And Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Let me choose twelve thousand men, and I will arise, and pursue after David tonight.

I will go upon him while he is weary and his hands are weakened. When I will make him tremble, and all the people who are with him will retreat, I will kill the king only.

And I will bring back all the people to you. All of them will come back, after the man whom you seek will be killed. All the people will be at peace.

And the word was suitable in the sight of Absalom and in the sight of all the elders of Israel.

Then Absalom said, “Call Hushai the Archite also, and let us hear what he has to say.”

And when Hushai came to Absalom, Absalom said to him, saying, “According to this word has Ahithophel spoken. Shall we carry out his word? If it is not suitable in your sight, you speak.”

Then Hushai said to Absalom, “This time the counsel which Ahithophel has given is not right.”

And Hushai said, “You know that your father and his men are heroes, and that they are bitter of soul, like a bereaved bear in the field. Besides, your father is a man who wages wars and he will not spend the night with the people.

Behold, even now he has hidden himself in one of the pits, or in some of the other places. And when there are casualties among them at the first [attack], whoever hears it will say, ‘There has been a slaughter among the people who follow Absalom.’

And he, even [if he is] a heroic man whose heart is like the heart of a lion, will utterly melt, for all Israel knows that your father is a hero and that those who are with him are heroic men.

Thus I advise, let all Israel be completely gathered to you, from Dan to Beer sheba, as the sand which is by the sea for multitude. And you yourself must be going at our head.

So we shall go against him in one of the places where he is to be found, and we shall descend on him as the dew descends on the ground. And of him and all the men that are with him not even one will be left.

And if he gathers into a city, then all Israel will gather itself against that city and armies will encircle it. And we will root it out and its stones, and we will throw it into the brook, until not a stone will be left.”

And Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The counsel of Hushai the Archite is right, more than the counsel of Ahithophel.” For the LORD had ordained to ruin the right counsel of Ahithophel, so that the LORD might bring evil upon Absalom.

Then Hushai said to Zadok and Abiathar the priests, “Thus and thus did Ahithophel counsel Absalom and the elders of Israel; and thus and thus have I counselled.

And now, send quickly and tell David, saying, “Do not lodge tonight in the valleys of the desert, but by all means pass over. This may be profitable for the king and for all the people who are with him.

Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz were staying at the Fuller’s Spring. And a handmaid went and told them that they should go and tell King David, because they must not be seen entering the city.

But a young man saw them, and told Absalom. So both of them went away quickly, and came to the house of a man at Almath, who had a well in his courtyard, and they went down into it.

And the woman took and spread a covering over the well’s mouth, and scattered dates upon it. And nothing was known of it.

When Absalom’s servants came to the woman, they said, “Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?” And the woman said to them, “They have already crossed the Jordan.” And when they sought and could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem.

After they had gone, the men came up out of the well, and went and told King David. They said to David, “Arise, and quickly cross the Jordan, for thus and thus has Ahithophel counselled against you.”

Then David arose, and all the people who were with him, and they crossed the Jordan. By morning dawn not one was left who had not crossed the Jordan.

When Ahithophel had seen that his counsel was not established, he saddled his ass, and arose and went off home to his own city. And he gave orders concerning the people of his house, and hanged himself, and he died. He was buried in the tomb of his father.

While David came to Mahanaim, Absalom crossed the Jordan, and all the people of Israel with him.

Now Absalom had set Amasa over the army instead of Joab. Amasa was the son of a man named Ithra the Israelite, who had gone in to Abigail the daughter of Nahash, sister of Zeruiah, Joab’s mother.

And Israel and Absalom encamped in the land of Gilead.

When David came to Mahanaim, Shobi the son of Nahash from Rabbah of the sons of Ammon, and Machir the son of Ammiel from Lo debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim brought

cushions, jars, earthen pottery, and wheat, barley, flour, parched grain, beans, lentils, parched grain,

honey, butter, sheep, and cheese of cow’s milk to David and the people who were with him to eat, for they said, “The people must be hungry and weary and thirsty in the desert.”