1 Then Ahithophel said unto Absalom, "Let me choose out, I pray thee, twelve thousand men. And I will up and follow after David by night.
1 Furthermore, Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Please let me choose 12,000 men that I may arise and pursue David tonight.
1 Moreover Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Let me now choose out twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue after David this night:
1 Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Let me choose 12,000 men, and I will set out in pursuit of David tonight.
1 "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.
2 And I will come upon him while he is weary and weak handed, and will fear him, that all the people that are with him shall flee. And so will I smite the king only,
2 (A)I will come upon him while he is weary and (a)exhausted and terrify him, so that all the people who are with him will flee. Then (B)I will strike down the king alone,
2 And I will come upon him while he is weary and weak handed, and will make him afraid: and all the people that are with him shall flee; and I will smite the king only:
2 I will attack him while he is weak and weary, throw him into a panic, and all the people with him will scatter. I will strike down only the king
2 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."
3 and will bring again all the people unto thee. And when all these men which thou seekest are turned to thee, all the people shall have rest."
3 and I will bring back all the people to you. (b)The return of everyone depends on the man you seek; then all the people will be at (C)peace.”
3 And I will bring back all the people unto thee: the man whom thou seekest is as if all returned: so all the people shall be in peace.
3 and bring all the people back to you. When everyone returns except the man you’re seeking, all(a) the people will be at peace.”
3 Even though this plan seemed like a good idea to Absalom and to all of the elders of Israel,
5 Then said Absalom, "Call also Hushai the Archite and let us hear his sentence."
5 Then said Absalom, Call now Hushai the Archite also, and let us hear likewise what he saith.
5 Then Absalom said, “Summon Hushai the Archite also. Let’s hear what he has to say as well.”
5 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!"
6 When Hushai was come to Absalom, Absalom spake unto him saying, "Ahithophel hath given such counsel: whether it be best we do after his saying, or not, tell thou."
6 When Hushai had come to Absalom, Absalom said to (e)him, “Ahithophel has spoken (f)thus. Shall we (g)carry out his plan? If not, you speak.”
6 And when Hushai was come to Absalom, Absalom spake unto him, saying, Ahithophel hath spoken after this manner: shall we do after his saying? if not; speak thou.
6 So Hushai came to Absalom, and Absalom told him: “Ahithophel offered this proposal. Should we carry out his proposal? If not, what do you say?”
6 "Ahithophel's advice is not best at this time," Hushai suggested to Absalom.
7 Then said Hushai to Absalom, "The counsel that Ahithophel hath given is not good at this time.
7 And Hushai said unto Absalom, The counsel that Ahithophel hath given is not good at this time.
7 Hushai replied to Absalom, “The advice Ahithophel has given this time is not good.”
7 "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.
8 For," said Hushai, "thou knowest thy father and the men that are with him, how that they be strong men. And they be chafed in their minds, even as a bear robbed of her whelps. And thy father is a man practiced in war, and will not lie a nights among the common people.
8 Moreover, Hushai said, “You know your father and his men, that they are mighty men and they are (i)fierce, (F)like a bear robbed of her cubs in the field. And your father is an (j)expert in warfare, and will not spend the night with the people.
8 For, said Hushai, thou knowest thy father and his men, that they be mighty men, and they be chafed in their minds, as a bear robbed of her whelps in the field: and thy father is a man of war, and will not lodge with the people.
8 Hushai continued, “You know your father and his men. They are warriors and are desperate like a wild bear robbed of her cubs. Your father is an experienced soldier who won’t spend the night with the people.
8 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!'
9 Behold, he lurketh now in some cave or in some other place. And thereto, though some of his men be overthrown at the first brunt, yet they that hear it will think the people that followeth Absalom be put to the worse.
9 Behold, he has now hidden himself in one of the (k)caves or in another place; and it will be (l)when he falls on them at the first attack, that whoever hears it will say, ‘There has been a slaughter among the people who follow Absalom.’
