1 Ahithophel said to Absalom:
Let me choose 12,000 men and attack David tonight, 2 while he is tired and discouraged. He will panic, and everyone with him will run away. I won't kill anyone except David, 3 since he's the one you want to get rid of. Then I'll bring the whole nation back to you like a bride coming home to her husband. This way there won't be a civil war.
Hushai Fools Absalom
4 Absalom and all the leaders of the tribes of Israel agreed that Ahithophel had a good plan. 5 Then Absalom said, “Bring in Hushai the Archite. Let's hear what he has to say.”
6 Hushai came in, and Absalom told him what Ahithophel had planned. Then Absalom said, “Should we do what he says? And if we shouldn't, can you come up with anything better?”
7 Hushai said:
This time Ahithophel's advice isn't so good. 8 You know that your father and his followers are real warriors. Now they are as fierce as a mother bear whose cubs have just been killed. Besides, your father has a lot of experience in fighting wars, and he won't be spending the night with the others. 9 He has probably already found a hiding place in a cave or somewhere else.
As soon as anyone hears that some of your soldiers have been killed, everyone will think your whole army has been destroyed. 10 Then even those who are as brave as a lion will lose their courage. All Israel knows what a great warrior your father is and what brave soldiers he has.
11 My advice is to gather all the fighting men of Israel from the town of Dan in the north down to the town of Beersheba in the south. You will have more soldiers than there are grains of sand on the seashore. Absalom, you should lead them yourself, 12 and we will all go to fight David wherever he is. We will fall on him just as dew falls and covers the ground. He and all his soldiers will die! 13 If they go into a walled town, we will put ropes around that town and drag it into the river. We won't leave even one small piece of a stone.
14 Absalom and the others liked Hushai's plan better than Ahithophel's plan. This was because the Lord had decided to keep Ahithophel's plan from working and to cause trouble for Absalom.
Jonathan and Ahimaaz Tell David the News
15 At once, Hushai went to Zadok and Abiathar. He told them what advice Ahithophel had given to Absalom and to the leaders of Israel. He also told them about the advice he had given. 16 Then he said, “Hurry! Send someone to warn David not to spend the night on this side of the Jordan. He must get across the river, so he and the others won't be wiped out!”
17 Jonathan and Ahimaaz had been waiting at Rogel Spring because they did not want to be seen in Jerusalem. A servant girl went to the spring and gave them the message for David. 18 But a young man saw them and went to tell Absalom. So Jonathan and Ahimaaz left and hurried to the house of a man who lived in Bahurim. Then they climbed down into a well in the courtyard. 19 The man's wife put the cover on the well and poured grain on top of it, so the well could not be seen.
20 Absalom's soldiers came to the woman and demanded, “Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?”
The woman answered, “They went across that stream.”
The soldiers went off to look for the two men. But when they did not find the men, they went back to Jerusalem.
21 After the soldiers had gone, Jonathan and Ahimaaz climbed out of the well. They went to David and said, “Hurry! Get ready to cross the river!” Then they told him about Ahithophel's plan.
22 David and the others got ready and started crossing the Jordan River. By sunrise all of them were on the other side.
Ahithophel Kills Himself
23 When Ahithophel saw that Absalom and the leaders of Israel were not going to follow his advice, he saddled his donkey and rode back to his home in Gilo. He told his family and servants what to do. Then he hanged himself, and they buried him in his family's burial place.
Absalom Puts Amasa in Charge of the Army
24 David went to the town of Mahanaim, and Absalom crossed the Jordan River with the army of Israel. 25 Absalom put Amasa in Joab's place as commander of the army. Amasa's father was Ithra from the family of Ishmael, and his mother was Abigal, the daughter of Nahash and the sister of Joab's mother Zeruiah. 26 The Israelites under Absalom's command set up camp in the region of Gilead.
Friends Bring Supplies to David
27 After David came to the town of Mahanaim, Shobi the son of Nahash came from Rabbah in Ammon, Machir the son of Ammiel came from Lo-Debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite came from Rogelim.
28-29 Here is a list of what they brought: sleeping mats, blankets, bowls, pottery jars, wheat, barley, flour, roasted grain, beans, lentils, honey, yogurt, sheep, and cheese.
They brought the food for David and the others because they knew that everyone would be hungry, tired, and thirsty from being out in the desert.
Hūšaja padoms
1 Ahītofels teica Abšālomam: “Ļauj, lai izraugos divpadsmit tūkstošus vīru un šonakt pat ceļos un dzenos Dāvidam pakaļ. 2 Es uzbrukšu viņam, kamēr tas noguris un vārgs, uzdzīšu viņam šausmas; kad visi viņa ļaudis metīsies bēgt, es nokaušu ķēniņu vienu pašu 3 un pārvedīšu visu tautu pie tevis. Vai tā atgriežas, atkarīgs no vīra, pēc kura tu tīko, un tad visa tauta būs mierā.” 4 Šie vārdi patika Abšālomam un visiem Israēla vecajiem.
5 Tomēr Abšāloms teica: “Pasauc taču arī arkieti Hūšaju, paklausīsimies arī viņu, kas tam sakāms!” 6 Hūšajs atnāca pie Abšāloma, un Abšāloms tam sacīja: “Redzi, tā sacīja Ahītofels – vai mums darīt, kā viņš teica? Ja ne, runā tu!”
