2 Samuela 17

1 Naʻe pehē foki ʻe ʻAhitofeli kia ʻApisalomi, “Tuku ke u fili mai ha kau tangata ʻe tokotaha mano mo e toko ua afe, pea te u tuʻu hake mo tuli atu kia Tevita ʻi he poōni:

Then Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Allow me to choose 12,000 men, and I will leave [with them] tonight to pursue David.

2 Pea te u hoko atu kiate ia lolotonga ʻa ʻene ongosia mo nima vaivai, pea u fakamanavahēʻi ia: pea ʻe hola ʻae kakai kotoa pē ʻoku ʻiate ia; pea teu taaʻi ʻae tuʻi tokotaha pe:

We will attack him while he is tired and discouraged, and cause him to be very frightened. All the soldiers who are with him will run away. We will kill only the king.

3 Pea te u toe ʻomi kiate koe ʻae kakai kotoa pē: ko e tangata ʻaia ʻoku ke kumi ʻoku hangē ia ko e liliu mai ʻoe kakai kotoa pē: pea ʻe fiemālie ai ʻae kakai kotoa pē.”

Then we will bring back all his soldiers to you, like [SIM] a (bride/woman comes to her husband when she is married). You are wanting to kill only one man; so the other people will not be harmed.”

4 Pea naʻe lelei ʻae lea ni kia ʻApisalomi, pea mo e mātuʻa kotoa pē ʻo ʻIsileli.

Absalom and all the Israeli leaders [who were with him] thought that what Ahithophel said would be good to do.

5 Pea naʻe toki pehē ʻe ʻApisalomi, “Ui eni foki kia Husai ko e tangata ʻAliki, pea ke tau fanongo ki heʻene lau ʻaʻana.”

But Absalom said, “Summon Hushai also, and we will hear what he suggests.”

6 Pea ʻi heʻene hoko mai ʻa Husai kia ʻApisalomi, naʻe lea ʻa ʻApisalomi kiate ia, ʻo pehē, “Kuo pehē ni ʻae lea kuo fai ʻe ʻAhitofeli: te tau fai pe ʻikai ki heʻene lea? Kapau ʻe ʻikai, ke ke lea mai pe koe.”

So when Hushai arrived, Absalom told him what Ahithophel had suggested. Then he asked Hushai, “What do you think we should do? If you do not think that we should do what Ahithophel suggests, tell us [what you think that we should do].”

7 Pea naʻe pehē ʻe Husai kia ʻApisalomi, “Ko e fakakaukau kuo lea ʻaki ʻe ʻAhitofeli ʻoku ʻikai lelei ʻi he ngaahi ʻaho ko eni.”

Hushai replied, “This time what Ahithophel has suggested is not good advice.

8 He naʻe pehē ʻe Husai, “ʻOku ke ʻilo ʻa hoʻo tamai pea mo ʻene kau tangata, ko e kau tangata toʻa ʻakinautolu, pea kuo nau mamahi ʻi honau loto, ʻo hangē ko ha pea kuo kaihaʻasi mei ai hono ʻuhiki ʻi he vao: pea ko hoʻo tamai ko e tangata maheni ai mo e tau, pea ʻe ʻikai te ne nofo fakataha mo e kakai.

You know that your father and the men who are with him are strong soldiers, and that now they are very angry, like [SIM] a mother bear whose cubs have been stolen from her. Furthermore, your father knows how to fight because he has fought in many battles. He will not stay with his troops during the night.

9 Vakai, kuo fufū eni ia ʻi ha luo, pe ʻi ha potu kehe: pea ʻe hoko ʻo pehē, ʻoka tō hifo honau niʻihi ʻi he kamataʻanga, ʻe pehē ʻe ia kotoa pē ʻoku fanongo ki ai, Kuo fai ʻae teʻia ʻi he lotolotonga ʻoe kakai ʻoku muimui kia ʻApisalomi.

Right now he is probably already hiding in one of the pits, or in some other place. [If his soldiers start to attack your soldiers, and] if they kill some of them, whoever hears about that will say ‘Many of the soldiers with Absalom have been killed!’