9 Behold, he is hid now in some pit, or in some other place: and it will come to pass, when some of them be overthrown at the first, that whosoever heareth it will say, There is a slaughter among the people that follow Absalom.
9 He’s probably already hiding in one of the caves(b) or some other place. If some of our troops fall(c) first, someone is sure to hear and say, ‘There’s been a slaughter among the people who follow Absalom.’
9 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!
10 By the reason whereof, the best men thou hast whose hearts are as the hearts of lions, shall shrink thereat. For all Israel knoweth that thy father is a man, and that they which be with him be children of activity.
10 And even the one who is valiant, whose heart is like the heart of a lion, (G)will completely (m)lose heart; for all Israel knows that your father is a mighty man and those who are with him are valiant men.
10 And he also that is valiant, whose heart is as the heart of a lion, shall utterly melt: for all Israel knoweth that thy father is a mighty man, and they which be with him are valiant men.
10 Then, even a brave man with the heart of a lion(A) will melt because all Israel knows that your father and the valiant men with him are warriors.
10 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!
11 But my counsel is, that all Israel be gathered unto thee, from Dan to Beersheba, as the sand of the sea in number, and that thou go to battle in thine own person.
11 But I counsel that all Israel be surely gathered to you, (H)from Dan even to Beersheba, (I)as the sand that is by the sea in abundance, and that (n)you personally go into battle.
11 Therefore I counsel that all Israel be generally gathered unto thee, from Dan even to Beersheba, as the sand that is by the sea for multitude; and that thou go to battle in thine own person.
11 Instead, I advise that all Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba—as numerous as the sand by the sea—be gathered to you and that you personally go into battle.
11 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!
12 And we will come upon him in one place or other, where we shalt find him, and we will pitch a field against him, even as thick as the dew falleth on the ground. And there shall not one of them be left, neither he nor any of all that are with him.
12 So we shall come to him in one of the places where he can be found, and we will (o)fall on him (J)as the dew falls on the ground; and of him and of all the men who are with him, not even one will be left.
12 So shall we come upon him in some place where he shall be found, and we will light upon him as the dew falleth on the ground: and of him and of all the men that are with him there shall not be left so much as one.
12 Then we will attack David wherever we find him, and we will descend on him like dew on the ground. Not even one will be left of all the men with him.
12 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!"
13 Moreover, if he take a town then shall all the men of Israel bring ropes to that city, and we will draw it into the river, until there be not one stone found upon another."
13 If he withdraws into a city, then all Israel shall bring ropes to that city, and we will (K)drag it into the (p)valley until not even a small stone is found there.”
13 Moreover, if he be gotten into a city, then shall all Israel bring ropes to that city, and we will draw it into the river, until there be not one small stone found there.
13 If he retreats to some city, all Israel will bring ropes to that city, and we will drag its stones into the valley until not even a pebble can be found there.”
13 Absalom and all of the Israelis replied, "The advice of Hushai the Archite is better than Ahithophel's!"
14 And Absalom and all the men of Israel said that the counsel of Hushai the Archite was better than the counsel of Ahithophel - For it was even the LORD's determination to destroy the counsel of Ahithophel, which was good, that the LORD might bring evil upon Absalom.
14 Then Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel.” For (L)the Lord had ordained to thwart the good counsel of Ahithophel, so that the Lord might bring calamity on Absalom.
14 And Absalom and all the men of Israel said, The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel. For the LORD had appointed to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, to the intent that the LORD might bring evil upon Absalom.
14 Since the Lord had decreed(B) that Ahithophel’s good advice be undermined(C) in order to bring about Absalom’s ruin, Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The advice of Hushai the Archite is better than Ahithophel’s advice.”
