‏ 2 Samuel 17

CHAPTER 17

Absalom Prepares for War against David

1And Ahithophel said to Absalom, I shall choose indeed for myself twelve thousand men, and I shall rise up and pursue after David   at night. 2And 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. 3And 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. 4And [³was pleasing ¹the ²word] in the eyes of Absalom, and in the eyes of all the elders of Israel. 5And Absalom said, Call indeed   Hushai the Archite, and I shall hear what is in   his mouth, and indeed of him. 6And 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! 7And Hushai said to Absalom, It is not good, this   counsel which Ahithophel counseled   this one time. 8And 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. 9For 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. 10And 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. 11Thus 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. 12And 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. 13And 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. 14And 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. 15And 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

16And 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. 17And 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. 18And [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. 19And [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. 20And [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. 21And 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]. 22And 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. 23And 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. 24And 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

25And   [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. 26And Absalom camped and all Israel in the land of Gilead. 27And 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, 28brought beds, and spreads, and kettles, and [²utensils ¹ceramic], and wheat, and barley, and flour, and beans, and lentils and toasted grain, 29and 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.