2Sa 17 | ABEn | STEP | And Ahithophel said to Absalom, I shall choose indeed for myself twelve thousand men, and I shall rise up and pursue after David at night.

2 Samuel 17

CHAPTER 17 Absalom Prepares for War against David

1 And Ahithophel said to Absalom, I shall choose indeed for myself twelve thousand men, and I shall rise up and pursue after David at night. 2 And I shall come upon him, and he will be tiring and loosening his hand, and I shall startle him, and [⁶shall flee ¹all ²the ³people ⁴with ⁵him], and I shall strike the king alone. 3 And I shall return all the people to you, in which manner [²returns ¹a bride] to her husband. Besides [³the life ⁵man ⁴of one ¹you ²seek], and all the people will be at peace. 4 And [³was pleasing ¹the ²word] in the eyes of Absalom, and in the eyes of all the elders of Israel. 5 And Absalom said, Call indeed Hushai the Archite, and I shall hear what is in his mouth, and indeed of him. 6 And Hushai entered to Absalom. And Absalom said to him, saying, According to this thing Ahithophel spoke. Shall we do according to his word? But if not you speak! 7 And Hushai said to Absalom, It is not good, this counsel which Ahithophel counseled this one time. 8 And Hushai said, You know your father, and his men, that [³mighty ¹they are ²exceedingly], and [²is very bitter ¹their soul] as a bear being made childless in the plain. And your father is [²man ¹a warrior], and in no way shall he rest the people. 9 For behold he now hides in one of the canyons, or in one of the places. And it will be when they fall upon them at the beginning, that one shall hear the hearing, and should say, There was a devastation among the people, to the one following after Absalom. 10 And indeed any son of power whose heart is as the heart of a lion, in melting away he shall melt away, for [³knows ¹all ²Israel] that [²is mighty ¹your father] and the sons of power, all the ones with him. 11 Thus advising, I advised. And [³in gathering together ⁴shall gather together ⁵unto ⁶you ¹all ²Israel], from Dan and unto Beer-sheba, as the sand upon the sea in multitude. And your presence shall be going in the midst of them. 12 And we shall come upon him in one of the places, which ever we should find him there. And we shall camp upon him as falls the dew upon the ground. And we shall not leave behind among to him, and of his men with him, even indeed one. 13 And if [²into ³the ⁴city ¹he should gather], then [³shall take ¹all ²Israel] [²against ³that city ¹lines], and drag it apart unto the rushing stream, unto not leaving behind there neither a stone. 14 And Absalom said, and every man of Israel, [⁶is good ¹The ²counsel ³of Hushai ⁴the ⁵Archite] over the counsel of Ahithophel. And the lord gave charge to efface the [²counsel ³of Ahithophel ¹good], so that the lord should bring the bad things upon Absalom. 15 And Hushai said to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, So and so advised Ahithophel to Absalom, and to the elders of Israel, and so and so I advised.

David Is Warned of Absalom's Plans

16 And now send quickly and report to David! saying, You should not lodge the night according to the descent of the wilderness, but by passing over, pass over! so that [³should not ⁴be swallowed down ¹the ²king], and all the people, the one with him. 17 And Jonathan and Ahimaaz stopped at the spring of Rogel. And came forth the maidservant, and she reported to them. And they went and reported to king David, for they were not able to appear to enter into the city. 18 And [²beheld ³them ¹a young man], and he reported to Absalom. And [³went ¹the ²two] quickly, and they entered into a house of a man in Bahurim, and unto his cistern in the courtyard, and they went down there. 19 And [²took ¹a woman] and opened and spread out a covering over the mouth of the cistern. And she cooled [²upon ³it ¹dried clusters], and they did not know the thing. 20 And [⁴came ¹the ²servants ³of Absalom] to the woman, into the house, and they said, Where is Ahimaaz and Jonathan? And [³said ⁴to them ¹the ²woman], They went for a little water. And they sought and did not find them, and they returned unto Jerusalem. 21 And it came to pass, after their going forth, they ascended from out of the cistern, and went, and reported to king David. And they say to him, Rise up and pass over [³quickly ¹the ²water]! for thus [²has counseled ³against ⁴you ¹Ahithophel]. 22 And David rose up, and all the people with him, and they passed over the Jordan until the light of the morning, until one was not unaware of who did not pass over the Jordan. 23 And Ahithophel knew that he had not taken his counsel, and he saddled his donkey, and rose up, and went forth to his house in his city. And he gave charge to his household, and he hung himself, and died. And they entombed him in the burying-place of his father. 24 And David went through unto Mahanaim. And Absalom passed over the Jordan, he and every man of Israel with him.

Amasa Is Placed over the Force of Abasalom

25 And [³Amasa ²placed ¹Absalom] instead of Joab over the force. And Amasa was a son of a man, and the name to him was Ithra the Israelite. This one entered to Abigail, daughter of Nahash, sister of Zeruiah, mother of Joab. 26 And Absalom camped and all Israel in the land of Gilead. 27 And it came to pass when David entered into Mahanaim, that Shobi son of Nahash, from Rabbah of the sons of Ammon, and Machir son of Ammiel from Lo-debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim, 28 brought beds, and spreads, and kettles, and [²utensils ¹ceramic], and wheat, and barley, and flour, and beans, and lentils and toasted grain, 29 and honey, and butter, and sheep, and cheese from oxen. And they brought near to David, and to the people with him to eat; for they said, The people are hungering, and fainting, and thirsting, in the wilderness.