2Samuel 17 - Prayer Tents

17Now Ahithophel urged Absalom, "Let me choose 12,000 men to start out after David tonight.H302H559H53H977H8147H6240H505H376H6965H7291H310H1732H3915 2I 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,H935H3023H7504H3027H2729H5971H5127H5221H4428 3and I will bring all the people back to you as a bride returns to her husband. After all, it is only one man's life that you seek. Then you will be at peace with all the people."H7725H5971H376H1245H7725H5971H7965 4This plan seemed good to Absalom and to all the elders of Israel.H1697H3474H53H5869H2205H3478

Hushai Counters Ahithophel’s Advice

5But then Absalom said, "Bring in Hushai the Arkite. Let's see what he thinks about this."H559H53H7121H2365H757H8085H6310 6When Hushai arrived, Absalom told him what Ahithophel had said. Then he asked, "What is your opinion? Should we follow Ahithophel's advice? If not, what do you suggest?"H2365H935H53H53H559H559H302H1696H1697H6213H1697H1696 7"Well," Hushai replied to Absalom, "this time Ahithophel has made a mistake.H2365H559H53H6098H302H3289H2896H6471 8You know your father and his men; they are mighty warriors. Right now they are as enraged as a mother bear who has been robbed of her cubs. And remember that your father is an experienced man of war. He won't be spending the night among the troops.H559H2365H3045H1H582H1368H4751H5315H1677H7909H7704H1H376H4421H3885H5971 9He has probably already hidden in some pit or cave. And when he comes out and attacks and a few of your men fall, there will be panic among your troops, and the word will spread that Absalom's men are being slaughtered.H2244H259H6354H259H4725H5307H8462H8085H8085H559H4046H5971H310H53 10Then even the bravest soldiers, though they have the heart of a lion, will be paralyzed with fear. For all Israel knows what a mighty warrior your father is and how courageous his men are.H1121H2428H3820H3820H738H4549H4549H3478H3045H1H1368H2428H1121 11"I recommend that you mobilize the entire army of Israel, bringing them from as far away as Dan in the north and Beersheba in the south. That way you will have an army as numerous as the sand on the seashore. And I advise that you personally lead the troops.H3289H3478H622H622H1835H884H2344H3220H7230H1980H7128H6440 12When we find David, we'll fall on him like dew that falls on the ground. Then neither he nor any of his men will be left alive.H935H259H4725H4672H5168H2919H5307H127H582H3498H1571H259 13And if David were to escape into some town, you will have all Israel there at your command. Then we can take ropes and drag the walls of the town into the nearest valley until every stone is torn down."H518H622H5892H3478H5375H2256H5892H5498H5158H1571H6872H4672 14Then Absalom and all the men of Israel said, "Hushai's advice is better than Ahithophel's." For the LORD had determined to defeat the counsel of Ahithophel, which really was the better plan, so that he could bring disaster on Absalom!H53H376H3478H559H6098H2365H757H2896H6098H302H3068H6680H6565H2896H6098H302H5668H3068H935H7451H53

Hushai Warns David to Escape

15Hushai told Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, what Ahithophel had said to Absalom and the elders of Israel and what he himself had advised instead.H559H2365H6659H54H3548H302H3289H53H2205H3478H3289 16"Quick!" he told them. "Find David and urge him not to stay at the shallows of the Jordan River tonight. He must go across at once into the wilderness beyond. Otherwise he will die and his entire army with him."H7971H4120H5046H1732H559H3885H3915H6160H5679H4057H5674H5674H4428H1104H5971 17Jonathan and Ahimaaz had been staying at En-rogel so as not to be seen entering and leaving the city. Arrangements had been made for a servant girl to bring them the message they were to take to King David.H3083H290H5975H5883H3201H7200H935H5892H8198H1980H5046H3212H5046H4428H1732 18But a boy spotted them at En-rogel, and he told Absalom about it. So they quickly escaped to Bahurim, where a man hid them down inside a well in his courtyard.H5288H7200H5046H53H3212H8147H4120H935H376H1004H980H875H2691H8033H3381 19The man's wife put a cloth over the top of the well and scattered grain on it to dry in the sun; so no one suspected they were there.H802H3947H6566H4539H875H6440H7849H7383H1697H3045 20When Absalom's men arrived, they asked her, "Have you seen Ahimaaz and Jonathan?" The woman replied, "They were here, but they crossed over the brook." Absalom's men looked for them without success and returned to Jerusalem.H53H5650H935H802H1004H559H290H3083H802H559H5674H4323H4325H1245H4672H7725H3389 21Then the two men crawled out of the well and hurried on to King David. "Quick!" they told him, "cross the Jordan tonight!" And they told him how Ahithophel had advised that he be captured and killed.H310H3212H5927H875H3212H5046H4428H1732H559H1732H6965H4120H5674H4325H302H3289 22So David and all the people with him went across the Jordan River during the night, and they were all on the other bank before dawn.H1732H6965H5971H5674H3383H1242H216H5737H259H5674H3383 23When Ahithophel realized that his advice had not been followed, he saddled his donkey, went to his hometown, set his affairs in order, and hanged himself. He died there and was buried in the family tomb.H302H7200H6098H6213H2280H2543H6965H3212H1004H5892H1004H6680H2614H4191H6912H6913H1 24David soon arrived at Mahanaim. By now, Absalom had mobilized the entire army of Israel and was leading his troops across the Jordan River.H1732H935H4266H53H5674H3383H376H3478 25Absalom had appointed Amasa as commander of his army, replacing Joab, who had been commander under David. (Amasa was Joab's cousin. His father was Jether, an Ishmaelite. His mother, Abigail daughter of Nahash, was the sister of Joab's mother, Zeruiah.)H53H7760H6021H6635H3097H6021H376H1121H8034H3501H3481H935H26H1323H5176H269H6870H3097H517 26Absalom and the Israelite army set up camp in the land of Gilead.H3478H53H2583H776H1568 27When David arrived at Mahanaim, he was warmly greeted by Shobi son of Nahash, who came from Rabbah of the Ammonites, and by Makir son of Ammiel from Lo-debar, and by Barzillai of Gilead from Rogelim.H1732H935H4266H7629H1121H5176H7237H1121H5983H4353H1121H5988H3810H1271H1569H7274 28They brought sleeping mats, cooking pots, serving bowls, wheat and barley, flour and roasted grain, beans, lentils,H5066H4904H5592H3335H3627H2406H8184H7058H7039H6321H5742H7039 29honey, butter, sheep, goats, and cheese for David and those who were with him. For they said, "You must all be very hungry and tired and thirsty after your long march through the wilderness."H1706H2529H6629H8194H1241H1732H5971H398H559H5971H7457H5889H6771H4057