16
Now send a message at once and tell David, ‘Do not spend the night at the fords in the wilderness; cross over without fail, or the king and all the people with him will be swallowed up.’ ”
17
Jonathan and Ahimaaz were staying at En Rogel. A female servant was to go and inform them, and they were to go and tell King David, for they could not risk being seen entering the city.
18
But a young man saw them and told Absalom. So the two of them left at once and went to the house of a man in Bahurim. He had a well in his courtyard, and they climbed down into it.
19
His wife took a covering and spread it out over the opening of the well and scattered grain over it. No one knew anything about it.
20
When Absalom’s men came to the woman at the house, they asked, “Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?” The woman answered them, “They crossed over the brook.” The men searched but found no one, so they returned to Jerusalem.
21
After they had gone, the two climbed out of the well and went to inform King David. They said to him, “Set out and cross the river at once; Ahithophel has advised such and such against you.”
22
So David and all the people with him set out and crossed the Jordan. By daybreak, no one was left who had not crossed the Jordan.
23
When Ahithophel saw that his advice had not been followed, he saddled his donkey and set out for his house in his hometown. He put his house in order and then hanged himself. So he died and was buried in his father’s tomb.
Absalom’s Death
24 David went to Mahanaim, and Absalom crossed the Jordan with all the men of Israel.
25
Absalom had appointed Amasa over the army in place of Joab. Amasa was the son of Jether, an Ishmaelite who had married Abigail , the daughter of Nahash and sister of Zeruiah the mother of Joab.
26
The Israelites and Absalom camped in the land of Gilead.