10 Pea ko ia foki ʻoku toʻa pea tatau hono loto mo e loto ʻo ha laione, ʻe vaivai ʻaupito: he ʻoku ʻilo ʻe ʻIsileli kātoa ko hoʻo tamai ko e tangata toʻa ia, pea ʻoku lototoʻa ʻakinautolu ʻoku kau mo ia.

Then your other soldiers, even if they are as fearless [SIM, IDM] as lions, they will become very afraid. Do not forget that everyone in Israel knows that your father is a great/strong soldier, and that the soldiers who are with him are also very brave/courageous.

11 Ko ia ko ʻeku fakakaukau ʻaʻaku ke tānaki kotoa pē ʻa ʻIsileli kiate koe, mei Tani ʻo aʻu atu ki Peasipa, ke hangē ko e ʻoneʻone ʻoe matātahi ʻa honau tokolahi; pea ko koe, ke ʻalu koe ki he tau.

“So what I suggest is that you summon all the Israeli soldiers, from Dan [in the far north] to Beersheba [in the far south]. They will be as many as the grains of sand on the seashore [HYP]. And then you yourself lead us into the battle.

12 Pea pehē, te tau hoko atu kiate ia ʻi ha potu pe ʻe ʻilo ai ia, pea te tau tō hifo ki ai ʻo hangē ko e tō hifo ʻae hahau ki he funga kelekele: pea ʻiate ia pea mo e kau tangata kotoa pē ʻoku kau mo ia ʻe ʻikai ʻaupito tuku ke toe hanau tokotaha.

We will find [your father], wherever he is, and we will attack him [from all sides], like [SIM] dew covers all the ground. And neither he nor any of the soldiers who are with him will survive.

13 Pea kapau foki kuo ne hū atu ki ha kolo, ʻe toki ʻomi ai ʻe ʻIsileli kātoa ha ngaahi maea ki he kolo ko ia, pea te tau tohoaki ia ki he vaitafe, kaeʻoua ke taʻeʻiloʻi ʻi ai hano momoʻi foʻi maka siʻi ʻe taha.”

If he escapes into some city, all our soldiers will bring ropes and pull that city down into the valley. As a result, not one stone will be left there [on top of the hill where that city was]!”

14 Pea naʻe pehē ʻe ʻApisalomi pea mo e kau tangata kotoa pē ʻo ʻIsileli, “ʻOku lelei hake ʻae fakakaukau ʻa Husai ko e tangata ʻAliki ʻi he fakakaukau ʻa ʻAhitofeli. He naʻe tuʻutuʻuni ʻe Sihova ke veuveuki ʻae fakakaukau lelei ʻa ʻAhitofeli, koeʻuhi kae ʻomi ʻe Sihova ʻae kovi kia ʻApisalomi.”

Absalom and all the other Israeli men [who were with him] said, “What Hushai suggests is better than what Ahithophel suggested.” The reason that happened was that Yahweh had determined that if they would accept the good advice that Ahithophel had given them, [they would have been able to defeat/kill David]. But [as a result of their doing what Hushai suggested], Yahweh would cause a disaster to happen to Absalom.

15 Pea naʻe toki pehē ai ʻe Husai kia Satoki mo ʻApiata ko e ongo taulaʻeiki, naʻe pehē mo pehē ʻae fakakaukau naʻe fai ʻe ʻAhitofeli kia ʻApisalomi pea mo e kau mātuʻa ʻo ʻIsileli; pea kuo pehē mo pehē ʻa ʻeku fakakaukau ʻaʻaku.

Then Hushai told the two priests, Zadok and Abiathar, what both he and Ahithophel had suggested to Absalom and the Israeli leaders.

16 Ko ia foki mo fekau fakatoʻotoʻo, pea tala kia Tevita, ʻo pehē, ʻoua naʻa ke nofo ʻi he poōni ʻi he potu ʻataʻatā ʻoe toafa, ka ke mole atu ke vave; telia naʻa fōngia hifo ʻae tuʻi pea mo e kakai kotoa pē ʻoku ʻiate ia.

