, Bathsheba was the wife of Uriah the Hittite and later of David, king of the United Kingdom of Israel and Judah. She is most known for the Bible story in which King David seduced her....
, some scholars suggest that the Ahitophel of 2 Samuel 15 may in fact be Bathsheba's grandfather. Levenson
Jon D. Levenson
Jon D. Levenson is the Albert A. List Professor of Jewish Studies at the Harvard Divinity School.-Education:*Ph.D. Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations, Harvard University, 1975,*M.A...
and Halpern
Baruch Halpern
Baruch Halpern is the Chaiken Family Chair in Jewish Studies at Pennsylvania State University. He has been a leader of the archaeological digs at Tel Megiddo since 1992. As an undergraduate at Harvard in 1972, he wrote a political analysis of the Bible, which subsequently influenced research into...
, for example, note that "the narrator is sufficiently subtle (or guileless) to have Bathsheba's grandfather... instigate the exaction of YHWH's pound of flesh," as Nathan
Nathan (Prophet)
Nathan the Prophet was a court prophet who lived in the time of King David and Queen Bathsheba. He came to David to reprimand him over his committing adultery with Bathsheba while she was the wife of Uriah the Hittite whose death the King had also arranged to hide his previous transgression.His...
's curse in 2 Samuel 12:11 comes to fruition.
In Rabbinical Literature
The Talmud speaks of this counsellor of David as "a man, like BalaamBalaam
Balaam is a diviner in the Torah, his story occurring towards the end of the Book of Numbers. The etymology of his name is uncertain, and discussed below. Every ancient reference to Balaam considers him a non-Israelite, a prophet, and the son of Beor, though Beor is not so clearly identified...
, whose great wisdom was not received in humility as a gift from heaven, and so became a stumbling-block to him" (Num. R. xxii.). He was "one of those who, while casting longing eyes upon things not belonging to them, lose also the things they possess" (Tosef., Soṭah, iv. 19). Ahithophel was granted access by Almighty God into the Divine powers of the Holy Name (YWH). And being thus familiar with Divine wisdom and knowledge as imparted through the Holy Spirit, he was consulted as an oracle like the Urim we-Tummim (II Sam. xvi. 23, Yer. Sanh. x. 29a, Suk. 53a et seq.). But he withheld his mystic knowledge from King David in the hour of peril, and was therefore doomed to die from strangulation (Tanna debe Eliyahu R. xxxi., Mid. Teh. iii. 7; Ex. R. iv., Mak. 11a). "Ahitophel of the house of Israel and Balaam of the heathen nations were the two great sages of the world who, failing to show gratitude to God for their wisdom, perished in dishonor. To them the prophetic word finds application: 'Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom,' Jer. ix. 23" (Num. R. xxii.). Socrates was said to have been a pupil of his.
David, during his reign, had many disagreeable encounters with Ahithophel. Shortly after his accession the king seems to have overlooked Ahithophel in his appointments of judges and other officials. Consequently, when David was in despair concerning the visitation upon Uzzah during the attempted transport of the ark (II Sam. vi. 6; see Uzzah) and sought counsel of Ahithophel, the latter mockingly suggested to him that he had better apply to his own wise men. Only upon David's malediction, that whoever knew a remedy and concealed it should surely end by committing suicide, did Ahithophel offer him some rather vague advice, concealing the true solution, which was that the ark must be carried on the shoulders of men instead of upon a wagon (Num. R. iv. 20, Yer. Sanh. x. 29a).
Curse upon Ahithophel
Ahithophel rendered a service to David upon another occasion; not, however, until he had been again threatened with the curse. It appears that David excavated too deeply for the foundations of the Temple, with the result that earth's deepest floods broke forth, and nearly inundated the earth. None could help but Ahithophel, who withheld his counsel in the hope of seeing David borne away upon the flood. When David again warned him of the malediction, Ahithophel counseled the king to throw a tile, with the ineffable name of God written upon it, into the cavity; whereuponthe waters began to sink. Ahithophel is said to have defended his use of the name of God in this emergency by reference to the practise enjoined by Scripture (Num. v. 23) to restore marital harmony; surely a matter of small importance, he argued, compared with the threatened destruction of the world (Suk. 53a, b). David's repeated malediction that Ahithophel would be hanged was finally realized when the latter hanged himself.Ahithophel's death was a great loss to David; for his wisdom was so great that Scripture itself (II Sam. xvi. 23) avoids calling him a man; in the passage quoted the Hebrew word for man, , is omitted in the text, being supplied only by the Masorah. Indeed, his wisdom bordered on that of the angels (Yer. Sanh. x. 2; YalḲ. II Sam. § 142). His learning in the Law was also extensive, so that David did not scruple to call him "master" (Abot, vi. 2; the two things which David is there said to have learned from Ahithophel are more closely described in "Kallah," 16a (ed. N. Coronel). Ahithophel's disposition, however, was a jealous one; and he always sought to wound David by mocking remarks (PesiḲ. ii. 10b; Midr. Teh. iii. 3, and parallel passages in Buber, note 68). His devotion to the study of the Law was not founded on worthy motives (Sanh. 106b). Ahithophel was thirty-three years old when he died (l.c.). In his will he left warning to his children never to side against the royal Davidic family, and to take no part in their dissensions (Yer. l.c.). Ahithophel is counted among those that have no share in the world to come (Sanh. xi. 1; B. B. 147a). L. G. http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=993&letter=A&search=Ahitophel