II Samuel 15:31-37 · Bible study
2 Samuel 15:31-37 Commentary: David's Prayer, Hushai's Mission
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why David prayed against Ahithophel’s wisdom, and how he combined prayer with political strategy. A study of divine sovereignty over human counsel.
Research Summary
- Meaning: David prays and then strategically deploys Hushai to counter Ahithophel’s counsel, demonstrating faith plus wise action.
- Key words: sakkel (make foolish), Piel imperative, request to turn wisdom into folly; re'eh (friend), official court title.
- Main debate: The morality of Hushai’s deception; whether David’s plan is commended or simply reported.
- Theological theme: Divine sovereignty over human counsel; God works through prayer, human agents, and even deceptive stratagems.
- Best use: A model for praying specifically in crisis and then acting with practical wisdom, trusting God to orchestrate outcomes.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
31Now someone told David: “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” So David pleaded, “O LORD, please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness!”
32When David came to the summit, where he used to worship God, Hushai the Archite was there to meet him with his robe torn and dust on his head.
33David said to him, “If you go on with me, you will be a burden to me.
34But you can thwart the counsel of Ahithophel for me if you return to the city and say to Absalom: ‘I will be your servant, my king; in the past I was your father’s servant, but now I will be your servant.’
35Will not Zadok and Abiathar the priests be there with you? Report to them everything you hear from the king’s palace.
36Indeed, their two sons, Ahimaaz son of Zadok and Jonathan son of Abiathar, are there with them. Send them to me with everything you hear.”
37So David’s friend Hushai arrived in Jerusalem just as Absalom was entering the city.
WEB World English Bible 2000
31Someone told David, saying, “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” David said, “Yahweh, please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.”
32When David had come to the top, where God was worshiped, behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his tunic torn and earth on his head.
33David said to him, “If you pass on with me, then you will be a burden to me;
34but if you return to the city, and tell Absalom, ‘I will be your servant, O king. As I have been your father’s servant in time past, so I will now be your servant; then you will defeat for me the counsel of Ahithophel.’
35Don’t you have Zadok and Abiathar the priests there with you? Therefore whatever you hear out of the king’s house, tell it to Zadok and Abiathar the priests.
36Behold, they have there with them their two sons, Ahimaaz, Zadok’s son, and Jonathan, Abiathar’s son. Send to me everything that you shall hear by them.”
37So Hushai, David’s friend, came into the city; and Absalom came into Jerusalem.
KJV King James Version 1769
31And one told David, saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. And David said, O Lord, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.
32And it came to pass, that when David was come to the top of the mount, where he worshipped God, behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his coat rent, and earth upon his head:
33Unto whom David said, If thou passest on with me, then thou shalt be a burden unto me:
34But if thou return to the city, and say unto Absalom, I will be thy servant, O king; as I have been thy father’s servant hitherto, so will I now also be thy servant: then mayest thou for me defeat the counsel of Ahithophel.
35And hast thou not there with thee Zadok and Abiathar the priests? therefore it shall be, that what thing soever thou shalt hear out of the king’s house, thou shalt tell it to Zadok and Abiathar the priests.
36Behold, they have there with them their two sons, Ahimaaz Zadok’s son, and Jonathan Abiathar’s son; and by them ye shall send unto me every thing that ye can hear.
37So Hushai David’s friend came into the city, and Absalom came into Jerusalem.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
31And one told David, saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. And David said, O Jehovah, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.
32And it came to pass, that, when David was come to the top of the ascent, where God was worshipped, behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his coat rent, and earth upon his head.
33And David said unto him, If thou passest on with me, then thou wilt be a burden unto me:
34but if thou return to the city, and say unto Absalom, I will be thy servant, O king; as I have been thy father’s servant in time past, so will I now be thy servant; then wilt thou defeat for me the counsel of Ahithophel.
35And hast thou not there with thee Zadok and Abiathar the priests? therefore it shall be, that what thing soever thou shalt hear out of the king’s house, thou shalt tell it to Zadok and Abiathar the priests.
36Behold, they have there with them their two sons, Ahimaaz, Zadok’s son, and Jonathan, Abiathar’s son; and by them ye shall send unto me everything that ye shall hear.
37So Hushai, David’s friend, came into the city; and Absalom came into Jerusalem.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
31and David declared, saying, `Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom;' and David saith, `Make foolish, I pray Thee, the counsel of Ahithophel, O Jehovah.'
