1 Moreover Ahithophel{H302} said{H559}{(H8799)} unto Absalom{H53}, Let me now choose out{H977}{(H8799)} twelve{H8147}{H6240} thousand{H505} men{H376}, and I will arise{H6965}{(H8799)} and pursue{H7291}{(H8799)} after{H310} David{H1732} this night{H3915}:

2 And I will come{H935}{(H8799)} upon him while he is weary{H3023} and weak{H7504} handed{H3027}, and will make him afraid{H2729}{(H8689)}: and all the people{H5971} that are with him shall flee{H5127}{(H8804)}; and I will smite{H5221}{(H8689)} the king{H4428} only:

3 And I will bring back{H7725}{(H8686)} all the people{H5971} unto thee: the man{H376} whom thou seekest{H1245}{(H8764)} is as if all returned{H7725}{(H8800)}: so all the people{H5971} shall be in peace{H7965}.

4 And the saying{H1697} pleased{H3474}{(H8799)} Absalom{H53} well{H5869}, and all the elders{H2205} of Israel{H3478}.

5 Then said{H559}{(H8799)} Absalom{H53}, Call{H7121}{(H8798)} now Hushai{H2365} the Archite{H757} also, and let us hear{H8085}{(H8799)} likewise what he saith{H6310}.

6 And when Hushai{H2365} was come{H935}{(H8799)} to Absalom{H53}, Absalom{H53} spake{H559}{(H8799)} unto him, saying{H559}{(H8800)}, Ahithophel{H302} hath spoken{H1696}{(H8765)} after this manner{H1697}: shall we do{H6213}{(H8799)} after his saying{H1697}? if not; speak{H1696}{(H8761)} thou.

7 And Hushai{H2365} said{H559}{(H8799)} unto Absalom{H53}, The counsel{H6098} that Ahithophel{H302} hath given{H3289}{(H8804)} is not good{H2896} at this time{H6471}.

8 For, said{H559}{(H8799)} Hushai{H2365}, thou knowest{H3045}{(H8804)} thy father{H1} and his men{H582}, that they be mighty men{H1368}, and they be chafed{H4751} in their minds{H5315}, as a bear{H1677} robbed{H7909} of her whelps in the field{H7704}: and thy father{H1} is a man{H376} of war{H4421}, and will not lodge{H3885}{(H8799)} with the people{H5971}.

9 Behold, he is hid{H2244}{(H8737)} now in some{H259} pit{H6354}, or in some{H259} other place{H4725}: and it will come to pass, when some of them be overthrown{H5307}{(H8800)} at the first{H8462}, that whosoever{H8085}{(H8802)} heareth{H8085}{(H8804)} it will say{H559}{(H8804)}, There is a slaughter{H4046} among the people{H5971} that follow{H310} Absalom{H53}.

10 And he also that is valiant{H1121}{H2428}, whose heart{H3820} is as the heart{H3820} of a lion{H738}, shall utterly{H4549}{(H8736)} melt{H4549}{(H8735)}: for all Israel{H3478} knoweth{H3045}{(H8802)} that thy father{H1} is a mighty man{H1368}, and they which be with him are valiant{H2428} men{H1121}.

11 Therefore I counsel{H3289}{(H8804)} that all Israel{H3478} be generally{H622}{(H8736)} gathered{H622}{(H8735)} unto thee, from Dan{H1835} even to Beersheba{H884}, as the sand{H2344} that is by the sea{H3220} for multitude{H7230}; and that thou go{H1980}{(H8802)} to battle{H7128} in thine own person{H6440}.

12 So shall we come{H935}{(H8804)} upon him in some{H259} place{H4725} where he shall be found{H4672}{(H8738)}, and we will light{H5168} upon him as the dew{H2919} falleth{H5307}{(H8799)} on the ground{H127}: and of him and of all the men{H582} that are with him there shall not be left{H3498}{(H8738)} so much as{H1571} one{H259}.

13 Moreover, if{H518} he be gotten{H622}{(H8735)} into a city{H5892}, then shall all Israel{H3478} bring{H5375}{(H8689)} ropes{H2256} to that city{H5892}, and we will draw{H5498}{(H8804)} it into the river{H5158}, until there be not one{H1571} small stone{H6872} found{H4672}{(H8738)} there.

14 And Absalom{H53} and all the men{H376} of Israel{H3478} said{H559}{(H8799)}, The counsel{H6098} of Hushai{H2365} the Archite{H757} is better{H2896} than the counsel{H6098} of Ahithophel{H302}. For the LORD{H3068} had appointed{H6680}{(H8765)} to defeat{H6565}{(H8687)} the good{H2896} counsel{H6098} of Ahithophel{H302}, to the intent{H5668} that the LORD{H3068} might bring{H935}{(H8687)} evil{H7451} upon Absalom{H53}.

15 Then said{H559}{(H8799)} Hushai{H2365} unto Zadok{H6659} and to Abiathar{H54} the priests{H3548}, Thus and thus did Ahithophel{H302} counsel{H3289}{(H8804)} Absalom{H53} and the elders{H2205} of Israel{H3478}; and thus and thus have I counselled{H3289}{(H8804)}.

