Here is a story with a hidden plot that gives the whole story a ‘ring of truth’ about it.
I hope you enjoy puzzles because all I am going to give you are a few clues and a challenge to find the answer for yourself.
On the surface we have the story of a palace coup orchestrated by Absalom, king David’s ambitious son, and David’s chief counselor, Ahithophel the Gilonite. It’s a sordid story of sin, prophecy and betrayal.
But hidden beneath the story lies a web of relationships that are only visible because of the way people identified each other in a world without surnames. People were identified by their relationship to their father or mother, their town or city, their nationality or a combination. For example,
- Ahithophel the Gilonite, lived in Giloh.
- Uriah the Hittite, was from the crumbling Hittite kingdom.
- Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai of Maacah; gives us a combination of relationship and town.
The Main Story.
We enter the main story at 2 Samuel 16:20-22 as David flees towards the Jordan river and Absalom enters Jerusalem. On his arrival in Jerusalem, Absalom seeks Ahithophel’s advice; keep in mind that this is Ahithophel’s very first advice.
Absalom said to Ahithophel,
“Give your counsel. What shall we do?”
Ahithophel replied,
“Go in to your father's concubines, whom he left to care for the palace. All Israel will hear that you have made yourself a stench to your father, and the hands of all who are with you will be strengthened.”
So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof. And Absalom went in to his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel.
Why did Ahithophel want to humiliate David and his concubines in such a public manner?
Who was Ahithophel?
Ahithophel the Gilonite was David's counselor (2 Samuel 15:12) whose advice was highly esteemed by both David and Absalom.
Ahithophel's counsel was esteemed by both David and Absalom. (2 Samuel 16:23)
Ahithophel was a very wise man with a grievance to settle.
The Hidden Plot.
What was Ahithophel’s motive for giving such strange advice?
Ahithophel provides the following motivation for his strange advice;
“All Israel will hear that you have made yourself a stench to your father, and the hands of all who are with you will be strengthened”
But that wasn’t Ahithophel’s real reason.
Ahithophel was out for retribution!
Why did Ahithophel give such strange advice?
That is the question I invite you to explore with the following clues.
Clue 1. Absalom’s coup is the consequence of a specific sin committed by David.
Look for the story that leads up to Nathan the prophet’s rebuke and prophecy about the coup; you will find Nathan’s rebuke and prophecy in 2 Samuel 12:9-12. This passage will give you one name and one relationship.
Why have you despised the word of the LORD and done what is evil in his sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and have taken his wife to be your wife; you killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. Therefore the sword will never depart from your house because you have despised me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.
Thus says the LORD, "Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house. And I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun. For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel and before the sun.”
When you find the story you will find another two names and another relationship.
You will solve Clue 1. when you have three names, two men and one woman, and two relationships.
Clue 2. The second clue can be found in the list of David’s mighty men.
Look for the above two men in the list of David’s mighty men. Then work out the relationships between Ahithophel and the three people in Clue 1; you will find;
- A friendship,
- A parent, and
- A grandparent.
Solve the two clues and you will discover the real motive behind Ahithophel desire to humiliate David and his concubines in such a public manner.
The Ring of Truth.
Stories like this, with their hidden plots, have a "ring of truth" about them and reinforce the authenticity of the Bible narrative.
There are many such stories in the Bible and I hope that these Bible studies will inspire you to explore the hidden plots for yourself.
There has never been a better time to be a disciple of Jesus Christ!
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