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committed that rare crime in Israel, suicide. Typical as the history of David is
throughout, we cannot fail to see here also a terrible prefigurement of the end of him,
who, having been the friend and companion of the Lord Jesus - perhaps regarded as the
"wise adviser" among the simple disciples - betrayed his Master, and, like Ahithophel,
ended by hanging himself (Matthew 27:5). Meanwhile, Hushai had communicated with
the priests in Jerusalem. His counsel had, indeed, been adopted; but it was impossible
to know what one so irresolute as Absalom might ultimately do. At any rate, it was
necessary David should be informed, so as to secure himself against a surprise. A
trusty maidservant of the priest carried the message to the young men by the "Fuller's
Fountain." At the last moment their enterprise was almost defeated. A lad - probably
one of those stationed to watch any suspicious movement - noticed their hurried
departure in the direction of David's camp. Happily, the young men had observed the
spy, and got the start of those sent after them. It was not the first nor yet the last time
that an Israelitish woman wrought deliverance for her people, when at Bahurim the two
young priests were successfully hidden in an empty well, and their pursuers led astray
(2 Samuel 17:18-20). And here we gladly mark how different from the present inmates
of Eastern harems were the mothers, wives, and daughters of Israel, - how free in their
social intercourse, and how powerful in their influence, the religious and social
institutions of the Old Testament forming in this respect also a preparation for the
position which the New Testament would assign to woman. But to return. Coming out
of their concealment, the two priests reached the encampment safely, and informed
David of his danger. Ere the morning light he and all his followers had put the Jordan
between them and their enemies; and anything like a surprise was henceforth
impossible.
It all happened as Ahithophel had anticipated. The revolution now changed into a civil
war, of which the issue could not be doubtful. David and his forces fell back upon
Mahanaim, "a strong city in a well-provisioned country, with a mountainous district for
retreat in case of need, and a warlike and friendly population."^23
Here adherents soon gathered around him, while wealthy and influential heads of clans
not only openly declared in his favor, but supplied him with all necessaries. We are
inclined to regard the three mentioned in the sacred narrative (2 Samuel 17:27) as
representative men; Shobi, of the extreme border-inhabitants, or rather foreign
tributaries (comp. 2 Samuel 10:2); Machir, of the former adherents of Saul; and
Barzillai, of the wealthy land-owners generally. With Absalom matters did not fare so
well. Intrusting the command of his army to a relative, Amasa, the natural son of one
Ithra, an Ishmaelite,^24 and of Abigail, David's stepsister.^25
He crossed the Jordan to offer battle to his father's forces. These must have
considerably increased since his flight from Jerusalem (comp. 2 Samuel 18:1, 2),
though, no doubt, they were still greatly inferior in number to the undisciplined
(^)