Spying in the Bible 19 - c.1000 BC to 970 BC

David Keeps on Spying On

After his plan is accepted, Hushai told his priest contacts about it. The priests and their sons were known to be loyal to David, so they were being watched by the current administration’s spies and they knew it. They would have been safe enough if they stayed out of the internal struggle because it would be bad for public opinion to kill priests and their families. However, if they were caught being spies, the charge of treason and would have been justification enough to execute them. Therefore, to be more covert, they sent a servant girl to deliver the message to their sons, who were in a different town. There precautions were not enough though, and a spy caught the sons getting the message from the girl and told Absalom about it. The two sons know they had been discovered, so they hid with some sympathizers, who were also in the spy network, and together, they all formed an underground intelligence pathway to David in exile (2 Samuel 17:15-22).

Hushai told Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, “Ahithophel has advised Absalom and the elders of Israel to do such and such, but I have advised them to do so and so. Now send a message at once and tell David, ‘Do not spend the night at the fords in the wilderness; cross over without fail, or the king and all the people with him will be swallowed up.’”

Jonathan and Ahimaaz were staying at En Rogel. A female servant was to go and inform them, and they were to go and tell King David, for they could not risk being seen entering the city. But a young man saw them and told Absalom. So the two of them left at once and went to the house of a man in Bahurim. He had a well in his courtyard, and they climbed down into it. His wife took a covering and spread it out over the opening of the well and scattered grain over it. No one knew anything about it. When Absalom’s men came to the woman at the house, they asked, “Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?”

The woman answered them, “They crossed over the brook.” The men searched but found no one, so they returned to Jerusalem.

After they had gone, the two climbed out of the well and went to inform King David. They said to him, “Set out and cross the river at once; Ahithophel has advised such and such against you.” So David and all the people with him set out and crossed the Jordan. By daybreak, no one was left who had not crossed the Jordan.

Later, when Absalom was executing his plan and going after his father, David’s men, who knew he was coming ended up capturing and killing him, thus ending the fight over the throne (2 Samuel 18:9,14-15).

Now Absalom happened to meet David’s men. He was riding his mule, and as the mule went under the thick branches of a large oak, Absalom’s hair got caught in the tree. He was left hanging in midair, while the mule he was riding kept on going.... So [Joab] took three javelins in his hand and plunged them into Absalom’s heart while Absalom was still alive in the oak tree. And ten of Joab’s armor-bearers surrounded Absalom, struck him and killed him.

Absalom was not the only enemy of David to spy on him. Indeed, David writes throughout his psalms about spies sent against him from his enemies.

O Lord, lead me in your righteousness because of those who spy on me. Make your way in front of me smooth. (Psalm 5:8)

Teach me your way, O Lord. Lead me on a level path because I have enemies who spy on me. (Psalm 27:11)

My enemies spy on me. Pay them back with evil. Destroy them with your truth! (Psalm 54:5)

All day long my enemies spy on me. They harass me. There are so many fighting against me. (Psalm 56:2)

They come together to spy on me—watching my every step, eager to kill me. (Psalm 56:6)

God will come to meet me. He will let me gloat over those who spy on me. (Psalm 59:10)

For my enemies talk about me, and those who spy on me plot together. (Psalm 71:10)

My eyes gloat over those who spy on me. My ears hear the cries of evildoers attacking me. (Psalm 92:11)