³¹ Now someone informed David, saying, “^(A)Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” And David said, “Lord, please ^(B)make the advice of Ahithophel foolish.”

³² It happened as David was coming to the summit, where God was worshiped, that behold, Hushai the ^(C)Archite met him with his ^[a]coat torn, and ^[b]dust on his head. ³³ And David said to him, “If you go over with me, then you will become ^(D)a burden to me. ³⁴ But if you return to the city and ^(E)say to Absalom, ‘I will be your servant, O king; even as I was your father’s servant in time past, so now I will also be your servant,’ then you can foil the advice of Ahithophel for me. ³⁵ Are Zadok and Abiathar the priests not with you there? So it shall be that ^(F)whatever you hear from the king’s house, you shall report to Zadok and Abiathar the priests. ³⁶ Behold ^(G)their two sons are there with them, Ahimaaz, Zadok’s son and Jonathan, Abiathar’s son; and ^(H)by them you shall send me everything that you hear.” ³⁷ So Hushai, ^(I)David’s friend, came into the city, and ^(J)Absalom came into Jerusalem.