Ii Samuelis 17
1 dixit igitur Ahitofel ad Absalom eligam mihi duodecim milia virorum et consurgens persequar David hac nocte
Furthermore, Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Let me choose twelve thousand men and set out tonight in pursuit of David.
2 et inruens super eum quippe qui lassus est et solutis manibus percutiam eum cumque fugerit omnis populus qui cum eo est percutiam regem desolatum
I will attack him while he is weak and weary; I will throw him into a panic, and all the people with him will flee; I will strike down only the king
3 et reducam universum populum quomodo omnis reverti solet unum enim virum tu quaeris et omnis populus erit in pace
and bring all the people back to you as a bride returning to her husband. You seek the life of only one man; then all the people will be at peace.”
4 placuitque sermo eius Absalom et cunctis maioribus natu Israhel
This proposal seemed good to Absalom and all the elders of Israel.
5 ait autem Absalom vocate et Husai Arachiten et audiamus quid etiam ipse dicat
Then Absalom said, “Summon Hushai the Archite as well, and let us hear what he too has to say.”
6 cumque venisset Husai ad Absalom ait Absalom ad eum huiuscemodi sermonem locutus est Ahitofel facere debemus an non quod das consilium
So Hushai came to Absalom, who told him, “Ahithophel has spoken this proposal. Should we carry it out? If not, what do you say?”
7 et dixit Husai ad Absalom non bonum consilium quod dedit Ahitofel hac vice
Hushai replied, “This time the advice of Ahithophel is not sound.”
8 et rursum intulit Husai tu nosti patrem tuum et viros qui cum eo sunt esse fortissimos et amaro animo veluti si ursa raptis catulis in saltu saeviat sed et pater tuus vir bellator est nec morabitur cum populo
He continued, “You know your father and his men. They are mighty men, and as fierce as a wild bear robbed of her cubs. Moreover, your father is a man of war who will not spend the night with the troops.
9 forsitan nunc latitat in foveis aut in uno quo voluerit loco et cum ceciderit unus quilibet in principio audiet quicumque audierit et dicet facta est plaga in populo qui sequebatur Absalom
Surely by now he is hiding in a cave or some other location. If some of your troops fall first, whoever hears of it will say, ‘There has been a slaughter among the troops who follow Absalom.’
10 et fortissimus quoque cuius cor est quasi leonis pavore solvetur scit enim omnis populus Israhel fortem esse patrem tuum et robustos omnes qui cum eo sunt
Then even the most valiant soldier with the heart of a lion will melt with fear, because all Israel knows that your father is a mighty man who has valiant men with him.
11 sed hoc mihi videtur rectum esse consilium congregetur ad te universus Israhel a Dan usque Bersabee quasi harena maris innumerabilis et tu eris in medio eorum
Instead, I advise that all Israel from Dan to Beersheba—a multitude like the sand on the seashore—be gathered to you, and that you yourself lead them into battle.
12 et inruemus super eum in quocumque loco fuerit inventus et operiemus eum sicut cadere solet ros super terram et non relinquemus de viris qui cum eo sunt ne unum quidem
Then we will attack David wherever we find him, and we will descend on him like dew on the ground. And of all the men with him, not even one will remain.
13 quod si urbem aliquam fuerit ingressus circumdabit omnis Israhel civitati illi funes et trahemus eam in torrentem ut non repperiatur nec calculus quidem ex ea
If he retreats to a city, all Israel will bring ropes to that city, and we will drag it down to the valley until not even a pebble can be found.”
14 dixitque Absalom et omnis vir Israhel melius consilium Husai Arachitae consilio Ahitofel Domini autem nutu dissipatum est consilium Ahitofel utile ut induceret Dominus super Absalom malum
Then Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The advice of Hushai the Archite is better than that of Ahithophel.” For the LORD had purposed to thwart the good counsel of Ahithophel in order to bring disaster on Absalom.
15 et ait Husai Sadoc et Abiathar sacerdotibus hoc et hoc modo consilium dedit Ahitofel Absalom et senibus Israhel et ego tale et tale dedi consilium
So Hushai told Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, “This is what Ahithophel has advised Absalom and the elders of Israel, and this is what I have advised.
