2 Samuel 17 - English Standard Version (ESV)

Hushai Saves David

17 Moreover, Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Let me choose twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue David tonight. 2 I will come upon him while he is (A)weary and discouraged and throw him into a panic, and all the people who are with him will flee. (B)I will strike down only the king, 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,[a] and all the people will be at peace.” 4 And the advice seemed right in the eyes of Absalom and all the elders of Israel.

5 Then Absalom said, “Call (C)Hushai the Archite also, and let us hear what he has to say.” 6 And when Hushai came to Absalom, Absalom said to him, “Thus has Ahithophel spoken; shall we do as he says? If not, you speak.” 7 Then Hushai said to Absalom, “This time the counsel that Ahithophel has given is not good.” 8 Hushai said, “You know that your father and his men are mighty men, and that they are enraged,[b] (D)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 Behold, even now he has hidden himself in one of the pits or in some other place. And as soon as some of the people fall[c] at the first attack, whoever hears it will say, ‘There has been a slaughter among the people who follow Absalom.’ 10 Then even the valiant man, whose heart is like the heart of a lion, will utterly (E)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 But my counsel is that all Israel be gathered to you, (F)from Dan to Beersheba, (G)as the sand by the sea for multitude, and that you go to battle in person. 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 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 And Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel.” (H)For the Lord had ordained[d] to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, so that the Lord might bring harm upon Absalom.

15 (I)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 Now therefore send quickly and tell David, ‘Do not stay tonight at (J)the fords of the wilderness, but by all means pass over, lest the king and all the people who are with him be (K)swallowed up.’” 17 Now (L)Jonathan and Ahimaaz were waiting at (M)En-rogel. A female servant was to go and tell them, and they were to go and tell King David, for they were not to be seen entering the city. 18 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 (N)Bahurim, who had a well in his courtyard. And they went down into it. 19 (O)And the woman took and spread a covering over the well's mouth and scattered grain on it, and nothing was known of it. 20 When Absalom's servants came to the woman at the house, they said, “Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?” And the woman said to them, “They have gone over the brook[e] of water.” And when they had sought and could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem.

21 After they had gone, the men came up out of the well, and went and told King David. They said to David, (P)“Arise, and go quickly over the water, for thus and so has Ahithophel counseled against you.” 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 When Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his donkey and went off home to (Q)his own city. He (R)set his house in order and (S)hanged himself, and he died and was buried in the tomb of his father.

24 Then David came to (T)Mahanaim. And Absalom crossed the Jordan with all the men of Israel. 25 Now Absalom had set (U)Amasa over the army instead of Joab. Amasa was the son of a man named Ithra the Ishmaelite,[f] who had married Abigal the daughter of (V)Nahash, sister of Zeruiah, Joab's mother. 26 And Israel and Absalom encamped in the land of Gilead.

27 When David came to Mahanaim, (W)Shobi the son of Nahash from (X)Rabbah of the Ammonites, and (Y)Machir the son of Ammiel from Lo-debar, and (Z)Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim, 28 brought beds, basins, and earthen vessels, wheat, barley, flour, parched grain, beans and lentils,[g] 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 (AA)weary and thirsty (AB)in the wilderness.”

Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 17:3 Septuagint; Hebrew back to you. Like the return of the whole is the man whom you seek
  2. 2 Samuel 17:8 Hebrew bitter of soul
  3. 2 Samuel 17:9 Or And as he falls on them
  4. 2 Samuel 17:14 Hebrew commanded
  5. 2 Samuel 17:20 The meaning of the Hebrew word is uncertain
  6. 2 Samuel 17:25 Compare 1 Chronicles 2:17; Hebrew Israelite
  7. 2 Samuel 17:28 Hebrew adds and parched grain

Cross references

  1. 2 Samuel 17:2 : ch. 16:14; [Deut. 25:18]
  2. 2 Samuel 17:2 : [1 Kgs. 22:31]
  3. 2 Samuel 17:5 : ch. 16:16-18
  4. 2 Samuel 17:8 : Prov. 17:12; Hos. 13:8
  5. 2 Samuel 17:10 : See Josh. 2:11
  6. 2 Samuel 17:11 : See ch. 3:10
  7. 2 Samuel 17:11 : See Gen. 22:17
  8. 2 Samuel 17:14 : ch. 15:31, 34
  9. 2 Samuel 17:15 : ch. 15:35, 36
  10. 2 Samuel 17:16 : ch. 15:28
  11. 2 Samuel 17:16 : ch. 20:19
  12. 2 Samuel 17:17 : ch. 15:27, 36
  13. 2 Samuel 17:17 : Josh. 15:7; 18:16
  14. 2 Samuel 17:18 : See ch. 3:16
  15. 2 Samuel 17:19 : [Josh. 2:6]
  16. 2 Samuel 17:21 : ver. 15, 16
  17. 2 Samuel 17:23 : ch. 15:12
  18. 2 Samuel 17:23 : [2 Kgs. 20:1]
  19. 2 Samuel 17:23 : [Matt. 27:5]
  20. 2 Samuel 17:24 : See Josh. 13:26
  21. 2 Samuel 17:25 : ch. 19:13; 20:9, 12; 1 Kgs. 2:5, 32
  22. 2 Samuel 17:25 : [1 Chr. 2:13, 16]
  23. 2 Samuel 17:27 : [ch. 10:1, 2]
  24. 2 Samuel 17:27 : ch. 12:26, 29
  25. 2 Samuel 17:27 : ch. 9:4
  26. 2 Samuel 17:27 : ch. 19:31, 32; 1 Kgs. 2:7; [Ezra 2:61]
  27. 2 Samuel 17:29 : ch. 16:2
  28. 2 Samuel 17:29 : ch. 15:23

