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The Death of Ahithophel

17 Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Let me pick out 12,000 men. Then I will go and pursue David this very night. When I catch up with[a] him he will be exhausted and worn out.[b] I will rout him, and the entire army that is with him will flee. I will kill only the king and will bring the entire army back to you. In exchange for the life of the man you are seeking, you will get back everyone.[c] The entire army will return unharmed.”[d]

This seemed like a good idea to Absalom and to all the leaders[e] of Israel. But Absalom said, “Call for[f] Hushai the Arkite, and let’s hear what he has to say.”[g] So Hushai came to Absalom. Absalom said to him, “Here is what Ahithophel has advised. Should we follow his advice? If not, what would you recommend?”

Hushai replied to Absalom, “Ahithophel’s advice is not sound this time.”[h] Hushai went on to say, “You know your father and his men—they are soldiers and are as dangerous as a bear out in the wild that has been robbed of her cubs.[i] Your father is an experienced soldier; he will not stay overnight with the army. At this very moment he is hiding out in one of the caves or in some other similar place. If it should turn out that he attacks our troops first,[j] whoever hears about it will say, ‘Absalom’s army has been slaughtered!’ 10 If that happens even the bravest soldier—one who is lion-hearted—will virtually melt away. For all Israel knows that your father is a warrior and that those who are with him are brave. 11 My advice therefore is this: Let all Israel from Dan to Beer Sheba—in number like the sand by the sea—be mustered to you, and you lead them personally into battle. 12 We will come against him wherever he happens to be found. We will descend on him like the dew falls on the ground. Neither he nor any of the men who are with him will be spared alive—not one of them! 13 If he regroups in a city, all Israel will take up ropes to that city and drag it down to the valley, so that not a single pebble will be left there!”

14 Then Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The advice of Hushai the Arkite sounds better than the advice of Ahithophel.” Now the Lord had decided[k] to frustrate the sound advice of Ahithophel, so that the Lord could bring disaster on Absalom.

15 Then Hushai reported to Zadok and Abiathar the priests, “Here is what Ahithophel has advised Absalom and the leaders[l] of Israel to do, and here is what I have advised. 16 Now send word quickly to David and warn him,[m] “Don’t spend the night at the fords[n] of the wilderness tonight. Instead, be sure you cross over,[o] or else the king and everyone who is with him may be overwhelmed.”[p]

17 Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz were staying in En Rogel. A female servant would go and inform them, and they would then go and inform King David. It was not advisable for them to be seen going into the city. 18 But a young man saw them on one occasion and informed Absalom. So the two of them quickly departed and went to the house of a man in Bahurim. There was a well in his courtyard, and they got down in it. 19 His wife then took the covering and spread it over the top of the well and scattered some grain over it. No one was aware of what she had done.

20 When the servants of Absalom approached the woman at her home, they asked, “Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?” The woman replied to them, “They crossed over the stream.” Absalom’s men[q] searched but did not find them, so they returned to Jerusalem.

21 After the men had left, Ahimaaz and Jonathan[r] climbed out of the well. Then they left and informed King David. They advised David, “Get up and cross the stream[s] quickly, for Ahithophel has devised a plan to catch you.”[t] 22 So David and all the people who were with him got up and crossed the Jordan River.[u] By dawn there was not one person left who had not crossed the Jordan.

23 When Ahithophel realized that his advice had not been followed, he saddled his donkey and returned to his house in his hometown. After setting his household in order, he hanged himself. So he died and was buried in the grave[v] of his father.

24 Meanwhile David had gone to Mahanaim, while Absalom and all the men of Israel had crossed the Jordan River. 25 Absalom had made Amasa general in command of the army in place of Joab. (Now Amasa was the son of an Israelite man named Jether, who had married[w] Abigail the daughter of Nahash and sister of Zeruiah, Joab’s mother.) 26 The army of Israel[x] and Absalom camped in the land of Gilead.