32And it cometh to pass, David hath come unto the top, where he boweth himself to God, and lo, to meet him is Hushai the Archite, his coat rent, and earth on his head;
33and David saith to him, `If thou hast passed on with me then thou hast been on me for a burden,
34and if to the city thou dost turn back, and hast said to Absalom, Thy servant I am, O king; servant of thy father I am also hitherto, and now, I am also thy servant; then thou hast made void for me the counsel of Ahithophel;
35and are there not with thee there Zadok and Abiathar the priests? and it hath been, the whole of the matter that thou hearest from the house of the king thou dost declare to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests.
36Lo, there with them are their two sons, Ahimaaz to Zadok, and Jonathan to Abiathar, and ye have sent by their hand unto me anything that ye hear.'
37And Hushai, David's friend, cometh in to the city, and Absalom cometh in to Jerusalem.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
31And one told David saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. Then said David, Jehovah, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.
32And it came to pass, when David had come to the summit, where he worshipped God, that behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his coat rent, and earth upon his head.
33And David said to him, If thou passest on with me, thou wilt be a burden to me;
34but if thou return to the city, and say to Absalom, I will be thy servant, O king; as I have been thy father's servant hitherto, so now will I be thy servant; then mayest thou for me defeat the counsel of Ahithophel.
35And hast thou not there with thee Zadok and Abiathar the priests? and it shall be, [that] whatsoever thing thou shalt hear out of the king's house, thou shalt tell it to Zadok and Abiathar the priests.
36Behold, they have there with them their two sons, Ahimaaz Zadok's [son], and Jonathan Abiathar's son; and by them ye shall send to me everything that ye shall hear.
37And Hushai David's friend came into the city, and Absalom came into Jerusalem.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
31And it was told David that Achitophel also was in the conspiracy with Absalom, and David said: Infatuate, O Lord, I beseech thee, the counsel of Achitophel.
32And when David was come to the top of the mountain, where he was about to adore the Lord, behold Chusai the Arachite, came to meet him with his garment rent and his head covered with earth.
33And David said to him: If thou come with me, thou wilt be a burden to me:
34But if thou return into the city, and wilt say to Absalom: I am thy servant, O king: as I have been thy father's servant, so I will be thy servant: thou shalt defeat the counsel of Achitophel.
35And thou hast with thee Sadoc, and soever thou shalt hear out of the king's house, thou shalt tell it to Sadoc and Abiathar the priests.
36And there are with them their two sons Achimaas; the son of Sadoc, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar: and you shall send by them to me every thing that you shall hear.
37Then Chusai the friend of David went into the city, and Absalom came into Jerusalem.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · II Samuel 15:31
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that David’s short prayer in verse 31 is the centre of the passage. When David learns that Ahithophel, his own counsellor and a man whose advice was "as if a man inquired at the inner sanctuary of God" (2 Sam 16:23), has joined Absalom, he cries out to Yahweh: "make foolish, I pray Thee, the counsel of Ahithophel" (Heb. sakkel-na, a Piel imperative from H5528). Matthew Henry calls Ahithophel "the head of the conspiracy," and Adam Clarke notes only God could confound such a wise man. As David reaches the summit of the Mount of Olives, Hushai arrives in mourning. David quickly sees that Hushai can serve him better as a spy than as a companion: an aged or non-combatant man would be a burden in flight, but inside Jerusalem he can feed false advice to Absalom and relay intelligence through the priests Zadok and Abiathar and their sons. Barnes and the Cambridge Bible stress that "the king’s friend" (v.37) was an official title. David thus answers his own prayer, not by passivity, but by planting an agent whose counsel God would later prosper (17:14). The passage as a whole shows a king who trusts God’s sovereignty while using every human resource at hand.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: David prayed for God to frustrate Ahithophel’s counsel, then acted through Hushai to help answer that prayer, and the narrator later confirms that God ordained the outcome.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| The morality of Hushai’s deception | Both David’s prayer and the narrator (17:14) credit God with defeating Ahithophel. All traditions note the tension between truthfulness and strategic necessity in a time of rebellion. | Some readers (e.g., Wesley’s Notes) count David’s counsel as among his sins, only excused by God’s overruling. Others (e.g., Matthew Henry) see it as legitimate wartime counter-intelligence. A third position notes the narrator simply reports without explicit moral approval. |
| Nature of the worship site on the Mount of Olives | There was a recognised place of worship on the summit; David stopped there to pray. | Whether this was an authorised high place before the Temple or merely a customary spot for personal prayer. The Cambridge Bible favours a legitimate sanctuary; others see it as a temporary refuge. |
| David’s combination of prayer and plotting | David’s first response is prayer. Then he acts. Both are necessary. | How to balance human effort and divine trust. Some traditions stress prayer as primary, others emphasise wisdom as a gift from God. All see David as a model of pious pragmatism. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The crisis of Absalom’s revolt forces David to flee Jerusalem suddenly. He crosses the Kidron Valley and climbs the Mount of Olives (v.30, weeping, barefoot). The narrative pauses at the summit, "where God was worshipped" (v.32). The Cambridge Bible notes that the Hebrew participle yishtachaveh suggests habitual worship; a high place existed here, recognised as a legitimate sanctuary before the Temple was built. David stops to pray, and Psalm 3 (superscripted "when he fled from Absalom his son") may have been composed at this spot.