7 Hūšajs sacīja Abšālomam: “Ahītofela padoms šoreiz nav labs.” 8 Hūšajs sacīja: “Tu taču pazīsti savu tēvu un viņa vīrus, tie ir spēkavīri, tie ir nikni kā lācene laukā, kurai laupīti bērni! Tavs tēvs ir karotājs, kopā ar ļaudīm viņš nakti negulēs. 9 Redzi, jau tagad viņš slēpjas kādā bedrē vai kur citur. Ja kāds no šiem kritīs pašā sākumā, visur sāks runāt: posts piemeklējis tos, kas seko Abšālomam! 10 Tad izbīsies pat stiprinieki, kam sirdis kā lauvām, jo viss Israēls zina, ka tavs tēvs ir spēkavīrs un tie, kas kopā ar viņu, – stiprinieki! 11 Mans padoms – pulcināt sapulcini pie sevis visu Israēlu no Dāna līdz Bēršebai – lai to ir kā piejūras smilšu – un pats ved viņus cīņā! 12 Mēs uzbruksim viņam ikkatrā vietā, lai kur viņš būtu. Mēs uzkritīsim viņam kā zemei rasa, līdz nepaliks pāri nedz viņš, nedz kāds no vīriem, kas kopā ar viņu! 13 Ja viņš patversies pilsētā, viss Israēls sanesīs virves pie tās, un mēs to pilsētu ievilksim upē – pat akmentiņu tur vairs neatradīs!”
14 Abšāloms un visi israēlieši sacīja: “Arkieša Hūšaja padoms ir labāks par Ahītofela padomu!” Tā Kungs bija nolicis, ka labais Ahītofela padoms tiek noraidīts – lai Kungs uzsūtītu Abšālomam postu.
Hūšajs brīdina Dāvidu
15 Hūšajs pastāstīja priesteriem Cādokam un Ebjātāram: “Tāds bija Ahītofela padoms Abšālomam un Israēla vecajiem, bet šāds bija mans padoms. 16 Tad nu steigšus sūtiet pie Dāvida un sakiet viņam: nepaliec pa nakti tuksneša pārejās, celies pāri upei, iekams ķēniņš un visi viņa ļaudis nav pagalam.” 17 Jonatāns un Ahīmaacs bija Ēn-Rogēlā. Lai viņus nepamanītu ienākam pilsētā, kalpone gāja tiem pateikt, lai tie steidz ar ziņu pie ķēniņa Dāvida. 18 Taču kāds puisis viņus redzēja un izstāstīja Abšālomam. Bet viņi abi steigšus devās ceļā un Bahūrīmā iegāja pie kāda vīra, kam pagalmā bija aka, un nolaidās tajā. 19 Saimniece ņēma un izpleta pārklāju virs akas un izkaisīja uz tā graudus, ka nekas nebija manāms. 20 Abšāloma kalpi ienāca tās sievas namā un prasīja: “Kur Ahīmaacs un Jonatāns?” Sieva tiem sacīja: “Viņi pārbrida pāri strautam.” Tie viņus meklēja, bet neatrada un atgriezās Jeruzālemē.
21 Kad viņi bija aizgājuši, tie izkāpa no akas un devās ar vēsti pie ķēniņa Dāvida. Viņi teica Dāvidam: “Celieties un steigšus dodieties pāri upei, jo, redzi, kādu padomu par jums ir devis Ahītofels!” 22 Tad Dāvids cēlās ar visiem saviem ļaudīm un devās pāri Jardānai. Līdz rīta gaismai vairs nebija palicis neviens, kas nebūtu šķērsojis Jardānu. 23 Kad Ahītofels redzēja, ka netiek darīts pēc viņa padoma, viņš apsegloja ēzeli, cēlās un devās mājup uz savu pilsētu. Viņš nodeva rīkojumus savai saimei un pakārās, un bija beigts. Viņu apbedīja sava tēva kapā.
24 Dāvids aizgāja uz Mahanaimu, bet Abšāloms kopā ar visiem israēliešiem pārcēlās pāri Jardānai. 25 Abšāloms bija iecēlis Amāsu par karaspēka virspavēlnieku Joāba vietā. Amāsa bija kāda israēlieša dēls, kam vārdā Jeters – tas bija iegātnis Abīgailai, Nāhāša meitai, Joāba mātes Cerūjas māsai. 26 Israēlieši un Abšāloms uzslēja nometni Gileāda zemē.
27 Kad Dāvids nonāca Mahanaimā, Nāhāša dēls Šobī no amoniešu Rabas, Ammiēla dēls Māhīrs no Lo-Dabaras un gileādietis Barzilajs no Roglīmas 28 sanesa guļvietas, bļodas, māla traukus, kviešus, miežus, miltus un grauzdumus, pupas, lēcas un vēl grauzdumus, 29 un medu, un biezpienu, aitas gaļu un govs piena sieru, ko ēst Dāvidam un viņa ļaudīm. Viņi nosprieda, ka ļaudis ir izsalkuši, novārguši un izslāpuši tuksnesī.
