2 Samuel 17

1 Moreover Ahithophel said to Absalom, "Let me now choose twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue after David tonight.

Moreouer Ahithophel said to Absalom, Let me chuse out now twelue thousand men, and I will vp and follow after Dauid this night,

2 I will come on him while he is weary and exhausted, and will make him afraid. All the people who are with him shall flee. I will strike the king only,

And I will come vpon him: for he is wearie, and weake handed: so I will feare him, and all the people that are with him, shall flee, and I will smite the King onely,

3 and I will bring back all the people to you, as a bride returns to her husband. You seek the life of only one man; then all the people will be in peace."

And I will bring againe all the people vnto thee, and when all shall returne, (the man whome thou seekest being slaine) all the people shalbe in peace.

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

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

5 Then Absalom said, "Now call Hushai the Archite also, and let us hear likewise what he says."

Then said Absalom, Call now Hushai the Archite also, and let vs heare likewise what he sayth.

6 When Hushai had come to Absalom, Absalom spoke to him, saying, "Ahithophel has spoken like this. Shall we do what he says? And if not, speak up."

So when Hushai came to Absalom, Absalom spake vnto him, saying, Ahithophel hath spoken thus: shall we doe after his saying, or no? tell thou.

7 Hushai said to Absalom, "The counsel that Ahithophel has given this time is not good."

Hushai then answered vnto Absalom, The counsel that Ahithophel hath giuen, is not good at this time.

8 Hushai said moreover, "You know your father and his men, that they are mighty men, and they are fierce in their minds, like a bear robbed of her cubs in the field. Your father is a man of war, and will not lodge with the people.

For, said Hushai, thou knowest thy father, and his men, that they be strong men, and are chafed in minde as a beare robbed of her whelps in the fielde: also thy father is a valiant warrier, and will not lodge with the people.

9 Look, he is now hidden in some pit, or in some other place. It will happen, when some of them have fallen at the first, that whoever hears it will say, 'There is a slaughter among the people who follow Absalom.'

Behold, he is hid now in some caue, or in some place: and though some of them be ouerthrowen at the first, yet the people shall heare, and say, The people that follow Absalom, be ouerthrowen.

10 Even he who is valiant, whose heart is as the heart of a lion, will utterly melt; for all Israel knows that your father is a mighty man, and those who are with him are valiant men.

Then he also that is valiant whose heart is as the heart of a lion, shall shrinke and faint: for all Israel knoweth, that thy father is valiant, and they which be with him, stout men.

11 But, I strongly advise as follows, that all Israel be gathered together to you, from Dan even to Beersheba, as the sand that is by the sea for multitude; and that you personally go into battle.

Therefore my counsell is, that all Israel be gathered vnto thee, from Dan euen to Beer-sheba as the sand of the sea in nomber, and that thou goe to battell in thine owne person.

12 So shall we come on him in some place where he shall be found, and we will light on him as the dew falls on the ground; and of him and of all the men who are with him we will not leave so much as one.

So shall we come vpon him in some place, where we shall finde him, and we will vpon him as the dewe falleth on the ground: and of all the men that are with him, wee will not leaue him one.

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

Moreouer if he be gotten into a citie, then shall all the men of Israel bring ropes to that citie, and we will draw it into the riuer, vntill there be not one small stone founde there.

14 Absalom and all the men of Israel said, "The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel." For YHWH had ordained to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, to the intent that YHWH might bring evil on Absalom.

Then Absalom and all the men of Israel sayde, The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better, then the counsell of Ahithophel: for the Lord had determined to destroy the good counsell of Ahithophel, that the Lord might bring euill vpon Absalom.

15 Then Hushai said to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, "Ahithophel counseled Absalom and the elders of Israel that way; and I have counseled this way.

Then said Hushai vnto Zadok and to Abiathar the Priests, Of this and that maner did Ahithophel and the Elders of Israel counsell Absalom: and thus and thus haue I counseled.

16 Now therefore send quickly, and tell David, saying, 'Do not lodge this night at the fords of the wilderness, but by all means pass over; lest the king be swallowed up, and all the people who are with him.'"

