Treason

Scripture reckons treason as a particular species of evil: the lifting up of the hand against rightful authority, whether against Yahweh, against his anointed king, or against the leader he has set over his people. Proverbs places the disposition itself under judgment — "An evil man seeks only rebellion; therefore a cruel messenger will be sent against him" (Pr 17:11) — and the historical books trace the pattern through wilderness mutiny, palace conspiracy, dynastic coup, and finally the condemnation of Jesus on a fabricated charge of sedition.

Rebellion in the Wilderness

The earliest conspiracies against authority Israel remembers were raised against Moses. Miriam and Aaron spoke against him "because of the Cushite woman whom he had married" and pressed the deeper claim, "Has [the Speech of] Yahweh indeed spoken only with Moses? Has he not spoken also with us?" (Nu 12:1-2). The judgment fell on Miriam alone — she was struck leprous and shut outside the camp seven days (Nu 12:10, 15) — and the memory was canonized: "Remember what Yahweh your God did to Miriam, by the way as you⁺ came forth out of Egypt" (Dt 24:9).

The graver revolt followed. Korah of the Levites, with Dathan and Abiram of Reuben, "took men" against Moses and Aaron (Nu 16:1) and "assembled all the congregation against them to the door of the tent of meeting" (Nu 16:19). The earth split open under the conspirators: "the earth opened its mouth, and swallowed them up, and their households, and all of man who belonged to Korah, and all their goods. So they, and all that belonged to them, went down alive into Sheol" (Nu 16:32-33). The incident was preserved as a permanent warning that no stranger should "come near to burn incense before Yahweh; that he will not be as Korah, and as his company" (Nu 16:40). Sirach repeats the lesson in the catalogue of Aaron's vindication: "But strangers were incensed against him, and were envious against him in the wilderness; the men of Dathan and Abiram, and the company of Korah in the violence of their wrath. And Yahweh saw it and was angered, and consumed them in his fierce wrath" (Sir 45:18-19). Jude later treats Korah as one of the three archetypes of apostasy — Cain, Balaam, and "the opposing of Korah" (Jude 1:11).

Treason in the Period of the Judges

When Israel had no king, treason already operated against whatever ruler arose. After Abimelech had usurped power at Shechem by murdering his brothers, "God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem betrayed Abimelech" (Judges 9:23). The betrayal was retributive — "that the violence done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might come, and that their blood might be laid on Abimelech their brother" (Judges 9:24) — and ambushers were stationed in the hills against him (Judges 9:25). Treason here is the instrument by which earlier bloodshed comes home.

The Ephraimites attempted the same thing against Jephthah after his victory: "Why did you pass over to fight against the sons of Ammon, and didn't call us to go with you? We will burn your house on you with fire" (Judges 12:1). Jephthah answered that he had called them and they had not come; the men of Gilead then fought Ephraim and broke their challenge (Judges 12:2-4).

Rahab's betrayal of Jericho is the unusual case in which the treason is counted righteousness, because it sided with Yahweh's people. She hid the spies, lied to the king's messengers — "Yes, the men came to me, but I didn't know from where they were" — and sent the pursuers off in the wrong direction while the spies lay on her roof (Jos 2:4-7).

Plots Against the Early Kings

The earliest disloyalty toward the monarchy is one of faint heart. When Saul was anointed, "certain worthless fellows said, How will this man save us? And they despised him, and brought him no present. But he held his peace" (1Sa 10:27). The withholding of allegiance and tribute is the seed-form of revolt.

After Saul's death, Abner came near to changing the throne. Quarreling with Ishbosheth over Saul's concubine Rizpah, he swore an oath against the house he had served: "God do so to Abner, and more also, if, as Yahweh has sworn to David, I do not even do so to him; to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul, and to set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan even to Beer-sheba" (2Sa 3:9-10). Ishbosheth "could not answer Abner another word, because he feared him" (2Sa 3:11). Abner himself was then murdered treacherously by Joab — "when Abner had returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the midst of the gate to speak with him quietly, and struck him there in the body, so that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother" (2Sa 3:27).

A still earlier instance of betrayal-for-pay had appeared on the margins of David's outlaw years. The Egyptian servant abandoned by the Amalekite raiders led David to their camp on a sworn condition — "Swear to me by [the Speech of] God, that you will neither kill me, nor deliver me up into the hands of my master, and I will bring you down to this troop" (1Sa 30:15) — and brought him to where they "were spread abroad over all the ground, eating and drinking, and dancing, because of all the great spoil that they had taken" (1Sa 30:16).

