How does David's strategy in 2 Samuel 15:33 connect to Proverbs 11:14? Setting the Scene • David is fleeing Jerusalem because Absalom has launched a coup (2 Samuel 15:13–14). • Hushai the Archite, a trusted friend, meets David, mourning (v. 32). • David replies: “If you go on with me, you will be a burden to me” (2 Samuel 15:33). • Instead, David sends Hushai back to Jerusalem to “frustrate for me the advice of Ahithophel” (v. 34). Seeing the Heart of David’s Strategy • Preserve Mobility: Keeping Hushai out of the wilderness lightens the king’s traveling party. • Plant a Loyal Counselor: Hushai becomes David’s ears and voice inside Absalom’s court. • Create Counsel Competition: Hushai’s godly insight counters Ahithophel’s brilliant but treacherous advice (2 Samuel 16:23; 17:14). • Sustain Communication Lines: Through Zadok, Abiathar, and their sons, Hushai relays intelligence to David (2 Samuel 15:35–36). Proverbs 11:14 in Focus “For lack of guidance a nation falls, but with many counselors there is deliverance.” Connecting the Dots • Many Counselors, One Outcome – David refuses to rely on a single voice—his own—during crisis. – By commissioning Hushai, he multiplies wise counselors around the throne, aligning with the proverb’s principle. • Deliverance through Counsel – Absalom’s acceptance of Hushai’s advice to delay pursuit (2 Samuel 17:7–14) grants David time to regroup, securing literal “deliverance.” – The proverb’s promise materializes historically; the kingdom survives because counsel is abundant and godly. • Discernment of Counsel Quality – Proverbs assumes that not all advice is equal; it is the presence of righteous, wise counselors that safeguards. – David’s choice distinguishes between Ahithophel’s brilliant but ungodly counsel (Psalm 55:12–14 alludes to betrayal) and Hushai’s loyal, God-honoring counsel. Supporting Passages • Proverbs 15:22 — “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.” • Ecclesiastes 4:13 — “Better a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to take a warning.” • 1 Chronicles 27:33 — “Athithophel was the king’s counselor... Hushai the Archite was the king’s friend,” highlighting their contrasting roles. Take-Home Insights • God works through faithful advisers to protect His anointed. • Seeking multiple, godly perspectives is not evidence of weakness but of wisdom grounded in Scripture. • Strategic thinking that honors God’s principles—like David’s—invites divine preservation and victory. |
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