| 1 וַיֹּאמֶר אֲחִיתֹפֶל אֶל־אַבְשָׁלֹם אֶבְחֲרָה נָּא שְׁנֵים־עָשָׂר אֶלֶף אִישׁ וְאָקוּמָה וְאֶרְדְּפָה אַחֲרֵי־דָוִד הַלָּיְלָה | 1 Moreover Ahithophel said to Absalom, "Let me choose twelve thousand men, and I will set out and pursue David tonight. |
| 2 וְאָבֹוא עָלָיו וְהוּא יָגֵעַ וּרְפֵה יָדַיִם וְהַחֲרַדְתִּי אֹתֹו וְנָס כָּל־הָעָם אֲשֶׁר־אִתֹּו וְהִכֵּיתִי אֶת־הַמֶּלֶךְ לְבַדֹּו | 2 I will come upon him while he is weary and discouraged, and throw him into a panic; and all the people who are with him will flee. I will strike down the king only, |
| 3 וְאָשִׁיבָה כָל־הָעָם אֵלֶיךָ כְּשׁוּב הַכֹּל הָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה מְבַקֵּשׁ כָּל־הָעָם יִהְיֶה שָׁלֹום | 3 and I will bring all the people back to you as a bride comes home to her husband. You seek the life of only one man, and all the people will be at peace." |
| 4 וַיִּישַׁר הַדָּבָר בְּעֵינֵי אַבְשָׁלֹם וּבְעֵינֵי כָּל־זִקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל׃ ס | 4 And the advice pleased Absalom and all the elders of Israel. |
| 5 וַיֹּאמֶר אַבְשָׁלֹום קְרָא נָא גַּם לְחוּשַׁי הָאַרְכִּי וְנִשְׁמְעָה מַה־בְּפִיו גַּם־הוּא | 5 Then Absalom said, "Call Hushai the Archite also, and let us hear what he has to say." |
| 6 וַיָּבֹא חוּשַׁי אֶל־אַבְשָׁלֹום וַיֹּאמֶר אַבְשָׁלֹום אֵלָיו לֵאמֹר כַּדָּבָר הַזֶּה דִּבֶּר אֲחִיתֹפֶל הֲנַעֲשֶׂה אֶת־דְּבָרֹו אִם־אַיִן אַתָּה דַבֵּר׃ ס | 6 And when Hushai came to Absalom, Absalom said to him, "Thus has Ahithophel spoken; shall we do as he advises? If not, you speak." |
| 7 וַיֹּאמֶר חוּשַׁי אֶל־אַבְשָׁלֹום לֹא־טֹובָה הָעֵצָה אֲשֶׁר־יָעַץ אֲחִיתֹפֶל בַּפַּעַם הַזֹּאת | 7 Then Hushai said to Absalom, "This time the counsel which Ahithophel has given is not good." |
| 8 וַיֹּאמֶר חוּשַׁי אַתָּה יָדַעְתָּ אֶת־אָבִיךָ וְאֶת־אֲנָשָׁיו כִּי גִבֹּרִים הֵמָּה וּמָרֵי נֶפֶשׁ הֵמָּה כְּדֹב שַׁכּוּל בַּשָּׂדֶה וְאָבִיךָ אִישׁ מִלְחָמָה וְלֹא יָלִין אֶת־הָעָם | 8 Hushai said moreover, "You know that your father and his men are mighty men, and that they are enraged, like a bear robbed of her cubs in the field. Besides, your father is expert in war; he will not spend the night with the people. |
| 9 הִנֵּה עַתָּה הוּא־נֶחְבָּא בְּאַחַת הַפְּחָתִים אֹו בְּאַחַד הַמְּקֹומֹת וְהָיָה כִּנְפֹל בָּהֶם בַּתְּחִלָּה וְשָׁמַע הַשֹּׁמֵעַ וְאָמַר הָיְתָה מַגֵּפָה בָּעָם אֲשֶׁר אַחֲרֵי אַבְשָׁלֹם | 9 Behold, even now he has hidden himself in one of the pits, or in some other place. And when some of the people fall at the first attack, whoever hears it will say, 'There has been a slaughter among the people who follow Absalom.' |
| 10 וְהוּא גַם־בֶּן־חַיִל אֲשֶׁר לִבֹּו כְּלֵב הָאַרְיֵה הִמֵּס יִמָּס כִּי־יֹדֵעַ כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵל כִּי־גִבֹּור אָבִיךָ וּבְנֵי־חַיִל אֲשֶׁר אִתֹּו | 10 Then even the valiant man, whose heart is like the heart of a lion, will utterly melt with fear; for all Israel knows that your father is a mighty man, and that those who are with him are valiant men. |
| 11 כִּי יָעַצְתִּי הֵאָסֹף יֵאָסֵף עָלֶיךָ כָל־יִשְׂרָאֵל מִדָּן וְעַד־בְּאֵר שֶׁבַע כַּחֹול אֲשֶׁר־עַל־הַיָּם לָרֹב וּפָנֶיךָ הֹלְכִים בַּקְרָב | 11 But my counsel is that all Israel be gathered to you, from Dan to Beer-sheba, as the sand by the sea for multitude, and that you go to battle in person. |
