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17 Karon nagsiling si Ahitofel kay Absalom, “Tuguti ako nga magpili[a] sang 12,000 ka tawo sa pagpangita kay David karon nga gab-i. Salakayon namon siya samtang ginakapoy siya kag ginaluyahan. Magasalasala siya kag magapalagyo ang tanan niya nga tinawo. Si David lang ang patyon ko, kag pabalikon ko sa imo ang tanan niya nga tinawo pareho sang pagbalik sang asawa sa iya bana.[b] Kon mapatay si David, ang iya mga tinawo indi na magpakig-away pa.” Ini nga plano daw maayo man para kay Absalom kag sa tanan nga manugdumala sang Israel.

Pero nagsiling si Absalom, “Tawgon ta man si Hushai nga Arkhanon, agod mabatian ta man kon ano ang iya masiling.” Gani sang mag-abot si Hushai ginsugid sa iya ni Absalom ang ginlaygay ni Ahitofel. Nagsiling dayon si Absalom, “Himuon bala naton ang iya ginsiling? Kon indi, ano ang aton himuon?” Nagsabat si Hushai kay Absalom, “Sa karon, ang ginlaygay ni Ahitofel indi maayo. Kilala mo ang imo amay kag ang iya mga tinawo; mga maisog sila nga mangangaway kag mabangis sila pareho sa oso[c] nga gin-agawan sang mga bata. Luwas pa sina, ang imo amay hanas nga mangangaway, kag wala siya nagaupod tulog sa iya mga tinawo. Ayhan sa sini nga tion nagapanago siya sa kuweba ukon sa iban nga lugar. Kon sa nahauna ninyo nga inaway magakalamatay ang iban mo nga mga soldado, ang makabati sini magasiling nga napierdi na ang imo mga soldado. 10 Dayon bisan ang pinakamaisog mo nga mga soldado, nga daw pareho kaisog sa leon, mahadlok. Kay nahibaluan sang tanan nga Israelinhon nga ang imo amay hanas nga mangangaway kag maisog ang iya mga tinawo. 11 Gani ginalaygayan ko ikaw nga tipuna gid ang tanan nga Israelinhon halin sa Dan hasta sa Beersheba,[d] nga daw pareho kadamo sa balas sa baybayon. Kag ikaw mismo ang magpangulo sa ila sa pagpakig-away. 12 Dayon pangitaon naton si David bisan diin man siya, kag likupan naton siya pareho sa tun-og nga nagalikop sa duta; kag siya kag ang iya mga tinawo maubos kalamatay. 13 Kon magpalagyo siya sa isa ka banwa, higtan ta ang mga pader sini kag butungon pakadto sa ililigan sang tubig hasta nga marumpag ini kag wala na sing bato sini nga mabilin.” 14 Nagsiling si Absalom kag ang tanan nga manugdumala sang Israel, “Mas maayo ang laygay ni Hushai nga Arkhanon sang sa kay Ahitofel.” Ang matuod, mas maayo ang laygay ni Ahitofel, pero ginbuot sang Ginoo nga indi ini pagsundon ni Absalom agod malaglag siya.

15 Ginsugiran ni Hushai ang mga pari nga sila ni Zadok kag Abiatar parte sa ginlaygay ni Ahitofel kay Absalom kag sa mga manugdumala sang Israel, kag parte man sa iya nga ginlaygay. 16 Dayon nagsiling siya sa ila, “Pahibalua gilayon si David nga indi siya magpabilin sa talabukan sang Suba sang Jordan sa kamingawan karon nga gab-i, kundi magtabok sila dayon sa suba agod indi sila tanan magkalamatay.”

17 Sadto nga tion, nagahulat si Jonatan nga anak ni Abiatar kag si Ahimaaz nga anak ni Zadok sa En Rogel, kay indi sila gusto nga makita nga nagaguwa-pasulod sa Jerusalem. Ginapakadto lang nila ang isa ka suluguon nga babayi sa pagsugid sa ila sang nagakatabo, kag ginasugid dayon nila ini kay David. 18 Pero karon, may nakakita sa ila nga isa ka pamatan-on nga lalaki, kag ginsugid sila kay Absalom. Gani nagdali-dali sila halin nga duha, kag nagkadto sa balay sang isa ka tawo sa Baruhim. Ini nga tawo may bubon sa iya lagwerta, kag nagpanaog sila ni Jonatan kag Ahimaaz sa sini nga bubon sa pagpanago. 19 Nagkuha sang tabon ang asawa sang tawo kag gintabunan niya ang bubon kag ginbularan dayon sang mga uyas agod wala sing may makahunahuna nga may nagapanago didto. 20 Sang magkadto ang mga tinawo ni Absalom sa balay sang tawo, ginpamangkot nila ang iya asawa, “Nakita bala ninyo si Ahimaaz kag si Jonatan?” Nagsabat ang asawa, “Nagtabok sila sa suba.” Ginpangita nila sila pero wala nila makita, gani nagbalik na lang sila sa Jerusalem.

