2 Samuel 17:1-15

1Furthermore, AhithophelH302 saidH559 to AbsalomH53, “PleaseH4994 let me chooseH977 twelveH8147H6240 thousandH505 menH376 and let me setH6965 outH6965 and pursueH7291H310 DavidH1732 tonightH3915. 21And I will 2attackH935 him while he is wearyH3023 and 3exhaustedH7504H3027 and startleH2729 him, so that allH3605 the peopleH5971 whoH834 are with him will fleeH5127. Then 4I will strikeH5221 andH5221 killH5221 the kingH4428 when he is aloneH905, 3and I will bringH7725 allH3605 the peopleH5971 backH7725 to you. 5The returnH7725 of everyoneH3605 depends on the manH376 whomH834 you are seekingH1245; then allH3605 the peopleH5971 will be at 6peaceH7965.” 4And the 7planH1697 pleasedH5869H3474 AbsalomH53 and allH3605 the eldersH2205 of IsraelH3478.

5Nevertheless, AbsalomH53 saidH559, “NowH4994 callH7121 8HushaiH2365 the ArchiteH757 alsoH1571, and let’s hearH8085 whatH4100 9he has to sayH6310.” 6WhenH3512 HushaiH2365 had comeH935 to AbsalomH53, AbsalomH53 saidH559 to 10him, “AhithophelH302 has 11proposedH1696 thisH2088 planH1697. Should we 12carryH6213 outH6213 his planH1697? IfH518 not, sayH1696 so yourselfH859.” 7So HushaiH2365 saidH559 to AbsalomH53, “13ThisH2088 timeH6471 the adviceH6098 that AhithophelH302 has 14givenH3289 is not goodH2896.” 8Then HushaiH2365 saidH559, “You yourselfH859 knowH3045 your fatherH1 and his menH376, that they are warriorsH1368 and they are 15fierceH4751H5315, 16like a bearH1677 deprivedH7909 ofH7909 her cubsH7909 in the fieldH7704. And your fatherH1 is an 17expertH376 in warfareH4421, and he will not spendH3885 theH3885 nightH3885 with the peopleH5971. 9BeholdH2009, he has nowH6258 hiddenH2244 himselfH1931 in oneH259 of the ravinesH6354, orH176 in anotherH259 placeH4725; and it will be that when he fallsH5307 on them at the firstH8462 attack, 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, 18will completelyH4549 despairH4549; for allH3605 IsraelH3478 knowsH3045 that your fatherH1 is a mightyH1368 manH1121, and those whoH834 are with him are valiantH2428 menH1121. 11But I adviseH3289 that allH3605 IsraelH3478 be fullyH622 gatheredH622 to you, 19from DanH1835 even to BeershebaH884, 20like the sandH2344 that is by the seaH3220 in abundanceH7230; and that 21you personallyH6440 goH1980 into battleH7128. 12Then we will comeH935 to him in oneH259 of the placesH4725 whereH834H8033 he can be foundH4672, and we will 22fallH5117 on him 23justH3512 asH3512 the dewH2919 fallsH5307 on the groundH127; and of him and of allH3605 the menH376 whoH834 are with him, not evenH1571 oneH259 will be leftH3498. 13And ifH518 he withdrawsH622 into a cityH5892, then allH3605 IsraelH3478 shall bringH5375 ropesH2256 to that cityH5892, and we will 24dragH5498 it into the 25valleyH5158 untilH5704H834 not evenH1571 a pebbleH6872 is foundH4672 thereH8033.” 14Then AbsalomH53 and allH3605 the menH376 of IsraelH3478 saidH559, “The adviceH6098 of HushaiH2365 the ArchiteH757 is betterH2896 thanH4480 the adviceH6098 of AhithophelH302.” For 26the LordH3068 had ordainedH6680 to foilH6565 the goodH2896 adviceH6098 of AhithophelH302, in orderH5668 for the LordH3068 to bringH935 disasterH7463 on AbsalomH53.

15Then 27HushaiH2365 saidH559 to ZadokH6659 and to AbiatharH54 the priestsH3548, “28ThisH2088 is whatH2088 AhithophelH302 advisedH3289 AbsalomH53 and the eldersH2205 of IsraelH3478 to do, and 29thisH2088 is whatH2088 I have advisedH3289.