27 When David came to Mahanaim, Shobi the son of Nahash from Rabbah of the Ammonites, Makir the son of Ammiel from Lo Debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim 28 brought bedding, basins, and pottery utensils. They also brought food for David and all who were with him, including wheat, barley, flour, roasted grain, beans, lentils,[y] 29 honey, curds, flocks, and cheese.[z] For they said, “The people are no doubt hungry, tired, and thirsty there in the desert.”[aa]

Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 17:2 tn Heb “and I will come upon him.”
  2. 2 Samuel 17:2 tn Heb “exhausted and slack of hands.”
  3. 2 Samuel 17:3 tc Heb “like the returning of all, the man whom you are seeking.” The LXX reads differently: “And I will return all the people to you the way a bride returns to her husband, except for the life of the one man whom you are seeking.” The other early versions also struggled with this verse. Modern translations are divided as well: the NAB, NRSV, REB, and NLT follow the LXX, while the NASB and NIV follow the Hebrew text.
  4. 2 Samuel 17:3 tn Heb “all of the people will be safe.”
  5. 2 Samuel 17:4 tn Heb “elders.”
  6. 2 Samuel 17:5 tc In the MT the verb is singular, but in the LXX, the Syriac Peshitta, and Vulgate it is plural.
  7. 2 Samuel 17:5 tn Heb “what is in his mouth.”
  8. 2 Samuel 17:7 tn Heb “Not good is the advice which Ahithophel has advised at this time.”
  9. 2 Samuel 17:8 tc The LXX (with the exception of the recensions of Origen and Lucian) repeats the description as follows: “Just as a female bear bereft of cubs in a field.”
  10. 2 Samuel 17:9 tn Heb “that he falls on them [i.e., Absalom’s troops] at the first [encounter]; or “that some of them [i.e., Absalom’s troops] fall at the first [encounter].”
  11. 2 Samuel 17:14 tn Heb “commanded.”
  12. 2 Samuel 17:15 tn Heb “elders.”
  13. 2 Samuel 17:16 tn Heb “send quickly and tell David saying.”
  14. 2 Samuel 17:16 tc The MT reads “the rift valleys (עֲרָבוֹת, ʿaravot) of the wilderness.” The plural form typically refers to the gently sloping plains at the basin of the rift valley just north of the Dead Sea (while the larger rift valley extends from Galilee to the Gulf of Aqaba). Many translations render as the “fords” (NASB, ESV, NIV, NRSV) assuming the reversal of two letters as עֲבָרוֹת (ʿavarot, “fords, crossing”).
  15. 2 Samuel 17:16 tn That is, “cross over the Jordan River.”
  16. 2 Samuel 17:16 tn Heb “swallowed up.”
  17. 2 Samuel 17:20 tn Heb “they”; the referents (Absalom’s men) have been specified in the translation for clarity.
  18. 2 Samuel 17:21 tn Heb “they”; the referents (Ahimaaz and Jonathan) have been specified in the translation for clarity.
  19. 2 Samuel 17:21 tn Heb “the water.”
  20. 2 Samuel 17:21 tn Heb “for thus Ahithophel has devised against you.” The expression “thus” is narrative shorthand, referring to the plan outlined by Ahithophel (see vv. 1-3). The men would surely have outlined the plan in as much detail as they had been given by the messenger.
  21. 2 Samuel 17:22 tn The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text here or in v. 24, but has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
  22. 2 Samuel 17:23 tc The Greek recensions of Origen and Lucian have here “house” for “grave.”
  23. 2 Samuel 17:25 tn Heb “come to.”
  24. 2 Samuel 17:26 tn Heb “and Israel.”
  25. 2 Samuel 17:28 tc The MT adds “roasted grain” וְקָלִי (veqali) at the end of v. 28, apparently accidentally repeating the word from its earlier occurrence in this verse. With the LXX, the Syriac Peshitta, and an Old Latin ms the translation deletes this second occurrence of the word.
  26. 2 Samuel 17:29 tn Heb “cheese of the herd,” probably referring to cheese from cow’s milk (rather than goat’s milk).
  27. 2 Samuel 17:29 tn Or “wilderness” (so KJV, NASB, NRSV, TEV, NLT).

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. 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. 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.” And the saying pleased Absalom and all the (C)elders of Israel.

The Advice of Hushai

Then Absalom said, “Now call Hushai the Archite also, and let us hear what he (D)says too.” 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.”

So Hushai said to Absalom: “The advice that Ahithophel has given is not good at this time. 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. 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

  1. 2 Samuel 17:2 tremble with fear
  2. 2 Samuel 17:23 Lit. gave charge concerning his house
  3. 2 Samuel 17:25 Jether, 1 Chr. 2:17
  4. 2 Samuel 17:25 So with MT, some LXX mss., Tg.; some LXX mss. Ishmaelite (cf. 1 Chr. 2:17); Vg. of Jezrael

Absalom Pursues David

17 Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Let me choose 12,000 men and leave tonight to go after David. I’ll attack him while he’s tired and weak, and I’ll cause him to panic. All the people with him will flee, but I’ll kill only him. I’ll return all the people to you as a bride is returned to her husband. Since you will be seeking the life of only one man,[a] all the people will have peace.” Absalom and all the leaders of Israel approved this plan.