21 Sang makahalin na ang mga tinawo ni Absalom, nagguwa dayon si Jonatan kag si Ahimaaz sa bubon kag nagkadto kay David kag nagsiling, “Magtabok kamo gilayon sa suba, kay naglaygay si Ahitofel nga patyon ka.” 22 Gani nagtabok si David kag ang iya mga tinawo sa Suba sang Jordan, kag sang kaagahon didto na sila tanan sa tabok.

23 Sang mahibaluan ni Ahitofel nga wala ginsunod ang iya laygay, nagsakay siya sa iya asno kag nagpauli sa iya banwa. Nagpamilin-bilin siya sa iya panimalay kag dayon naghikog siya paagi sa pagbitay sang iya kaugalingon. Ginlubong siya sa ginlubngan man sang iya amay.

24 Nakaabot na sila ni David sa Mahanaim sang magtabok si Absalom kag ang tanan niya nga tinawo sa Suba sang Jordan. 25 Ginpili ni Absalom si Amasa sa pagbulos kay Joab bilang kumander sang mga soldado. Ining si Amasa anak ni Jeter nga Ishmaelinhon.[e] Ang iya iloy nga si Abigail, nga anak ni Nahash, utod sang iloy ni Joab nga si Zeruya. 26 Nagkampo si Absalom kag ang mga Israelinhon sa Gilead.

27 Sang pag-abot nila ni David sa Mahanaim, gin-abiabi sila ni Shobi nga anak ni Nahash nga Ammonhon, nga taga-Raba, ni Makir nga anak ni Amiel, nga taga-Lo Debar, kag ni Barzilai nga Gileadnon, nga taga-Rogelim. 28 May mga dala sila nga mga hiligdaan, yahong, kolon, trigo, barley, harina, sinanlag nga mga uyas, mga liso nga ulutanon, balatong, 29 dugos, mantikilya, karnero, kag keso. Ginhatag nila ini kay David kag sa iya mga tinawo, kay nahibaluan nila nga gutom, kapoy, kag uhaw gid sila sa ila nga pagpanglakaton sa desierto.

Footnotes

  1. 17:1 Tuguti ako nga magpili: ukon, Magapili ako.
  2. 17:3 pareho sang pagbalik sang asawa sa iya bana: Amo ini sa Septuagint.
  3. 17:8 oso: sa English, bear.
  4. 17:11 halin sa Dan hasta sa Beersheba: buot silingon, sa bug-os nga nasyon sang Israel.
  5. 17:25 Ishmaelinhon: Amo ini sa iban nga mga kopya sang Septuagint; sa Hebreo, Israelinhon.

17 Ahithophel said to Absalom, “I would[a] choose twelve thousand men and set out tonight in pursuit of David. I would attack him while he is weary and weak.(A) I would strike him with terror, and then all the people with him will flee. I would strike down only the king(B) 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.” This plan seemed good to Absalom and to all the elders of Israel.

But Absalom said, “Summon also Hushai(C) the Arkite, so we can hear what he has to say as well.” When Hushai came to him, Absalom said, “Ahithophel has given this advice. Should we do what he says? If not, give us your opinion.”

Hushai replied to Absalom, “The advice Ahithophel has given is not good this time. You know your father and his men; they are fighters, and as fierce as a wild bear robbed of her cubs.(D) Besides, your father is an experienced fighter;(E) he will not spend the night with the troops. Even now, he is hidden in a cave or some other place.(F) If he should attack your troops first,[b] 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,(G) will melt(H) with fear, for all Israel knows that your father is a fighter and that those with him are brave.(I)

11 “So I advise you: Let all Israel, from Dan to Beersheba(J)—as numerous as the sand(K) 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(L) until not so much as a pebble is left.”

14 Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The advice(M) of Hushai the Arkite is better than that of Ahithophel.”(N) For the Lord had determined to frustrate(O) the good advice of Ahithophel in order to bring disaster(P) on Absalom.(Q)

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;(R) cross over without fail, or the king and all the people with him will be swallowed up.(S)’”

17 Jonathan(T) and Ahimaaz were staying at En Rogel.(U) 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.(V) 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.(W)

20 When Absalom’s men came to the woman(X) at the house, they asked, “Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?”

The woman answered them, “They crossed over the brook.”[c] 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(Y) had not been followed, he saddled his donkey and set out for his house in his hometown. He put his house in order(Z) and then hanged himself. So he died and was buried in his father’s tomb.

