2 Samuel 17

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Ahithophel said to Absalom, 'Let me choose twelve thousand men and set off this very night in pursuitof David.	1 Ahithophel went on to say to Absalom: "Please let me choose twelve thousand men, and be off in pursuit of David tonight.
2 I shal fal on him while he is tired and dispirited; I shal strike terror into him, and al the people whoare with him wil run away. I shal kil only the king,	2 If I come upon him when he is weary and discouraged, I shall cause him panic. When all the people with him flee, I shall strike down the king alone.
3 and I shal then bring al the people back to you, like a bride returning to her husband. You seek thelife of one individual only; the people as a whole wil have peace.'	3 Then I can bring back the rest of the people to you, as a bride returns to her husband. It is the death of only one man you are seeking; then all the people will be at peace."
4 The suggestion seemed a good one to Absalom and all the elders of Israel.	4 This plan was agreeable to Absalom and to all the elders of Israel.
5 Then Absalom said, 'Now cal Hushai the Archite, for us to hear what he too has to say.'	5 Then Absalom said, "Now call Hushai the Archite also; let us hear what he too has to say."
6 When Hushai had come to Absalom, Absalom said, 'This is what Ahithophel says. Are we to do as hesuggests? If not, suggest something yourself.'	6 When Hushai came to Absalom, Absalom said to him: "This is what Ahithophel proposed. Shall we follow his proposal? If not, speak up."
7 Hushai said to Absalom, 'On this occasion the advice given by Ahithophel is not good.	7 Hushai replied to Absalom, "This time Ahithophel has not given good counsel."
8 You know', Hushai went on, 'that your father and his men are great fighters and that they are now asangry as a wild bear robbed of her cubs. Your father is a man of war: he wil not let the army rest during thenight.	8 And he went on to say: "You know that your father and his men are warriors, and that they are as fierce as a bear in the wild robbed of her cubs. Moreover, since your father is skilled in warfare, he will not spend the night with the people.
9 At this moment he is concealed in some hol ow or other place. If at the outset there are casualtiesamong our troops, word will go round that the army supporting Absalom has met with disaster.	9 Even now he lies hidden in one of the caves or in some other place. And if some of our soldiers should fall at the first attack, whoever hears of it will say, 'Absalom's followers have been slaughtered.'
10 And then even the valiant, the truly lion-hearted, will be demoralised; for al Israel knows that yourfather is a champion and that the men with him are valiant.	10 Then even the brave man with the heart of a lion will lose courage. For all Israel knows that your father is a warrior and that those who are with him are brave.
11 For my part, I offer this advice: Summon al Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, to ral y to you, asnumerous as the sand on the seashore, and you take the field in person with them.	11 "This is what I counsel: Let all Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba, who are as numerous as the sands by the sea, be called up for combat; and go with them yourself.
12 We shall reach him wherever he is to be found; we shal fal on him as the dew fal s on the ground,and not leave him or any one of the men with him.	12 We can then attack him wherever we find him, settling down upon him as dew alights on the ground. None shall survive--neither he nor any of his followers.
13 Should he retire into a town, all Israel will bring ropes to that town, and we shal drag it into the river-bed until not a pebble of it is to be found.'	13 And if he retires into a city, all Israel shall bring ropes to that city and we can drag it into the gorge, so that not even a pebble of it can be found."
14 Then Absalom and al the people of Israel said, 'Hushai the Arkite's advice is better thanAhithophel's,' Yahweh having resolved to thwart Ahithophel's shrewd advice and so bring disaster on Absalom.	14 Then Absalom and all the Israelites pronounced the counsel of Hushai the Archite better than that of Ahithophel. For the LORD had decided to undo Ahithophel's good counsel, in order thus to bring Absalom to ruin.
15 Hushai then told the priests Zadok and Abiathar, 'Ahithophel gave such and such advice to Absalomand the elders of Israel, but I advised so and so.	15 Then Hushai said to the priests Zadok and Abiathar: "This is the counsel Ahithophel gave Absalom and the elders of Israel, and this is what I counseled.
