Sh'muel (שמואל) - 2 Samuele 17

STUTTGARTENSIA-DELITZSCH	NEW JERUSALEM
1 וַיֹּאמֶר אֲחִיתֹפֶל אֶל־אַבְשָׁלֹם אֶבְחֲרָה נָּא שְׁנֵים־עָשָׂר אֶלֶף אִישׁ וְאָקוּמָה וְאֶרְדְּפָה אַחֲרֵי־דָוִד הַלָּיְלָה	1 Ahithophel said to Absalom, 'Let me choose twelve thousand men and set off this very night in pursuitof David.
2 וְאָבֹוא עָלָיו וְהוּא יָגֵעַ וּרְפֵה יָדַיִם וְהַחֲרַדְתִּי אֹתֹו וְנָס כָּל־הָעָם אֲשֶׁר־אִתֹּו וְהִכֵּיתִי אֶת־הַמֶּלֶךְ לְבַדֹּו	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,
3 וְאָשִׁיבָה כָל־הָעָם אֵלֶיךָ כְּשׁוּב הַכֹּל הָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה מְבַקֵּשׁ כָּל־הָעָם יִהְיֶה שָׁלֹום	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.'
4 וַיִּישַׁר הַדָּבָר בְּעֵינֵי אַבְשָׁלֹם וּבְעֵינֵי כָּל־זִקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל׃ ס	4 The suggestion seemed a good one to Absalom and all the elders of Israel.
5 וַיֹּאמֶר אַבְשָׁלֹום קְרָא נָא גַּם לְחוּשַׁי הָאַרְכִּי וְנִשְׁמְעָה מַה־בְּפִיו גַּם־הוּא	5 Then Absalom said, 'Now cal Hushai the Archite, for us to hear what he too 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 When Hushai had come to Absalom, Absalom said, 'This is what Ahithophel says. Are we to do as hesuggests? If not, suggest something yourself.'
7 וַיֹּאמֶר חוּשַׁי אֶל־אַבְשָׁלֹום לֹא־טֹובָה הָעֵצָה אֲשֶׁר־יָעַץ אֲחִיתֹפֶל בַּפַּעַם הַזֹּאת	7 Hushai said to Absalom, 'On this occasion the advice given by Ahithophel 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 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.
9 הִנֵּה עַתָּה הוּא־נֶחְבָּא בְּאַחַת הַפְּחָתִים אֹו בְּאַחַד הַמְּקֹומֹת וְהָיָה כִּנְפֹל בָּהֶם בַּתְּחִלָּה וְשָׁמַע הַשֹּׁמֵעַ וְאָמַר הָיְתָה מַגֵּפָה בָּעָם אֲשֶׁר אַחֲרֵי אַבְשָׁלֹם	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.
10 וְהוּא גַם־בֶּן־חַיִל אֲשֶׁר לִבֹּו כְּלֵב הָאַרְיֵה הִמֵּס יִמָּס כִּי־יֹדֵעַ כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵל כִּי־גִבֹּור אָבִיךָ וּבְנֵי־חַיִל אֲשֶׁר אִתֹּו	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.
11 כִּי יָעַצְתִּי הֵאָסֹף יֵאָסֵף עָלֶיךָ כָל־יִשְׂרָאֵל מִדָּן וְעַד־בְּאֵר שֶׁבַע כַּחֹול אֲשֶׁר־עַל־הַיָּם לָרֹב וּפָנֶיךָ הֹלְכִים בַּקְרָב	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.
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 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.
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 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.'
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 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.
15 וַיֹּאמֶר חוּשַׁי אֶל־צָדֹוק וְאֶל־אֶבְיָתָר הַכֹּהֲנִים כָּזֹאת וְכָזֹאת יָעַץ אֲחִיתֹפֶל אֶת־אַבְשָׁלֹם וְאֵת זִקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְכָזֹאת וְכָזֹאת יָעַצְתִּי אָנִי	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.
