Parallel Bible results for "2 samuel 17"

2 Samuel 17

Common English Bible CEB

1 Then Ahithophel said to Absalom, "Let me pick twelve thousand men, and I will go after David tonight.

2 I will attack him while he is tired and weak, and I will throw him into a panic. All the troops with him will run off. I promise to kill the king alone,

3 and I will bring all the people back to you like a bride comes back to her husband. It's only one man's life you are seeking; everyone else can be at peace."

4 This plan seemed excellent to Absalom and the Israelite elders.

5 But Absalom said, "Call Hushai from Erek. Let's hear what he has to say as well."

6 When Hushai from Erek arrived, Absalom said to him, "This is what Ahithophel has advised. Should we follow it or not? What do you say?"

7 Hushai said to Absalom, "This time, the advice Ahithophel has given isn't right.

8 You know that your father and his men are warriors," he continued, "and they are as desperate as a wild bear robbed of her cubs. Your father is a seasoned fighter. He won't spend the night with his troops.

9 Even now he has probably hidden himself in one of the caves or some other place. When some of the troops fall in the first attack, whoever hears it will say, ‘The soldiers who follow Absalom have been defeated!'

10 Then even the bravest soldier, whose heart is like a lion's, will melt in fear because all Israel knows that your father is a warrior and that those who are with him are brave.

11 So I would advise that all the Israelites, from Dan to Beer-sheba—a group as countless as sand on the seashore—be summoned to join you, and that you yourself go into battle.

12 When we attack him wherever he might be, we will fall on him like dew that falls on the ground. No one will survive—not him and not one of the soldiers who are with him!

13 If he retreats into a city, all Israel will bring ropes to that city, and we will drag it into a valley until not even a pebble of it will be found."

14 Then Absalom and everyone in Israel agreed, "The advice of Hushai from Erek is better than Ahithophel's advice." This was because the LORD had decided to counter Ahithophel's good advice so that the LORD could bring disaster on Absalom.

15 Hushai told the priests Zadok and Abiathar, "Here is what Ahithophel advised Absalom and the Israelite elders, and here is what I advised.

16 Now send word immediately to David and tell him, ‘Don't spend the night in the desert plains. You must cross over immediately. Otherwise, the king and all the troops who are with him will be swallowed up whole.'"

17 Jonathan and Ahimaaz were standing by at En-rogel. A female servant would come and report to them, and they would then travel and report to King David because they couldn't risk being seen entering the city.

18 But a boy saw them and reported it to Absalom. So the two of them left immediately and came to a man's house at Bahurim. He had a well in his courtyard, and they climbed down into it.

19 The man's wife took a covering and spread it over the well's opening, then scattered grain over it so no one would notice.

20 When Absalom's servants came to the woman at the house they demanded, "Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?" The woman told them, "They crossed over the stream." They looked for them but found nothing, so they returned to Jerusalem.

21 After they had left, Jonathan and Ahimaaz climbed out of the well. They went and reported to King David, "Get up! Cross the water immediately because Ahithophel has made plans against you!"

22 So David and all the troops who were with him got up and crossed the Jordan River. By daybreak there was no one left who hadn't crossed the Jordan.

23 Meanwhile, once Ahithophel saw that his advice hadn't been followed, he saddled his donkey and went home to his own town. He gave instructions to his household, then hanged himself and died. He was buried in his father's tomb.

24 David had reached Mahanaim by the time Absalom and all the Israelites who were with him crossed the Jordan River.

25 Absalom had put Amasa in charge of the army instead of Joab. Amasa was the son of a man named Ithra, an Ishmaelite who had married Abigail, who was Nahash's daughter and the sister of Zeruiah, Joab's mother.

26 Israel and Absalom camped in the territory of Gilead.

27 When David arrived in Mahanaim, Nahash's son Shobi, who was from Rabbah of the Ammonites; Ammiel's son Machir, who was from Lo-debar; and Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim

28 brought couches, basins, and pottery, along with wheat, barley, flour, roasted grain, beans, lentils,

29 honey, curds, sheep, and cheese from the herd so that David and the troops who were with him could eat. They said, "The troops have grown hungry, tired, and thirsty in the wilderness."

