Moreover Ahithophel{H302} said{H559} unto Absalom,{H53} Let me now choose out{H977} twelve{H8147} thousand{H505} men,{H376} and I will arise{H6965} and pursue{H7291} after{H310} David{H1732} this night:{H3915}

and I will come{H935} upon him while he is weary{H3023} and weak-handed,{H7504} {H3027} and will make him afraid;{H2729} and all the people{H5971} that are with him shall flee;{H5127} and I will smite{H5221} the king{H4428} only;

and I will bring back{H7725} all the people{H5971} unto thee: the man{H376} whom thou seekest{H1245} is as if all returned:{H7725} [so] all the people{H5971} shall be in peace.{H7965}

And the saying{H1697} pleased{H3474} Absalom{H53} well,{H5869} and all the elders{H2205} of Israel.{H3478}

Then said{H559} Absalom,{H53} Call{H7121} now Hushai{H2365} the Archite{H757} also, and let us hear{H8085} likewise what he saith.{H6310}

And when Hushai{H2365} was come{H935} to Absalom,{H53} Absalom{H53} spake{H559} unto him, saying,{H559} Ahithophel{H302} hath spoken{H1696} after this manner:{H1697} shall we do{H6213} [after] his saying?{H1697} if not, speak{H1696} thou.

And Hushai{H2365} said{H559} unto Absalom,{H53} The counsel{H6098} that Ahithophel{H302} hath given{H3289} this time{H6471} is not good.{H2896}

Hushai{H2365} said{H559} moreover, Thou knowest{H3045} thy father{H1} and his men,{H582} that they are mighty men,{H1368} and they are chafed{H4751} in their minds,{H5315} as a bear{H1677} robbed{H7909} of her whelps in the field;{H7704} and thy father{H1} is a man{H376} of war,{H4421} and will not lodge{H3885} with the people.{H5971}

Behold, he is hid{H2244} now in some{H259} pit,{H6354} or in some{H259} [other] place:{H4725} and it will come to pass, when some of them are fallen{H5307} at the first,{H8462} that whosoever{H8085} heareth{H8085} it will say,{H559} There is a slaughter{H4046} among the people{H5971} that follow{H310} Absalom.{H53}

And even he that is valiant,{H1121} whose heart{H3820} is as the heart{H3820} of a lion,{H738} will utterly{H4549} melt;{H4549} for all Israel{H3478} knoweth{H3045} that thy father{H1} is a mighty man,{H1368} and they that are with him are valiant{H2428} men.{H1121}

But I counsel{H3289} that all Israel{H3478} be gathered{H622} together{H622} unto thee, from Dan{H1835} even to Beer-sheba,{H884} as the sand{H2344} that is by the sea{H3220} for multitude;{H7230} and that thou go{H1980} to battle{H7128} in thine own person.{H6440}

So shall we come{H935} upon him in some{H259} place{H4725} where he shall be found,{H4672} and we will light{H5168} upon him as the dew{H2919} falleth{H5307} on the ground;{H127} and of him and of all the men{H582} that are with him we will not leave{H3498} so much as{H1571} one.{H259}

Moreover, if{H518} he be gotten{H622} into a city,{H5892} then shall all Israel{H3478} bring{H5375} ropes{H2256} to that city,{H5892} and we will draw{H5498} it into the river,{H5158} until there be not one{H1571} small stone{H6872} found{H4672} there.

And Absalom{H53} and all the men{H376} of Israel{H3478} said,{H559} The counsel{H6098} of Hushai{H2365} the Archite{H757} is better{H2896} than the counsel{H6098} of Ahithophel.{H302} For Jehovah{H3068} had ordained{H6680} to defeat{H6565} the good{H2896} counsel{H6098} of Ahithophel,{H302} to the intent{H5668} that Jehovah{H3068} might bring{H935} evil{H7451} upon Absalom.{H53}

Then said{H559} Hushai{H2365} unto Zadok{H6659} and to Abiathar{H54} the priests,{H3548} Thus and thus did Ahithophel{H302} counsel{H3289} Absalom{H53} and the elders{H2205} of Israel;{H3478} and thus and thus have I counselled.{H3289}

Now therefore send{H7971} quickly,{H4120} and tell{H5046} David,{H1732} saying,{H559} Lodge{H3885} not this night{H3915} at the fords{H6160} of the wilderness,{H4057} but by all means{H5674} pass over;{H5674} lest the king{H4428} be swallowed up,{H1104} and all the people{H5971} that are with him.

