2 Samuel 17

Hushai’s Counsel

1Furthermore, Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Please let me choose twelve thousand men and let me set out and pursue David tonight. 21And I will 2attack him while he is weary and 3exhausted and startle him, so that all the people who are with him will flee. Then 4I will strike and kill the king when he is alone, 3and I will bring all the people back to you. 5The return of everyone depends on the man whom you are seeking; then all the people will be at 6peace.” 4And the 7plan pleased Absalom and all the elders of Israel.

5Nevertheless, Absalom said, “Now call 8Hushai the Archite also, and let’s hear what 9he has to say.” 6When Hushai had come to Absalom, Absalom said to 10him, “Ahithophel has 11proposed this plan. Should we 12carry out his plan? If not, say so yourself.” 7So Hushai said to Absalom, “13This time the advice that Ahithophel has 14given is not good.” 8Then Hushai said, “You yourself know your father and his men, that they are warriors and they are 15fierce, 16like a bear deprived of her cubs in the field. And your father is an 17expert in warfare, and he will not spend the night with the people. 9Behold, he has now hidden himself in one of the ravines, or in another place; and it will be that when he falls on them at the first attack, whoever hears it will say, ‘There has been a slaughter among the people who follow Absalom!’ 10And even the one who is valiant, whose heart is like the heart of a lion, 18will completely despair; for all Israel knows that your father is a mighty man, and those who are with him are valiant men. 11But I advise that all Israel be fully gathered to you, 19from Dan even to Beersheba, 20like the sand that is by the sea in abundance; and that 21you personally go into battle. 12Then we will come to him in one of the places where he can be found, and we will 22fall on him 23just as the dew falls on the ground; and of him and of all the men who are with him, not even one will be left. 13And if he withdraws into a city, then all Israel shall bring ropes to that city, and we will 24drag it into the 25valley until not even a pebble is found there.” 14Then Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The advice of Hushai the Archite is better than the advice of Ahithophel.” For 26the Lord had ordained to foil the good advice of Ahithophel, in order for the Lord to bring disaster on Absalom.

Hushai’s Warning Saves David

15Then 27Hushai said to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, “28This is what Ahithophel advised Absalom and the elders of Israel to do, and 29this is what I have advised. 16Now then, send a messenger quickly and tell David, saying, ‘30Do not spend the night at the river crossing places of the wilderness, but by all means cross over, or else the king and all the people who are with him will be 31destroyed.’” 1732Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz were staying at 33En-rogel, and a female servant would go and inform them, and they would go and inform King David, for they could not allow themselves to be seen entering the city. 18But a boy did see them, and he told Absalom; so the two of them left quickly and came to the house of a man 34in Bahurim, who had a well in his courtyard, and they went down 35into it. 19And 36the woman 37took a cover and spread it over the well’s mouth and scattered barley meal on it, so that nothing was known. 20Then Absalom’s servants came to the woman at the house and said, “Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?” And 38the woman said to them, “They have crossed the brook of water.” And when they searched and did not find them, they returned to Jerusalem.

21It came about after they had departed, that they came up out of the well and went and reported to King David; and they said to David, “39Set out and cross over the water quickly, because this is what Ahithophel has advised against you.” 22Then David and all the people who were with him set out and crossed the Jordan; by 40dawn not even one remained who had not crossed the Jordan.

23Now when Ahithophel saw that his advice had not been 41followed, he saddled his donkey and set out and went to his home, to 42his city, and 4344set his house in order, and 45hanged himself; so he died and was buried in his father’s grave.

24Then David came to 46Mahanaim. And Absalom crossed the Jordan, he and all the men of Israel with him. 25Absalom put 47Amasa 48in command of the army in place of Joab. Now Amasa was the son of a man whose name was 49Ithra the Israelite, who 50had relations with Abigail the daughter of 51Nahash, sister of Zeruiah, Joab’s mother. 26And Israel and Absalom camped in the land of Gilead.

27Now when David had come to Mahanaim, Shobi 52the son of Nahash from 53Rabbah of the sons of Ammon, 54Machir the son of Ammiel from Lo-debar, and 55Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim, 28brought 56beds, basins, pottery, wheat, barley, flour, roasted grain, beans, lentils, roasted seeds, 29honey, curds, sheep, and cheese of the herd, for David and the people who were with him, 57to eat. For they said, “The people are hungry and exhausted and thirsty in the wilderness.”