The Message Bible MSG

1 Next Ahithophel advised Absalom, "Let me handpick twelve thousand men and go after David tonight.

2 I'll come on him when he's bone tired and take him by complete surprise. The whole army will run off and I'll kill only David.

3 Then I'll bring the army back to you - a bride brought back to her husband! You're only after one man, after all. Then everyone will be together in peace!"

4 Absalom thought it was an excellent strategy, and all the elders of Israel agreed.

5 But then Absalom said, "Call in Hushai the Arkite - let's hear what he has to say."

6 So Hushai came and Absalom put it to him, "This is what Ahithophel advised. Should we do it? What do you say?"

7 Hushai said, "The counsel that Ahithophel has given in this instance is not good.

8 You know your father and his men, brave and bitterly angry - like a bear robbed of her cubs. And your father is an experienced fighter; you can be sure he won't be caught napping at a time like this.

9 Even while we're talking, he's probably holed up in some cave or other. If he jumps your men from ambush, word will soon get back, 'A slaughter of Absalom's army!'

10 Even if your men are valiant with hearts of lions, they'll fall apart at such news, for everyone in Israel knows the kind of fighting stuff your father's made of, and also the men with him.

11 "Here's what I'd advise: Muster the whole country, from Dan to Beersheba, an army like the sand of the sea, and you personally lead them.

12 We'll smoke him out wherever he is, fall on him like dew falls on the earth, and, believe me, there won't be a single survivor.

13 If he hides out in a city, then the whole army will bring ropes to that city and pull it down and into a gully - not so much as a pebble left of it!"

14 Absalom and all his company agreed that the counsel of Hushai the Arkite was better than the counsel of Ahithophel. (God had determined to discredit the counsel of Ahithophel so as to bring ruin on Absalom.)

15 Then Hushai told the priests Zadok and Abiathar, "Ahithophel advised Absalom and the elders of Israel thus and thus, and I advised them thus and thus.

16 Now send this message as quickly as possible to David: 'Don't spend the night on this side of the river; cross immediately or the king and everyone with him will be swallowed up alive.'"

17 Jonathan and Ahimaaz were waiting around at En Rogel. A servant girl would come and give them messages and then they would go and tell King David, for it wasn't safe to be seen coming into the city.

18 But a soldier spotted them and told Absalom, so the two of them got out of there fast and went to a man's house in Bahurim. He had a well in his yard and they climbed into it.

19 The wife took a rug and covered the well, then spread grain on it so no one would notice anything out of the ordinary.

20 Shortly, Absalom's servants came to the woman's house and asked her, "Have you seen Ahimaaz and Jonathan?" The woman said, "They were headed toward the river." They looked but didn't find them, and then went back to Jerusalem.

21 When the coast was clear, Ahimaaz and Jonathan climbed out of the well and went on to make their report to King David, "Get up and cross the river quickly; Ahithophel has given counsel against you!"

22 David and his whole army were soon up and moving and crossed the Jordan. As morning broke there was not a single person who had not made it across the Jordan.

23 When Ahithophel realized that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his donkey and left for his hometown. After making out his will and putting his house in order, he hanged himself and died. He was buried in the family tomb.

24 About the time David arrived at Mahanaim, Absalom crossed the Jordan, and the whole army of Israel with him.

25 Absalom had made Amasa head of the army, replacing Joab. (Amasa was the son of a man named Ithra, an Ishmaelite who had married Abigail, daughter of Nahash and sister of Zeruiah, the mother of Joab.)

26 Israel and Absalom set camp in Gilead.

27 When David arrived at Mahanaim, Shobi son of Nahash from Ammonite Rabbah, and Makir son of Ammiel from Lo Debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim

28 brought beds and blankets, bowls and jugs filled with wheat, barley, flour, roasted grain, beans and lentils,

29 honey, and curds and cheese from the flocks and herds. They presented all this to David and his army to eat, "because," they said, "the army must be starved and exhausted and thirsty out in this wilderness."