2 Samuel 17
1599 Geneva Bible
17 7 Ahithophel’s counsel is overthrown by Hushai. 14 The Lord had so ordained. 19 The Priest’s sons are hidden in the well. 22 David goeth over Jordan. 23 Ahithophel hangeth himself. 27 They bring victuals to David.
1 Moreover, Ahithophel said to Absalom, [a]Let me choose out now twelve thousand men, and I will up and follow after David this night,
2 And I will come upon him: for he is weary, and weak handled: so I will fear him, and all the people that are with him shall flee, and I will smite the king only,
3 And I will bring again all the people unto thee, and when all shall return, ([b]the man whom thou seekest being slain) all the people shall be in peace.
4 And the saying [c]pleased Absalom well, and all the Elders of Israel.
5 Then said Absalom, Call now Hushai the Archite also, and let us hear likewise [d]what he saith.
6 So when Hushai came to Absalom, Absalom spake unto him, saying, Ahithophel hath [e]spoken thus: shall we do after his saying, or no? tell thou.
7 Hushai then answered unto Absalom, The counsel that Ahithophel hath given, is not [f]good at this time.
8 For, said Hushai, thou knowest thy father, and his men, that they be strong men, and are chafed in mind as a bear robbed of her whelps in the field: also thy father is a valiant warrior, and will not [g]lodge with the people.
9 Behold, he is hid now in some cave, or in some place: and though some of them be overthrown at the first, yet the people shall hear, and say, The people that follow Absalom, [h]be overthrown.
10 Then he also that is valiant, whose heart is as the heart of a lion, shall [i]shrink and faint: for all Israel knoweth that thy father is valiant, and they which be with him, stout men.
11 Therefore my counsel is, that all Israel be gathered unto thee, from Dan even to Beersheba as the sand of the Sea in number, and that thou go to battle in thine own person.
12 So shall we come upon him in some place, where we shall find him, and [j]we will upon him as the dew falleth on the ground: and of all the men that are with him, we will not leave him one.
13 Moreover, if he be gotten into a city, then shall all the men of Israel bring ropes to that city, and we will draw it into the river, until there be not one small stone found there.
14 ¶ Then Absalom and all the men of Israel said, The counsel of Hushai the Archite, is better, than the counsel of Ahithophel: for the Lord had [k]determined to destroy the [l]good counsel of Ahithophel, that the Lord might [m]bring evil upon Absalom.
15 Then said Hushai unto Zadok and to Abiathar the Priests, Of this and that manner did Ahithophel and the Elders of Israel counsel Absalom: and thus and thus have I counseled.
16 Now therefore send quickly, and show David, saying, Tarry not this night in the fields of the wilderness, but rather get thee [n]over, lest the king be devoured, and all the people that are with him.
17 ¶ Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz abode by [o]En Rogel: (for they might not be seen to come into the city) and a maid went, and [p]told them, and they went and showed king David.
18 Nevertheless, a young man saw them, and told it to Absalom. Therefore they both departed quickly, and came to a man’s house in Bahurim, who had a well in his court, into the which they went down.
19 And [q]the wife took and spread a covering over the well’s mouth, and spread ground corn thereon, that the thing should not be known.
20 And when Absalom’s servants came to the wife into the house, they said, Where is Ahimaaz and Jonathan? And the woman answered them, They be gone over the [r]brook of water. And when they had sought them, and could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem.
21 And as soon as they were departed, the other came out of the well, and went and told king David, and said unto him, Up, and get you quickly over the water: for [s]such counsel hath Ahithophel given against you.
22 Then David arose, and all the people that were with him, and they went over Jordan [t]until the dawning of the day, so that there lacked not one of them, that was not come over Jordan.
23 ¶ Now when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his ass, and arose, and he went home unto his city, and put his household in order, and [u]hanged himself, and died, and was buried in his father’s grave.
24 ¶ Then David came to Mahanaim. And Absalom passed over Jordan, he, and all the men of Israel with him.
25 And Absalom made Amasa captain of the host in the stead of Joab: which Amasa was a man’s son named Jithra, an Israelite, that went in to Abigail the daughter of [v]Nahash, sister to Zeruiah Joab’s mother.
26 So Israel and Absalom pitched in the land of Gilead.
27 ¶ And when David was come to Mahanaim, Shobi the son of Nahash out of Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and Machir the son of Ammiel out of Lo Debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite out of Rogelim,
28 [w]Brought beds, and basins, and earthen vessels, and wheat, and barley, and flour, and parched corn, and beans, and lentils, and parched corn.
29 And they brought honey, and butter, and sheep, and cheese of kine for David, and for the people that were with him, to eat: for they said, The people is hungry, and weary, and thirsty in the wilderness.
Footnotes
- 2 Samuel 17:1 The wicked are so greedy to execute their malice, that they leave none occasion, that may further the same.
- 2 Samuel 17:3 Meaning, David.
- 2 Samuel 17:4 Hebrew, was right in the eyes of Absalom.
- 2 Samuel 17:5 Hebrew, what is in his mouth.
- 2 Samuel 17:6 Or, given such counsel.
- 2 Samuel 17:7 Hushai showeth himself faithful to David, in that he reproveth this wicked counsel and purpose.
- 2 Samuel 17:8 Or, tarry all night.
- 2 Samuel 17:9 Hebrew, have a breach of ruin.
- 2 Samuel 17:10 Hebrew, melt.
- 2 Samuel 17:12 Or, we will camp against him.
- 2 Samuel 17:14 Or, commanded.
- 2 Samuel 17:14 That counsel which seemed good at the first to Absalom, verse 4.