| 12 וּבָאנוּ אֵלָיו [בְּאַחַת כ] (בְּאַחַד ק) הַמְּקֹומֹת אֲשֶׁר נִמְצָא שָׁם וְנַחְנוּ עָלָיו כַּאֲשֶׁר יִפֹּל הַטַּל עַל־הָאֲדָמָה וְלֹא־נֹותַר בֹּו וּבְכָל־הָאֲנָשִׁים אֲשֶׁר־אִתֹּו גַּם־אֶחָד | 12 So we shall come upon him in some place where he is to be found, and we shall light upon him as the dew falls on the ground; and of him and all the men with him not one will be left. |
| 13 וְאִם־אֶל־עִיר יֵאָסֵף וְהִשִּׂיאוּ כָל־יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל־הָעִיר הַהִיא חֲבָלִים וְסָחַבְנוּ אֹתֹו עַד־הַנַּחַל עַד אֲשֶׁר־לֹא־נִמְצָא שָׁם גַּם־צְרֹור׃ פ | 13 If he withdraws into a city, then all Israel will bring ropes to that city, and we shall drag it into the valley, until not even a pebble is to be found there." |
| 14 וַיֹּאמֶר אַבְשָׁלֹום וְכָל־אִישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל טֹובָה עֲצַת חוּשַׁי הָאַרְכִּי מֵעֲצַת אֲחִיתֹפֶל וַיהוָה צִוָּה לְהָפֵר אֶת־עֲצַת אֲחִיתֹפֶל הַטֹּובָה לְבַעֲבוּר הָבִיא יְהוָה אֶל־אַבְשָׁלֹום אֶת־הָרָעָה׃ ס | 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 ordained to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, so that the LORD might bring evil upon Absalom. |
| 15 וַיֹּאמֶר חוּשַׁי אֶל־צָדֹוק וְאֶל־אֶבְיָתָר הַכֹּהֲנִים כָּזֹאת וְכָזֹאת יָעַץ אֲחִיתֹפֶל אֶת־אַבְשָׁלֹם וְאֵת זִקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְכָזֹאת וְכָזֹאת יָעַצְתִּי אָנִי | 15 Then Hushai said to Zadok and Abiathar the priests, "Thus and so did Ahithophel counsel Absalom and the elders of Israel; and thus and so have I counseled. |
| 16 וְעַתָּה שִׁלְחוּ מְהֵרָה וְהַגִּידוּ לְדָוִד לֵאמֹר אַל־תָּלֶן הַלַּיְלָה בְּעַרְבֹות הַמִּדְבָּר וְגַם עָבֹור תַּעֲבֹור פֶּן יְבֻלַּע לַמֶּלֶךְ וּלְכָל־הָעָם אֲשֶׁר אִתֹּו | 16 Now therefore send quickly and tell David, 'Do not lodge tonight at the fords of the wilderness, but by all means pass over; lest the king and all the people who are with him be swallowed up.'" |
| 17 וִיהֹונָתָן וַאֲחִימַעַץ עֹמְדִים בְּעֵין־רֹגֵל וְהָלְכָה הַשִּׁפְחָה וְהִגִּידָה לָהֶם וְהֵם יֵלְכוּ וְהִגִּידוּ לַמֶּלֶךְ דָּוִד כִּי לֹא יוּכְלוּ לְהֵרָאֹות לָבֹוא הָעִירָה | 17 Now Jonathan and Ahima-az were waiting at En-rogel; a maidservant used to go and tell them, and they would go and tell King David; for they must not be seen entering the city. |
| 18 וַיַּרְא אֹתָם נַעַר וַיַּגֵּד לְאַבְשָׁלֹם וַיֵּלְכוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם מְהֵרָה וַיָּבֹאוּ ׀ אֶל־בֵּית־אִישׁ בְּבַחוּרִים וְלֹו בְאֵר בַּחֲצֵרֹו וַיֵּרְדוּ שָׁם | 18 But a lad saw them, and told Absalom; so both of them went away quickly, and came to the house of a man at Bahurim, who had a well in his courtyard; and they went down into it. |
| 19 וַתִּקַּח הָאִשָּׁה וַתִּפְרֹשׂ אֶת־הַמָּסָךְ עַל־פְּנֵי הַבְּאֵר וַתִּשְׁטַח עָלָיו הָרִפֹות וְלֹא נֹודַע דָּבָר | 19 And the woman took and spread a covering over the well's mouth, and scattered grain upon it; and nothing was known of it. |
