“Avshalom sent for Achitofel the Giloni, David’s counselor, to come from his town Giloh and be with him while offering the sacrifices. The conspiracy grew strong, because the number of people favoring Avshalom kept increasing.”-2 Samuel 15:12
Yesterday, I left you hanging with the following quiz question:
Why would Achitofel betray David?
The answer is quite simple when you examine the facts.
Take a look at the following two verses from 2nd Samuel:
“David made inquiries about the woman and was told that she was Bat-Sheva the daughter of Eli‘am, the wife of Uriyah the Hitti.”-2 Samuel 11:3
“Elifelet the son of Achasbai the son of the Ma‘akhati,
Eli‘am the son of Achitofel from Giloh,”
-2 Samuel 23:34
So there you have it!
A simple breakdown of the genealogy is as follows:
Achitofel → Eliam → Bathsheba
So Achitofel was the grandfather of Bathsheba.
That means Achitofel watched King David commit adultery with his granddaughter.
And then arranged for her husband, Uriah, to be killed.
Even though David repented and God forgave him (see Psalm 51), Achitofel may have never forgiven David for the humiliation and destruction of his family’s honor.
So when Absalom rose up against David, Achitofel viewed this as his opportunity to get revenge.
The bottom line is that Achitofel’s betrayal wasn’t just a political act.
It was personal.
On top of that, David keeping Bathsheba as his wife was a double-edged sword.
On the one hand, it protected her from public shame (especially since she was pregnant).
But on the other hand, Bathsheba became just one of many of David’s wives and concubines,
She would have appeared as just another “trophy” wife to Achitofel.
Achitofel may also have been thinking that if David was sincerely repentant for what he did, he should have publicly apologized and offered to make things right.
Instead, he made Bathsheba out to be an adulteress who was just as guilty as David.
So, no doubt, Achitofel siding with Avshalom was all about honor and revenge.
Ya feel me here?
He wasn’t like the 200 clueless men Absalom brought along from Jerusalem.
Achitofel knew exactly what he was doing.
And when his plan failed, and his shot at vengeance slipped away, he ended his own life.
Probably because he saw no point in living after missing his one chance to bring David down.
So, what takeaway can we extract from this?
Well, I’d say more than a takeaway is to notice an interesting pattern.
Notice that the two men, Achitofel and Judas, who betrayed God’s anointed, ended up committing suicide.
Ain’t that interesting?
The lesson is when you rebel against the son of God (remember all kings of Israel were called sons of God) to the point of where you’re beyond repentance, what hope do you have for this life and the life beyond?
The answer is none.
Let those who have ears to hear listen.
See ya all next time.
CONNECTING THIS TEACHING TO THE NEW TESTAMENT
“Someone who disregards the Torah of Moshe
is put to death without mercy on the word
of two or three witnesses.
Think how much worse will be the punishment
deserved by someone who has trampled
underfoot the Son of God;
who has treated as something common
the blood of the covenant
which made him holy;
and who has insulted the Spirit,
giver of God’s grace!”
-Hebrews 10:28-29
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