2 Samuel 16:15-17:23
New Living Translation
Ahithophel Advises Absalom
15 Meanwhile, Absalom and all the army of Israel arrived at Jerusalem, accompanied by Ahithophel. 16 When David’s friend Hushai the Arkite arrived, he went immediately to see Absalom. “Long live the king!” he exclaimed. “Long live the king!”
17 “Is this the way you treat your friend David?” Absalom asked him. “Why aren’t you with him?”
18 “I’m here because I belong to the man who is chosen by the Lord and by all the men of Israel,” Hushai replied. 19 “And anyway, why shouldn’t I serve you? Just as I was your father’s adviser, now I will be your adviser!”
20 Then Absalom turned to Ahithophel and asked him, “What should I do next?”
21 Ahithophel told him, “Go and sleep with your father’s concubines, for he has left them here to look after the palace. Then all Israel will know that you have insulted your father beyond hope of reconciliation, and they will throw their support to you.” 22 So they set up a tent on the palace roof where everyone could see it, and Absalom went in and had sex with his father’s concubines.
23 Absalom followed Ahithophel’s advice, just as David had done. For every word Ahithophel spoke seemed as wise as though it had come directly from the mouth of God.
17 Now Ahithophel urged Absalom, “Let me choose 12,000 men to start out after David tonight. 2 I will catch up with him while he is weary and discouraged. He and his troops will panic, and everyone will run away. Then I will kill only the king, 3 and I will bring all the people back to you as a bride returns to her husband. After all, it is only one man’s life that you seek.[a] Then you will be at peace with all the people.” 4 This plan seemed good to Absalom and to all the elders of Israel.
Hushai Counters Ahithophel’s Advice
5 But then Absalom said, “Bring in Hushai the Arkite. Let’s see what he thinks about this.” 6 When Hushai arrived, Absalom told him what Ahithophel had said. Then he asked, “What is your opinion? Should we follow Ahithophel’s advice? If not, what do you suggest?”
7 “Well,” Hushai replied to Absalom, “this time Ahithophel has made a mistake. 8 You know your father and his men; they are mighty warriors. Right now they are as enraged as a mother bear who has been robbed of her cubs. And remember that your father is an experienced man of war. He won’t be spending the night among the troops. 9 He has probably already hidden in some pit or cave. And when he comes out and attacks and a few of your men fall, there will be panic among your troops, and the word will spread that Absalom’s men are being slaughtered. 10 Then even the bravest soldiers, though they have the heart of a lion, will be paralyzed with fear. For all Israel knows what a mighty warrior your father is and how courageous his men are.
11 “I recommend that you mobilize the entire army of Israel, bringing them from as far away as Dan in the north and Beersheba in the south. That way you will have an army as numerous as the sand on the seashore. And I advise that you personally lead the troops. 12 When we find David, we’ll fall on him like dew that falls on the ground. Then neither he nor any of his men will be left alive. 13 And if David were to escape into some town, you will have all Israel there at your command. Then we can take ropes and drag the walls of the town into the nearest valley until every stone is torn down.”
14 Then Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “Hushai’s advice is better than Ahithophel’s.” For the Lord had determined to defeat the counsel of Ahithophel, which really was the better plan, so that he could bring disaster on Absalom!
Hushai Warns David to Escape
15 Hushai told Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, what Ahithophel had said to Absalom and the elders of Israel and what he himself had advised instead. 16 “Quick!” he told them. “Find David and urge him not to stay at the shallows of the Jordan River[b] tonight. He must go across at once into the wilderness beyond. Otherwise he will die and his entire army with him.”
17 Jonathan and Ahimaaz had been staying at En-rogel so as not to be seen entering and leaving the city. Arrangements had been made for a servant girl to bring them the message they were to take to King David. 18 But a boy spotted them at En-rogel, and he told Absalom about it. So they quickly escaped to Bahurim, where a man hid them down inside a well in his courtyard. 19 The man’s wife put a cloth over the top of the well and scattered grain on it to dry in the sun; so no one suspected they were there.
20 When Absalom’s men arrived, they asked her, “Have you seen Ahimaaz and Jonathan?”
The woman replied, “They were here, but they crossed over the brook.” Absalom’s men looked for them without success and returned to Jerusalem.
21 Then the two men crawled out of the well and hurried on to King David. “Quick!” they told him, “cross the Jordan tonight!” And they told him how Ahithophel had advised that he be captured and killed. 22 So David and all the people with him went across the Jordan River during the night, and they were all on the other bank before dawn.
23 When Ahithophel realized that his advice had not been followed, he saddled his donkey, went to his hometown, set his affairs in order, and hanged himself. He died there and was buried in the family tomb.
2 Samuel 16:15-17:23
Legacy Standard Bible
Absalom Enters Jerusalem
15 (A)Now Absalom and all the people, the men of Israel, had entered Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him. 16 And it happened that when (B)Hushai the Archite, David’s friend, came to Absalom, that (C)Hushai said to Absalom, “(D)Long live the king! Long live the king!” 17 And Absalom said to Hushai, “Is this your lovingkindness to your friend? (E)Why did you not go with your friend?” 18 Then Hushai said to Absalom, “No! For whom Yahweh, this people, and all the men of Israel have chosen, his I will be, and with him I will remain. 19 Besides, (F)whom should I serve? Should I not serve in the presence of his son? As I have served in your father’s presence, so I will be in your presence.”