16 Send with al speed to David and say, "Do not camp in the desert passes tonight, but get throughthem as fast as you can, or the king and his whole army may be annihilated." '	16 So send a warning to David immediately, not to spend the night at the fords near the desert, but to cross over without fail. Otherwise the king and all the people with him will be destroyed."
17 Jonathan and Ahimaaz were posted at the Fuller's Spring; a servant-girl was to go and warn themand they in turn were to warn King David, since they could not give themselves away by coming into the citythemselves.	17 Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz were staying at En-rogel, since they could not risk being seen entering the city. A maidservant was to come with information for them, and they in turn were to go and report to King David.
18 A young man saw them nonetheless and told Absalom. The pair of them, however, made off quickly,reaching the house of a man in Bahurim. In his courtyard was a storage-wel and they got down into it.	18 But an attendant saw them and informed Absalom. They sped on their way and reached the house of a man in Bahurim who had a cistern in his courtyard. They let themselves down into this,
19 The woman took a piece of canvas and, spreading it over the mouth of the storage-wel , scatteredcrushed grain on it so that nothing showed.	19 and the housewife took the cover and spread it over the cistern, strewing ground grain on the cover so that nothing could be noticed.
20 When Absalom's servants reached the woman at the house, they said, 'Where are Ahimaaz andJonathan?' The woman said, 'They have gone further on, towards the water.' They searched but, having foundnothing, went back to Jerusalem.	20 When Absalom's servants came to the woman at the house, they asked, "Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?" The woman replied, "They went by a short while ago toward the water." They searched, but found no one, and so returned to Jerusalem.
21 When they had gone, the men climbed out of the storage-wel and went to warn King David. 'Set out!'they told David. 'Cross the water quickly, for Ahithophel has given such and such advice against you!'	21 As soon as they left, Ahimaaz and Jonathan came up out of the cistern and went on to inform King David. They said to him: "Leave! Cross the water at once, for Ahithophel has given the following counsel in regard to you."
22 So David and al the troops with him set off and crossed the Jordan. By dawn no one was left, al hadcrossed the Jordan.	22 So David and all his people moved on and crossed the Jordan. By daybreak, there was no one left who had not crossed.
23 When Ahithophel saw that his advice had not been followed, he saddled his donkey and set off andwent home to his own town. Then, having set his house in order, he hanged himself. He was buried in hisfather's tomb.	23 When Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not acted upon, he saddled his ass and departed, going to his home in his own city. Then, having left orders concerning his family, he hanged himself. And so he died and was buried in his father's tomb.
24 David had reached Mahanaim by the time that Absalom crossed the Jordan with al the men of Israel.	24 Now David had gone to Mahanaim when Absalom crossed the Jordan accompanied by all the Israelites.
25 Absalom had put Amasa in command of the army in place of Joab. This Amasa was the son of aman cal ed Ithra the Ishmaelite, who had married Abigail, daughter of Jesse and sister of Zeruiah, mother ofJoab.	25 Absalom had put Amasa in command of the army in Joab's place. Amasa was the son of an Ishmaelite named Ithra, who had married Abigail, daughter of Jesse and sister of Joab's mother Zeruiah.
26 Israel and Absalom pitched their camp in the territory of Gilead.	26 Israel and Absalom encamped in the territory of Gilead.
27 When David reached Mahanaim, Shobi son of Nahash from Rabbah-of-the-Ammonites, Machir sonof Ammiel from Lo-Debar, and Barzil ai the Gileadite from Rogelim	27 When David came to Mahanaim, Shobi, son of Nahash from Rabbah of the Ammonites, Machir, son of Ammiel from Lodebar, and Barzillai, the Gileadite from Rogelim,
28 brought bedding, rugs, bowls and crockery; and wheat, barley, meal, roasted grain, beans, lentils,	28 brought couches, coverlets, basins and earthenware, as well as wheat, barley, flour, roasted grain, beans, lentils,
29 honey, curds and cows' cheese and sheep's cheese, which they presented to David and the peoplewith him for them to eat. 'The army', they said, 'must have been hungry, tired and thirsty in the desert.'	29 honey, butter and cheese from the flocks and herds, for David and those who were with him to eat; for they said, "The people have been hungry and tired and thirsty in the desert."