Absalom said, “Please call Hushai, who is descended from Archi’s family, and let us hear what he, too, has to say.”

When Hushai arrived, Absalom said to him, “Ahithophel has told us his plan. Should we do what he says? If not, tell us.”

“This time Ahithophel’s advice is no good,” Hushai said to Absalom. “You know your father and his men. They are warriors as fierce as a wild bear whose cubs have been stolen. Your father is an experienced soldier. He will not camp with the troops tonight. He has already hidden in one of the ravines or some other place. If some of our soldiers are killed in the initial attack, others will definitely hear about it and say, ‘The troops that support Absalom have been defeated.’ 10 Even the bravest man with a heart like a lion would lose his courage, because all Israel knows that your father is a warrior and the men with him are brave. 11 So my advice is to gather all Israel’s troops from Dan to Beersheba, since they are as numerous as the sand on the seashore. Lead them into battle yourself. 12 Then we’ll attack him wherever we find him. We’ll fall on him as dew falls on the ground. Neither he nor any of his men will be left alive. 13 If he retreats into a city, all Israel will bring ropes to that city and drag it into a valley so that not even a pebble will be found there.”

14 Absalom and all the people of Israel said, “The advice of Hushai from Archi’s family is better than Ahithophel’s advice.” (Yahweh had commanded Ahithophel’s good advice to be defeated in order to ruin Absalom.)

15 Then Hushai told the priests Zadok and Abiathar, “Ahithophel advised Absalom and the leaders of Israel to do one thing, but I advised them to do something else. 16 Now send messengers quickly to tell David, ‘Don’t rest tonight in the river crossings in the desert, but make sure you cross the river, or Your Majesty and all the troops with him will be wiped out.’”

17 Jonathan and Ahimaaz were waiting at En Rogel. They could not risk being seen coming into the city, so a servant girl was to go and tell them, and they were to go and tell King David. 18 But a young man saw Jonathan and Ahimaaz and told Absalom. So both of them left quickly and came to the home of a man in Bahurim who had a cistern in his courtyard, and they went down into it. 19 The man’s wife took a cover, spread it over the top of the cistern, and scattered some grain[b] over it so that no one could tell it was there.

20 Absalom’s servants came to the woman at her home. “Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?” they asked.

The woman said, “They’ve crossed the stream.”

The servants looked for them but did not find them. So Absalom’s servants returned to Jerusalem.

21 After Absalom’s servants left, both men came out of the cistern and went and told King David. “Leave right away,” they told David. “Cross the river quickly because this is what Ahithophel has advised against you. . . .”

22 David and all the troops with him left to cross the Jordan River. When the dawn came, everyone had crossed the Jordan River.

23 When Ahithophel saw that his advice hadn’t been followed, he saddled his donkey, left, and went home to his own city. He gave instructions to his family. Then he hanged himself, died, and was buried in his father’s tomb.

24 David had already come to Mahanaim by the time Absalom and all the men of Israel with him crossed the Jordan River. 25 Absalom appointed Amasa to take Joab’s place as commander of the army. (Amasa was the son of a man named Ithra, a descendant of Ishmael.[c] His mother was Abigail,[d] the daughter of Nahash and sister of Joab’s mother Zeruiah.) 26 The Israelites and Absalom camped in the region of Gilead.

27 When David came to Mahanaim, Shobi, son of Nahash from Rabbah in Ammon, and Machir, son of Ammiel from Lo Debar, and Barzillai from Rogelim in Gilead 28 brought supplies and food for David and his troops: bedding, bowls, pots, wheat, barley, flour, roasted grain, beans, lentils,[e] 29 honey, buttermilk, sheep, and calves. They brought these things because they thought, “The troops in the desert are hungry, exhausted, and thirsty.”

Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 17:3 “as a bride . . . only one man” Greek; Hebrew meaning uncertain.
  2. 2 Samuel 17:19 Hebrew meaning uncertain.
  3. 2 Samuel 17:25 Greek, 1 Chronicles 2:17; Masoretic Text “the Israelite.”
  4. 2 Samuel 17:25 Or “Ishmael’s descendant Ithra, who slept with Abigail.”
  5. 2 Samuel 17:28 Greek, Latin, Syriac; Masoretic Text adds “and roasted grain.”

17 Ahithophel said to Absalom, “I would[a] choose twelve thousand men and set out tonight in pursuit of David. I would attack him while he is weary and weak.(A) I would strike him with terror, and then all the people with him will flee. I would strike down only the king(B) and bring all the people back to you. The death of the man you seek will mean the return of all; all the people will be unharmed.” This plan seemed good to Absalom and to all the elders of Israel.