20 Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give your advice. What shall we do?” 21 And Ahithophel said to Absalom, “(G)Go in to your father’s concubines, whom he has left to keep the house; then all Israel will hear that you have made yourself odious to your father. The hands of all who are with you will also be strengthened.” 22 So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, (H)and Absalom went in to his father’s concubines (I)in the sight of all Israel. 23 (J)Now the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counseled in those days, was as if one asked of the word of God; (K)so was all the counsel of Ahithophel regarded by both David and Absalom.
Absalom Calls for Hushai’s Counsel
17 Then Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Please let me choose 12,000 men that I may arise and pursue David tonight. 2 (L)And I will come upon him while he is weary with his hands falling limp and throw him into utter fright, so that all the people who are with him will flee. Then (M)I will strike down the king alone, 3 and I will cause all the people to return to you. [a]The return of everyone depends on the man you seek; then all the people will be at (N)peace.” 4 And the word was right in the eyes of Absalom and all the elders of Israel.
5 Then Absalom said, “Call now (O)Hushai the Archite also, and let us hear what is also in his mouth.” 6 Then Hushai came to Absalom. And Absalom spoke to him, saying, “Ahithophel has spoken [b]thus. Shall we [c]carry out his word? If not, you speak.” 7 And Hushai said to Absalom, “(P)This time the counsel that Ahithophel has counseled is not good.” 8 Then Hushai said, “You know your father and his men, that they are mighty men and they are bitter of soul, (Q)like a bear robbed of her cubs in the field. And your father is a man of war, and will not spend the night with the people. 9 Behold, he has now hidden himself in one of the [d]caves or in another place; and it will be [e]when he falls on them at the first attack, that whoever hears it will say, ‘There has been a slaughter among the people who follow Absalom.’ 10 And even the one who is a man of valor, whose heart is like the heart of a lion, (R)will utterly melt; for all Israel knows that your father is a mighty man and those who are with him are men of valor. 11 But I counsel that all Israel be utterly gathered to you, (S)from Dan even to Beersheba, (T)as the sand that is by the sea in abundance, and that [f]you personally go into battle. 12 So we shall come to him in one of the places where he can be found, and we will set down on him (U)as the dew falls on the ground; and of him and of all the men who are with him, not even one will be left. 13 If he withdraws into a city, then all Israel shall carry ropes to that city, and we will (V)drag it into the [g]valley until not even a small stone is 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 (W)Yahweh had [h]ordained to thwart the good counsel of Ahithophel, so that Yahweh might bring calamity on Absalom.
Hushai Informs David
15 Then (X)Hushai said to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, “[i]This is what Ahithophel counseled Absalom and the elders of Israel, and [j]this is what I have counseled. 16 So now, send quickly and inform David, saying, ‘(Y)Do not spend the night at the fords of the wilderness, but by all means cross over, lest the king and all the people who are with him be swallowed up.’” 17 (Z)Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz were staying at (AA)En-rogel, and a servant-woman would go and inform them, and they would go and inform King David, for they could not be seen entering the city. 18 But a boy did see them and informed Absalom; so the two of them went quickly and came to the house of a man (AB)in Bahurim, who had a well in his courtyard, and they went down [k]into it. 19 And (AC)the woman [l]took a covering and spread it over the well’s mouth and scattered crushed grain on it, so that nothing was known. 20 Then Absalom’s servants came to the woman at the house and said, “Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?” And (AD)the woman said to them, “They have crossed the brook of water.” And when they searched and could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem.
21 Now it happened after they went away, that they came up out of the well and went and informed King David; and they said to David, “(AE)Arise and cross over the water quickly for thus Ahithophel has counseled against you.” 22 Then David and all the people who were with him arose and crossed the Jordan; and by [m]dawn not even one remained who had not crossed the Jordan.
23 Now Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not [n]followed. So he [o]saddled his donkey and arose and went to his home, to (AF)his city, and [p](AG)set his house in order, and (AH)strangled himself; thus he died and was buried in the grave of his father.
Footnotes
- 2 Samuel 17:3 Lit Like the return of the whole is the man whom you seek
- 2 Samuel 17:6 Lit according to this word
- 2 Samuel 17:6 Lit do
- 2 Samuel 17:9 Lit pits
- 2 Samuel 17:9 Lit according to a falling among them
- 2 Samuel 17:11 Lit your face go
- 2 Samuel 17:13 Or wadi
- 2 Samuel 17:14 Lit commanded
- 2 Samuel 17:15 Lit Thus and thus
- 2 Samuel 17:15 Lit Thus and thus
- 2 Samuel 17:18 Lit there
- 2 Samuel 17:19 Lit took and spread the covering
- 2 Samuel 17:22 Lit the light of the morning
- 2 Samuel 17:23 Lit done
- 2 Samuel 17:23 Lit bound
- 2 Samuel 17:23 Lit gave charge to
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