1 M oreover, Ahithophel said to Absalom, Let me choose 12, 000 men and I will set out and pursue David this night.

Moreover Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Now let me choose twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue David tonight.

2 I will come upon him while he is exhausted and weak, and cause him to panic; all the people with him will flee. Then I will strike down the king alone.

I will come upon him while he is weary and weak, and make him afraid. And all the people who are with him will flee, and I will strike only the king.

3 I will bring back all the people to you. the man whom you seek is the assurance that all will return; and all the people will be at peace.

Then I will bring back all the people to you. When all return except the man whom you seek, all the people will be at peace.”

4 A nd what he said pleased Absalom well and all the elders of Israel.

And the saying pleased Absalom and all the elders of Israel. The Advice of Hushai

5 A bsalom said, Now call Hushai the Archite also, and let us hear what he says.

Then Absalom said, “Now call Hushai the Archite also, and let us hear what he says too.”

6 W hen Hushai came, Absalom said to him, Ahithophel has counseled thus. Shall we do what he says? If not, speak up.

And when Hushai came to Absalom, Absalom spoke to him, saying, “Ahithophel has spoken in this manner. Shall we do as he says? If not, speak up.”

7 A nd Hushai said to Absalom, The counsel that Ahithophel has given is not good at this time.

So Hushai said to Absalom: “The advice that Ahithophel has given is not good at this time.

8 F or, said Hushai, you know your father and his men, that they are mighty men, and they are embittered and enraged like a bear robbed of her whelps in the field. And your father is a man of war, and will not lodge with the people.

For,” said Hushai, “you know your father and his men, that they are mighty men, and they are enraged in their minds, like a bear robbed of her cubs in the field; and your father is a man of war, and will not camp with the people.

9 B ehold, he is hidden even now in some pit or other place; and when some of them are overthrown at the first, whoever hears it will say, There is a slaughter among the followers of Absalom.

Surely by now he is hidden in some pit, or in some other place. And it will be, when some of them are overthrown at the first, that whoever hears it will say, ‘There is a slaughter among the people who follow Absalom.’

10 A nd even he who is brave, whose heart is as the heart of a lion, will utterly melt, for all Israel knows that your father is a mighty man and that those who are with him are brave men.

And even he who is valiant, whose heart is like the heart of a lion, will melt completely. For all Israel knows that your father is a mighty man, and those who are with him are valiant men.

11 T herefore I counsel that all Israel be gathered to you, from Dan even to Beersheba, as the sand that is by the sea for multitude, and that you go to battle in your own person.

Therefore I advise that all Israel be fully gathered to you, from Dan to Beersheba, like the sand that is by the sea for multitude, and that you go to battle in person.

12 S o shall we come upon some place where he shall be found, and we will light upon him as the dew settles on the ground; and of him and of all the men with him there shall not be left so much as one.

So we will come upon him in some place where he may be found, and we will fall on him as the dew falls on the ground. And of him and all the men who are with him there shall not be left so much as one.

13 I f he withdraws into a city, then shall all Israel bring ropes to that city, and we will drag it into the ravine until not one pebble is left there.

Moreover, if he has withdrawn into a city, then all Israel shall bring ropes to that city; and we will pull it into the river, until there is not one small stone found there.”

14 A bsalom and all the men of Israel said, The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than that of Ahithophel. For the Lord had ordained to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, so that the Lord might bring evil upon Absalom.

So Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The advice of Hushai the Archite is better than the advice of Ahithophel.” For the Lord had purposed to defeat the good advice of Ahithophel, to the intent that the Lord might bring disaster on Absalom. Hushai Warns David to Escape

15 T hen said Hushai to Zadok and Abiathar the priests, Thus and thus did Ahithophel counsel Absalom and the elders of Israel, and thus and thus have I counseled.

Then Hushai said to Zadok and Abiathar the priests, “Thus and so Ahithophel advised Absalom and the elders of Israel, and thus and so I have advised.

