Hushai’s Counsel

1 Furthermore, Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Please let me choose 12,000 men that I may arise and pursue David tonight.

2 “aI will come upon him while he is weary and 1exhausted and terrify him, so that all the people who are with him will flee. Then bI will strike down the king alone,

3 and I will bring back all the people to you. 1The return of everyone depends on the man you seek; then all the people will be at apeace.”

4 So the 1plan pleased Absalom and all the elders of Israel.

5 Then Absalom said, “Now call aHushai the Archite also, and let us hear what 1he has to say.”

6 When Hushai had come to Absalom, Absalom said to 1him, “Ahithophel has spoken 2thus. Shall we 3carry out his plan? If not, you speak.”

7 So Hushai said to Absalom, “aThis time the advice that Ahithophel has 1given is not good.”

8 Moreover, Hushai said, “You know your father and his men, that they are mighty men and they are 1fierce, alike a bear robbed of her cubs in the field. And your father is an 2expert in warfare, and will not spend the night with the people.

9 “Behold, he has now hidden himself in one of the 1caves or in another place; and it will be 2when 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.’

10 “And even the one who is valiant, whose heart is like the heart of a lion, awill completely 1lose heart; for all Israel knows that your father is a mighty man and those who are with him are valiant men.

11 “But I counsel that all Israel be surely gathered to you, afrom Dan even to Beersheba, bas the sand that is by the sea in abundance, and that 1you personally go into battle.

12 “So we shall come to him in one of the places where he can be found, and we will 1fall on him aas the dew falls on the ground; and of him and of all the men who are with him, not even one will be left.

13 “If he withdraws into a city, then all Israel shall bring ropes to that city, and we will adrag it into the 1valley until not even a small stone is found there.”

14 Then Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel.” For athe Lord had ordained to thwart the good counsel of Ahithophel, so that the Lord might bring calamity on Absalom.

Hushai’s Warning Saves David

15 Then aHushai said to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, “1This is what Ahithophel counseled Absalom and the elders of Israel, and 1this is what I have counseled.

16 “Now therefore, send quickly and tell David, saying, ‘aDo 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 1destroyed.’ ”