16 וְעַתָּה שִׁלְחוּ מְהֵרָה וְהַגִּידוּ לְדָוִד לֵאמֹר אַל־תָּלֶן הַלַּיְלָה בְּעַרְבֹות הַמִּדְבָּר וְגַם עָבֹור תַּעֲבֹור פֶּן יְבֻלַּע לַמֶּלֶךְ וּלְכָל־הָעָם אֲשֶׁר אִתֹּו	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." '
17 וִיהֹונָתָן וַאֲחִימַעַץ עֹמְדִים בְּעֵין־רֹגֵל וְהָלְכָה הַשִּׁפְחָה וְהִגִּידָה לָהֶם וְהֵם יֵלְכוּ וְהִגִּידוּ לַמֶּלֶךְ דָּוִד כִּי לֹא יוּכְלוּ לְהֵרָאֹות לָבֹוא הָעִירָה	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.
18 וַיַּרְא אֹתָם נַעַר וַיַּגֵּד לְאַבְשָׁלֹם וַיֵּלְכוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם מְהֵרָה וַיָּבֹאוּ ׀ אֶל־בֵּית־אִישׁ בְּבַחוּרִים וְלֹו בְאֵר בַּחֲצֵרֹו וַיֵּרְדוּ שָׁם	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.
19 וַתִּקַּח הָאִשָּׁה וַתִּפְרֹשׂ אֶת־הַמָּסָךְ עַל־פְּנֵי הַבְּאֵר וַתִּשְׁטַח עָלָיו הָרִפֹות וְלֹא נֹודַע דָּבָר	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.
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 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.
21 וַיְהִי ׀ אַחֲרֵי לֶכְתָּם וַיַּעֲלוּ מֵהַבְּאֵר וַיֵּלְכוּ וַיַּגִּדוּ לַמֶּלֶךְ דָּוִד וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֶל־דָּוִד קוּמוּ וְעִבְרוּ מְהֵרָה אֶת־הַמַּיִם כִּי־כָכָה יָעַץ עֲלֵיכֶם אֲחִיתֹפֶל	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!'
22 וַיָּקָם דָּוִד וְכָל־הָעָם אֲשֶׁר אִתֹּו וַיַּעַבְרוּ אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּן עַד־אֹור הַבֹּקֶר עַד־אַחַד לֹא נֶעְדָּר אֲשֶׁר לֹא־עָבַר אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּן	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.
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 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.
24 וְדָוִד בָּא מַחֲנָיְמָה וְאַבְשָׁלֹם עָבַר אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּן הוּא וְכָל־אִישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל עִמֹּו	24 David had reached Mahanaim by the time that Absalom crossed the Jordan with al 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 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.
26 וַיִּחַן יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאַבְשָׁלֹם אֶרֶץ הַגִּלְעָד׃ ס	26 Israel and Absalom pitched their camp in the territory of Gilead.
27 וַיְהִי כְּבֹוא דָוִד מַחֲנָיְמָה וְשֹׁבִי בֶן־נָחָשׁ מֵרַבַּת בְּנֵי־עַמֹּון וּמָכִיר בֶּן־עַמִּיאֵל מִלֹּא דְבָר וּבַרְזִלַּי הַגִּלְעָדִי מֵרֹגְלִים	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
28 מִשְׁכָּב וְסַפֹּות וּכְלִי יֹוצֵר וְחִטִּים וּשְׂעֹרִים וְקֶמַח וְקָלִי וּפֹול וַעֲדָשִׁים וְקָלִי	28 brought bedding, rugs, bowls and crockery; and wheat, barley, meal, roasted grain, beans, lentils,
29 וּדְבַשׁ וְחֶמְאָה וְצֹאן וּשְׁפֹות בָּקָר הִגִּישׁוּ לְדָוִד וְלָעָם אֲשֶׁר־אִתֹּו לֶאֱכֹול כִּי אָמְרוּ הָעָם רָעֵב וְעָיֵף וְצָמֵא בַּמִּדְבָּר	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.'