But Absalom said, “Summon also Hushai(C) the Arkite, so we can hear what he has to say as well.” When Hushai came to him, Absalom said, “Ahithophel has given this advice. Should we do what he says? If not, give us your opinion.”

Hushai replied to Absalom, “The advice Ahithophel has given is not good this time. You know your father and his men; they are fighters, and as fierce as a wild bear robbed of her cubs.(D) Besides, your father is an experienced fighter;(E) he will not spend the night with the troops. Even now, he is hidden in a cave or some other place.(F) If he should attack your troops first,[b] whoever hears about it will say, ‘There has been a slaughter among the troops who follow Absalom.’ 10 Then even the bravest soldier, whose heart is like the heart of a lion,(G) will melt(H) with fear, for all Israel knows that your father is a fighter and that those with him are brave.(I)

11 “So I advise you: Let all Israel, from Dan to Beersheba(J)—as numerous as the sand(K) on the seashore—be gathered to you, with you yourself leading them into battle. 12 Then we will attack him wherever he may be found, and we will fall on him as dew settles on the ground. Neither he nor any of his men will be left alive. 13 If he withdraws into a city, then all Israel will bring ropes to that city, and we will drag it down to the valley(L) until not so much as a pebble is left.”

14 Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The advice(M) of Hushai the Arkite is better than that of Ahithophel.”(N) For the Lord had determined to frustrate(O) the good advice of Ahithophel in order to bring disaster(P) on Absalom.(Q)

15 Hushai told Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, “Ahithophel has advised Absalom and the elders of Israel to do such and such, but I have advised them to do so and so. 16 Now send a message at once and tell David, ‘Do not spend the night at the fords in the wilderness;(R) cross over without fail, or the king and all the people with him will be swallowed up.(S)’”

17 Jonathan(T) and Ahimaaz were staying at En Rogel.(U) A female servant was to go and inform them, and they were to go and tell King David, for they could not risk being seen entering the city. 18 But a young man saw them and told Absalom. So the two of them left at once and went to the house of a man in Bahurim.(V) He had a well in his courtyard, and they climbed down into it. 19 His wife took a covering and spread it out over the opening of the well and scattered grain over it. No one knew anything about it.(W)

20 When Absalom’s men came to the woman(X) at the house, they asked, “Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?”

The woman answered them, “They crossed over the brook.”[c] The men searched but found no one, so they returned to Jerusalem.

21 After they had gone, the two climbed out of the well and went to inform King David. They said to him, “Set out and cross the river at once; Ahithophel has advised such and such against you.” 22 So David and all the people with him set out and crossed the Jordan. By daybreak, no one was left who had not crossed the Jordan.

23 When Ahithophel saw that his advice(Y) had not been followed, he saddled his donkey and set out for his house in his hometown. He put his house in order(Z) and then hanged himself. So he died and was buried in his father’s tomb.

Absalom’s Death

24 David went to Mahanaim,(AA) and Absalom crossed the Jordan with all the men of Israel. 25 Absalom had appointed Amasa(AB) over the army in place of Joab. Amasa was the son of Jether,[d](AC) an Ishmaelite[e] who had married Abigail,[f] the daughter of Nahash and sister of Zeruiah the mother of Joab. 26 The Israelites and Absalom camped in the land of Gilead.

27 When David came to Mahanaim, Shobi son of Nahash(AD) from Rabbah(AE) of the Ammonites, and Makir(AF) son of Ammiel from Lo Debar, and Barzillai(AG) the Gileadite(AH) from Rogelim 28 brought bedding and bowls and articles of pottery. They also brought wheat and barley, flour and roasted grain, beans and lentils,[g] 29 honey and curds, sheep, and cheese from cows’ milk for David and his people to eat.(AI) For they said, “The people have become exhausted and hungry and thirsty in the wilderness.(AJ)

Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 17:1 Or Let me
  2. 2 Samuel 17:9 Or When some of the men fall at the first attack
  3. 2 Samuel 17:20 Or “They passed by the sheep pen toward the water.”
  4. 2 Samuel 17:25 Hebrew Ithra, a variant of Jether
  5. 2 Samuel 17:25 Some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 2:17); Hebrew and other Septuagint manuscripts Israelite
  6. 2 Samuel 17:25 Hebrew Abigal, a variant of Abigail
  7. 2 Samuel 17:28 Most Septuagint manuscripts and Syriac; Hebrew lentils, and roasted grain