You Might Also Like:

2 Samuel 17 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

17 And Ahithophel said unto Absalom, `Let me choose, I pray thee, twelve thousand men, and I arise and pursue after David to-night, 2 and come upon him, and he weary and feeble-handed, and I have caused him to tremble, and all the people have fled who [are] with him, and I have smitten the king by h...
Read More

2 Samuel 17 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

17 Then Ahithophel said to Absalom, I shall choose to me twelve thousand of men, and I shall rise up, and pursue David in this night. (Then Ahithophel said to Absalom, Let me choose twelve thousand men, and then I shall rise up, and pursue David this very night.) 2 And I shall fall on him, for he is...
Read More

2 Samuel 17 - World English Bible (WEB)

17 Moreover Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Let me now choose twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue after David tonight. 2 I will come on him while he is weary and exhausted, and will make him afraid. All the people who are with him will flee. I will strike the king only, 3 and I will brin...
Read More

2 Samuel 17 - The Voice (VOICE)

17 Ahithophel had a strategy for victory over David and advised Absalom.Ahithophel: Let me choose 12,000 men, and tonight we will pursue David 2-3 while he is weak and weary. We’ll throw him into a panic; then all of the people will run away from him, come back to you, and be safe. I will strike do...
Read More

2 Samuel 17 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

17 Moreover Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Let me now choose 12,000 men, and I will arise and pursue David tonight. 2 I will attack him while he is weary and weak-handed, and terrify him so that all the people that are with him will flee. Then I will strike down the king when he is alone. 3 Then I w...
Read More

2 Samuel 17 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

17 Moreover Ahith′ophel said to Ab′salom, “Let me choose twelve thousand men, and I will set out and pursue David tonight. 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 and I ...
Read More

2 Samuel 17 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

17 Moreover Ahith′ophel said to Ab′salom, “Let me choose twelve thousand men, and I will set out and pursue David tonight. 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 and I ...
Read More

2 Samuel 17 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

17 Moreover, Ahithophel said to Absalom, ‘Let me choose twelve thousand men, and I will set out and pursue David tonight. 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 only the king, 3 and I w...
Read More

2 Samuel 17 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

17 Moreover Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Let me choose twelve thousand men, and I will set out and pursue David tonight. 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 only the king,(A)3 and I wil...
Read More

2 Samuel 17 - New Living Translation (NLT)

17 Now Ahithophel urged Absalom, “Let me choose 12,000 men to start out after David tonight. 2 I will catch up with him while he is weary and discouraged. He and his troops will panic, and everyone will run away. Then I will kill only the king, 3 and I will bring all the people back to you as a brid...
Read More

2 Samuel 17 - New Life Version (NLV)

Hushai and Absalom17 Then Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Let me choose 12,000 men, and I will leave and go after David tonight. 2 I will come upon him while he is tired and weak. I will fill him with fear so that all the people who are with him will run away. Then I will kill the king alone 3 and re...
Read More

2 Samuel 17 - New King James Version (NKJV)

The Advice of Ahithophel and Hushai17 Moreover Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Now let me choose twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue David tonight. 2 I will come upon him while he is (A)weary and weak, and make him [a]afraid. And all the people who are with him will flee, and I will (B)st...
Read More

2 Samuel 17 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

17 Ahithophel said to Absalom, ‘I would[a] choose twelve thousand men and set out tonight in pursuit of David. 2 I would attack him while he is weary and weak. I would strike him with terror, and then all the people with him will flee. I would strike down only the king 3 and bring all the people b...
Read More

2 Samuel 17 - New International Version (NIV)

17 Ahithophel said to Absalom, “I would[a] choose twelve thousand men and set out tonight in pursuit of David. 2 I would attack him while he is weary and weak.(A) I would strike him with terror, and then all the people with him will flee. I would strike down only the king(B) 3 and bring all the peop...
Read More

2 Samuel 17 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

17 One day Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Here’s what I suggest. Choose 12,000 men. Start out tonight and go after David. 2 Attack him while he’s tired and weak. Fill him with terror. Then all the people with him will run away. Don’t strike down anyone except the king. 3 Bring all the other people b...
Read More

2 Samuel 17 - New English Translation (NET)

The Death of Ahithophel17 Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Let me pick out 12,000 men. Then I will go and pursue David this very night. 2 When I catch up with[a] him he will be exhausted and worn out.[b] I will rout him, and the entire army that is with him will flee. I will kill only the king 3 and w...
Read More