The Conspiracy of Absalom

The most extended treason narrative in scripture is Absalom's. He was the third son of David, born of Maacah daughter of Talmai king of Geshur (2Sa 3:3), and "in all Israel there was none to be so much praised as good-looking as Absalom: from the sole of his foot even to the top of his head there was no blemish in him" (2Sa 14:25). He had already broken with his father by killing Amnon and fleeing to Geshur (2Sa 13:29, 37).

The conspiracy began with the slow theft of public confidence. "Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate," intercepting suitors with the line, "See, your matters are good and right; but there is no man deputed of the king to hear you" (2Sa 15:2-3). When the moment came, "Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, As soon as you⁺ hear the sound of the trumpet, then you⁺ will say, Absalom is king in Hebron" (2Sa 15:10). Ahithophel, David's own counselor, defected from Giloh, "and the conspiracy was strong; for the people increased continually with Absalom" (2Sa 15:12). A messenger brought the news to David: "The hearts of the men of Israel are after Absalom" (2Sa 15:13), and David fled Jerusalem rather than be overtaken (2Sa 15:14).

Ahithophel proposed the decisive blow — "Let me now choose out twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue after David this night" (2Sa 17:1) — but the counsel was overturned, and the armies met at last in the forest of Ephraim, where "the people of Israel were struck there before the slaves of David, and there was a great slaughter there that day of twenty thousand men" (2Sa 18:7). Even on the verge of battle, David's order to his captains was, "Deal gently for my sake with the young man, even with Absalom" (2Sa 18:5). Riding through the wood, Absalom's head caught in an oak and "he was left hanging between heaven and earth" (2Sa 18:9), and Joab "took three darts in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Absalom, while he was yet alive in the midst of the oak" (2Sa 18:14). The king's grief was absolute — "O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! O that I had died for you, O Absalom, my son, my son!" (2Sa 18:33).

Sheba Son of Bichri

Before David had even reached Jerusalem on his return, a second revolt ignited. "There happened to be there a base fellow, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite: and he blew the trumpet, and said, We have no portion in David, neither do we have inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to his tents, O Israel" (2Sa 20:1). Israel followed him; only Judah stayed loyal (2Sa 20:2). The revolt ended at Abel of Beth-maacah, where a wise woman negotiated with Joab: "Sheba the son of Bichri by name, has lifted up his hand against the king, even against David; deliver him only, and I will depart from the city. And the woman said to Joab, Look, his head will be thrown to you over the wall" (2Sa 20:21). The townsmen executed the rebel themselves and threw his head to Joab (2Sa 20:22).

The Revolt of the Ten Tribes

The full schism of the kingdom is told as a national rebellion. Solomon had already raised Jeroboam, "a mighty man of valor," over the labor of the house of Joseph (1Ki 11:28); Jeroboam had fled to Egypt and returned at Solomon's death (1Ki 12:2). When Rehoboam refused the elders' counsel to lighten the yoke (2Ch 10:6), the people answered: "What portion do we have in David? Neither do we have inheritance in the son of Jesse: to your⁺ tents, O Israel: now see to your own house, David. So Israel departed to their tents" (1Ki 12:16). Adoram, sent to collect the labor, was stoned to death; Rehoboam fled in his chariot to Jerusalem; "so Israel rebelled against the house of David to this day" (1Ki 12:18-19). Sirach summarizes the whole, "from Ephraim [arose] a sinful kingdom" (Sir 47:21), and lays the blame on Rehoboam, "he who by his counsel made the people revolt," and on Jeroboam, "who sinned, and made Israel to sin; and he put a stumbling-block [before] Ephraim" (Sir 47:23). Jeroboam, once king, sealed the rebellion with a parallel calf-cult: "he placed in Beth-el the priests of the high places that he had made" (1Ki 12:32). Even in his lifetime he was accused before Yahweh — "Amos has conspired against you in the midst of the house of Israel: the land is not able to bear all his words" (Am 7:10).

Conspiracies Against the Kings

Once the kingdoms divided, the historical books read like a register of palace conspiracies. Of Joash it is written, "his slaves arose, and made a conspiracy, and struck Joash at the house of Millo, [on the way] that goes down to Silla" (2Ki 12:20). Of his successor Amaziah, "from the time that Amaziah turned away from following Yahweh they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem; and he fled to Lachish: but they sent after him to Lachish, and slew him there" (2Ch 25:27). And of Amon, "the slaves of Amon conspired against him, and put the king to death in his own house. But the people of the land slew all those who had conspired against King Amon; and the people of the land made Josiah his son king in his stead" (2Ki 21:23-24). Amon himself "did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, as did Manasseh his father" (2Ch 33:22), so the conspiracy fell on a king already under judgment.

