CHAPTER 17
Furthermore, Ahithophel
said
to
Absalom,
“Let me choose
twelve
thousand
men
and set out
tonight
in pursuit of
David.
I will attack
him while he
is weak
and weary;
I will throw him into a panic,
and all
the people
with him
will flee;
I will strike down
only
the king
and bring all
the people
back
to you.
When everyone
returns
except the man
you
seek,
all
the people
will be
at peace.”
So Hushai
came
to
Absalom,
who
told him,
“Ahithophel
has spoken
this
proposal.
Should we carry it out?
If
not,
what do you
say?”
He
continued,
“You
know
your father
and his men.
They are
mighty men,
and as fierce
as a wild
bear
robbed of her cubs.
Moreover, your father is
a man
of war
who will not
spend the night
with
the troops.
Surely
by now
he
is hiding
in a
cave
or
some other
location.
If some of your troops fall
first,
whoever hears of it
will say,
‘There
has been
a slaughter
among the troops
who
follow
Absalom.’
Then
even
the most valiant
soldier
with the heart
of a lion
will melt with fear,
because
all
Israel
knows
that
your father
is a mighty man
who has valiant
men
with him.
Instead,
I advise
that all
Israel
from Dan
to
Beersheba—
a multitude
like the sand
by
the sea—
be gathered
to you,
and that you yourself
lead them
into battle.
Then we will attack
David
wherever
we find him,
and we
will descend
on
him like
dew
on
the ground.
And of all
the men
with him,
not
even
one
will remain.
If
he retreats
to
a city,
all
Israel
will bring
ropes
to
that
city,
and we will drag
it
down to
the valley
until
not
even
a pebble
can be found.”
Then Absalom
and all
the men
of Israel
said,
“The advice
of Hushai
the Archite
is better
than that
of Ahithophel.”
For the LORD
had purposed
to thwart
the good
counsel
of Ahithophel,
in order to
bring
disaster
on
Absalom.
So Hushai
told
Zadok
and Abiathar,
the priests,
“This is what
Ahithophel
has advised
Absalom
and the elders
of Israel,
and this is what
I
have advised.
Now
send
quickly
and tell
David,
‘Do not
spend
the night
at the fords
of the wilderness,
but
be sure to cross over.
Otherwise
the king
and all
the people
with him
will be swallowed up.’”
Now Jonathan
and Ahimaaz
were staying
at
En-rogel,
where a servant girl
would come
and pass along information to them.
They
in turn would go
and inform
King
David,
for
they dared
not
be seen
entering
the city.
But a young man
did see
them
and told
Absalom.
So the two
left
quickly
and came
to
the house
of a man
in Bahurim.
He had
a well
in his courtyard,
and they climbed down
into it.
Then the man's wife
took
a covering
and spread
it over
the mouth
of the well
and scattered
grain
over it,
so nobody
would know
a thing.
When Absalom’s
servants
came
to
the woman
at the house,
they asked,
“Where
are Ahimaaz
and Jonathan?”
“They have crossed over
the brook,”
she
replied.
The men searched
but did not
find them,
so they returned
to Jerusalem.
After
the men had gone,
Ahimaaz and Jonathan climbed up
out of the well
and went
to inform
King
David,
saying,
“Get up
and cross over
the river
at once,
for
Ahithophel
has given this
advice
against you.”
So David
and all
the people
with him
got up
and crossed
the Jordan.
By
daybreak,
there was no
one
left
who
had not
crossed
the Jordan.
When Ahithophel
saw
that
his advice
had not
been followed,
he saddled
his donkey
and set out
for
his house
in
his hometown.
He put his affairs
in order
and hanged himself.
So he died
and was buried
in his father’s
tomb.
Absalom
had appointed
Amasa
over
the army
in place
of Joab.
Amasa
was the son
of a man
named
Ithra,
the Ishmaelite
who
had married
Abigail
daughter
of Nahash
and sister
of Zeruiah
the mother
of Joab.
When David
came
to Mahanaim,
he was met by Shobi
son
of Nahash
from Rabbah
of the Ammonites,
Machir
son
of Ammiel
from Lo-debar,
and Barzillai
the Gileadite
from Rogelim.
They brought beds,
basins,
and earthen
vessels,
as well as wheat,
barley,
flour,
roasted grain,
beans,
lentils,
honey,
curds,
sheep,
and cheese
from the herd
for David
and his people
to eat.
For
they said,
“The people
have become hungry,
exhausted,
and thirsty
in the wilderness.”