2 Samuel 17

17 ¹ Then Ahithophel said to Absalom, "Let me pick twelve thousand men and set out tonight after David. ² I will attack him while he is weary and weak, panic him, and all his people will flee; then I will strike down only the king. ³ I will bring all the people back to you. The one man you seek—his death means everyone returns, and all the people will be at peace.

⁴ This plan seemed good to Absalom and all the elders of Israel. ⁵ Absalom said, "Call Hushai the Archite too, and let's hear what he also says."

⁶ When Hushai came to him, Absalom said, "Ahithophel advised this. Should we do what he says? If not, you speak."

⁷ Hushai said to Absalom, "The counsel Ahithophel has given is not good this time." ⁸ Hushai added, "You know your father and his men—fierce warriors, like a bear robbed of her cubs in the field. Your father is a seasoned fighter; he won't sleep with the troops. ⁹ Even now he's hidden in a pit or elsewhere. If some of your men fall first, whoever hears will say, 'Absalom's men have been slaughtered!' ¹⁰ Then even the bravest, whose heart is a lion's heart, will melt with fear, for all Israel knows your father is a warrior and those with him are brave. ¹¹ So here is my counsel: gather all Israel to you, from Dan to Beersheba, as many as the sand by the sea, and go into battle yourself. ¹² We'll reach him wherever he is, settle on him like dew on the ground, and leave alive neither him nor any of his men. ¹³ If he pulls back into a city, all Israel will bring ropes there, and we will drag it into the valley until not a pebble is left.

¹⁴ Absalom and all the men of Israel said, "Hushai the Archite's counsel is better than Ahithophel's." For our Father had determined to defeat Ahithophel's good counsel, so our Father could bring disaster on Absalom.

¹⁵ Hushai told the priests Zadok and Abiathar, "This is what Ahithophel advised Absalom and Israel's elders, and this is what I advised." ¹⁶ Now send word quickly to David: 'Don't stay tonight at the wilderness fords; cross over without fail, or the king and all the people with him will be swallowed up.'"

¹⁷ Jonathan and Ahimaaz waited at En-rogel; a servant girl would go and tell them, and they would go and tell King David, for they could not be seen entering the city. ¹⁸ But a young man saw them and told Absalom. So the two hurried off and reached a man's house at Bahurim, who had a well in his courtyard, and they climbed down into it. ¹⁹ The man's wife spread a covering over the well's mouth and scattered grain on it, so nothing was noticed. ²⁰ When Absalom's servants came to the woman at the house, they asked, "Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?" She said, "They crossed the brook." The men searched, found no one, and returned to Jerusalem.

²¹ After they left, the two climbed out of the well and reported to King David: "Cross the water quickly, for Ahithophel has plotted this against you."

²² So David and everyone with him got up and crossed the Jordan. By daybreak not one was left who had not crossed it.

²³ When Ahithophel saw his advice was not followed, he saddled his donkey and went home to his town. He set his house in order, then hanged himself. He died and was buried in his father's tomb.

²⁴ David came to Mahanaim, while Absalom crossed the Jordan with all the men of Israel beside him. ²⁵ Absalom had set Amasa over the army instead of Joab. Amasa's father was Ithra the Israelite, who had married Abigail daughter of Nahash, sister of Zeruiah, Joab's mother. ²⁶ Israel and Absalom camped in the land of Gilead.

²⁷ When David reached Mahanaim, Shobi son of Nahash from Rabbah of the Ammonites, Machir son of Ammiel from Lo-debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim ²⁸ brought beds, basins, and pottery, along with wheat, barley, flour, roasted grain, beans, lentils, ²⁹ honey, curds, sheep, and cheese from the herd for David and his people to eat, for they said, "The people are hungry, tired, and thirsty in the wilderness."