2 Samuel 17
Christian Standard Bible Anglicised
17 1 Ahithophel said to Absalom, ‘Let me choose twelve thousand men, and I will set out in pursuit of David tonight. 2 I will attack him while he is weary and discouraged,[a] throw him into a panic, and all the people with him will scatter. I will strike down only the king(A) 3 and bring all the people back to you. When everyone returns except the man you’re looking for, all[b] the people will be at peace.’ 4 This proposal seemed right to Absalom and all the elders of Israel.
5 Then Absalom said, ‘Summon Hushai the Archite also. Let’s hear what he has to say as well.’
6 So Hushai came to Absalom, and Absalom told him, ‘Ahithophel offered this proposal. Should we carry out his proposal? If not, what do you say? ’
7 Hushai replied to Absalom, ‘The advice Ahithophel has given this time is not good.’ 8 Hushai continued, ‘You know your father and his men. They are warriors and are desperate like a wild bear robbed of her cubs.(B) Your father is an experienced soldier who won’t spend the night with the people. 9 He’s probably already hiding in one of the caves[c] or some other place. If some of our troops fall[d] first, someone is sure to hear and say, “There’s been a slaughter among the people who follow Absalom.” 10 Then, even a brave man with the heart of a lion(C) will lose heart[e] because all Israel knows that your father and the valiant men with him are warriors. 11 Instead, I advise that all Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba – as numerous as the sand by the sea(D) – be gathered to you and that you personally go into battle. 12 Then we will attack David wherever we find him, and we will descend on him like dew on the ground. Not even one will be left – neither he nor any of the men with him. 13 If he retreats to some city, all Israel will bring ropes to that city, and we will drag its stones[f] into the valley until not even a pebble can be found there.’ 14 Since the Lord had decreed(E) that Ahithophel’s good advice be undermined(F) in order to bring about Absalom’s ruin, Absalom and all the men of Israel said, ‘The advice of Hushai the Archite is better than Ahithophel’s advice.’
David Informed of Absalom’s Plans
15 Hushai then told the priests Zadok and Abiathar, ‘This is what[g] Ahithophel advised Absalom and the elders of Israel, and this is what[h] I advised. 16 Now send someone quickly and tell David, “Don’t spend the night at the wilderness ford,[i] but be sure to cross over the Jordan,[j](G) or the king and all the people with him will be devoured.” ’
17 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, because they dared not be seen entering the city. 18 However, a young man did see them and informed 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. 19 Then his wife took the cover, placed it over the mouth of the well, and scattered corn on it so nobody would know anything.
20 Absalom’s servants came to the woman at the house and asked, ‘Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan? ’
‘They passed by towards the water,’[k] the woman replied to them. The men searched but did not find them, so they returned to Jerusalem.
21 After they had gone, Ahimaaz and Jonathan climbed out of the well and went and informed King David. They told him, ‘Get up and immediately ford the river, for Ahithophel has given this advice against you.’ 22 So David and all the people with him got up and crossed the Jordan. By daybreak, there was no one who had not crossed the Jordan.
23 When Ahithophel realised that his advice had not been followed, he saddled his donkey and set out for his house in his home town. He set his house in order and hanged himself.(H) So he died and was buried in his father’s tomb.
24 David had arrived at Mahanaim by the time Absalom crossed the Jordan with all the men of Israel. 25 Now Absalom had appointed Amasa(I) over the army in Joab’s place. Amasa was the son of a man named Ithra[l] the Israelite;[m](J) Ithra had married Abigail daughter of Nahash.[n] Abigail was a sister to Zeruiah, Joab’s mother. 26 And Israel and Absalom camped in the land of Gilead. 27 When David came to Mahanaim, Shobi son of Nahash(K) from Rabbah(L) of the Ammonites, Machir son of Ammiel from Lo-debar,(M) and Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim(N) 28 brought beds, basins,[o] and pottery items. They also brought wheat, barley, flour, roasted grain, beans, lentils,[p] 29 honey, curds, sheep, goats, and cheese[q] from the herd for David and the people with him to eat. They had reasoned, ‘The people must be hungry, exhausted, and thirsty in the wilderness.’
