2 Samuel 17:1-14 - Hushai Frustrates The Counsel Of Ahithophel

² "I'll catch him while he is still tired and weak. I'll frighten him so all his people with him desert him. But I'll only kill the king. ³ Then I'll bring everybody else back to you. When the man you're looking for is dead, all the rest of the people will return quietly." ⁴ Even though this plan seemed like a good idea to Absalom and to all of the elders of Israel,

⁵ Absalom replied, "Call in Hushai the Archite so I can hear what he has to say, too!"

⁶ When Hushai approached Absalom, Absalom asked him, "Here's what Ahithophel had to advise. Should we do what he says? Or if not, say so!"

⁷ "Ahithophel's advice is not best at this time," Hushai suggested to Absalom. ⁸ "You know how strong your father and his men are. They're as mad as a bear robbed of her cubs! Furthermore, your father is a skilled warrior. He won't stay with his army at night. ⁹ Look! He's probably already hiding in a cave or someplace like that. If the first attack fails, people will hear about it and think, "Absalom's army is losing!' ¹⁰ Then even men who would otherwise be as brave as lions will be scared, because every Israeli knows your father is a mighty man, and they know his men are valiant! ¹¹ So here's my advice: Muster everybody from one end of the country to the other! You'll have an army in number like the sand on the seashore! Then you'll go into battle! ¹² We'll go find David wherever he's hiding. We'll fall on him like dew on the ground! We'll kill him and all of his men, and we won't leave even one man alive! ¹³ If he escapes into a city, we'll bring ropes to that city and tear it down! We won't leave a single stone left in the valley!" ¹⁴ Absalom and all of the Israelis replied, "The advice of Hushai the Archite is better than Ahithophel's!"