| 20 וַיָּבֹאוּ עַבְדֵי אַבְשָׁלֹום אֶל־הָאִשָּׁה הַבַּיְתָה וַיֹּאמְרוּ אַיֵּה אֲחִימַעַץ וִיהֹונָתָן וַתֹּאמֶר לָהֶם הָאִשָּׁה עָבְרוּ מִיכַל הַמָּיִם וַיְבַקְשׁוּ וְלֹא מָצָאוּ וַיָּשֻׁבוּ יְרוּשָׁלִָם׃ ס | 20 When Absalom's servants came to the woman at the house, they said, "Where are Ahima-az and Jonathan?" And the woman said to them, "They have gone over the brook of water." And when they had sought and could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem. |
| 21 וַיְהִי ׀ אַחֲרֵי לֶכְתָּם וַיַּעֲלוּ מֵהַבְּאֵר וַיֵּלְכוּ וַיַּגִּדוּ לַמֶּלֶךְ דָּוִד וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֶל־דָּוִד קוּמוּ וְעִבְרוּ מְהֵרָה אֶת־הַמַּיִם כִּי־כָכָה יָעַץ עֲלֵיכֶם אֲחִיתֹפֶל | 21 After they had gone, the men came up out of the well, and went and told King David. They said to David, "Arise, and go quickly over the water; for thus and so has Ahithophel counseled against you." |
| 22 וַיָּקָם דָּוִד וְכָל־הָעָם אֲשֶׁר אִתֹּו וַיַּעַבְרוּ אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּן עַד־אֹור הַבֹּקֶר עַד־אַחַד לֹא נֶעְדָּר אֲשֶׁר לֹא־עָבַר אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּן | 22 Then David arose, and all the people who were with him, and they crossed the Jordan; by daybreak not one was left who had not crossed the Jordan. |
| 23 וַאֲחִיתֹפֶל רָאָה כִּי לֹא נֶעֶשְׂתָה עֲצָתֹו וַיַּחֲבֹשׁ אֶת־הַחֲמֹור וַיָּקָם וַיֵּלֶךְ אֶל־בֵּיתֹו אֶל־עִירֹו וַיְצַו אֶל־בֵּיתֹו וַיֵּחָנַק וַיָּמָת וַיִּקָּבֵר בְּקֶבֶר אָבִיו׃ ס | 23 When Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his ass, and went off home to his own city. And he set his house in order, and hanged himself; and he died, and was buried in the tomb of his father. |
| 24 וְדָוִד בָּא מַחֲנָיְמָה וְאַבְשָׁלֹם עָבַר אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּן הוּא וְכָל־אִישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל עִמֹּו | 24 Then David came to Mahanaim. And Absalom crossed the Jordan with all the men of Israel. |
| 25 וְאֶת־עֲמָשָׂא שָׂם אַבְשָׁלֹם תַּחַת יֹואָב עַל־הַצָּבָא וַעֲמָשָׂא בֶן־אִישׁ וּשְׁמֹו יִתְרָא הַיִּשְׂרְאֵלִי אֲשֶׁר־בָּא אֶל־אֲבִיגַל בַּת־נָחָשׁ אֲחֹות צְרוּיָה אֵם יֹואָב | 25 Now Absalom had set Amasa over the army instead of Joab. Amasa was the son of a man named Ithra the Ishmaelite, who had married Abigal the daughter of Nahash, sister of Zeruiah, Joab's mother. |
| 26 וַיִּחַן יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאַבְשָׁלֹם אֶרֶץ הַגִּלְעָד׃ ס | 26 And Israel and Absalom encamped in the land of Gilead. |
| 27 וַיְהִי כְּבֹוא דָוִד מַחֲנָיְמָה וְשֹׁבִי בֶן־נָחָשׁ מֵרַבַּת בְּנֵי־עַמֹּון וּמָכִיר בֶּן־עַמִּיאֵל מִלֹּא דְבָר וּבַרְזִלַּי הַגִּלְעָדִי מֵרֹגְלִים | 27 When David came to Mahanaim, Shobi the son of Nahash from Rabbah of the Ammonites, and Machir the son of Ammiel from Lo-debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim, |
| 28 מִשְׁכָּב וְסַפֹּות וּכְלִי יֹוצֵר וְחִטִּים וּשְׂעֹרִים וְקֶמַח וְקָלִי וּפֹול וַעֲדָשִׁים וְקָלִי | 28 brought beds, basins, and earthen vessels, wheat, barley, meal, parched grain, beans and lentils, |
| 29 וּדְבַשׁ וְחֶמְאָה וְצֹאן וּשְׁפֹות בָּקָר הִגִּישׁוּ לְדָוִד וְלָעָם אֲשֶׁר־אִתֹּו לֶאֱכֹול כִּי אָמְרוּ הָעָם רָעֵב וְעָיֵף וְצָמֵא בַּמִּדְבָּר | 29 honey and curds and sheep and cheese from the herd, for David and the people with him to eat; for they said, "The people are hungry and weary and thirsty in the wilderness." |
