Among David's courtiers and attendants, a prominent place is occupied
by his counsellor Ahithophel, (60) with whom the king was connected by
family ties, Bath-sheba being his granddaughter. (61) Ahithophel's
wisdom was supernatural, for his counsels always coincided with the
oracles rendered by the Urim and Thummim, and great as was his wisdom,
it was equalled by his scholarship. Therefore David did not hesitate to
submit himself to his instruction, (62) even though Ahithophel was a
very young man, at the time of his death not more than thirty-three
years old. (63) The one thing lacking in him was sincere piety, (64)
and this it was that proved his undoing in the end, for it induced him
to take part in Absalom's rebellion against David. Thus he forfeited
even his share in the world to come. (65)
To this dire course of action he was misled by astrologic and other
signs, which he interpreted as prophecies of his own kingship, when in
reality they pointed to the royal destiny of his granddaughter
Bath-sheba. (66) Possessed by his erroneous belief, he cunningly urged
Absalom to commit an unheard-of crime. Thus Absalom would profit
nothing by his rebellion, for, though he accomplished his father's
ruin, he would yet be held to account and condemned to death for his
violation of family purity, and the way to the throne would be clear
for Ahithophel, the great sage in Israel. (67)
The relation between David and Ahithophel had been somewhat strained
even before Absalom's rebellion. Ahithophel's feelings had been hurt by
his being passed over at the time when David, shortly after ascending
the throne, invested, on a single day, no less than ninety thousand
functionaries with positions.
On that day a remarkable incident occurred. When the Ark was to be
brought up from Geba to Jerusalem, the priests who attempted to take
hold of it were raised up in the air and thrown violently to the
ground. In his despair the king turned for advice to Ahithophel, who
retorted mockingly: "Ask thy wise men whom thou hast but now installed
in office." It was only when David uttered a curse on him who knows a
remedy and withholds it from the sufferer, that Ahithophel advised that
a sacrifice should be offered at every step taken by the priests.
Although the measure proved efficacious, and no further disaster
occurred in connection with the Ark, yet Ahithophel's words had been
insincere. He knew the real reason of the misadventure, and concealed
it from the king. Instead of following the law of having the Ark
carried on the shoulders of priests, David had had it put on a wagon,
and so incurred the wrath of God. (68)
Ahithophel's hostility toward David showed itself also on the following
occasion. When David was digging the foundations of the Temple, a shard
was found at a depth of fifteen hundred cubits. David was about to lift
it, when the shard exclaimed: "Thou canst not do it." "Why not?" asked
David. "Because I rest upon the abyss." "Since when?" "Since the hour
in which the voice of God was heard to utter the words from Sinai, 'I
am the Lord thy God,' causing the earth to quake and sink into the
abyss. I lie here to cover up the abyss." Nevertheless David lifted the
shard, and the waters of the abyss rose and threatened to flood the
earth. Ahithophel was standing by, and he thought to himself: "Now
David will meet with his death, and I shall be king." Just then David
said: "Whoever knows how to stem the tide of waters, and fails to do
it, will one day throttle himself." (69) Thereupon Ahithophel had the
Name of God inscribed upon the shard, and the shard thrown into the
abyss. The waters at once commenced to subside, but they sank to so
great a depth that David feared the earth might lose her moisture, and
he began to sing the fifteen "Songs of Ascents," to bring the waters up
again. (70)
Nevertheless David's curse was realized. Ahithophel ended his days by
hanging himself. His last will contained the following three rules of
conduct: (71) 1. Refrain from doing aught against a favorite of
fortune. 2. Take heed not to rise up against the royal house of David.
3. If the Feast of Pentecost falls on a sunny day, then sow wheat. (72)
Posterity has been favored with the knowledge of but a small part of
Ahithophel's wisdom, and that little through two widely different
sources, through Socrates, (73) who was his disciple, and through a
fortune-book written by him. (74)