Ahithophel decided to stay behind and serve Absalom after David flees Jerusalem. Hushai another "counselor" to Absalom was a friend of David who was actually pretending to be loyal to Absalom. His well placed poor advise eventually bringing down Absalom. We later see that Ahithophel’s good advice to attack David and his men while they are weary and tired with 12,000 men was thwarted by purposely bad advice by Hushai
“This time the advice that Ahithophel has given is not good. You know,” Hushai continued, “that your father and his men are courageous fighters, and they are as desperate as a bear in the wild robbed of her whelps. Your father is an experienced soldier, and he will not spend the night with the troops; even now he must be hiding in one of the pits or in some other place. And if any of them fall at the first attack, whoever hears of it will say, ‘A disaster has struck the troops that follow Absalom’; and even if he is a brave man with the heart of a lion, he will be shaken — for all Israel knows that your father and the soldiers with him are courageous fighters. So I advise that all Israel from Dan to Beersheba — as numerous as the sands of the sea — be called up to join you, and that you yourself march into battle. When we come upon him in whatever place he may be, we’ll descend on him [as thick] as dew falling on the ground; and no one will survive, neither he nor any of the men with him." 2 Samuel 17:7-12
Hushai's bad advice allows David to escape what probably would’ve been an easy victory for Absalom. Lesson: When given a chance to annihilate an anointed of God you do not squander the chance.
The plan that is thwarted is an attempt to solidify Absalom’s kingship. Ahithophel had suggested that Absalom pursue David and his men immediately and finish them off. The conundrum arises when those with Absalom cannot all agree whether or not to wait or pursue immediately. The plan to pursue immediately by Ahithophel was actually the better of the two but it was also the hand of God working in Hushai’s plan as stated in verse 14
"Absalom and all the men of Israel said, "The advice of Hushai the Arkite is better than that of Ahithophel." For the LORD had determined to frustrate the good advice of Ahithophel in order to bring disaster on Absalom." 1 Samuel 17:14
Absalom was not anointed trying to usurp God’s anointed. He should’ve known his chances were 0%, zilch, zero of gaining and keeping the throne. The runners Jonathan and Ahimaaz leave the city only to be seen by Absalom’s men. Thanks to the boldness of an unnamed woman in Bahurim the runners were able to escape being found by climbing down a dry well. They then make their way to David who hastens his movement across the Jordan River.
The narrative then returns to Jerusalem in the very last verses off this unit and we see Ahithophel “putting his house in order” and then he hanged himself. Ahithophel had at one time actually understood what it meant to be one of God’s anointed. Having once been spiritual in this manner there may have been a residual sense of what was going on here even though he had backslid. There can be no mistaking why he killed himself by hanging here. He knew as soon as Absalom did not take his advice to strike David immediately and finish him off the “gig was up”. He knew he had given sound advise (as do most of the readers today). What was even more telling and profound is that no one sided with his sound advice, "all" the men of Israel said Husai's advice was better. David was God’s choice and God’s anointed and that David would more than likely prevail no matter how bad the odds looked against him. If God could be for him, who could be against him? Ahithophel having been trumped in term of advice knows Absalom’s days are numbered and because of this, so are his. Essentially Ahithophel is a shadow or type of “Judas” that betrays the true king to serve something besides the king. We also see with Ahithophel that anger claims another victim. More than likely he sided with Absalom because he was bitter or angry. Why? Perhaps it was because of the incident with his grand-daughter Bathsheba and the killing of Uriah and the shame it brought to his family? Ahithophel’s anger may have been justified but even justified anger can kill you. It is also morbidly ironic that Ahithophel like Abasalom and Judas in the New Testament die "swinging in the wind" suspended above the earth. It is as if God is plucking them up like an uncontrollable and unrepentant child being grabbed by a head of hair to rein them in because they are like a wild animal.
In the end we also know what happens to Absalom. After his anger and need for revenge are satiated he essentially sees that rewarding sinful behavior pays off for him. This is similar to all of us. when we realize sin pays we continue it. What Absalom failed to realize and what many of us fail to realize also is that the pay-off for sin only lasts for a season (Hebrews 11:25) but the payback is permanent without forgiveness and it is a brutal and nasty payback in Hell seperated from God's glorious presence. In Absalom's case (and ours) the wages for sin is death. We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. At least if we seek forgiveness with a repentant heart we have the choice/chance to salvage the soul in this deal...but our body is goner no matter what. Here's some advice to chew on: When it comes to a battle of wills between man and God, man will always lose. Always. So consider that your arms are too short to fight with God before you decide to fight Him.
“Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.” Ephesians 4:31
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