Ahithophel was David’s most trusted counsellor (2 Sam 15:12). His defection was a blow both personal and strategic. Verse 31 shows David naming the threat and turning it over to God. At the same moment, Hushai the Archite appears, distraught, with torn clothing and earth on his head. Hushai is not a warrior; David calls him a potential "burden" (v.33). Instead, David commissions him to return to Jerusalem, profess loyalty to Absalom with a formula: "I will be your servant, O king; as I have been your father’s servant, so I will now be your servant" (v.34). This mirrors the oath of a royal official. The “friend of the king” (re'eh ha-melekh, v.37) was a court title (1 Chr 27:33; 1 Kgs 4:5), making Hushai's return plausible.
David also invokes the priestly network. Zadok and Abiathar, already sent back with the ark (vv.25-29), are to receive Hushai’s reports. Their sons Ahimaaz and Jonathan serve as couriers. The entire operation, prayer, planted agent, priestly intelligence chain, is orchestrated before Absalom even enters the city. Keil & Delitzsch note that the waw consecutive in verse 37 signals contemporaneous action: Hushai’s arrival and Absalom’s entry happen at the same moment, so Absalom has no reason to suspect Hushai had met David.
Textual Notes
The MT is secure. The only variation noted in the supplied sources is the preposition in verse 32: the Hebrew asher yishtachaveh sham lelohim ("where he worshipped God") can also be read as a general statement, "where God was worshipped" (so the Cambridge and Lange’s translations). The difference does not affect the narrative flow. The KJV and WEB follow the personal reading; the BSB uses "where he used to worship." No significant manuscript variants are reported for any other verse in this unit.
Reception History
David’s prayer against Ahithophel’s counsel (v.31) has been treasured as a model of quick, specific intercession in crisis. The church fathers often read it typologically: Ahithophel represents worldly wisdom, David’s prayer the believer’s appeal to divine power over human cleverness. During the Reformation, commentators like Calvin and Luther focused on the doctrine of God’s sovereignty, God turns the plans of the wise into foolishness (cf. 1 Cor 1:19). The figure of Hushai, “David’s friend,” became a symbol of loyal service and clever faithfulness; his office later influenced the role of royal confidants in Christian courts. In moral theology, the passage raised ongoing questions about whether Hushai’s feigned loyalty can be justified. Many Christians have drawn from this story the principle that prayer and practical action are never enemies: David prayed, then built a spy network. The verse has also been sung in hymns about trusting God in betrayal (e.g., based on Psalm 3, which tradition links to this scene).
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Pray specifically against the real threat. David didn’t pray a vague blessing; he named Ahithophel and asked God to turn his counsel into foolishness. In times of crisis, pinpoint the danger and invite God’s intervention.
- Prayer does not replace planning. David prayed, then immediately recruited Hushai and set up an intelligence network. Faith and wisdom work together, God’s sovereignty includes human means.
- God can use unconventional strategies. Hushai’s deception raises moral questions, but the narrator credits Yahweh with ordaining the outcome (17:14). David’s plan was not pure deceit but a counter-intelligence operation that God blessed.
Five-point outline
- The threat revealed: Ahithophel’s wisdom (v.31; 16:23).
- The prayer: "Make foolish, O Yahweh" (v.31).
- The arrival of Hushai, a friend in mourning (v.32).
- The plan: Hushai as double agent, priests as channels (vv.33-36).
- The timing: Hushai arrives as Absalom enters (v.37), divine orchestration.
Illustration hooks
- A CEO learns a key employee has joined a competitor, taking trade secrets. He prays, then immediately hires a crisis team and secures communication lines. Faith and foresight together.
- A family facing a lawsuit prays for wisdom, then meets with a lawyer who advises a specific strategy they hadn’t considered. They see God working through practical advice.
- Two friends disagree on whether to “let go and let God” or actively plan. David’s example shows both: he prays first, then acts decisively.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Is it okay to pray for God to frustrate someone’s plans? Can that be loving?
- When should I step in to help answer my own prayer, and when should I wait?
- How do I combine trust in God’s sovereignty with smart strategy in a crisis?