Then he said to them, “Send [a message] quickly to David. Tell him to not stay at the place where people walk across the river, near the desert. Instead, he and his soldiers must cross [the Jordan River] immediately, in order that they will not be killed/wiped out.”

17 Ka ko eni naʻe nofo ʻa Sonatane mo ʻAhimasi ʻo ofi ki Eni-Lokeli; he naʻe tapu ʻe na hū mai ki he kolo: ko ia naʻe ʻalu ai ha fefine ʻo ne tala ia kiate kinaua; pea naʻa na ʻalu ʻo fakahā ia ki he tuʻi ko Tevita.

[The priest’s two sons, ] Jonathan and Ahimaaz, were waiting at En-Rogel [Spring], outside Jerusalem. They did not [dare to] enter the city, because if someone saw them, [he would report it to Absalom]. [While they were at En-Rogel, ] a female servant [of the two priests] would frequently go to them and report to them [what was happening], and then they would go and report it to King David.

18 Ka naʻe mamata kiate kinaua ha tamasiʻi, pea ne fakahā ia kia ʻApisalomi: ka naʻa na ʻalu fakatoʻotoʻo fakatouʻosi, ʻo na hoko ki he fale ʻo ha tangata ʻi Pahulimi, ʻaia naʻe maʻu ha luo vaikeli ʻi hono lotoʻā, pea naʻa na ʻalu hifo ki ai.

But a young man saw them, and went and reported it to Absalom. [They found out what the young man had done, ] so both of them left quickly and went to stay in the house of a man in Bahurim. That man had a well in his courtyard; so the two men went down into the well [to hide].

19 Pea naʻe ʻomi ʻe he fefine ha meʻa ʻufiʻufi ʻo ne ʻufiʻufi ʻaki ʻae ngutu ʻoe luo vai, pea naʻe folofolahi ki ai ʻae fuaʻi uite ʻaia naʻe momosi; pea naʻe ʻikai ʻiloʻi ʻae meʻa ko ia.

The man’s wife took a cloth/mat and covered the well, and scattered grain on top of it in order that no one would know [that two men were hiding inside it].

20 Pea ʻi he hoko mai ʻae kau tamaioʻeiki ʻa ʻApisalomi ki he fefine ʻi he fale, naʻa nau pehē, Ko fē ʻia ʻa ʻAhimasi pea mo Sonatane? Pea naʻe pehē ʻe he fefine kiate kinautolu, “Kuo na mole atu ki he kauvai ʻe taha.” Pea hili ʻenau kumi mo taʻeʻiloʻi ʻakinaua, naʻa nau toe ʻalu ki Selūsalema.

Some of Absalom’s soldiers [found out where the two men had gone. So they] went to the house, and asked the woman, “Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?” She replied, “They crossed the river.” So the soldiers [crossed the river and] searched for them. But they could not find them, so they returned to Jerusalem.

21 Pea naʻe hoko ʻo pehē, hili ʻenau ʻalu, naʻa na ʻalu hake mei he luo vaikeli, ʻo na ō mo fakahā kia Tevita, ko e tuʻi, ʻo na pehē kia Tevita, “Tuʻu hake, pea ʻalu fakatoʻotoʻo atu ki he kauvai: he kuo pehē ni ʻae fakakaukau ʻa ʻAhitofeli kiate kimoutolu.”

After they had gone, the two men came out of the well and went and reported to King David [what had happened and] what Ahithophel had suggested. Then they said to him, “Cross the river quickly!”

22 Pea naʻe toki tuʻu hake ai ʻa Tevita, pea mo e kakai kotoa pē naʻe ʻiate ia, pea naʻa nau aʻa atu ki he kauvai ʻe taha ʻo Sioatani: ʻi heʻene maʻa hake ʻae ʻaho naʻe ʻikai toe ha tokotaha naʻe taʻeʻā atu ʻi Sioatani.