Now Jonathan{H3083} and Ahimaaz{H290} were staying{H5975} by En-rogel;{H5883} and a maid-servant{H8198} used to go{H1980} and tell{H5046} them; and they went{H1980} and told{H5046} king{H4428} David:{H1732} for they might{H3201} not be seen{H7200} to come{H935} into the city.{H5892}

But a lad{H5288} saw{H7200} them, and told{H5046} Absalom:{H53} and they went{H3212} both{H8147} of them away quickly,{H4120} and came{H935} to the house{H1004} of a man{H376} in Bahurim,{H980} who had a well{H875} in his court;{H2691} and they went down{H3381} thither.{H8033}

And the woman{H802} took{H3947} and spread{H6566} the covering{H4539} over the well's{H875} mouth,{H6440} and strewed{H7849} bruised grain{H7383} thereon; and nothing{H1697} was known.{H3045}

And Absalom's{H53} servants{H5650} came{H935} to the woman{H802} to the house;{H1004} and they said,{H559} Where are Ahimaaz{H290} and Jonathan?{H3083} And the woman{H802} said{H559} unto them, They are gone over{H5674} the brook{H4323} of water.{H4325} And when they had sought{H1245} and could not find{H4672} them, they returned{H7725} to Jerusalem.{H3389}

And it came to pass, after{H310} they were departed,{H3212} that they came up{H5927} out of the well,{H875} and went{H3212} and told{H5046} king{H4428} David;{H1732} and they said{H559} unto David,{H1732} Arise{H6965} ye, and pass quickly{H4120} over{H5674} the water;{H4325} for thus hath Ahithophel{H302} counselled{H3289} against you.

Then David{H1732} arose,{H6965} and all the people{H5971} that were with him, and they passed over{H5674} the Jordan:{H3383} by the morning{H1242} light{H216} there lacked{H5737} not one{H259} of them that was not gone over{H5674} the Jordan.{H3383}

And when Ahithophel{H302} saw{H7200} that his counsel{H6098} was not followed,{H6213} he saddled{H2280} his ass,{H2543} and arose,{H6965} and gat him home,{H3212} unto his{H1004} city,{H5892} and set his house{H1004} in order,{H6680} and hanged{H2614} himself; and he died,{H4191} and was buried{H6912} in the sepulchre{H6913} of his father.{H1}

Then David{H1732} came{H935} to Mahanaim.{H4266} And Absalom{H53} passed over{H5674} the Jordan,{H3383} he and all the men{H376} of Israel{H3478} with him.

And Absalom{H53} set{H7760} Amasa{H6021} over the host{H6635} instead of Joab.{H3097} Now Amasa{H6021} was the son{H1121} of a man,{H376} whose name{H8034} was Ithra{H3501} the Israelite,{H3481} that went in{H935} to Abigal{H26} the daughter{H1323} of Nahash,{H5176} sister{H269} to Zeruiah,{H6870} Joab's{H3097} mother.{H517}

And Israel{H3478} and Absalom{H53} encamped{H2583} in the land{H776} of Gilead.{H1568}

And it came to pass, when David{H1732} was come{H935} to Mahanaim,{H4266} that Shobi{H7629} the son{H1121} of Nahash{H5176} of Rabbah{H7237} of the children{H1121} of Ammon,{H5983} and Machir{H4353} the son{H1121} of Ammiel{H5988} of Lodebar,{H3810} and Barzillai{H1271} the Gileadite{H1569} of Rogelim,{H7274}

brought{H5066} beds,{H4904} and basins,{H5592} and earthen{H3335} vessels,{H3627} and wheat,{H2406} and barley,{H8184} and meal,{H7058} and parched{H7039} [grain], and beans,{H6321} and lentils,{H5742} and parched{H7039} [pulse],

and honey,{H1706} and butter,{H2529} and sheep,{H6629} and cheese{H8194} of the herd,{H1241} for David,{H1732} and for the people{H5971} that were with him, to eat:{H398} for they said,{H559} The people{H5971} are hungry,{H7457} and weary,{H5889} and thirsty,{H6771} in the wilderness.{H4057}