2 Samuel 17
1 Moreouer Ahithophel said to Absalom, Let me chuse out now twelue thousand men, and I will vp and follow after Dauid this night,
Furthermore, Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Let me choose twelve thousand men and set out tonight in pursuit of David.
2 And I will come vpon him: for he is wearie, and weake handed: so I will feare him, and all the people that are with him, shall flee, and I will smite the King onely,
I will attack him while he is weak and weary; I will throw him into a panic, and all the people with him will flee; I will strike down only the king
3 And I will bring againe all the people vnto thee, and when all shall returne, (the man whome thou seekest being slaine) all the people shalbe in peace.
and bring all the people back to you as a bride returning to her husband. You seek the life of only one man; then all the people will be at peace.”
4 And the saying pleased Absalom well, and all the Elders of Israel.
This proposal seemed good to Absalom and all the elders of Israel.
5 Then said Absalom, Call now Hushai the Archite also, and let vs heare likewise what he sayth.
Then Absalom said, “Summon Hushai the Archite as well, and let us hear what he too has to say.”
6 So when Hushai came to Absalom, Absalom spake vnto him, saying, Ahithophel hath spoken thus: shall we doe after his saying, or no? tell thou.
So Hushai came to Absalom, who told him, “Ahithophel has spoken this proposal. Should we carry it out? If not, what do you say?”
7 Hushai then answered vnto Absalom, The counsel that Ahithophel hath giuen, is not good at this time.
Hushai replied, “This time the advice of Ahithophel is not sound.”
8 For, said Hushai, thou knowest thy father, and his men, that they be strong men, and are chafed in minde as a beare robbed of her whelps in the fielde: also thy father is a valiant warrier, and will not lodge with the people.
He continued, “You know your father and his men. They are mighty men, and as fierce as a wild bear robbed of her cubs. Moreover, your father is a man of war who will not spend the night with the troops.
9 Behold, he is hid now in some caue, or in some place: and though some of them be ouerthrowen at the first, yet the people shall heare, and say, The people that follow Absalom, be ouerthrowen.
Surely by now he is hiding in a cave or some other location. If some of your troops fall first, whoever hears of it will say, ‘There has been a slaughter among the troops who follow Absalom.’
10 Then he also that is valiant whose heart is as the heart of a lion, shall shrinke and faint: for all Israel knoweth, that thy father is valiant, and they which be with him, stout men.
Then even the most valiant soldier with the heart of a lion will melt with fear, because all Israel knows that your father is a mighty man who has valiant men with him.
11 Therefore my counsell is, that all Israel be gathered vnto thee, from Dan euen to Beer-sheba as the sand of the sea in nomber, and that thou goe to battell in thine owne person.
Instead, I advise that all Israel from Dan to Beersheba—a multitude like the sand on the seashore—be gathered to you, and that you yourself lead them into battle.
12 So shall we come vpon him in some place, where we shall finde him, and we will vpon him as the dewe falleth on the ground: and of all the men that are with him, wee will not leaue him one.
Then we will attack David wherever we find him, and we will descend on him like dew on the ground. And of all the men with him, not even one will remain.
13 Moreouer if he be gotten into a citie, then shall all the men of Israel bring ropes to that citie, and we will draw it into the riuer, vntill there be not one small stone founde there.
If he retreats to a city, all Israel will bring ropes to that city, and we will drag it down to the valley until not even a pebble can be found.”
14 Then Absalom and all the men of Israel sayde, The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better, then the counsell of Ahithophel: for the Lord had determined to destroy the good counsell of Ahithophel, that the Lord might bring euill vpon Absalom.
Then Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The advice of Hushai the Archite is better than that of Ahithophel.” For the LORD had purposed to thwart the good counsel of Ahithophel in order to bring disaster on Absalom.
15 Then said Hushai vnto Zadok and to Abiathar the Priests, Of this and that maner did Ahithophel and the Elders of Israel counsell Absalom: and thus and thus haue I counseled.
So Hushai told Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, “This is what Ahithophel has advised Absalom and the elders of Israel, and this is what I have advised.