14 But the LORD had planned to circumvent the sound advice of Ahithophel so the LORD could bring Absalom to destruction. So Hushai told Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, what Ahithophel had suggested to Absalom and the elders of Israel. He also reported what he himself had proposed. Hushai said,
15 Then said Hushai unto Zadok and Abiathar the priests, "Of this and that manner did Ahithophel and the elders of Israel counsel Absalom. And thus and thus have I counseled.
15 Then (M)Hushai said to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, “(q)This is what Ahithophel counseled Absalom and the elders of Israel, and (r)this is what I have counseled.
15 Then said Hushai unto Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, Thus and thus did Ahithophel counsel Absalom and the elders of Israel; and thus and thus have I counselled.
15 Hushai then told the priests Zadok and Abiathar, “This is what(d) Ahithophel advised Absalom and the elders of Israel, and this is what(e) I advised.
15 Now Ahithophel's advice that he provided at that time was being compared to one who inquired of God, so highly regarded was Ahithophel's counsel by both David and Absalom.
16 Now therefore send quickly and show David, saying, 'Tarry not all night in the fields of the wilderness, but get thee over, lest the king be devoured and all the people that are with him.'"
16 Now therefore, send quickly and tell David, saying, ‘(N)Do not spend the night at the fords of the wilderness, but by all means cross over, or else the king and all the people who are with him will be (s)destroyed.’”
16 Now therefore send quickly, and tell David, saying, Lodge not this night in the plains of the wilderness, but speedily pass over; lest the king be swallowed up, and all the people that are with him.
16 Now send someone quickly and tell David, ‘Don’t spend the night at the wilderness ford of the Jordan,(D) but be sure to cross over, or the king and all the people with him will be destroyed.’”
16 "Quick! Get word to David! Tell him not to spend the night at the crossings that lead to the desert. Instead, he must cross the Jordan River immediately. That way, if he crosses the river, the king and his entourage will survive."
17 As for Jonathan and Ahimaaz, they stood by the well of Rogel, and a damsel went thither and told them. They went on their way and told King David, for they durst not be seen to come into the city.
17 (O)Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz were staying at (P)En-rogel, and a maidservant would go and tell them, and they would go and tell King David, for they could not be seen entering the city.
17 Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz stayed by Enrogel; for they might not be seen to come into the city: and a wench went and told them; and they went and told king David.
17 Jonathan and Ahimaaz were staying at En-rogel, where a servant girl would come and pass along information to them. They in turn would go and inform King David, because they dared not be seen entering the city.
17 "Give me 12,000 men! I'll leave tonight and pursue David," Ahithophel advised Absalom.
18 Nevertheless there was a lad saw them, which told it to Absalom. But they went both of them away quickly and came to a man's house in Bahurim, which had a well in his yard, into which they went down.
18 But a lad did see them and told Absalom; so the two of them departed quickly and came to the house of a man (Q)in Bahurim, who had a well in his courtyard, and they went down (t)into it.
18 Nevertheless a lad saw them, and told Absalom: but they went both of them away quickly, and came to a man's house in Bahurim, which had a well in his court; whither they went down.
18 However, a young man did see them and informed Absalom. So the two left quickly and came to the house of a man in Bahurim. He had a well in his courtyard, and they climbed down into it.
18 Meanwhile, since they could not risk being seen entering the city, Jonathan and Ahimaaz had been waiting at En-rogel, where a young servant woman was to go to inform them and they would then go brief King David.
19 And the wife took and spread a coverlet on the top of the well and strawed thereon steeped barley to dry. And the thing was not spied.
19 And (R)the woman (u)took a covering and spread it over the well’s mouth and scattered grain on it, so that nothing was known.
19 And the woman took and spread a covering over the well's mouth, and spread ground corn thereon; and the thing was not known.
19 Then his wife took the cover, placed it over the mouth of the well, and scattered grain on it so nobody would know anything.
19 But a young man observed Jonathan and Ahimaaz and informed Absalom, so they left in a hurry, arrived at the home of a man who lived at Bahurim, and hid inside a well that was in his courtyard.