In the north Jehu's coup, anointed by a prophet at Yahweh's command (1Ki 19:16), is presented as both treason and divine sentence. The oracle was explicit — "you will strike the house of Ahab your master, that I may avenge the blood of my slaves the prophets, and the blood of all the slaves of Yahweh, at the hand of Jezebel" (2Ki 9:7). At his anointing the captains hurried, "took every man his garment, and put it under him on the top of the stairs, and blew the trumpet, saying, Jehu is king. So Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi conspired against Joram" (2Ki 9:13-14). When King Joram saw him approaching he turned to flee, "and said to Ahaziah, There is treachery, O Ahaziah. And Jehu drew his bow with his full strength, and struck Joram between his arms; and the arrow went out at his heart" (2Ki 9:23-24). The dynasty fell the same day. But Jehu's sword carried its own judgment: "I will avenge the blood of Jezreel on the house of Jehu, and will cause the kingdom of the house of Israel to cease" (Hos 1:4).

The southern counterpart is Athaliah's overthrow. Athaliah, daughter of Omri (2Ki 8:26), "saw that her son was dead" and "destroyed all the royal seed" (2Ki 11:1), only Joash being hidden in the temple by Jehoshabeath, the wife of Jehoiada the priest (2Ch 22:11). After six years the priest brought out the king's son, made a covenant with the captains in the house of Yahweh (2Ki 11:4), and presented Joash to the people. Athaliah heard the noise, came to the temple, and "rent her clothes, and cried, Treason! Treason!" (2Ki 11:14). The cry is the hinge of the scene — the usurper applies the language of treason to the restoration of the lawful Davidic line. Jehoiada commanded, "Bring her forth between the ranks; and slay him who follows her with the sword. For the priest said, Don't let her be slain in the house of Yahweh" (2Ki 11:15), and "she went by the way of the horses' entry to the king's house: and there she was slain" (2Ki 11:16). Jehoiada then "made a covenant between himself, and all the people, and the king, that they should be Yahweh's people" (2Ch 23:16), and "all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet" (2Ch 23:21). Joash did right "all the days of Jehoiada the priest" (2Ch 24:2).

Revolt of Vassal Kingdoms

National-scale rebellion runs alongside the palace plots. "In his days Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah, and made a king over themselves" (2Ki 8:20; 2Ch 21:8). Of Zedekiah it is written, "through the anger of Yahweh it came to pass in Jerusalem and Judah, until he had cast them out from his presence. And Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon" (2Ki 24:20) — a revolt that triggered the destruction of the city. The same pattern appears in Hellenistic Judea: in 1 Maccabees, Bacchides "took vengeance on the men who had revolted, and they ceased to go forth any more into the country" (1Ma 7:24), and Alexander Balas was beset by territories that had "rebelled" (1Ma 11:14).

Treachery in the Hellenistic Period

The books of the Maccabees expand the canonical vocabulary of treason. Antiochus's general "spoke to them peaceful words in deceit: and they believed him. And he fell on the city suddenly, and struck it with a great slaughter" (1Ma 1:30). Within Israel, "some pestilent men of Israel, men of a wicked life, assembled themselves against him to accuse him: and the king gave no heed to them" (1Ma 10:61); "some wicked men who hated their own nation, went away to King Demetrius, and told him that Jonathan was besieging the castle" (1Ma 11:21). Tryphon "had conceived a design to make himself king of Asia, and to take the crown" (1Ma 12:39), detained Jonathan under pretext of debt (1Ma 13:15), then "treacherously slew him" (1Ma 13:31). Ptolemy son of Abubus "plotted treachery against Simon and his sons, to destroy them" (1Ma 16:13), received them deceitfully into a fortress, "and he committed a great treachery, and rendered evil for good" (1Ma 16:17). The recurrent formula is the politics of an oath taken to be broken: "he broke all the covenant that he had made with him before, and alienated himself from him" (1Ma 15:27).

Conspiracy in Exile and Restoration

Esther preserves both a treason and its punishment. "Two of the king's chamberlains, Bigthan and Teresh, of those who kept the threshold, were angry, and sought to lay hands on the king Ahasuerus" (Es 2:21). Mordecai uncovered the plot, Esther reported it to the king in Mordecai's name, "and when inquisition was made of the matter, and it was found to be so, they were both hanged on a tree" (Es 2:22-23) — the narrative's stated outcome of the death penalty for treason.