Absalom’s Death

24 David went to Mahanaim,(AA) and Absalom crossed the Jordan with all the men of Israel. 25 Absalom had appointed Amasa(AB) over the army in place of Joab. Amasa was the son of Jether,[d](AC) an Ishmaelite[e] who had married Abigail,[f] 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(AD) from Rabbah(AE) of the Ammonites, and Makir(AF) son of Ammiel from Lo Debar, and Barzillai(AG) the Gileadite(AH) from Rogelim 28 brought bedding and bowls and articles of pottery. They also brought wheat and barley, flour and roasted grain, beans and lentils,[g] 29 honey and curds, sheep, and cheese from cows’ milk for David and his people to eat.(AI) For they said, “The people have become exhausted and hungry and thirsty in the wilderness.(AJ)

Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 17:1 Or Let me
  2. 2 Samuel 17:9 Or When some of the men fall at the first attack
  3. 2 Samuel 17:20 Or “They passed by the sheep pen toward the water.”
  4. 2 Samuel 17:25 Hebrew Ithra, a variant of Jether
  5. 2 Samuel 17:25 Some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 2:17); Hebrew and other Septuagint manuscripts Israelite
  6. 2 Samuel 17:25 Hebrew Abigal, a variant of Abigail
  7. 2 Samuel 17:28 Most Septuagint manuscripts and Syriac; Hebrew lentils, and roasted grain

17 Moreover Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Let me now choose out twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue after David this night:

And I will come upon him while he is weary and weak handed, and will make him afraid: and all the people that are with him shall flee; and I will smite the king only:

And I will bring back all the people unto thee: the man whom thou seekest is as if all returned: so all the people shall be in peace.

And the saying pleased Absalom well, and all the elders of Israel.

Then said Absalom, Call now Hushai the Archite also, and let us hear likewise what he saith.

And when Hushai was come to Absalom, Absalom spake unto him, saying, Ahithophel hath spoken after this manner: shall we do after his saying? if not; speak thou.

And Hushai said unto Absalom, The counsel that Ahithophel hath given is not good at this time.

For, said Hushai, thou knowest thy father and his men, that they be mighty men, and they be chafed in their minds, as a bear robbed of her whelps in the field: and thy father is a man of war, and will not lodge with the people.

Behold, he is hid now in some pit, or in some other place: and it will come to pass, when some of them be overthrown at the first, that whosoever heareth it will say, There is a slaughter among the people that follow Absalom.

10 And he also that is valiant, whose heart is as the heart of a lion, shall utterly melt: for all Israel knoweth that thy father is a mighty man, and they which be with him are valiant men.

11 Therefore I counsel that all Israel be generally gathered unto thee, from Dan even to Beersheba, as the sand that is by the sea for multitude; and that thou go to battle in thine own person.

12 So shall we come upon him in some place where he shall be found, and we will light upon him as the dew falleth on the ground: and of him and of all the men that are with him there shall not be left so much as one.

13 Moreover, if he be gotten into a city, then shall all Israel bring ropes to that city, and we will draw it into the river, until there be not one small stone found there.

14 And Absalom and all the men of Israel said, The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel. For the Lord had appointed to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, to the intent that the Lord might bring evil upon Absalom.

15 Then said Hushai unto Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, Thus and thus did Ahithophel counsel Absalom and the elders of Israel; and thus and thus have I counselled.

16 Now therefore send quickly, and tell David, saying, Lodge not this night in the plains of the wilderness, but speedily pass over; lest the king be swallowed up, and all the people that are with him.

17 Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz stayed by Enrogel; for they might not be seen to come into the city: and a wench went and told them; and they went and told king David.

18 Nevertheless a lad saw them, and told Absalom: but they went both of them away quickly, and came to a man's house in Bahurim, which had a well in his court; whither they went down.

19 And the woman took and spread a covering over the well's mouth, and spread ground corn thereon; and the thing was not known.

20 And when Absalom's servants came to the woman to the house, they said, Where is Ahimaaz and Jonathan? And the woman said unto them, They be gone over the brook of water. And when they had sought and could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem.

21 And it came to pass, after they were departed, that they came up out of the well, and went and told king David, and said unto David, Arise, and pass quickly over the water: for thus hath Ahithophel counselled against you.

22 Then David arose, and all the people that were with him, and they passed over Jordan: by the morning light there lacked not one of them that was not gone over Jordan.

23 And when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his ass, and arose, and gat him home to his house, to his city, and put his household in order, and hanged himself, and died, and was buried in the sepulchre of his father.

24 Then David came to Mahanaim. And Absalom passed over Jordan, he and all the men of Israel with him.

25 And Absalom made Amasa captain of the host instead of Joab: which Amasa was a man's son, whose name was Ithra an Israelite, that went in to Abigail the daughter of Nahash, sister to Zeruiah Joab's mother.

26 So Israel and Absalom pitched in the land of Gilead.

27 And it came to pass, when David was come to Mahanaim, that Shobi the son of Nahash of Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and Machir the son of Ammiel of Lodebar, and Barzillai the Gileadite of Rogelim,

28 Brought beds, and basons, and earthen vessels, and wheat, and barley, and flour, and parched corn, and beans, and lentiles, and parched pulse,

29 And honey, and butter, and sheep, and cheese of kine, for David, and for the people that were with him, to eat: for they said, The people is hungry, and weary, and thirsty, in the wilderness.