And Hushai said unto Absalom, Nay; but whom the LORD, and this people, and all the men of Israel, choose, his will I be, and with him will I abide.
Hushai answered Absalom, 'No, I will belong to whoever the LORD chooses, and whoever this people and all the men of Israel choose. I will be loyal to him and stay with him.'
Hushai is cleverly telling Absalom that he serves whoever God and the people choose as king, without directly saying he's switching sides.
📚 Historical Context
This occurs during Absalom's rebellion against his father King David. Hushai was David's loyal friend and counselor who stayed in Jerusalem as a spy when David fled the city. Absalom had just asked Hushai why he wasn't loyal to his friend David anymore, and Hushai is giving a diplomatically crafted response that sounds like support for Absalom while actually maintaining his true loyalty to David.
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