Leading a Discussion
This passage shows David at his lowest point, fleeing his own son, betrayed by his wisest adviser. In that moment, he prays a bold prayer: “Turn Ahithophel’s counsel into foolishness.” Then he immediately starts working on a plan. How do prayer and action fit together in your experience? As you read these verses, notice how David uses every resource, a trusted friend, loyal priests, and even the official title “king’s friend”, to serve God’s purpose. Consider what resources God has given you in a difficult situation.
Discussion questions
- Why does David single out Ahithophel’s counsel as the main threat? What does this tell you about the power of wise advice, for good or evil?
- Look at verse 31. David prays for God to “make foolish” Ahithophel’s counsel. How is this different from praying for Ahithophel’s harm? Is it ever right to ask God to frustrate someone’s plans?
- In verse 33 David says Hushai would be a “burden” if he fled with him. What does that reveal about David’s situation and his discernment?
- David instructs Hushai to say, “I will be your servant, O king” (v.34). Is this deception? Or is it a legitimate wartime ruse? How do you decide where the line is?
- Why does David involve the priests and their sons (vv.35-36)? What does this tell you about teamwork and communication in a crisis?
- Verse 37 says Hushai and Absalom entered Jerusalem at the same time. How does this timing show God’s hand at work, even in human schemes?
- When have you felt pressure to choose between trusting God and taking action? How does David’s example guide you?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| II Samuel 15:12 | Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, from his city, even from Giloh, while he was offering the sacrifices. The conspiracy was strong, for the people increased continually with Absalom. |
| II Samuel 16:23 | The counsel of Ahithophel, which he gave in those days, was as if a man inquired at the inner sanctuary of God. All the counsel of Ahithophel was like this both with David and with Absalom. |
| II Samuel 17:14 | Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel.” For Yahweh had ordained to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, to the intent that Yahweh might bring evil on Absalom. |
| II Samuel 17:23 | When Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his donkey, arose, and went home to his city, set his house in order, and hanged himself; and he died, and was buried in the tomb of his father. |
| Job 5:12 | He frustrates the plans of the crafty, so that their hands can’t perform their enterprise. |
| Job 12:16 | With him is strength and wisdom. The deceived and the deceiver are his. |
| Job 12:20 | He removes the speech of those who are trusted, and takes away the understanding of the elders. |
| Psalms 3:1 | A Psalm by David, when he fled from Absalom his son. Yahweh, how my adversaries have increased! Many are those who rise up against me. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke highlights David pausing at the summit of Olivet to worship God while fleeing for his life, showing that even in extreme danger, prayer remains essential. He then contrasts David's complete humiliation with God's power to exalt the lowly, but notes this suffering came as just consequence of David's sin.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes notes that the word "top" in this passage is used almost as a proper name, pointing to a specific high place on the Mount of Olives where people worshipped God. He is confident there was a recognized worship site at that location.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge commentary stresses that Hushai's deception, though recorded without explicit condemnation in Scripture, cannot be approved as a moral model. It argues that actions permissible under the Old Testament are not allowable for Christians, and that Scripture does not sanction different rules for political and personal morality.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva annotators highlight David's immediate recourse to prayer, asking God to turn Ahithophel's counsel into foolishness. They then see divine providence in Hushai's timely arrival, sent to infiltrate Absalom's court and counteract the treacherous advice, thus answering David's request.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill highlights David’s twofold response to Ahithophel’s betrayal: a prayer for God to confuse the counsel, followed by a practical plan using Hushai as a double agent. David sends Hushai back with a feigned oath of loyalty, and arranges a secret communication chain through Zadok, Abiathar, and their sons to stay informed and counter Ahithophel’s advice.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB highlights how David’s prayer against Ahithophel and his arrangement with Hushai reveal a striking blend of genuine piety and shrewd, forward-looking strategy. David worshipped God while simultaneously devising a political countermove, showing that fervent faith and practical wisdom worked together in his character.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch argue that the Hebrew text requires a minor correction: the verb should be read as "they announced to David," not "David announced." On hearing the news, David prays that God would turn Ahithophel's counsel into foolishness, a prayer God later answers through Hushai's counter-strategy.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry highlights that what made Ahithophel's involvement so dangerous was his shrewd mind, worth more to Absalom than many fighters. David's first countermove was not a long strategy but a short, direct prayer asking God to turn that wise counsel into foolishness.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley acknowledges that David's suggestion to Hushai was itself sinful, yet he marvels at how God still steered that evil counsel toward a good outcome. The fleeting transfer of royal power from David to Absalom serves as a reminder that no earthly throne is permanent, only the unshakable kingdom Christians await.