20 And when Absalom's servants came to the wife to the house and asked where one Ahimaaz and Jonathan were, the wife said unto them, "They be gone over the little brook of water." And when they had sought them and could not find them, then they returned to Jerusalem.
20 Then Absalom’s servants came to the woman at the house and said, “Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?” And (S)the woman said to them, “They have crossed the brook of water.” And when they searched and could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem.
20 And when Absalom's servants came to the woman to the house, they said, Where is Ahimaaz and Jonathan? And the woman said unto them, They be gone over the brook of water. And when they had sought and could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem.
20 Absalom’s servants came to the woman at the house and asked, “Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?”“They passed by toward the water,”(f) the woman replied to them. The men searched but did not find them, so they returned to Jerusalem.
20 The man's wife grabbed a sheet, covered the mouth of the well with it, and spread some dried grain over it. As a result, nobody could tell it was a hiding place.
21 And as soon as they were departed, the other came out of the well, and went and told King David and said unto him, "Up, and get you quickly over the water for such counsel hath Ahithophel given."
21 It came about after they had departed that they came up out of the well and went and told King David; and they said to David, “(T)Arise and cross over the water quickly for thus Ahithophel has counseled against you.”
21 And it came to pass, after they were departed, that they came up out of the well, and went and told king David, and said unto David, Arise, and pass quickly over the water: for thus hath Ahithophel counselled against you.
21 After they had gone, Ahimaaz and Jonathan climbed out of the well and went and informed King David. They told him, “Get up and immediately ford the river, for Ahithophel has given this advice against you.”
21 When Absalom's servants approached the woman of the house, they asked her, "Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?" "They've already crossed the brook," the woman answered. So Absalom's servants went away in search of Jonathan and Ahimaaz, but they couldn't find them, so they returned to Jerusalem.
22 Then David arose and all the people that were with him, and they were come over Jordan by that it was day, that there lacked not one of them that was not come over Jordan.
22 Then David and all the people who were with him arose and crossed the Jordan; and by (v)dawn not even one remained who had not crossed the Jordan.
22 Then David arose, and all the people that were with him, and they passed over Jordan: by the morning light there lacked not one of them that was not gone over Jordan.
22 So David and all the people with him got up and crossed the Jordan. By daybreak, there was no one who had not crossed the Jordan.
22 A little while later, the men crawled up out of the well and went off to talk to King David. They told David, "Get up! Cross the water quickly, because this is what Ahithophel advised about you""
23 And when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his ass and arose and gat him home to his own house and to his own city, and put his household in order and hanged himself and died, and was buried in the sepulchre of his father.
23 Now when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not (w)followed, he (x)saddled his donkey and arose and went to his home, to (U)his city, and (y)(V)set his house in order, and (W)strangled himself; thus he died and was buried in the grave of his father.
23 And when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his ass, and arose, and gat him home to his house, to his city, and put his household in order, and hanged himself, and died, and was buried in the sepulchre of his father.
23 When Ahithophel realized that his advice had not been followed, he saddled his donkey and set out for his house in his hometown. He set his affairs in order(g) and hanged himself. So he died and was buried in his father’s tomb.
23 So David got up and all of his entourage crossed the Jordan River. Everyone had crossed the Jordan River by dawn's first light.
24 Then David came to Mahanaim. And Absalom passed over Jordan, both he and all the men of Israel with him.
24 Then David came to (X)Mahanaim. And Absalom crossed the Jordan, he and all the men of Israel with him.
24 Then David came to Mahanaim. And Absalom passed over Jordan, he and all the men of Israel with him.
24 David had arrived at Mahanaim by the time Absalom crossed the Jordan with all the men of Israel.
24 Meanwhile, when Ahithophel observed that his counsel was not being acted upon, he saddled his donkey, got up, and left for his hometown. Leaving behind a set of orders for his household, he hanged himself. After his death he was buried in his father's tomb.
