Hushai

Biblical Record

Hushai was an Archite. Joshua 16:2 mentions "the borders of Archi," and on this basis some hold that he came from the border region between Benjamin and Ephraim. First Chronicles 27:33 introduces him as "the king's companion," listing him alongside Ahithophel, the king's counselor.

Hushai's actions are recorded in 2 Samuel 15–17, which recounts the rebellion of Absalom.

• Meeting David (2 Samuel 15:32–37): When David left Jerusalem and reached the top of the Mount of Olives, Hushai came to meet him with his coat torn and earth upon his head. David told him, "If thou passest on with me, then thou shalt be a burden unto me" (15:33). He then asked Hushai to return to the city, pretend to serve Absalom, and defeat the counsel of Ahithophel. Whatever Hushai learned he was to pass on to the priests Zadok and Abiathar. The immediately preceding verse (15:31) records David's prayer that the counsel of Ahithophel be turned into foolishness.
• Before Absalom (16:16–19): Hushai cried out, "God save the king, God save the king." When Absalom asked why he had not gone with his friend David, Hushai answered that he would belong to the one whom the LORD, the people, and all the men of Israel had chosen.
• The Contest of Counsels (17:1–16): Ahithophel proposed leading troops that very night in immediate pursuit of the weary David. Hushai objected that this counsel was not good at this time. Comparing David and his men to "a bear robbed of her whelps in the field," he advised that all Israel first be gathered and that Absalom go to battle in person. Absalom and his followers chose Hushai's counsel. The text explains that "the LORD had appointed to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, to the intent that the LORD might bring evil upon Absalom" (17:14). Hushai reported this to the priests, and the news reached David through their sons. David crossed the Jordan that same night. When his counsel was not followed, Ahithophel took his own life (17:23).

First Kings 4:16 names "Baanah the son of Hushai" among Solomon's officials, but it is uncertain whether this Hushai is the same person.

Significance Within Scripture

The account of Hushai shows how David's prayer (15:31) was answered through human action. For this reason it is frequently read as a text that reveals God's providence. The expression "the king's friend" also appears in 1 Kings 4:5, which leads some scholars to regard it as an official court title rather than a description of personal friendship. The New Testament does not mention Hushai.

Interpretations and Issues

• The Ethics of Deception: Hushai deceived Absalom through feigned loyalty. Some interpret this as a legitimate stratagem in a situation of just war; others hold that the text does not so much commend his conduct as simply emphasize the sovereignty of God. This discussion is often treated alongside the cases of Rahab and the Hebrew midwives.
• Double-Edged Speech: Some read the phrase "whom the LORD... choose" in Hushai's reply (16:18) as effectively referring to David, so that Hushai deceived Absalom while avoiding an outright lie.
• Embellishments: Some sermons portray Hushai as an aged courtier older than David. The text, however, does not state his age; such a portrayal is merely an inference drawn from the words "thou shalt be a burden unto me" (15:33).

In the Korean Church

In Korean church preaching, Hushai is usually presented in contrast to Ahithophel. He is held up as a "true friend" who stood by David in hard times and as a model of loyalty, and he also serves as an illustration of a God who answers prayer in the midst of crisis. He frequently appears when sermons on Absalom's rebellion address David's sufferings.