16 nunc ergo mittite cito et nuntiate David dicentes ne moremini nocte hac in campestribus deserti sed absque dilatione transgredere ne forte absorbeatur rex et omnis populus qui cum eo est
Now send quickly and tell David, ‘Do not spend the night at the fords of the wilderness, but be sure to cross over. Otherwise the king and all the people with him will be swallowed up.’”
17 Ionathan autem et Achimaas stabant iuxta fontem Rogel abiit ancilla et nuntiavit eis et illi profecti sunt ut referrent ad regem David nuntium non enim poterant videri aut introire civitatem
Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz were staying at En-rogel, where a servant girl would come and pass along information to them. They in turn would go and inform King David, for they dared not be seen entering the city.
18 vidit autem eos quidam puer et indicavit Absalom illi vero concito gradu ingressi sunt domum cuiusdam viri in Baurim qui habebat puteum in vestibulo suo et descenderunt in eum
But a young man did see them and told Absalom. So the two left quickly and came to the house of a man in Bahurim. He had a well in his courtyard, and they climbed down into it.
19 tulit autem mulier et expandit velamen super os putei quasi siccans ptisanas et sic res latuit
Then the man’s wife took a covering and spread it over the mouth of the well, scattering grain over it so nobody would know a thing.
20 cumque venissent servi Absalom ad mulierem in domum dixerunt ubi est Achimaas et Ionathan et respondit eis mulier transierunt gustata paululum aqua at hii qui quaerebant cum non repperissent reversi sunt Hierusalem
When Absalom’s servants came to the woman at the house, they asked, “Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?” “They have crossed over the brook,” she replied. The men searched but did not find them, so they returned to Jerusalem.
21 cumque abissent ascenderunt illi de puteo et pergentes nuntiaverunt regi David atque dixerunt surgite transite cito fluvium quoniam huiuscemodi dedit consilium contra vos Ahitofel
After the men had gone, Ahimaaz and Jonathan climbed up out of the well and went to inform King David, saying, “Get up and cross over the river at once, for Ahithophel has given this advice against you.”
22 surrexit ergo David et omnis populus qui erat cum eo et transierunt Iordanem donec dilucesceret et ne unus quidem residuus fuit qui non transisset fluvium
So David and all the people with him got up and crossed the Jordan. By daybreak, there was no one left who had not crossed the Jordan.
23 porro Ahitofel videns quod non fuisset factum consilium suum stravit asinum suum et surrexit et abiit in domum suam et in civitatem suam et disposita domo sua suspendio interiit et sepultus est in sepulchro patris sui
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 affairs in order and hanged himself. So he died and was buried in his father’s tomb.
24 David autem venit in Castra et Absalom transivit Iordanem ipse et omnis vir Israhel cum eo
Then David went to Mahanaim, and Absalom crossed the Jordan with all the men of Israel.
25 Amasam vero constituit Absalom pro Ioab super exercitum Amasa autem erat filius viri qui vocabatur Iethra de Hiesreli qui ingressus est ad Abigail filiam Naas sororem Sarviae quae fuit mater Ioab
Absalom had appointed Amasa over the army in place of Joab. Amasa was the son of a man named Ithra, the Ishmaelite who had married Abigail, the daughter of Nahash and sister of Zeruiah the mother of Joab.
26 et castrametatus est Israhel cum Absalom in terra Galaad
So the Israelites and Absalom camped in the land of Gilead.
27 cumque venisset David in Castra Sobi filius Naas de Rabbath filiorum Ammon et Machir filius Ammihel de Lodabar et Berzellai Galaadites de Rogelim
When David came to Mahanaim, he was met by Shobi son of Nahash from Rabbah of the Ammonites, Machir son of Ammiel from Lo-debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim.
28 obtulerunt ei stratoria et tappetia et vasa fictilia frumentum et hordeum et farinam pulentam et fabam et lentem frixum cicer
They brought beds, basins, and earthen vessels, as well as wheat, barley, flour, roasted grain, beans, lentils,
29 et mel et butyrum oves et pingues vitulos dederuntque David et populo qui cum eo erat ad vescendum suspicati enim sunt populum fame et siti fatigari in deserto
honey, curds, sheep, and cheese from the herd for David and his people to eat. For they said, “The people have become hungry, exhausted, and thirsty in the wilderness.”