- 2 Samuel 17:14 For by the counsel of Hushai, he went to the battle, where he was destroyed.
- 2 Samuel 17:16 That is, over Jordan.
- 2 Samuel 17:17 Or, the well of Rogel.
- 2 Samuel 17:17 Meaning, the message from their fathers.
- 2 Samuel 17:19 Thus God sendeth succor to his, in their greatest dangers.
- 2 Samuel 17:20 The Chaldea text readeth: Now they have passed the Jordan.
- 2 Samuel 17:21 To wit, to pursue thee with all haste.
- 2 Samuel 17:22 They traveled all night, and by morning had all their company passed over.
- 2 Samuel 17:23 God’s just vengeance even in this life is poured on them which are enemies, traitors, or persecutors of his Church.
- 2 Samuel 17:25 Who was also called Jesse David’s Father.
- 2 Samuel 17:28 God showeth himself most liberal to his, when they seem to be utterly destitute.
2 Samuel 17
English Standard Version
Hushai Saves David
17 Moreover, Ahithophel said to Absalom, “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 discouraged and throw him into a panic, and all the people who are with him will flee. (B)I will strike down only the king, 3 and I will bring all the people back to you as a bride comes home to her husband. You seek the life of only one man,[a] and all the people will be at peace.” 4 And the advice seemed right in the eyes of Absalom and all the elders of Israel.
5 Then Absalom said, “Call (C)Hushai the Archite also, and let us hear what he has to say.” 6 And when Hushai came to Absalom, Absalom said to him, “Thus has Ahithophel spoken; shall we do as he says? If not, you speak.” 7 Then Hushai said to Absalom, “This time the counsel that Ahithophel has given is not good.” 8 Hushai said, “You know that your father and his men are mighty men, and that they are enraged,[b] (D)like a bear robbed of her cubs in the field. Besides, your father is expert in war; he will not spend the night with the people. 9 Behold, even now he has hidden himself in one of the pits or in some other place. And as soon as some of the people fall[c] at the first attack, whoever hears it will say, ‘There has been a slaughter among the people who follow Absalom.’ 10 Then even the valiant man, whose heart is like the heart of a lion, will utterly (E)melt with fear, for all Israel knows that your father is a mighty man, and that those who are with him are valiant men. 11 But my counsel is that all Israel be gathered to you, (F)from Dan to Beersheba, (G)as the sand by the sea for multitude, and that you go to battle in person. 12 So we shall come upon him in some place where he is to be found, and we shall light upon him as the dew falls on the ground, and of him and all the men with him not one will be left. 13 If he withdraws into a city, then all Israel will bring ropes to that city, and we shall drag it into the valley, until not even a pebble is to be found there.” 14 And Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel.” (H)For the Lord had ordained[d] to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, so that the Lord might bring harm upon Absalom.
15 (I)Then Hushai said to Zadok and Abiathar the priests, “Thus and so did Ahithophel counsel Absalom and the elders of Israel, and thus and so have I counseled. 16 Now therefore send quickly and tell David, ‘Do not stay tonight at (J)the fords of the wilderness, but by all means pass over, lest the king and all the people who are with him be (K)swallowed up.’” 17 Now (L)Jonathan and Ahimaaz were waiting at (M)En-rogel. A female servant was to go and tell them, and they were to go and tell King David, for they were not to be seen entering the city. 18 But a young man saw them and told Absalom. So both of them went away quickly and came to the house of a man at (N)Bahurim, who had a well in his courtyard. And they went down into it. 19 (O)And the woman took and spread a covering over the well's mouth and scattered grain on it, and nothing was known of it. 20 When Absalom's servants came to the woman at the house, they said, “Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?” And the woman said to them, “They have gone over the brook[e] of water.” And when they had sought and could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem.
21 After they had gone, the men came up out of the well, and went and told King David. They said to David, (P)“Arise, and go quickly over the water, for thus and so has Ahithophel counseled against you.” 22 Then David arose, and all the people who were with him, and they crossed the Jordan. By daybreak not one was left who had not crossed the Jordan.
23 When Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his donkey and went off home to (Q)his own city. He (R)set his house in order and (S)hanged himself, and he died and was buried in the tomb of his father.
24 Then David came to (T)Mahanaim. And Absalom crossed the Jordan with all the men of Israel. 25 Now Absalom had set (U)Amasa over the army instead of Joab. Amasa was the son of a man named Ithra the Ishmaelite,[f] who had married Abigal the daughter of (V)Nahash, sister of Zeruiah, Joab's mother. 26 And Israel and Absalom encamped in the land of Gilead.
27 When David came to Mahanaim, (W)Shobi the son of Nahash from (X)Rabbah of the Ammonites, and (Y)Machir the son of Ammiel from Lo-debar, and (Z)Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim, 28 brought beds, basins, and earthen vessels, wheat, barley, flour, parched grain, beans and lentils,[g] 29 honey and curds and sheep and cheese from the herd, for David and the people with him to eat, for they said, “The people are hungry and (AA)weary and thirsty (AB)in the wilderness.”
Footnotes
- 2 Samuel 17:3 Septuagint; Hebrew back to you. Like the return of the whole is the man whom you seek
- 2 Samuel 17:8 Hebrew bitter of soul
- 2 Samuel 17:9 Or And as he falls on them
- 2 Samuel 17:14 Hebrew commanded
- 2 Samuel 17:20 The meaning of the Hebrew word is uncertain
- 2 Samuel 17:25 Compare 1 Chronicles 2:17; Hebrew Israelite
- 2 Samuel 17:28 Hebrew adds and parched grain
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