Who was Hushai in the Bible?
David's compatriot, during the united monarchy
Hushai, also known as Hushai the Arkite, was a close friend and advisor to King David. He played a significant role during the rebellion of David's son Absalom, as recorded in 2Samuel 15-17. Hushai appears in 11 verses across 3 books of the Bible.
What does the Bible say about Hushai?
Hushai, also known as Hushai the Arkite, was a close friend and advisor to King David. He played a significant role during the rebellion of David's son Absalom, as recorded in 2Samuel 15-17. When David fled from Jerusalem due to Absalom's rebellion, Hushai met him on the Mount of Olives, mourning and showing his loyalty to the king (2Sa.15.32). David instructed Hushai to return to Jerusalem and feign allegiance to Absalom, in order to counter the advice of Ahithophel, Absalom's counselor (2Sa.15.34). Hushai followed David's plan and gained Absalom's trust (2Sa.16.16-19). When Ahithophel advised Absalom to pursue David immediately, Absalom sought Hushai's opinion (2Sa.17.5-7). Hushai cleverly countered Ahithophel's advice, suggesting that Absalom gather a larger army before pursuing David (2Sa.17.8-13). Absalom followed Hushai's advice, which bought David time to regroup and ultimately led to Absalom's defeat (2Sa.17.14-15). Hushai's loyalty and wise counsel were instrumental in helping David overcome the crisis of Absalom's rebellion. His actions demonstrate the importance of faithful friends and advisors, especially in times of difficulty. In addition to his role during Absalom's rebellion, Hushai is mentioned in 1Ki.4.16 as one of Solomon's twelve district governors, responsible for providing provisions for the king and his household. He is also listed in 1Ch.27.33 as one of David's counselors, along with Jonathan, David's uncle. Hushai's service to both David and Solomon highlights his enduring loyalty to the Davidic dynasty and his valued role as a trusted advisor to the kings of Israel.
Definition text: STEPBible · Tyndale House Cambridge. Licensed CC BY 4.0. Lightly edited for length and formatting.
Compiled by Protos: the verse list on this page. Where one name belongs to more than one person or place, each of them gets a separate entry.
Where does Hushai appear in the Bible?
Hushai is referenced in 11 verses across 3 books. Every passage below is about this one, not just every verse the word turns up in.
- 1 Chronicles 27:33
- 1 Kings 4:16
- 2 Samuel 15:32
- 2 Samuel 15:37
- 2 Samuel 16:16
- 2 Samuel 16:18
- 2 Samuel 17:5
- 2 Samuel 17:6
- 2 Samuel 17:7
- 2 Samuel 17:14
- 2 Samuel 17:15
What else appears in these passages?
These turn up in the same passages as Hushai.
Common questions
How many times does the Bible mention Hushai?
Hushai appears in 11 verses across 3 books, most often in 2 Samuel, which accounts for 9 of them.
Which books of the Bible mention Hushai?
2 Samuel, 1 Chronicles, 1 Kings.
Where can I read every verse about Hushai?
This page lists 11 of them. Protos carries all 11, and opens this entry on the verse you are reading rather than in a separate tab.