So David and all his soldiers quickly started to cross the Jordan [River], and by dawn they had all crossed to the other side.

23 Pea ʻi heʻene mamata ʻe ʻAhitofeli kuo ʻikai fai ʻa ʻene fakakaukau ʻaʻana, naʻa ne ʻai ʻae hekaʻanga ki heʻene ʻasi, pea ne tuʻu hake, pea naʻe ʻalu ia ki hono ʻapi, pea ki hono kolo, pea naʻa ne tuku ʻae fekau ki hono fale, pea ne tautau ʻe ia ia, ʻo ne mate, pea naʻe tanu ia ʻi he faʻitoka ʻo ʻene tamai.

When Ahithophel realized that Absalom was not going to do what he suggested, he put a saddle on his donkey and returned to his own town. He gave [to his family] instructions about his possessions, and then he hanged himself [because he knew that Absalom would be defeated and that he would be considered a traitor and be killed]. His body was buried in the tomb where his ancestors [had been buried].

24 Pea hili ia naʻe haʻu ʻa Tevita ki Mehanemi. Pea naʻe aʻa atu ʻa ʻApisalomi ʻi Sioatani, ʻaia mo e kau tangata kotoa pē ʻo ʻIsileli naʻe ʻiate ia.

David [and his soldiers] arrived at Mahanaim. And Absalom [and all his Israeli soldiers] also crossed the Jordan [River].

25 Pea naʻe fakanofo ʻe ʻApisalomi ʻa ʻAmasa ko e ʻeiki pule ʻoe tau ko e fetongi ʻo Soape: pea ko ʻAmasa ko e foha ia ʻoe tangata ʻaia naʻe hingoa ko Itila ko e tangata ʻIsileli, ʻaia naʻe ʻalu ʻo mohe mo ʻApikali ko e ʻofefine ʻo Naʻasi, pea ko e tokoua kia Seluia ko e faʻē ʻa Soape.

Absalom had appointed [his cousin] Amasa to be the commander of his army, instead of Joab. Amasa was the son of a man named Jether, a descendant of Ishmael. Amasa’s mother was Abigail, the daughter of Nahash and the sister of Joab’s mother Zeruiah.

26 Ko ia naʻe nofo ai ʻa ʻIsileli mo ʻApisalomi ʻi he fonua ʻo Kiliati.

Absalom and his Israeli soldiers set up their tents in [the] Gilead [region].

27 Pea naʻe hoko ʻo pehē, ʻI heʻene hoko mai ʻa Tevita ki Mehanemi, [naʻe haʻu ]ʻa Sopi ko e foha ʻo Naʻasi mei Lapa ʻi he fānau ʻa ʻAmoni, mo Mekili ko e foha ʻo ʻAmieli ʻo Lotipale, mo Pasilai ko e tangata Kiliati mei Lokelimi,

When David [and his soldiers] arrived at Mahanaim, Shobi the son of Nahash from Rabbah [city] in the Ammon area, and Machir the son of Ammiel from Lo-Debar [city], and Barzillai from Rogelim [town] in [the] Gilead [region]

28 ‌ʻO[nau ]ʻomi ʻae ngaahi moheʻanga, mo e ngaahi ipu, mo e ngaahi ipu kelekele, mo e uite, mo e paʻale, mo e mahoaʻa, mo e uite naʻe tunu, mo e piini, mo e faʻahinga piini naʻe tunu.

brought sleeping mats, bowls, clay pots, barley, wheat flour, parched grain, beans, and lentils to them.

29 Mo e honi, mo e pota, mo e fanga sipi, mo e siisi mei he[huhuʻa ʻoe ]fanga pulu fefine, [ko e meʻa ]maʻa Tevita, pea mo e kakai kotoa pē naʻe ʻiate ia, kenau kai: he naʻa nau pehē, Kuo fiekaia ʻae kakai, mo ongosia, mo fieinua, ʻi he toafa.

They brought honey and curds, sheep, and some cream/cheese for David and his soldiers to eat. They knew that David and his soldiers would be hungry and tired and thirsty [from marching] in the desert.