Hushai

Narrator: Chris Genthree
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Friend and counselor of David, who, by returning to Jerusalem at the revolt of Absalom, was able to frustrate the advice given by Ahithophel, and thus give David time to escape, and arrange his army for the war. He is called an Archite (2 Sam. 15:32,3732And 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: (2 Samuel 15:32)
37So Hushai David's friend came into the city, and Absalom came into Jerusalem. (2 Samuel 15:37)
; 2 Sam. 16:16-1816And it came to pass, when Hushai the Archite, David's friend, was come unto Absalom, that Hushai said unto Absalom, God save the king, God save the king. 17And Absalom said to Hushai, Is this thy kindness to thy friend? why wentest thou not with thy friend? 18And Hushai said unto Absalom, Nay; but whom the Lord, and this people, and all the men of Israel, choose, his will I be, and with him will I abide. (2 Samuel 16:16‑18); 2 Sam. 17:5-155Then said Absalom, Call now Hushai the Archite also, and let us hear likewise what he saith. 6And when Hushai was come to Absalom, Absalom spake unto him, saying, Ahithophel hath spoken after this manner: shall we do after his saying? if not; speak thou. 7And Hushai said unto Absalom, The counsel that Ahithophel hath given is not good at this time. 8For, said Hushai, thou knowest thy father and his men, that they be mighty men, and they be chafed in their minds, as a bear robbed of her whelps in the field: and thy father is a man of war, and will not lodge with the people. 9Behold, he is hid now in some pit, or in some other place: and it will come to pass, when some of them be overthrown at the first, that whosoever heareth it will say, There is a slaughter among the people that follow Absalom. 10And he also that is valiant, whose heart is as the heart of a lion, shall utterly melt: for all Israel knoweth that thy father is a mighty man, and they which be with him are valiant men. 11Therefore I counsel that all Israel be generally gathered unto thee, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, as the sand that is by the sea for multitude; and that thou go to battle in thine own person. 12So shall we come upon him in some place where he shall be found, and we will light upon him as the dew falleth on the ground: and of him and of all the men that are with him there shall not be left so much as one. 13Moreover, if he be gotten into a city, then shall all Israel bring ropes to that city, and we will draw it into the river, until there be not one small stone found there. 14And Absalom and all the men of Israel said, The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel. For the Lord had appointed to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, to the intent that the Lord might bring evil upon Absalom. 15Then said Hushai unto Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, Thus and thus did Ahithophel counsel Absalom and the elders of Israel; and thus and thus have I counselled. (2 Samuel 17:5‑15); 1 Kings 4:1616Baanah the son of Hushai was in Asher and in Aloth: (1 Kings 4:16); 1 Chron. 27:3333And Ahithophel was the king's counsellor: and Hushai the Archite was the king's companion: (1 Chronicles 27:33)).