Footnotes
- 17:2 Lit and weak of hands
- 17:3 LXX reads to you as a bride returns to her husband. You seek the life of only one man, and all
- 17:9 Or pits, or ravines
- 17:9 Lit And it will be when a falling on them at
- 17:10 Lit melt
- 17:13 Lit drag it
- 17:15 Lit ‘Like this and like this
- 17:15 Lit and like this and like this
- 17:16 Some Hb mss; MT reads plains
- 17:16 the Jordan supplied for clarity
- 17:20 Or brook; Hb obscure
- 17:25 Or Jether
- 17:25 Some LXX mss read Ishmaelite
- 17:25 Some LXX mss read Jesse
- 17:28 LXX reads brought 10 embroidered beds with double coverings, 10 vessels
- 17:28 LXX, Syr; MT adds roasted grain
- 17:29 Hb obscure
2 Samuel 17
New King James Version
The Advice of Ahithophel and Hushai
17 Moreover Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Now let me choose twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue David tonight. 2 I will come upon him while he is (A)weary and weak, and make him [a]afraid. And all the people who are with him will flee, and I will (B)strike only the king. 3 Then I will bring back all the people to you. When all return except the man whom you seek, all the people will be at peace.” 4 And the saying pleased Absalom and all the (C)elders of Israel.
The Advice of Hushai
5 Then Absalom said, “Now call Hushai the Archite also, and let us hear what he (D)says too.” 6 And when Hushai came to Absalom, Absalom spoke to him, saying, “Ahithophel has spoken in this manner. Shall we do as he says? If not, speak up.”
7 So Hushai said to Absalom: “The advice that Ahithophel has given is not good at this time. 8 For,” said Hushai, “you know your father and his men, that they are mighty men, and they are enraged in their minds, like (E)a bear robbed of her cubs in the field; and your father is a man of war, and will not camp with the people. 9 Surely by now he is hidden in some pit, or in some other place. And it will be, when some of them are overthrown at the first, that whoever hears it will say, ‘There is a slaughter among the people who follow Absalom.’ 10 And even he who is valiant, whose heart is like the heart of a lion, will (F)melt completely. For all Israel knows that your father is a mighty man, and those who are with him are valiant men. 11 Therefore I advise that all Israel be fully gathered to you, (G)from Dan to Beersheba, (H)like the sand that is by the sea for multitude, and that you go to battle in person. 12 So we will come upon him in some place where he may be found, and we will fall on him as the dew falls on the ground. And of him and all the men who are with him there shall not be left so much as one. 13 Moreover, if he has withdrawn into a city, then all Israel shall bring ropes to that city; and we will (I)pull it into the river, until there is not one small stone found there.”
14 So Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The advice of Hushai the Archite is better than the advice of Ahithophel.” For (J)the Lord had purposed to defeat the good advice of Ahithophel, to the intent that the Lord might bring disaster on Absalom.
Hushai Warns David to Escape
15 (K)Then Hushai said to Zadok and Abiathar the priests, “Thus and so Ahithophel advised Absalom and the elders of Israel, and thus and so I have advised. 16 Now therefore, send quickly and tell David, saying, ‘Do not spend this night (L)in the plains of the wilderness, but speedily cross over, lest the king and all the people who are with him be swallowed up.’ ” 17 (M)Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz (N)stayed at (O)En Rogel, for they dared not be seen coming into the city; so a female servant would come and tell them, and they would go and tell King David. 18 Nevertheless a lad saw them, and told Absalom. But both of them went away quickly and came to a man’s house (P)in Bahurim, who had a well in his court; and they went down into it. 19 (Q)Then the woman took and spread a covering over the well’s mouth, and spread ground grain on it; and the thing was not known. 20 And when Absalom’s servants came to the woman at the house, they said, “Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?”
