Daily Tanach Monday Shmuel 2 Chapter 17: Achitofel commits suicide

1.      Achitofel commits suicide:

• When Achitofel saw that his advice was not being followed, he straddled his donkey and got up and traveled back to his home city. He gave final instructions to his household and then killed himself through asphyxiation. He was buried in the cemetery of his father. [He committed suicide due to fear that since his advice was not followed indeed Dovid would be victorious, and he would be put to death and have all of his belongings inherited to the king. Therefore, he killed himself first in order to save his belongings.[1]]

2.      Dovid flees from his son Avshalom:

• Dovid settles across the Jordon: Dovid had arrived from Chanoyma, while Avshalom had crossed the Jordan together with all the Jewish people.
• The new appointed general, Amasa: Amasa was appointed by Avshalom to be the general of the Army in place of Yoav. He was the son of a man named Yisra the Israelite who had relations with Abigail the daughter of Nachash [i.e. Yishaiy, the father of Dovid[2]] who was the sister of Tzeruyah who was the mother of Yoav.
• Avshalom settles in Gilaad: The Jewish people and Avshalom settled in the land of Gilaad.
• Dovid and his men are given food and supplies: When Dovid had arrived from Chanoyma he was greeted by the following men who provided him with food and supplies. He was greeted by Shovi [i.e. Chanun[3]] the son of Nachash who came from the nation of Amon, and by Machir the son of Amiel from the area of Lo Davar and by Barzilaiy the Giladi from Roglim. They brought him and his men cushions and sofas and manufacturing tools, as well as wheat and barley and flour, and beans and lentils and other roasted foods. They also gave him honey and butter and different types of cheeses and sheep. They provided all this food to Dovid and to the men that were with him in order to eat, as they said that certainly the nation is hungry and exhausted and dehydrated from thirst from being in the desert.

[1] Pirush Rav Yeshayah 17:23; Metzudos Dovid ibid

[2] Rashi 17:25; Bava Basra 17a

[3] Rashi 17:27; See Chapter 10