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

¹ Later Ahithophel said to Absalom: Let me choose twelve thousand men. Tonight I will set out after David. ² I will attack him while he is tired and discouraged. He will be frightened! All his men will run away. I will kill only the king. ³ Then I will bring back all his men to you. It will be like a bride returning to her husband. Kill one man and the rest of the people return safely. ⁴ This seemed like good advice to Absalom and all the Israelite leaders.

⁵ Absalom said: Bring in Hushai. Let us hear what he has to say about this.

⁶ Hushai came to Absalom. He told him what Ahithophel planned. Then Absalom said: Should we do what he says? If we should not, can you come up with something better?

⁷ Hushai said: This time Ahithophel's advice is not very good. ⁸ You know your father and his followers are mighty warriors. They are as fierce as a mother bear whose cubs have just been killed. Your father has a lot of experience in fighting wars. He will not spend the night with the others. ⁹ He has no doubt already found a hiding place in a cave or somewhere else. When people hear that some of your soldiers have been killed, everyone will think your entire army has been destroyed. ¹⁰ Even the bravest man with a heart like a lion would lose his courage. All Israel knows that your father is a mighty man and the men with him are brave. ¹¹ My advice is to gather all Israel's troops from Dan to Beersheba. They are as numerous as the sand on the seashore. Lead them into battle yourself. ¹² Find him and attack him! We will fall on him as dew falls on the ground. Neither he nor any of his men will be left alive. ¹³ If he retreats into a city, all Israel will bring ropes to that city and drag it into a valley. Not even a pebble will be found there. ¹⁴ Absalom and all the people of Israel said: The advice of Hushai from Archi's family is better than Ahithophel's advice. Jehovah commanded Ahithophel's good advice to be defeated in order to ruin Absalom.