16 N ow send quickly and tell David, Lodge not this night at the fords of the wilderness, but by all means pass over, lest the king be swallowed up and all the people with him.

Now therefore, send quickly and tell David, saying, ‘Do not spend this night in the plains of the wilderness, but speedily cross over, lest the king and all the people who are with him be swallowed up.’”

17 N ow Jonathan and Ahimaaz stayed at En-rogel, for they must not be seen coming into the city. But a maidservant went and told them, and they went and told King David.

Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz stayed at En Rogel, for they dared not be seen coming into the city; so a female servant would come and tell them, and they would go and tell King David.

18 B ut a lad saw them and told Absalom; but they left quickly and came to the house of a man in Bahurim, who had a well in his court, and they went down into it.

Nevertheless a lad saw them, and told Absalom. But both of them went away quickly and came to a man’s house in Bahurim, who had a well in his court; and they went down into it.

19 A nd the woman spread a covering over the well’s mouth and spread ground corn on it; and the thing was not discovered.

Then the woman took and spread a covering over the well’s mouth, and spread ground grain on it; and the thing was not known.

20 F or when Absalom’s servants came to the woman at the house, they said, Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan? And the woman said to them, They went over the brook of water. When they had sought and could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem.

And when Absalom’s servants came to the woman at the house, they said, “Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?” So the woman said to them, “They have gone over the water brook.” And when they had searched and could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem.

21 A fter they had departed, the boys came up out of the well and went and told King David, and said, Arise and pass quickly over the river Jordan; for thus and so has Ahithophel counseled against you.

Now it came to pass, after they had departed, that they came up out of the well and went and told King David, and said to David, “Arise and cross over the water quickly. For thus has Ahithophel advised against you.”

22 D avid arose and all the people with him and passed over the Jordan. By daybreak, not one was left who had not crossed.

So David and all the people who were with him arose and crossed over the Jordan. By morning light not one of them was left who had not gone over the Jordan.

23 B ut when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his donkey, went home to his city, put his household in order, and hanged himself and died, and was buried in the tomb of his father.

Now when Ahithophel saw that his advice was not followed, he saddled a donkey, and arose and went home to his house, to his city. Then he put his household in order, and hanged himself, and died; and he was buried in his father’s tomb.

24 T hen David came to Mahanaim. And Absalom passed over the Jordan, he and all the men of Israel with him.

Then David went to Mahanaim. And Absalom crossed over the Jordan, he and all the men of Israel with him.

25 A bsalom made Amasa captain of the army instead of Joab. Amasa was the son of an named Ithra, who married Abigail daughter of Nahash, sister of Zeruiah, Joab’s mother.

And Absalom made Amasa captain of the army instead of Joab. This Amasa was the son of a man whose name was Jithra, an Israelite, who had gone in to Abigail the daughter of Nahash, sister of Zeruiah, Joab’s mother.

26 S o Israel and Absalom encamped in the land of Gilead.

So Israel and Absalom encamped in the land of Gilead.

27 W hen David came to Mahanaim, Shobi son of Nahash of Rabbah of the Ammonites, and Machir son of Ammiel of Lo-debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite of Rogelim

Now it happened, when David had come to Mahanaim, that Shobi the son of Nahash from Rabbah of the people of Ammon, Machir the son of Ammiel from Lo Debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim,

28 B rought beds, basins, earthen vessels, wheat, barley, meal, parched grain, beans, lentils, parched,

brought beds and basins, earthen vessels and wheat, barley and flour, parched grain and beans, lentils and parched seeds,

29 H oney, curds, sheep, and cheese of cows for David and the people with him to eat; for they said, The people are hungry, weary, and thirsty in the wilderness.

honey and curds, sheep and cheese of the herd, for David and the people who were with him to eat. For they said, “The people are hungry and weary and thirsty in the wilderness.”