2 Samuel 17:1-15

1Furthermore, AhithophelH302 saidH559 to AbsalomH53, “PleaseH4994 let me chooseH977 12,000H8147H6240H505 menH376 that I may ariseH6965 and pursueH7291 DavidH1732 tonightH3915. 21I will comeH935 upon him while he is wearyH3023 and 2exhaustedH7504H3027 and terrifyH2729 him, so that allH3605 the peopleH5971 whoH834 are with him will fleeH5127. Then 3I will strikeH5221 downH5221 the kingH4428 aloneH905, 3and I will bringH7725 backH7725 allH3605 the peopleH5971 to you. 4The returnH7725 of everyoneH3605 depends on the manH376 you seekH1245; then allH3605 the peopleH5971 will be at 5peaceH7965.” 4So the 6planH1697 pleasedH5869H3474 AbsalomH53 and allH3605 the eldersH2205 of IsraelH3478.

5Then AbsalomH53 saidH559, “NowH4994 callH7121 7HushaiH2365 the ArchiteH757 alsoH1571, and let us hearH8085 whatH4100 8he has to sayH6310.” 6WhenH3512 HushaiH2365 had comeH935 to AbsalomH53, AbsalomH53 saidH559 to 9him, “AhithophelH302 has spokenH1696 10thusH1697H2088. Shall we 11carryH6213 out his planH1697? IfH518 not, you speakH1696.” 7So HushaiH2365 saidH559 to AbsalomH53, “12ThisH2088 timeH6471 the adviceH6098 that AhithophelH302 has 13givenH3289 is not goodH2896.” 8Moreover, HushaiH2365 saidH559, “You knowH3045 your fatherH1 and his menH376, that they are mightyH1368 menH1368 and they are 14fierceH4751H5315, 15like a bearH1677 robbedH7909 of her cubsH7909 in the fieldH7704. And your fatherH1 is an 16expertH376 in warfareH4421, and will not spendH3885 the nightH3885 with the peopleH5971. 9BeholdH2009, he has nowH6258 hiddenH2244 himselfH1931 in oneH259 of the 17cavesH6354 orH176 in anotherH259 placeH4725; and it will be 18whenH3512 he fallsH5307 on them at the firstH8462 attack, that whoever hearsH8085 it will sayH559, ‘There has beenH1961 a slaughterH4046 among the peopleH5971 whoH834 followH310 AbsalomH53.’ 10And evenH1571 the oneH1121 who is valiantH1121H2428, whoseH834 heartH3820 is like the heartH3820 of a lionH743, 19will completelyH4549 20loseH4549 heartH4549; for allH3605 IsraelH3478 knowsH3045 that your fatherH1 is a mightyH1368 manH1121 and those whoH834 are with him are valiantH2428 menH1121. 11But I counselH3289 that allH3605 IsraelH3478 be surelyH622 gatheredH622 to you, 21from DanH1835 even to BeershebaH884, 22as the sandH2344 that is by the seaH3220 in abundanceH7230, and that 23you personallyH6440 goH1980 into battleH7128. 12So we shall comeH935 to him in oneH259 of the placesH4725 whereH834H8033 he can be foundH4672, and we will 24fallH5307 on him 25as the dewH2919 fallsH5307 on the groundH127; and of him and of allH3605 the menH376 whoH834 are with him, not evenH1571 oneH259 will be leftH3498. 13IfH518 he withdrawsH622 into a cityH5892, then allH3605 IsraelH3478 shall bringH5375 ropesH2256 to that cityH5892, and we will 26dragH5498 it into the 27valleyH5158 untilH5704H834 not evenH1571 a smallH6872 stoneH6872 is foundH4672 thereH8033.” 14Then AbsalomH53 and allH3605 the menH376 of IsraelH3478 saidH559, “The counselH6098 of HushaiH2365 the ArchiteH757 is betterH2896 thanH4480 the counselH6098 of AhithophelH302.” For 28the LordH3068 had ordainedH6680 to thwartH6565 the goodH2896 counselH6098 of AhithophelH302, soH5668 that the LordH3068 might bringH935 calamityH7463 on AbsalomH53.

15Then 29HushaiH2365 saidH559 to ZadokH6659 and to AbiatharH54 the priestsH3548, “30ThisH2088 is whatH2088 AhithophelH302 counseledH3289 AbsalomH53 and the eldersH2205 of IsraelH3478, and 31thisH2088 is whatH2088 I have counseledH3289.