³¹ And one told David, saying, “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” And David said, “O Lord, I pray Thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.”

³² And it came to pass, when David had come to the top of the mount where he worshiped God, that, behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his coat rent, and earth upon his head;

³³ unto whom David said, “If thou passest on with me, then thou shalt be a burden unto me;

³⁴ but if thou return to the city and say unto Absalom, ‘I will be thy servant, O king; as I have been thy father’s servant hitherto, so will I now also be thy servant,’ then mayest thou for me defeat the counsel of Ahithophel.

³⁵ And hast thou not there with thee Zadok and Abiathar the priests? Therefore it shall be that what thing soever thou shalt hear out of the king’s house, thou shalt tell it to Zadok and Abiathar the priests.

³⁶ Behold, they have there with them their two sons, Ahimaaz, Zadok’s son, and Jonathan, Abiathar’s son; and by them ye shall send unto me everything that ye can hear.”

³⁷ So Hushai, David’s friend, came into the city, and Absalom came into Jerusalem.