The second example of God’s sovereignty came with Hushai’s hurrying intelligence to David. Remember that both Ahithophel and Hushai appeared separately before Absalom’s cabinet, who then met in executive session to decide between their counsels.
Not immediately knowing their decision, and not trusting his own perspective or Absalom’s disposition, Hushai communicated an urgent message to David via the priests, a servant girl and the priests’ sons. The message chilled David: “Cross the Jordan ASAP. You are in great danger.” In colloquial speech: Get outta town! At this point the account becomes a spine-tingling spy thriller. A young Absalom loyalist saw the servant girl talking to Ahimaaz and Jonathan at en-Rogel, where they remained awaiting news. Instantly divining their purpose, he turned and ran for the nearest gate into Jerusalem. Understanding their peril, the duo rushed northeast to out-leg the pursuit sure to follow. That’s where the story got even more interesting. In Bahurim, their destination not far away, David’s intelligence service had arranged a safe-house. In a short time the men gained the summit of a hill and saw a farmhouse in the valley below. Meanwhile, the boy had informed Absalom, who ordered a cavalry detachment to pursue and capture the spies. And meanwhile, at the house in Bahurim, the housewife worked in her yard, glanced up the hill to the southwest and watched as two familiar faces crossed the crest at full speed, then shuffled themselves downward by hand holds that allowed rapid descent while keeping them from tumbling head-over-heels below. A few breathless words apprised her. And, quickly acting on a pre-arranged plan, she sent them down the well-shaft, over which she placed the wood covering often used after harvest. Quickly spreading grain over it she then smoothed the piles level and slowly picked at tares, as if working at length. Before long she heard cavalrymen clicking and clacking their way down the stony hill, pulling their mounts to a hard stop at the well, without ceremony demanding the two men. Without looking at them, she tossed her head and right hand carelessly toward the northwest, as if they had gone that way. Preparing for that day and hour, the woman prevailed. After being released the two men raced on to the fords of the Jordan and reached David. Shortly afterwards, he put his forces in motion, sending all non-combatants across the fords, his warriors their rear-guard. Then, with every civilian safe, every warrior followed. At daybreak, not a person remained west of the River. End Part IV
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