‏ 2 Samuel 17

Hushai’s Counsel

1 Furthermore, Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Please let me choose twelve thousand men and let me set out and pursue David tonight. 2 aAnd I will
Lit come upon
attack him while he is weary and
Lit slack of hands
exhausted and startle him, so that all the people who are with him will flee. Then dI will strike and kill the king when he is alone,
3and I will bring all the people back to you.
Lit As the return of the whole is the man whom you seek
The return of everyone depends on the man whom you are seeking; then all the people will be at fpeace.”
4And the
Lit word was pleasing in the sight of
plan pleased Absalom and all the elders of Israel.

5 Nevertheless, Absalom said, “Now call hHushai the Archite also, and let’s hear what
Lit is in his mouth--even he
he has to say.”
6When Hushai had come to Absalom, Absalom said to
Lit him, saying
him, “Ahithophel has
Lit spoken according to this word
proposed this plan. Should we
Lit do his word
carry out his plan? If not, say so yourself.”
7So Hushai said to Absalom, “ mThis time the advice that Ahithophel has
Lit advised
given is not good.”
8Then Hushai said, “You yourself know your father and his men, that they are warriors and they are
Lit bitter of soul
fierce, plike a bear deprived of her cubs in the field. And your father is an
Lit man of war
expert in warfare, and he will not spend the night with the people.
9Behold, he has now hidden himself in one of the ravines, or in another place; and it will be that when he falls on them at the first attack, whoever hears it will say, ‘There has been a slaughter among the people who follow Absalom!’ 10And even the one who is valiant, whose heart is like the heart of a lion, rwill completely despair; for all Israel knows that your father is a mighty man, and those who are with him are valiant men. 11But I advise that all Israel be fully gathered to you, sfrom Dan even to Beersheba, tlike the sand that is by the sea in abundance; and that
Lit your face goes
you personally go into battle.
12Then we will come to him in one of the places where he can be found, and we will
Lit settle down
fall on him wjust as the dew falls on the ground; and of him and of all the men who are with him, not even one will be left.
13And if he withdraws into a city, then all Israel shall bring ropes to that city, and we will xdrag it into the
Or wadi; i.e., a dry stream bed
valley until not even a pebble is found there.”
14Then Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The advice of Hushai the Archite is better than the advice of Ahithophel.” For zthe Lord had ordained to foil the good advice of Ahithophel, in order for the Lord to bring disaster on Absalom.

Hushai’s Warning Saves David

15 Then aaHushai said to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, “
Lit According to this and this
This is what Ahithophel advised Absalom and the elders of Israel to do, and
Lit According to this and this
this is what I have advised.
16Now then, send a messenger quickly and tell David, saying, ‘ adDo not spend the night at the river crossing places of the wilderness, but by all means cross over, or else the king and all the people who are with him will be
Lit swallowed up
destroyed.’”
17 afNow Jonathan and Ahimaaz were staying at agEn-rogel, and a female servant would go and inform them, and they would go and inform King David, for they could not allow themselves to be seen entering the city. 18But a boy did see them, and he told Absalom; so the two of them left quickly and came to the house of a man ahin Bahurim, who had a well in his courtyard, and they went down
Lit there
into it.
19And ajthe woman
Lit took and spread the covering
took a cover and spread it over the well’s mouth and scattered barley meal on it, so that nothing was known.
20Then Absalom’s servants came to the woman at the house and said, “Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?” And althe woman said to them, “They have crossed the brook of water.” And when they searched and did not find them, they returned to Jerusalem.

21 It came about after they had departed, that they came up out of the well and went and reported to King David; and they said to David, “ amSet out and cross over the water quickly, because this is what Ahithophel has advised against you.” 22Then David and all the people who were with him set out and crossed the Jordan; by
Lit the light of the morning
dawn not even one remained who had not crossed the Jordan.

23 Now when Ahithophel saw that his advice had not been
Lit done
followed, he saddled his donkey and set out and went to his home, to aphis city, and
Lit ordered in regard to
arset his house in order, and ashanged himself; so he died and was buried in his father’s grave.

24 Then David came to atMahanaim. And Absalom crossed the Jordan, he and all the men of Israel with him. 25Absalom put auAmasa
Lit over the army
in command of the army in place of Joab. Now Amasa was the son of a man whose name was
In 1 Chr 2:17, Jether the Ishmaelite
Ithra the Israelite, who
Lit came in to
had relations with Abigail the daughter of ayNahash, sister of Zeruiah, Joab’s mother.
26And Israel and Absalom camped in the land of Gilead.

27 Now when David had come to Mahanaim, Shobi azthe son of Nahash from baRabbah of the sons of Ammon, bbMachir the son of Ammiel from Lo-debar, and bcBarzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim, 28brought bdbeds, basins, pottery, wheat, barley, flour, roasted grain, beans, lentils, roasted seeds, 29honey, curds, sheep, and cheese of the herd, for David and the people who were with him, beto eat. For they said, “The people are hungry and exhausted and thirsty in the wilderness.”
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