25 And Absalom made Amasa captain of the host in the stead of Joab, which Amasa was a man's son named Ithra a Jezreelite that went into Abigail the daughter of Nahash, sister to Zeruiah, Joab's mother.
25 Absalom set (Y)Amasa over the army in place of Joab. Now Amasa was the son of a man whose name was (z)Ithra the Israelite, who went in to Abigail the daughter of (Z)Nahash, sister of Zeruiah, Joab’s mother.
25 And Absalom made Amasa captain of the host instead of Joab: which Amasa was a man's son, whose name was Ithra an Israelite, that went in to Abigail the daughter of Nahash, sister to Zeruiah Joab's mother.
25 Now Absalom had appointed Amasa(E) over the army in Joab’s place. Amasa was the son of a man named Ithra(h) the Israelite;(i)(F) Ithra had married Abigail daughter of Nahash.(j) Abigail was a sister to Zeruiah, Joab’s mother.
25 Later, David arrived at Mahanaim. Absalom and all of the Israelis who supported him crossed the Jordan River.
26 And Israel and Absalom pitched in the land of Gilead.
26 And Israel and Absalom camped in the land of Gilead.
26 So Israel and Absalom pitched in the land of Gilead.
26 And Israel and Absalom camped in the land of Gilead.
26 Absalom had installed Amasa in place of Joab over the army. (Amasa was the son of a man named Jether the Ishmaelite. His mother was Abigail, a daughter of Nahash and a sister of Zeruiah, Joab's mother.)
27 And when David was come to Mahanaim, Shobi the son of Nahash out of Rabbah, the city of the children of Ammon, and Machir the son of Ammiel out of Lodebar and Barzillai the Gileadite out of Rogelim,
27 Now when David had come to Mahanaim, Shobi (AA)the son of Nahash from (AB)Rabbah of the sons of Ammon, (AC)Machir the son of Ammiel from Lo-debar, and (AD)Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim,
27 And it came to pass, when David was come to Mahanaim, that Shobi the son of Nahash of Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and Machir the son of Ammiel of Lodebar, and Barzillai the Gileadite of Rogelim,
27 When David came to Mahanaim, Shobi son of Nahash(G) from Rabbah(H) of the Ammonites, Machir son of Ammiel from Lo-debar,(I) and Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim(J)
27 Absalom and the Israelis with him camped in the territory of Gilead.
28 brought beds, basins, and earthen vessels: and also corn, barley, flour and parched corn, beans and rice,
28 brought (AE)beds, basins, pottery, wheat, barley, flour, parched grain, beans, lentils, parched seeds,
28 Brought beds, and basons, and earthen vessels, and wheat, and barley, and flour, and parched corn, and beans, and lentiles, and parched pulse,
28 brought beds, basins,(k) and pottery items. They also brought wheat, barley, flour, roasted grain, beans, lentils,(l)
28 When David arrived at Mahanaim, Shobi (Nahash's son from the Ammonite town of Rabbah), Makir (Ammiel's son from Lo-debar), and Barzillai (from Rogelim in Gilead) were already there.
29 honey, butter, sheep and cheese of kine - for David, and all the people that were with him, to eat. For they supposed that the people should be hungry, fainty, and thirsty in the wilderness.
29 honey, curds, sheep, and cheese of the herd, for David and for the people who were with him, (AF)to eat; for they said, “The people are hungry and weary and thirsty in the wilderness.”
29 And honey, and butter, and sheep, and cheese of kine, for David, and for the people that were with him, to eat: for they said, The people is hungry, and weary, and thirsty, in the wilderness.
29 honey, curds, sheep, and cheese(m) from the herd for David and the people with him to eat. They had reasoned, “The people must be hungry, exhausted, and thirsty in the desert.”
29 They brought along bedding, bowls, clay basins, wheat, barley, flour, roasted grains, beans, peas,
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