7
And Chusi said to Abessalom, This counsel which Achitophel has counselled this one time not good.
8
And Chusi said, Thou knowest thy father and his men, that they are very mighty, and bitter in their spirit, as a bereaved bear in the field, : and thy father a man of war, and will not give the people rest.
9
For, behold, he is now hidden in one of the hills or in some place: and it shall come to pass when he falls upon them at the beginning, that will certainly hear, and say, There has been a slaughter among the people that follow after Abessalom.
10
Then even he strong, whose heart is as the heart of a lion, —it shall utterly melt: for all Israel knows that thy father mighty, and they that are with him mighty men.
11
For thus I have surely given counsel, that all Israel be generally gathered to thee from Dan even to Bersabee, as the sand that is upon the sea-shore for multitude: and that thy presence go in the midst of them.
12
And we will come upon him in one of the places where we shall find him, and we will encamp against him, as the dew falls upon the earth; and we will not leave of him and of his men so much as one.
13
And if he shall have taken refuge with his army in a city, then shall all Israel take ropes to that city, and we will draw it even into the river, that there may not be left there even a stone.
14
And Abessalom, and all the men of Israel said, The counsel of Chusi the Arachite better than the counsel of Achitophel. For the Lord ordained to disconcert the good counsel of Achitophel, that the Lord might bring all evil upon Abessalom.
15
And Chusi the Arachite said to Sadoc and Abiathar the priests, Thus and thus Achitophel counselled Abessalom and the elders of Israel; and thus and thus have I counselled.
16
And now send quickly and report to David, saying, Lodge not this night in Araboth of the wilderness: even go and make haste, lest swallow up the king, and all the people with him.
17
And Jonathan and Achimaas stood by the well of Rogel, and a maid-servant went and reported to them, and they go and tell king David; for they might not be seen to enter into the city.
18
But a young man saw them and told Abessalom: and the two went quickly, and entered into the house of a man in Baurim; and he had a well in his court, and they went down into it.
19
And a woman took a covering, and spread it over the mouth of the well, and spread out ground corn upon it to dry, and the thing was not known.
20
And the servants of Abessalom came to the woman into the house, and said, Where Achimaas and Jonathan? and the woman said to them, They are gone a little way beyond the water. And they sought and found them not, and returned to Jerusalem.
21
And it came to pass after they were gone, that they came up out of the pit, and went on their way; and reported to king David, and said to David, Arise ye and go quickly over the water, for thus has Achitophel counselled concerning you.
22
And David rose up and all the people with him, and they passed over Jordan till the morning light; there was not one missing who did not pass over Jordan.
23
And Achitophel saw that his counsel was not followed, and he saddled his ass, and rose and departed to his house into his city; and he gave orders to his household, and hanged himself, and died, and was buried in the sepulchre of his father.