16 Now therefore send{H7971}{(H8798)} quickly{H4120}, and tell{H5046}{(H8685)} David{H1732}, saying{H559}{(H8800)}, Lodge{H3885}{(H8799)} not this night{H3915} in the plains{H6160}{(H8675)}{H5679} of the wilderness{H4057}, but speedily{H5674}{(H8800)} pass over{H5674}{(H8799)}; lest the king{H4428} be swallowed up{H1104}{(H8792)}, and all the people{H5971} that are with him.

17 Now Jonathan{H3083} and Ahimaaz{H290} stayed{H5975}{(H8802)} by Enrogel{H5883}; for they might{H3201}{(H8799)} not be seen{H7200}{(H8736)} to come{H935}{(H8800)} into the city{H5892}: and a wench{H8198} went{H1980}{(H8804)} and told{H5046}{(H8689)} them; and they went{H3212}{(H8799)} and told{H5046}{(H8689)} king{H4428} David{H1732}.

18 Nevertheless a lad{H5288} saw{H7200}{(H8799)} them, and told{H5046}{(H8686)} Absalom{H53}: but they went{H3212}{(H8799)} both{H8147} of them away quickly{H4120}, and came{H935}{(H8799)} to a man's{H376} house{H1004} in Bahurim{H980}, which had a well{H875} in his court{H2691}; whither{H8033} they went down{H3381}{(H8799)}.

19 And the woman{H802} took{H3947}{(H8799)} and spread{H6566}{(H8799)} a covering{H4539} over the well's{H875} mouth{H6440}, and spread{H7849}{(H8799)} ground corn{H7383} thereon; and the thing{H1697} was not known{H3045}{(H8738)}.

20 And when Absalom's{H53} servants{H5650} came{H935}{(H8799)} to the woman{H802} to the house{H1004}, they said{H559}{(H8799)}, Where is Ahimaaz{H290} and Jonathan{H3083}? And the woman{H802} said{H559}{(H8799)} unto them, They be gone over{H5674}{(H8804)} the brook{H4323} of water{H4325}. And when they had sought{H1245}{(H8762)} and could not find{H4672}{(H8804)} them, they returned{H7725}{(H8799)} to Jerusalem{H3389}.

21 And it came to pass, after{H310} they were departed{H3212}{(H8800)}, that they came up{H5927}{(H8799)} out of the well{H875}, and went{H3212}{(H8799)} and told{H5046}{(H8686)} king{H4428} David{H1732}, and said{H559}{(H8799)} unto David{H1732}, Arise{H6965}{(H8798)}, and pass quickly{H4120} over{H5674}{(H8798)} the water{H4325}: for thus hath Ahithophel{H302} counselled{H3289}{(H8804)} against you.

22 Then David{H1732} arose{H6965}{(H8799)}, and all the people{H5971} that were with him, and they passed over{H5674}{(H8799)} Jordan{H3383}: by the morning{H1242} light{H216} there lacked{H5737}{(H8738)} not one{H259} of them that was not gone over{H5674}{(H8804)} Jordan{H3383}.

23 And when Ahithophel{H302} saw{H7200}{(H8804)} that his counsel{H6098} was not followed{H6213}{(H8738)}, he saddled{H2280}{(H8799)} his ass{H2543}, and arose{H6965}{(H8799)}, and gat him home{H3212}{(H8799)} to his house{H1004}, to his city{H5892}, and put his household{H1004} in order{H6680}{(H8762)}, and hanged{H2614}{(H8735)} himself, and died{H4191}{(H8799)}, and was buried{H6912}{(H8735)} in the sepulchre{H6913} of his father{H1}.

24 Then David{H1732} came{H935}{(H8804)} to Mahanaim{H4266}. And Absalom{H53} passed over{H5674}{(H8804)} Jordan{H3383}, he and all the men{H376} of Israel{H3478} with him.

25 And Absalom{H53} made{H7760}{(H8804)} Amasa{H6021} captain of the host{H6635} instead of Joab{H3097}: which Amasa{H6021} was a man's{H376} son{H1121}, whose name{H8034} was Ithra{H3501} an Israelite{H3481}, that went in{H935}{(H8804)} to Abigail{H26} the daughter{H1323} of Nahash{H5176}, sister{H269} to Zeruiah{H6870} Joab's{H3097} mother{H517}.

26 So Israel{H3478} and Absalom{H53} pitched{H2583}{(H8799)} in the land{H776} of Gilead{H1568}.

27 And it came to pass, when David{H1732} was come{H935}{(H8800)} to Mahanaim{H4266}, that Shobi{H7629} the son{H1121} of Nahash{H5176} of Rabbah{H7237} of the children{H1121} of Ammon{H5983}, and Machir{H4353} the son{H1121} of Ammiel{H5988} of Lodebar{H3810}, and Barzillai{H1271} the Gileadite{H1569} of Rogelim{H7274},

28 Brought{H5066}{(H8689)} beds{H4904}, and basons{H5592}, and earthen{H3335}{(H8802)} vessels{H3627}, and wheat{H2406}, and barley{H8184}, and flour{H7058}, and parched{H7039} corn, and beans{H6321}, and lentiles{H5742}, and parched{H7039} pulse,

29 And honey{H1706}, and butter{H2529}, and sheep{H6629}, and cheese{H8194} of kine{H1241}, for David{H1732}, and for the people{H5971} that were with him, to eat{H398}{(H8800)}: for they said{H559}{(H8804)}, The people{H5971} is hungry{H7457}, and weary{H5889}, and thirsty{H6771}, in the wilderness{H4057}.