17:1 Ahithophel said to Absalom, “I would choose twelve thousand men and set out tonight in pursuit of David.
17:2 I would attack him while he is weary and weak. I would strike him with terror, and then all the people with him will flee. I would strike down only the king
17:3 and bring all the people back to you. The death of the man you seek will mean the return of all; all the people will be unharmed.”
17:4 This plan seemed good to Absalom and to all the elders of Israel.
17:5 But Absalom said, “Summon also Hushai the Arkite, so we can hear what he has to say.”
17:6 When Hushai came to him, Absalom said, “Ahithophel has given this advice. Should we do what he says? If not, give us your opinion.”
17:7 Hushai replied to Absalom, “The advice Ahithophel has given is not good this time.
17:8 You know your father and his men; they are fighters, and as fierce as a wild bear robbed of her cubs. Besides, your father is an experienced fighter; he will not spend the night with the troops.
17:9 Even now, he is hidden in a cave or some other place. If he should attack your troops first, whoever hears about it will say, ‘There has been a slaughter among the troops who follow Absalom.’
17:10 Then even the bravest soldier, whose heart is like the heart of a lion, will melt with fear, for all Israel knows that your father is a fighter and that those with him are brave.
17:11 “So I advise you: Let all Israel, from Dan to Beersheba–as numerous as the sand on the seashore–be gathered to you, with you yourself leading them into battle.
17:12 Then we will attack him wherever he may be found, and we will fall on him as dew settles on the ground. Neither he nor any of his men will be left alive.
17:13 If he withdraws into a city, then all Israel will bring ropes to that city, and we will drag it down to the valley until not even a piece of it can be found.”
17:14 Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The advice of Hushai the Arkite is better than that of Ahithophel.” For the LORD had determined to frustrate the good advice of Ahithophel in order to bring disaster on Absalom.
17:15 Hushai told Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, “Ahithophel has advised Absalom and the elders of Israel to do such and such, but I have advised them to do so and so.
17:16 Now send a message immediately and tell David, ‘Do not spend the night at the fords in the desert; cross over without fail, or the king and all the people with him will be swallowed up.’”
17:17 Jonathan and Ahimaaz were staying at En Rogel. A servant girl was to go and inform them, and they were to go and tell King David, for they could not risk being seen entering the city.
17:18 But a young man saw them and told Absalom. So the two of them left quickly and went to the house of a man in Bahurim. He had a well in his courtyard, and they climbed down into it.
17:19 His wife took a covering and spread it out over the opening of the well and scattered grain over it. No one knew anything about it.
17:20 When Absalom’s men came to the woman at the house, they asked, “Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?” The woman answered them, “They crossed over the brook.” The men searched but found no one, so they returned to Jerusalem.
17:21 After the men had gone, the two climbed out of the well and went to inform King David. They said to him, “Set out and cross the river at once; Ahithophel has advised such and such against you.”
17:22 So David and all the people with him set out and crossed the Jordan. By daybreak, no one was left who had not crossed the Jordan.
17:23 When Ahithophel saw that his advice had not been followed, he saddled his donkey and set out for his house in his hometown. He put his house in order and then hanged himself. So he died and was buried in his father’s tomb.
17:24 David went to Mahanaim, and Absalom crossed the Jordan with all the men of Israel.
17:25 Absalom had appointed Amasa over the army in place of Joab. Amasa was the son of a man named Jether, an Israelite who had married Abigail, the daughter of Nahash and sister of Zeruiah the mother of Joab.
17:26 The Israelites and Absalom camped in the land of Gilead.
17:27 When David came to Mahanaim, Shobi son of Nahash from Rabbah of the Ammonites, and Makir son of Ammiel from Lo Debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim
17:28 brought bedding and bowls and articles of pottery. They also brought wheat and barley, flour and roasted grain, beans and lentils,
17:29 honey and curds, sheep, and cheese from cows’ milk for David and his people to eat. For they said, “The people have become hungry and tired and thirsty in the desert.”
