2 Samuel 17:1-29
Absalom Rivals King David
1 Ahithophel said to Absalom, “I would choose twelve thousand men and set out tonight in pursuit of David. 2 I would attack him while he is weary and weak. I would strike him with terror, and then all the people with him will flee. I would strike down only the king 3 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.” 4 This plan seemed good to Absalom and to all the elders of Israel.
5 But Absalom said, “Summon also Hushai the Arkite, so we can hear what he has to say as well.” 6 When Hushai came to him, Absalom said, “Ahithophel has given this advice. Should we do what he says? If not, give us your opinion.”
7 Hushai replied to Absalom, “The advice Ahithophel has given is not good this time. 8 You know your father and his men; they are fighters, and as fierce as a wild bear robbed of her cubs. Besides, your father is an experienced fighter; he will not spend the night with the troops. 9 Even now, he is hidden in a cave or some other place. If he should attack your troops first, 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, will melt with fear, for all Israel knows that your father is a fighter and that those with him are brave.
11 “So I advise you: Let all Israel, from Dan to Beersheba—as numerous as the sand 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 until not so much as a pebble is left.”
14 Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The advice of Hushai the Arkite is better than that of Ahithophel.” For the Lord had determined to frustrate the good advice of Ahithophel in order to bring disaster on Absalom.
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; cross over without fail, or the king and all the people with him will be swallowed up.’”
17 Jonathan and Ahimaaz were staying at En Rogel. 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. 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.
20 When Absalom’s men came to the woman at the house, they asked, “Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?”
The woman answered them, “They crossed over the brook.” 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 had not been followed, he saddled his donkey and set out for his house in his hometown. He put his house in order and then hanged himself. So he died and was buried in his father’s tomb.
24 David went to Mahanaim, and Absalom crossed the Jordan with all the men of Israel. 25 Absalom had appointed Amasa over the army in place of Joab. Amasa was the son of Jether, an Ishmaelite who had married Abigail, 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 from Rabbah of the Ammonites, and Makir son of Ammiel from Lo Debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim 28 brought bedding and bowls and articles of pottery. They also brought wheat and barley, flour and roasted grain, beans and lentils, 29 honey and curds, sheep, and cheese from cows’ milk for David and his people to eat. For they said, “The people have become exhausted and hungry and thirsty in the wilderness.”
Ahithophel also said to Absalom, “Now, let me choose 12,000 men to chase David tonight...I will catch him while he is tired and weak...I will frighten him, and all his people will run away...But I will kill only King David...Then I will bring all the people back to you...If David is dead, all the people will come back in peace.”...This plan seemed good to Absalom and all the leaders of Israel...But Absalom said, “Now call Hushai the Arkite...I also want to hear what he says.”...Hushai came to Absalom...Absalom said to Hushai, “This is the plan Ahithophel gave...Should we follow it?...If not, tell us.”...Hushai said to Absalom, “Ahithophel’s advice is not good this time.”...Hushai added, “You know that your father and his men are strong men...They are as dangerous as a wild bear when something has taken its cubs...Your father is a skilled fighter...He will not stay all night with the people...He is probably already hiding in a cave or some other place...If your father attacks your men first, people will hear the news and think, ‘Absalom’s followers are losing!’...Then even your bravest men will be frightened, because all the Israelites know that your father is a powerful soldier and that his men are very brave...“This is what I suggest: You must gather all the Israelites together from Dan to Beersheba...Then there will be many people, like the sand by the sea...Then you yourself must go into the battle...We will catch David wherever he is hiding and attack him with so many soldiers that they will be like the dew that covers the ground...We will kill David and all of his men—no one will be left alive...But if David escapes into a city, all the Israelites can bring ropes to that city and pull its walls down into the valley...Not even a small stone will be left in that city.”...Absalom and all the Israelites said, “Hushai’s advice is better than Ahithophel’s.”...Actually, Ahithophel’s advice was good, but they said this because the LORD had decided to make Ahithophel’s advice useless...He did this to punish Absalom...
Hushai told the priests, Zadok and Abiathar, what was said...He told them what Ahithophel suggested to Absalom and the leaders of Israel...Hushai also told them what he himself had suggested...He said, “Send a message to David now!...Tell him not to spend the night at the places where people cross into the desert...Tell him to go across the Jordan River at once...If he crosses the river, the king and all his people will not be caught.”...The priests’ sons, Jonathan and Ahimaaz, did not want to be seen going into the town, so they waited at En Rogel...A servant girl went out to them and gave them the message...Then Jonathan and Ahimaaz carried the message to King David...But a boy saw Jonathan and Ahimaaz and ran to tell Absalom...Jonathan and Ahimaaz ran away quickly...They arrived at a man’s house in Bahurim...The man had a well in his courtyard...Jonathan and Ahimaaz went down into this well...The man’s wife spread a sheet over the mouth of the well and covered it with grain...The well looked like a pile of grain, so no one would know to look there...Absalom’s servants came to the woman at the house...They asked, “Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?”...The woman said to Absalom’s servants, “They have already crossed over the brook.”...Absalom’s servants then went to look for Jonathan and Ahimaaz, but they could not find them...So Absalom’s servants went back to Jerusalem...After Absalom’s servants left, Jonathan and Ahimaaz climbed out of the well and went to King David...They said to David, “Hurry, go across the river...Ahithophel is planning to do something to you.”...So David and his people crossed over the Jordan River...By sunrise, all of David’s people had crossed the Jordan River...No one was left behind...
When Ahithophel saw that the Israelites did not do what he suggested, he saddled his donkey and went back to his hometown...He made plans for his family and then hanged himself...They buried him in his father’s tomb...David arrived at Mahanaim just as Absalom and the Israelites who were with him crossed over the Jordan River...Absalom and the Israelites made their camp in the land of Gilead. Absalom had made Amasa the new captain of the army...He took Joab’s place...Amasa was the son of Jether the Ishmaelite...His mother was Abigail, the daughter of Nahash, the sister of Joab’s mother, Zeruiah...When David arrived at Mahanaim, Shobi, Makir, and Barzillai were there...Shobi son of Nahash was from the Ammonite town of Rabbah...Makir son of Ammiel was from Lo Debar...Barzillai was from Rogelim in Gilead...These three men said, “The people are tired, hungry, and thirsty from the desert.”...So they brought many things to David and those with him...They brought beds, bowls, and other kinds of dishes...They also brought wheat, barley, flour, roasted grain, beans, lentils, dried seeds, honey, butter, sheep, and cheese made from cow’s milk...