Now therefore sende quickely, and shewe Dauid, saying, Tarie not this night in the fieldes of the wildernesse, but rather get thee ouer, lest the King be deuoured and all the people that are with him.

17 Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz were staying by En Rogel; and a female servant used to go and tell them; and they went and told king David. For they might not be seen to come into the city.

Now Ionathan and Ahimaaz abode by En-rogel: (for they might not be seene to come into the citie) and a maid went, and tolde them, and they went and shewed King Dauid.

18 But a boy saw them, and told Absalom. Then they both went away quickly, and came to the house of a man in Bahurim, who had a well in his court; and they went down there.

Neuerthelesse a yong man sawe them, and tolde it to Absalom. therefore they both departed quickely, and came to a mans house in Bahurim, who had a well in his court, into the which they went downe.

19 The woman took and spread the covering over the well's mouth, and spread out bruised grain on it; and nothing was known.

And the wife tooke and spred a couering ouer the welles mouth, and spred ground corne thereon, that the thing should not be knowen.

20 Absalom's servants came to the woman to the house; and they said, "Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?" The woman said to them, "They have gone over the brook of water." When they had sought and could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem.

And when Absaloms seruants came to the wife into the house, they said, Where is Ahimaaz and Ionathan? And the woman answered them, They be gone ouer the brooke of water. And when they had sought them, and could not finde them, they returned to Ierusalem.

21 It happened, after they had departed, that they came up out of the well, and went and told king David. And they said to him, "Arise and pass quickly over the water; for thus has Ahithophel counseled against you."

And assoone as they were departed, the other came out of the well, and went and tolde King Dauid, and sayde vnto him, Vp, and get you quickely ouer the water: for such counsell hath Ahithophel giuen against you.

22 Then David arose, and all the people who were with him, and they passed over the Jordan. By the morning light there lacked not one of them who had not gone over the Jordan.

Then Dauid arose, and all the people that were with him, and they went ouer Iorden vntil the dawning of the day, so that there lacked not one of them, that was not come ouer Iorden.

23 When Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his donkey, and arose, and went home, to his city, and set his house in order, and hanged himself; and he died, and was buried in the tomb of his father.

Nowe when Ahithophel sawe that his counsell was not followed, he sadled his asse, and arose, and he went home vnto his citie, and put his houshold in order, and hanged him selfe, and dyed, and was buryed in his fathers graue.

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

Then Dauid came to Mahanaim. And Absalom passed ouer Iorden, he, and all the men of Israel with him.

25 Absalom set Amasa over the army instead of Joab. Now Amasa was the son of a man, whose name was Jether the Ishmaelite, who went in to Abigail the daughter of Jesse, sister to Zeruiah, Joab's mother.

And Absalom made Amasa captaine of the hoste in the stead of Ioab: which Amasa was a mans sonne named Ithra an Israelite, that went in to Abigail the daughter of Nahash, sister to Zeruiah Ioabs mother.

26 Israel and Absalom camped in the land of Gilead.

So Israel and Absalom pitched in the land of Gilead.

27 It happened, when David had come to Mahanaim, that Shobi the son of Nahash of Rabbah of the people of Ammon, and Makir the son of Ammiel of Lodebar, and Barzillai the Gileadite of Rogelim,

And when Dauid was come to Mahanaim, Shobi the sonne of Nahash out of Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and Machir the sonne of Ammiel out of Lo-debar, and Barzelai the Gileadite out of Rogel

28 brought beds, and basins, and pottery utensils, and wheat, and barley, and meal, and parched grain, and beans, and lentils,

Brought beds, and basens, and earthen vessels, and wheat, and barley, and floure, and parched corne, and beanes, and lentiles, and parched corne.

29 and honey, and curd of the flock, and cheese of the herd. And they presented them to David and to the people who were with him to eat. For they said, "The people are hungry and tired and thirsty in the wilderness."

And they brought hony, and butter, and sheepe, and cheese of kine for Dauid and for the people that were with him, to eate: for they said, The people is hungry, and wearie, and thirstie in the wildernesse.