Dual Panel1Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Let me pick twelve thousand men to go in pursuit of David tonight.
2If I overtake him when he is tired and dispirited I shall cut him off from his people and they will all scatter; I shall kill no one but the king.
3I shall bring all the people over to you as a bride is brought to her husband. It is only one man's life that you are seeking; the rest of the people will be unharmed.”
4Absalom and all the elders of Israel approved of Ahithophel's advice;
5but Absalom said, “Now summon Hushai the Archite and let us also hear what he has to say.”
6When Hushai came, Absalom told him what Ahithophel had said and asked him, “Shall we do as he advises? If not, speak up.”
7Hushai said to Absalom, “For once the counsel that Ahithophel has given is not good.
8You know”, he went on, “that your father and the men with him are hardened warriors and savage as a bear in the wilds robbed of her cubs. Your father is an old campaigner and will not spend the night with the main body;
9even now he will be lying hidden in a pit or in some such place. Then if any of your men are killed at the outset, whoever hears the news will say, ‘Disaster has overtaken Absalom's followers.’
10The courage of the most resolute and lion-hearted will melt away, for all Israel knows that your father is a man of war and has seasoned warriors with him.
11“Here is my advice. Wait until the whole of Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, is gathered about you, countless as grains of sand on the seashore, and then march to battle with them in person.
12When we come on him somewhere, wherever he may be, and descend on him like dew falling on the ground, not a man of his family or of his followers will be left alive.
13If he retreats into a town, all Israel will bring ropes to that town, and we shall drag it into a ravine until not a stone can be found on the site.”
14Absalom and all the Israelites said, “Hushai the Archite has given us better advice than Ahithophel.” It was the LORD's purpose to frustrate Ahithophel's good advice and so bring disaster on Absalom.
15Hushai told Zadok and Abiathar the priests all the advice that Ahithophel had given to Absalom and the elders of Israel, and also what he himself had advised.
16“Now send quickly to David”, he said, “and warn him not to spend the night at the Fords of the Wilderness but to cross the river at once, before an overwhelming blow can be launched at the king and his followers.”
17Jonathan and Ahimaaz were waiting at En-rogel, and a servant-girl used to go and tell them what happened and they would pass it on to King David; for they dared not risk being seen entering the city.
18But a lad saw them and told Absalom; so the two of them hurried to Bahurim to the house of a man who had a cistern in his courtyard, and they climbed down into it.
19The man's wife took a covering, spread it over the mouth of the cistern, and scattered grain over it, so that nothing would be noticed.
20Absalom's servants came to the house and asked the woman, “Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?” She answered, “They went past the pool.” The men searched, but not finding them they returned to Jerusalem.
21As soon as they had gone the two climbed out of the cistern and went off to report to King David. They said to him, “Get over the water at once, and with all speed!” and they told him Ahithophel's plan against him.
22So David and all his company began at once to cross the Jordan; by daybreak there was not one who had not reached the other bank.
23When Ahithophel saw that his advice had not been taken he saddled his donkey, went straight home to his own town, gave his last instructions to his household, and then hanged himself. So he died and was buried in his father's grave.
24By the time that Absalom had crossed the Jordan with the Israelites, David was already at Mahanaim.
25Absalom had appointed Amasa as commander-in-chief in Joab's place; he was the son of a man named Ithra, an Ishmaelite, by Abigal daughter of Nahash and sister to Joab's mother Zeruiah.
26The Israelites and Absalom camped in the district of Gilead.
27When David came to Mahanaim, he was met by Shobi son of Nahash from the Ammonite town Rabbah, Machir son of Ammiel from Lo-debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim,
28bringing mattresses and blankets, bowls, and jugs. They brought also wheat and barley, flour and roasted grain, beans and lentils,
29honey and curds, sheep and fat cattle, and offered them to David and his people to eat, knowing that the people must be hungry and thirsty and weary in the wilderness.