In the same period Sanballat and Geshem attempted a treacherous ambush against Nehemiah: "Come, let us meet together in [one of] the villages in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do mischief to me" (Ne 6:2). The plot failed because Nehemiah refused the invitation.

The Plot Against Jesus

The same vocabulary of conspiracy is finally turned against the Christ. Jeremiah had foreshadowed it for a prophet — "Come, and let us devise devices against Jeremiah... Come, and let us strike him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words" (Jer 18:18) — and the gospels apply the pattern. "The chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take him with subtlety, and kill him: for they said, Not during the feast, lest perhaps there will be a tumult of the people" (Mark 14:1-2). The internal betrayer was named at the table: "Truly, truly, I say to you⁺, that one of you⁺ will deliver me up" (Jn 13:21), and "Judas, do you deliver up the Son of Man with a kiss?" (Lu 22:48). The judgment on the betrayer is also pronounced — "woe to that man through whom he is delivered up!" (Lu 22:22).

Before Pilate the charge taken up was treason against Caesar: "We found this man perverting our nation, and forbidding to give taxes to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ a king" (Lu 23:2). The charge was false; Jesus answered Pilate's question, "Are you the King of the Jews? And he answered him and said, You say" (Lu 23:3). The Old Testament shape reappears exactly here: the lawful king is condemned by the language of treason, as Athaliah condemned Joash.

David's Amnesty to the Traitors

Against this whole record stands David's policy on his return from the flight. Shimei the Benjamite, who had cursed him on the road out, came down with a thousand men to meet him at the Jordan (2Sa 19:16-18) and fell at his feet: "Don't let my lord impute iniquity to me, neither remember that which your slave did perversely the day that my lord the king went out of Jerusalem" (2Sa 19:19). Abishai pressed for the death sentence: "Will not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed Yahweh's anointed?" (2Sa 19:21). David refused: "What have I to do with you⁺, you⁺ sons of Zeruiah, that you⁺ should this day be adversaries to me? Will there be any man put to death this day in Israel? For don't I know that I am this day king over Israel?" (2Sa 19:22), and "the king said to Shimei, You will not die. And the king swore to him" (2Sa 19:23).

Even more striking is the appointment of Amasa, the man Absalom had set "over the host instead of Joab" (2Sa 17:25). David sent word to him on the day of his return: "Are you not my bone and my flesh? God do so to me, and more also, if you are not captain of the host before me continually in the place of Joab" (2Sa 19:13). The rebel commander was made commander-in-chief of the loyal army (2Sa 20:4) — and was murdered shortly after by Joab in the sort of treacherous embrace that runs all through these narratives: "And Joab said to Amasa, Is it well with you, my brother? And Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him. But Amasa took no heed to the sword that was in Joab's hand: so he struck him with it in the body, and shed out his insides to the ground" (2Sa 20:9-10). The same embrace appears at Absalom's gate, where he kissed each suitor as he stole their loyalty (2Sa 15:5), and finally in the garden, where "Rabbi; and kissed him" was the sign (Mark 14:45). Proverbs gives the legend of these scenes: "Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are profuse" (Pr 27:6).

The Disposition Behind the Act

The wisdom literature traces the temper that produces treason before ever it surfaces in conspiracy. The lament psalms know its sting — "my own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, who ate of my bread, has lifted up his heel against me" (Ps 41:9), "for it is not an enemy who reproached me; or I could have borne it" (Ps 55:12) — and Micah extends the betrayal to the household: "the son dishonors the father, the daughter rises up against her mother... a man's enemies are the men of his own house" (Mic 7:6).

Sirach catalogues the type. "From one who fears Yahweh, a city will be inhabited; and from a family of betrayers, it will be desolate" (Sir 16:4). Of the false friend: "If you open your mouth against a friend, do not fear, for there is a [way of] reconciliation; but reproach, arrogance, betrayal of a secret, and a deceitful blow, in these every friend will depart" (Sir 22:22). Of the slanderer: "the whisperer will turn good to evil; and he will set a conspiracy for your pleasant things" (Sir 11:31). Of the patient enemy: "with his lips, an adversary tarries; but with his heart, he considers deep pits. And even though he weeps with his eyes; when he finds the [right] time, he will not be filled with blood" (Sir 12:16). Of the dissimulator: "as long as he profits, he will deceive you; three times he will strip you. And then he will see you and be furious with you; and he will wag his head at you" (Sir 13:7).

The historical books and the wisdom books converge on the same verdict: the proverb has been the rule from Korah to Iscariot. "An evil man seeks only rebellion; therefore a cruel messenger will be sent against him" (Pr 17:11).