So (R)the woman said to them, “They have gone over the water brook.”
And when they had searched and could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem. 21 Now it came to pass, after they had departed, that they came up out of the well and went and told King David, and said to David, (S)“Arise and cross over the water quickly. For thus has Ahithophel advised against you.” 22 So David and all the people who were with him arose and crossed over the Jordan. By morning light not one of them was left who had not gone over the Jordan.
23 Now when Ahithophel saw that his advice was not followed, he saddled a donkey, and arose and went home to (T)his house, to his city. Then he [b]put his (U)household in order, and (V)hanged himself, and died; and he was buried in his father’s tomb.
24 Then David went to (W)Mahanaim. And Absalom crossed over the Jordan, he and all the men of Israel with him. 25 And Absalom made (X)Amasa captain of the army instead of Joab. This Amasa was the son of a man whose name was [c]Jithra, an [d]Israelite, who had gone in to (Y)Abigail the daughter of Nahash, sister of Zeruiah, Joab’s mother. 26 So Israel and Absalom encamped in the land of Gilead.
27 Now it happened, when David had come to Mahanaim, that (Z)Shobi the son of Nahash from Rabbah of the people of Ammon, (AA)Machir the son of Ammiel from Lo Debar, and (AB)Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim, 28 brought beds and basins, earthen vessels and wheat, barley and flour, parched grain and beans, lentils and parched seeds, 29 honey and curds, sheep and cheese of the herd, for David and the people who were with him to eat. For they said, “The people are hungry and weary and thirsty (AC)in the wilderness.”
Footnotes
- 2 Samuel 17:2 tremble with fear
- 2 Samuel 17:23 Lit. gave charge concerning his house
- 2 Samuel 17:25 Jether, 1 Chr. 2:17
- 2 Samuel 17:25 So with MT, some LXX mss., Tg.; some LXX mss. Ishmaelite (cf. 1 Chr. 2:17); Vg. of Jezrael
2 Samuelsboken 17
Swedish New Living Bible (Nya Levande Bibeln)
Absalom får dåliga råd
17 Ahitofel sa till Absalom: Jag skulle vilja välja ut tolv tusen män och ge mig iväg redan i kväll för att förfölja David.
2-3 Jag vill anfalla honom medan han är trött och svag. Då kommer han och hans trupper att gripas av panik och fly. Jag tänker bara döda kungen och låta alla som är med honom leva och föra dem tillbaka till dig.
4 Absalom och alla Israels styresmän godkände planen,
5 men Absalom sa: Fråga arkiten Husai vad han tycker om detta.
6 När Husai kom dit, berättade Absalom för honom vad Ahitofel hade sagt.Vad är din åsikt? frågade Absalom. Ska vi följa Ahitofels råd? Om du inte håller med så säg ifrån!
7 Husai svarade: Den här gången tror jag att Ahitofel har begått ett misstag.
8 Du känner din far och hans män. De är väldiga krigare och kommer att slåss lika vildsint som en björnhona man tagit ungarna från. Som soldat är din far gammal och erfaren, och han tillbringar knappast natten bland trupperna.
9 Han har nog redan gömt sig i en grotta eller klyfta. Om han anfaller först, och några av dina män stupar, blir det panik bland dina trupper, och alla kommer att tro att det är ute med dig.
10 Då kommer till och med de verkliga kämparna att drabbas av tvivel och fruktan, för hela Israel vet vilken mäktig man din far är och hur modiga de män är som följer honom.
11 Jag föreslår att du mobiliserar hela Israels armé och hämtar hit folk ända bortifrån Dan och Beer-Seba, så att du får en stor här. Jag tycker dessutom att du personligen bör leda trupperna.
12 När vi sedan finner David, kan vi övermanna honom och se till att ingen överlever.
13 Och om David skulle fly till en stad, kan du med en enda befallning få dit hela Israels armé. Vi kan med rep släpa stadens murar till närmaste dal så att inte en enda sten blir kvar.