16 Now therefore sende quickely, and shewe Dauid, saying, Tarie not this night in the fieldes of the wildernesse, but rather get thee ouer, lest the King be deuoured and all the people that are with him.
Now send quickly and tell David, ‘Do not spend the night at the fords of the wilderness, but be sure to cross over. Otherwise the king and all the people with him will be swallowed up.’”
17 Now Ionathan and Ahimaaz abode by En-rogel: (for they might not be seene to come into the citie) and a maid went, and tolde them, and they went and shewed King Dauid.
Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz were staying at En-rogel, where a servant girl would come and pass along information to them. They in turn would go and inform King David, for they dared not be seen entering the city.
18 Neuerthelesse a yong man sawe them, and tolde it to Absalom. therefore they both departed quickely, and came to a mans house in Bahurim, who had a well in his court, into the which they went downe.
But a young man did see them and told Absalom. So the two left quickly and came to the house of a man in Bahurim. He had a well in his courtyard, and they climbed down into it.
19 And the wife tooke and spred a couering ouer the welles mouth, and spred ground corne thereon, that the thing should not be knowen.
Then the man’s wife took a covering and spread it over the mouth of the well, scattering grain over it so nobody would know a thing.
20 And when Absaloms seruants came to the wife into the house, they said, Where is Ahimaaz and Ionathan? And the woman answered them, They be gone ouer the brooke of water. And when they had sought them, and could not finde them, they returned to Ierusalem.
When Absalom’s servants came to the woman at the house, they asked, “Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?” “They have crossed over the brook,” she replied. The men searched but did not find them, so they returned to Jerusalem.
21 And assoone as they were departed, the other came out of the well, and went and tolde King Dauid, and sayde vnto him, Vp, and get you quickely ouer the water: for such counsell hath Ahithophel giuen against you.
After the men had gone, Ahimaaz and Jonathan climbed up out of the well and went to inform King David, saying, “Get up and cross over the river at once, for Ahithophel has given this advice against you.”
22 Then Dauid arose, and all the people that were with him, and they went ouer Iorden vntil the dawning of the day, so that there lacked not one of them, that was not come ouer Iorden.
So David and all the people with him got up and crossed the Jordan. By daybreak, there was no one left who had not crossed the Jordan.
23 Nowe when Ahithophel sawe that his counsell was not followed, he sadled his asse, and arose, and he went home vnto his citie, and put his houshold in order, and hanged him selfe, and dyed, and was buryed in his fathers graue.
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 affairs in order and hanged himself. So he died and was buried in his father’s tomb.
24 Then Dauid came to Mahanaim. And Absalom passed ouer Iorden, he, and all the men of Israel with him.
Then David went to Mahanaim, and Absalom crossed the Jordan with all the men of Israel.
25 And Absalom made Amasa captaine of the hoste in the stead of Ioab: which Amasa was a mans sonne named Ithra an Israelite, that went in to Abigail the daughter of Nahash, sister to Zeruiah Ioabs mother.
Absalom had appointed Amasa over the army in place of Joab. Amasa was the son of a man named Ithra, the Ishmaelite who had married Abigail, the daughter of Nahash and sister of Zeruiah the mother of Joab.
26 So Israel and Absalom pitched in the land of Gilead.
So the Israelites and Absalom camped in the land of Gilead.
27 And when Dauid was come to Mahanaim, Shobi the sonne of Nahash out of Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and Machir the sonne of Ammiel out of Lo-debar, and Barzelai the Gileadite out of Rogel
When David came to Mahanaim, he was met by Shobi son of Nahash from Rabbah of the Ammonites, Machir son of Ammiel from Lo-debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim.
28 Brought beds, and basens, and earthen vessels, and wheat, and barley, and floure, and parched corne, and beanes, and lentiles, and parched corne.
They brought beds, basins, and earthen vessels, as well as wheat, barley, flour, roasted grain, beans, lentils,
29 And they brought hony, and butter, and sheepe, and cheese of kine for Dauid and for the people that were with him, to eate: for they said, The people is hungry, and wearie, and thirstie in the wildernesse.
honey, curds, sheep, and cheese from the herd for David and his people to eat. For they said, “The people have become hungry, exhausted, and thirsty in the wilderness.”
