2 Samuel 17:1-22

1Moreover AhithophelH302 saidH559 unto AbsalomH53, Let me now chooseH977 out twelve thousandH505 menH376, and I will ariseH6965 and pursueH7291 after DavidH1732 this nightH3915: 2and I will comeH935 upon him while he is wearyH3023 and weak-handed, and will make him afraid; and all the peopleH5971 that are with him shall fleeH5127; and I will smite the kingH4428 onlyH905; 3and I will bringH7725 backH7725 all the peopleH5971 unto thee: the manH376 whom thou seekest is as if all returnedH7725: so all the peopleH5971 shall beH1961 in peaceH7965. 4And the saying pleased AbsalomH53 well, and all the eldersH2205 of IsraelH3478.

5Then saidH559 AbsalomH53, CallH7121 now HushaiH2365 the Archite alsoH1571, and let us hearH8085 likewise what he saith. 6And when HushaiH2365 was comeH935 to AbsalomH53, AbsalomH53 spake unto him, sayingH559, AhithophelH302 hath spokenH1696 after this mannerH1697: shall we do after his sayingH559? if not, speakH1696 thou. 7And HushaiH2365 saidH559 unto AbsalomH53, The counselH6098 that AhithophelH302 hath given this timeH6471 is not goodH2896. 8HushaiH2365 saidH559 moreover, Thou knowest thy fatherH1 and his menH376, that they are mightyH1368 menH376, and they are chafed in their minds, as a bearH1677 robbed of her whelps in the fieldH7704; and thy fatherH1 is a manH376 of warH4421, and will not lodge with the peopleH5971. 9Behold, he is hidH2244 nowH6258 in some pitH6354, or in some other placeH4725: and it will come to pass, when some of them are fallenH5307 at the first, that whosoever heareth it will sayH559, There is a slaughterH4046 among the peopleH5971 that follow AbsalomH53. 10And even he that is valiant, whose heartH3820 is as the heartH3820 of a lionH738, will utterly meltH4549; for all IsraelH3478 knoweth that thy fatherH1 is a mightyH1368 manH1368, and they that are with him are valiant menH1368. 11But I counselH3289 that all IsraelH3478 be gatheredH622 together unto thee, from DanH1835 even to Beer-sheba, as the sandH2344 that is by the seaH3220 for multitudeH7230; and that thou goH1980 to battleH7128 in thine own person. 12So shall we comeH935 upon him in some placeH4725 whereH834 he shall be foundH4672, and we will light upon him as the dewH2919 falleth on the groundH127; and of him and of all the menH376 that are with him we will not leaveH5117 so much as oneH259. 13Moreover, if he be gotten into a cityH5892, then shall all IsraelH3478 bring ropesH2256 to that cityH5892, and we will draw it into the river, until there be not one small stone foundH4672 there. 14And AbsalomH53 and all the menH376 of IsraelH3478 saidH559, The counselH6098 of HushaiH2365 the Archite is betterH2896 than the counselH6098 of AhithophelH302. For Jehovah had ordained to defeat the goodH2896 counselH6098 of AhithophelH302, to the intent that Jehovah might bringH935 evilH7451 upon AbsalomH53.

15Then saidH559 HushaiH2365 unto ZadokH6659 and to AbiatharH54 the priestsH3548, Thus and thus did AhithophelH302 counselH3289 AbsalomH53 and the eldersH2205 of IsraelH3478; and thus and thus have I counselled. 16NowH6258 thereforeH6258 sendH7971 quicklyH4120, and tellH5046 DavidH1732, sayingH559, Lodge not this nightH3915 at the fords of the wildernessH4057, but by all means passH5674 over; lestH6435 the kingH4428 be swallowedH1104 up, and all the peopleH5971 that are with him. 17Now JonathanH3083 and AhimaazH290 were staying by En-rogelH5883; and a maid-servant used to goH1980 and tellH5046 them; and they wentH1980 and toldH5046 kingH4428 DavidH1732: for they might not be seenH7200 to comeH935 into the cityH5892. 18But a ladH5288 sawH7200 them, and toldH5046 AbsalomH53: and they wentH935 both of them away quicklyH4120, and cameH935 to the houseH1004 of a manH376 in BahurimH980, who had a wellH875 in his courtH2691; and they wentH935 downH3381 thither. 19And the womanH802 tookH3947 and spreadH6566 the coveringH4539 over the well’s mouth, and strewed bruised grain thereon; and nothing was knownH3045. 20And Absalom’s servantsH5650 cameH935 to the womanH802 to the houseH1004; and they saidH559, WhereH346 are AhimaazH290 and JonathanH3083? And the womanH802 saidH559 unto them, They are goneH935 over the brook of waterH4325. And when they had soughtH1245 and could not findH4672 them, they returnedH7725 to JerusalemH3389.

21And it came to passH5674, after they wereH1961 departed, that they came up out of the wellH875, and wentH5927 and toldH5046 kingH4428 DavidH1732; and they saidH559 unto DavidH1732, AriseH6965 ye, and passH5674 quicklyH4120 over the waterH4325; for thusH3602 hath AhithophelH302 counselled against you. 22Then DavidH1732 aroseH6965, and all the peopleH5971 that were with him, and they passedH5674 over the JordanH3383: by the morningH1242 lightH216 there lacked not oneH259 of them that was not gone over the JordanH3383.