Ahitophel

Planning the Ahithophel Dialogue Having taken my breakfast, I looked at the thick volume in front of me. The person whose character and achievements I wanted to examine is mentioned scarcely in the 24 books of the Masoretic Text. Ahithophel’s role in Absalom’s rebellion is covered in 2 Samuel (chaps. 15-17). The chronicler mentions him only as King David’s counsellor [1 Chron. 27:33-34]. For years I kept wondering about this laconic treatment: Ahithophel is a pivotal figure. His political role in David’s Kingdom cannot be overstated. Why is he marginalised? ...

“Well, Peter’le, why don’t you start the ball rolling?” “When King Saul [Sha’ul] was defeated and killed by the Philistines in Gilboa, David was in Ziklag – a territory held by him as a vassal of King Achish of Gat. He moved to Hebron, where he was constituted King of Judah.” “Who gave him the reins, Peter’le?” “The author of Samuel/Kings [the ‘narrator’] tells us that David was told to proceed to Hebron by Jehovah [2 Sam. 2:1]. His anointment as King, though, required the consensus of the leading families of Judah. It is not suggested that he crowned himself.” ...

“The narrator begins by telling us all about David’s successful campaigns, the moving of the ark to Jerusalem and David’s plans to build the Temple. This plan is deferred as Jehovah felt that his House should be erected not by a Warrior King like David but during the more peaceful reign of his successor. The narrator then turns to the ugly Uriah and Bathsheba affair. David’s flawed character is recounted in detail,” I started. ...

“You better commence by recounting the events culminating with the rebellion,” suggested Peppi. “King David’s first-born son, Amnon, seduced his half-sister – Tamar – and then rejected her. Her brother, Absalom, avenged her by killing Amnon. Absalom then fled to Geshur, whose King, Talmai, was Absalom’s maternal grandfather. At the instigation of Joab – David’s Chief of Staff – David allowed Absalom to return to Judah but refused to see him. To induce David to meet him – that is, to fully reconcile – Absalom asked Joab to assist. When the latter refused to do so, Absalom ordered his men to burn Joab’s harvest. After hearing Absalom’s explanation, Joab arranged the reconciliation.” ...