2
Samuel
17
- Ahithophel said to Absalom, "I would
choose twelve thousand men and set out tonight in pursuit of David.
- 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
- 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."
- This plan seemed good to Absalom and to
all the elders of Israel.
- But Absalom said, "Summon also Hushai
the Arkite, so we can hear what he has to say."
- When Hushai came to him, Absalom said, "Ahithophel
has given this advice. Should we do what he says? If not, give us your opinion."
- Hushai replied to Absalom, "The advice
Ahithophel has given is not good this time.
- 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.
- 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.'
- 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.
- "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.
- 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.
- 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."
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.'"
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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."
- 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.
- 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.
- David went to Mahanaim, and Absalom crossed
the Jordan with all the men of Israel.
- 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.
- The Israelites and Absalom camped in the
land of Gilead.
- 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
- brought bedding and bowls and articles of
pottery. They also brought wheat and barley, flour and roasted grain, beans
and lentils,
- 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."
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