14 Då sa Absalom och Israels män: Husais råd är bättre än Ahitofels. Herren hade nämligen sett till att Ahitofels råd inte skulle antas och att olycka skulle drabba Absalom.
15 Husai rapporterade sedan vad Ahitofel hade sagt för prästerna Sadok och Ebjatar, och vad han själv hade föreslagit i stället.
16 Skynda er! sa han till dem. Leta rätt på David och uppmana honom att inte övernatta vid Jordanflodens vadställe. Han måste genast gå över floden och in i öknen, annars kommer både han och hela hans armé att utplånas!
17 Jonatan och Ahimaas hade stannat vid En-Rogel, en vattenkälla, så att ingen skulle se dem gå in i eller ut ur staden. En tjänsteflicka skulle komma till dem med meddelanden som de i sin tur skulle föra vidare till kung David.
18 Men en pojke såg dem, och han berättade det för Absalom. Under tiden flydde de båda männen till Bahurim, där en man gömde dem i en brunn i sin trädgård.
19 Hans hustru lade ett tygstycke över brunnslocket och strödde ut säd att soltorka över tyget. Ingen annan visste vad hon hade gjort.
20 När Absaloms män kom dit för att fråga om hon hade sett Ahimaas och Jonatan, sa hon att de hade gått över bäcken och försvunnit. De fortsatte att leta efter dem utan framgång och återvände sedan till Jerusalem.
21 Då kravlade de två männen upp ur brunnen och skyndade sig till David. Det är bråttom! sa de till honom. Gå över Jordanfloden i kväll. Och de berättade för David om Ahitofels råd, som gick ut på att David skulle fängslas och dödas.
22 David och allt folket som var med honom tog sig då över floden under natten, och före gryningen var de alla över på andra sidan.
23 När Ahitofel såg att Absalom inte följde hans råd, sadlade han sin åsna och for hem till staden där han bodde. När han hade ordnat upp sina affärer hängde han sig. Man begravde honom sedan bredvid hans far.
24 Samtidigt som David kom till Mahanaim hade Absalom mobiliserat hela Israels armé och ledde nu alla männen över Jordanfloden.
25 Absalom hade utnämnt Amasa till general över armén, som efterträdare till Joab. Amasa var släkt både med David och Joab. Hans far hette Jitra, en israelit som hade gift sig med Abigail, Nahas dotter och syster till Joabs mor Seruja.
26 Absalom slog läger med Israels armé i Gilead.
27 När David kom fram till Mahanaim hälsades han hjärtligt av Sobi, ammoniten Nahas son från Rabba, av Makir, son till Ammiel från Lo-Debar och av Barsillai, en gileadit från Rogelim.
28-29 De försåg David och hans folk med sovmattor, kokkärl och skålar, vete och kornmjöl, rostad säd, bönor, ärtor, honung, får, ost och grädde, och de sa: Ni måste vara mycket hungriga och törstiga och trötta efter er långa marsch genom öknen.
2 Samuel 17
Christian Standard Bible
17 Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Let me choose twelve thousand men, and I will set out in pursuit of David tonight. 2 I will attack him while he is weary and discouraged,[a] throw him into a panic, and all the people with him will scatter. I will strike down only the king(A) 3 and bring all the people back to you. When everyone returns except the man you’re looking for, all[b] the people will be at peace.” 4 This proposal seemed right to Absalom and all the elders of Israel.
5 Then Absalom said, “Summon Hushai the Archite also. Let’s hear what he has to say as well.”
6 So Hushai came to Absalom, and Absalom told him, “Ahithophel offered this proposal. Should we carry out his proposal? If not, what do you say?”
