Atlas Biblica

    person

    Ahithophel

    אֲחִיתֹ֫פֶל

    Ahithophel was a wise counselor to David who defected to Absalom's side during Absalom's rebellion, but later committed suicide when his advice was not followed.

    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?

    In the words of STEPBible TIPNR:

    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.

    How the graph connects Ahithophel9 of 9 entities the graph connects to Ahithophel, in 3 groups: kinship 1, company 3, events 5. Kinship, company and ground are stated relations; events counts the acts two entities stand in together and is not a relation. Each mark is sized by how many verses name that entity and labelled with the link and the count, so the grouping and the size are both readable without colour. Distance from the centre carries nothing.EliamFather of · 1 verseKinshipAhithophel’s pursuit of David and People With HimTook part in · 3 versesGilohAssociated with · 3 versesConspiracyTook part in · 2 versesCompanyDavid2 events · 964 versesAbsalom5 events · 92 versesCounsel1 event · 27 versesProposal2 events · 5 versesJehoiada1 event · 1 verseEventsAhithophel

    Associated with

    Father of

    Took part in

    Stands in the same events as

    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.

    Where the story of Ahithophel happensThe one place the claims about Ahithophel reach, on a map of the world the text moves through, framed to them: Giloh. Each dot is a coordinate from the gazetteer, sized by how many rows put Ahithophel there. The coastline is a modern one, simplified; no border, road or settlement of any period is drawn, and no line joins two points, because the rows state where and not in what order.Giloh
    United MonarchyThe one place the claims about Ahithophel reach

    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.

    1. 2 Samuel15 verses

      15:1215:3115:3416:1516:2016:2116:2317:117:617:717:1417:1517:2117:2323:34

    2. 1 Chronicles2 verses

      27:3327:34

    Onward

    Where this page goes

    Not the direct relations above — these are one hop further out, ranked so that a rare shared connection outweighs a common one. Descriptions by STEPBible TIPNR.

    via ConspiracyAbsalomDavid's rebellious son who tried to usurp the throne.via ConspiracyConspiracyConspiracy is a concept gathering 23 labelled instances in the text.via Ahithophel’s pursuit of David and People With HimDavidAnointed king of Israel, ancestor of Jesus Christvia Ahithophel’s pursuit of David and People With HimPursuitPursuit is a concept gathering 43 labelled instances in the text.

    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.

    Sources

    What this rests on