- verses
- 17
- first named
- 2 Samuel 15:12
- last named
- 1 Chronicles 27:34
- period
- United Monarchy
- role
- David's compatriot
Description
Who was Ahithophel?
Ahithophel was a highly respected counselor to King David, known for his wisdom and insight. His advice was regarded as if one had inquired of the word of God. (2Sa.16.23) He was also the grandfather of Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah the Hittite, whom David later married after Uriah's death. (2Sa.23.34)
However, during Absalom's rebellion against David, Ahithophel defected and joined Absalom's side. (2Sa.15.12) When David learned of Ahithophel's betrayal, he prayed that God would turn Ahithophel's counsel into foolishness. (2Sa.15.31).
Absalom sought Ahithophel's advice on how to proceed against David. Ahithophel counseled Absalom to pursue David immediately and strike him down while he was weak and vulnerable. (2Sa.17.1-4) However, Absalom also sought the advice of Hushai the Archite, who was secretly loyal to David. Hushai convinced Absalom to delay the attack, giving David time to regroup and strengthen his forces. (2Sa.17.5-14)
When Ahithophel saw that his advice was not followed, he returned to his home, put his household in order, and hanged himself, realizing that Absalom's cause was doomed to fail. (2Sa.17.23)
Ahithophel's betrayal and subsequent suicide are seen as a fulfillment of David's prayer and demonstrate the consequences of turning against God's anointed king. His story serves as a warning against pride, ambition, and disloyalty, and highlights the importance of seeking and following wise counsel that aligns with God's will.
Relations
Direct connections
Every entity the graph places in a stated relation with this one, grouped by the kind of link. Each relation is authored once and its inverse derived, so both ends always agree. Rows marked “registry” come from the identity spine rather than from a verse, and a row marked “which bearer is the source’s decision” is one where the name could have meant more than one person. The last group is not a relation at all — it counts the events two entities stand in together.
Places
Where this happens
The places the claims about this person reach, drawn where the gazetteer locates them. A point is where a row puts them and never where tradition does; no line joins two points, because the rows state where and not in what order.
The pattern
Where Ahithophel is named
Every book of the corpus in the order it is read, each as wide as the chapters it holds. A bar is the verses of that book which write the name, and the flat stretches are as much of the answer as the bars.
17 verses across 2 of 66 books; 64 write the name nowhere. Named in 2 Samuel (15) and 1 Chronicles (2).
Read it
Where to read it
Every verse of the text carried here that names this entity — 17, across 2 books. The name is written 20 times in them.
Onward
Where this page goes
Nothing in the graph stands one hop from this entity yet. These are the best-connected entities of the same type, so the page still ends somewhere. Descriptions by STEPBible TIPNR.
Where they appear
Chapter by chapter
Atlas's reading of each chapter this person appears in, in canonical order. One line per chapter, and each leads to the whole of it.
- 2 Samuel 15Ahithophel left Giloh to join Absalom’s conspiracy, prompting David to plead that his counsel be turned into foolishness.
- 2 Samuel 16Ahithophel advised Absalom to sleep with David’s concubines on the palace roof in sight of all Israel.
- 2 Samuel 17Ahithophel proposed a swift attack on David, then went home, put his affairs in order, and hanged himself when his advice was rejected.
Sources