17:1 Then Ahithophel said to Absalom, Let me now choose twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue after David tonight.
17:2 And I will come upon him while he is weary and weak-handed. And I will terrorize him, and all the people who are with him will flee; then I will strike down the king only.
17:3 And I will bring all the people back to you; the return of the whole depends on what happens to the man whom you are seeking. All the people will be at peace.
17:4 And the word seemed right in the sight of Absalom and in the sight of all the elders of Israel.
17:5 Then Absalom said, Call now for Hushai the Archite also that we may hear what he also has to say.
17:6 So Hushai came to Absalom; and Absalom spoke to him, saying, Ahithophel has spoken in this way. Shall we do what he says? If not, you speak.
17:7 And Hushai said to Absalom, The counsel that Ahithophel has given this time is not good.
17:8 Hushai said moreover, You know your father and his men, that they are mighty men and bitter in soul, 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.
17:9 He is now hidden in some pit or some other place; and when some of them fall at the beginning, whoever hears of it will say, There is a slaughter among the people who are with Absalom.
17:10 And even he who is valiant, whose heart is like the heart of a lion, will utterly melt in fear; for all Israel knows that your father is a mighty man and that those who are with him are valiant men.
17:11 But I counsel that all Israel be gathered together unto you, from Dan to Beer-sheba, like the sand that is by the sea in multitude, and that you go into battle in person.
17:12 Then we will come upon him in some place where he will be found, and we will light upon him as dew falls upon the ground; and we will not leave among him and among the men who are with him even one.
17:13 And if he should withdraw into a city, all Israel will carry ropes to that city, and we will pull it into the river, until not even a stone is found there.
17:14 And Absalom and all the men of Israel said, The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel; for Jehovah had ordained the defeat of the good counsel of Ahithophel to the intent that Jehovah might bring evil upon Absalom.
17:15 Then Hushai said to Zadok and Abiathar the priests, Thus and thus did Ahithophel counsel Absalom and the elders of Israel, and thus and thus did I counsel.
17:16 Now therefore send word quickly and tell David, saying, Do not lodge tonight at the fords of the wilderness, but pass over by all means; otherwise, the king will be swallowed up, as well as all the people who are with him.
17:17 Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz were staying in En-rogel, and a female servant would go and tell them, and they would go and tell King David; for they could not risk being seen coming into the city.
17:18 But a young man saw them, and he told Absalom. And both of them went off quickly and came to the house of a man in Bahurim, who had a well in his courtyard; and they went down into it.
17:19 And his wife took the covering and spread it over the mouth of the well, and she strew grain over it; and the matter was unknown.
17:20 Then Absalom’s servants came to the woman at the house and said, Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan? And the woman said to them, They have crossed over the brook of water. And when they searched for them and could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem.
17:21 And after they departed, they came up out of the well and went and told King David. And they said to David, Rise up and cross quickly over the water, for thus has Ahithophel given counsel against you.
17:22 So David rose up with all the people who were with him, and they crossed over the Jordan; by morning’s light there was not one left who had not crossed over the Jordan.
17:23 And when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his donkey and rose up and went to his house in his city; and he set his house in order and hanged himself. And he died and was buried in the sepulcher of his father.
17:24 Then David came to Mahanaim. And Absalom crossed over the Jordan, he and all the men of Israel with him.
17:25 And Absalom set Amasa over the army, instead of Joab. Now Amasa was the son of a man whose name was Ithra the Israelite, who went in unto Abigail the daughter of Nahash, Zeruiah’s sister, Joab’s mother.
17:26 And Israel and Absalom camped in the land of Gilead.
17:27 And when David came to Mahanaim, Shobi the son of Nahash of Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and Machir the son of Amiel of Lo-debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite of Rogelim,
17:28 Brought beds and basins and earthen vessels and wheat and barley and meal and parched grain and beans and lentils and other parched grain
17:29 And honey and butter and sheep and cheese from the herd to David and the people who were with him for them to eat; for they said, The people are hungry and weary and thirsty in the wilderness.