7 Hushai replied to Absalom, “The advice Ahithophel has given this time is not good.” 8 Hushai continued, “You know your father and his men. They are warriors and are desperate like a wild bear robbed of her cubs.(B) Your father is an experienced soldier who won’t spend the night with the people. 9 He’s probably already hiding in one of the caves[c] or some other place. If some of our troops fall[d] first, someone is sure to hear and say, ‘There’s been a slaughter among the people who follow Absalom.’ 10 Then, even a brave man with the heart of a lion(C) will lose heart[e] because all Israel knows that your father and the valiant men with him are warriors. 11 Instead, I advise that all Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba—as numerous as the sand by the sea(D)—be gathered to you and that you personally go into battle. 12 Then we will attack David wherever we find him, and we will descend on him like dew on the ground. Not even one will be left—neither he nor any of the men with him. 13 If he retreats to some city, all Israel will bring ropes to that city, and we will drag its stones[f] into the valley until not even a pebble can be found there.” 14 Since the Lord had decreed(E) that Ahithophel’s good advice be undermined(F) in order to bring about Absalom’s ruin, Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The advice of Hushai the Archite is better than Ahithophel’s advice.”
David Informed of Absalom’s Plans
15 Hushai then told the priests Zadok and Abiathar, “This is what[g] Ahithophel advised Absalom and the elders of Israel, and this is what[h] I advised. 16 Now send someone quickly and tell David, ‘Don’t spend the night at the wilderness ford,[i] but be sure to cross over the Jordan,[j](G) or the king and all the people with him will be devoured.’”
17 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, because they dared not be seen entering the city. 18 However, a young man did see them and informed 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. 19 Then his wife took the cover, placed it over the mouth of the well, and scattered grain on it so nobody would know anything.
20 Absalom’s servants came to the woman at the house and asked, “Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?”
“They passed by toward the water,”[k] the woman replied to them. The men searched but did not find them, so they returned to Jerusalem.
21 After they had gone, Ahimaaz and Jonathan climbed out of the well and went and informed King David. They told him, “Get up and immediately ford the river, for Ahithophel has given this advice against you.” 22 So David and all the people with him got up and crossed the Jordan. By daybreak, there was no one who had not crossed the Jordan.
23 When Ahithophel realized that his advice had not been followed, he saddled his donkey and set out for his house in his hometown. He set his house in order and hanged himself.(H) So he died and was buried in his father’s tomb.
24 David had arrived at Mahanaim by the time Absalom crossed the Jordan with all the men of Israel. 25 Now Absalom had appointed Amasa(I) over the army in Joab’s place. Amasa was the son of a man named Ithra[l] the Israelite;[m](J) Ithra had married Abigail daughter of Nahash.[n] Abigail was a sister to Zeruiah, Joab’s mother. 26 And Israel and Absalom camped in the land of Gilead. 27 When David came to Mahanaim, Shobi son of Nahash(K) from Rabbah(L) of the Ammonites, Machir son of Ammiel from Lo-debar,(M) and Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim(N) 28 brought beds, basins,[o] and pottery items. They also brought wheat, barley, flour, roasted grain, beans, lentils,[p] 29 honey, curds, sheep, goats, and cheese[q] from the herd for David and the people with him to eat. They had reasoned, “The people must be hungry, exhausted, and thirsty in the wilderness.”
Footnotes
- 17:2 Lit and weak of hands
- 17:3 LXX reads to you as a bride returns to her husband. You seek the life of only one man, and all
- 17:9 Or pits, or ravines
- 17:9 Lit And it will be when a falling on them at
- 17:10 Lit melt
- 17:13 Lit drag it
- 17:15 Lit “Like this and like this
- 17:15 Lit and like this and like this
- 17:16 Some Hb mss; MT reads plains
- 17:16 the Jordan supplied for clarity
- 17:20 Or brook; Hb obscure
- 17:25 Or Jether
- 17:25 Some LXX mss read Ishmaelite
- 17:25 Some LXX mss read Jesse
- 17:28 LXX reads brought 10 embroidered beds with double coverings, 10 vessels
- 17:28 LXX, Syr; MT adds roasted grain
- 17:29 Hb obscure
Copyright © 2024 by Holman Bible Publishers.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 1974, 1977, 1987, 1995, 2003, 2004 by Biblica
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.