2Sa 17 | EngLXX | STEP | And Achitophel said to Abessalom, Let me now choose out for myself twelve thousand men,and I will arise and follow after David this night:

‏ 2 Samuel 17

1 And Achitophel said to Abessalom, Let me now choose out for myself twelve thousand men,and I will arise and follow after David this night: 2 and I will come upon him when heis weary and weak-handed, and I will strike him with terror; and all the people with him shallflee, and I will strike the king only of all. 3 And I will bring back all the people to you, as a bride returns to her husband: only youseek the life of one man, and all the people shall have peace. 4 And the sayingwas right in the eyes of Abessalom, and in the eyes of all the elders of Israel. 5 And Abessalom said, Call now also Chusi the Arachite, and let us hear whatis in his mouth, even in his also. 6 And Chusi went in to Abessalom, and Abessalom spoke to him, saying, After this mannerspoke Achitophel: shall we do according to his word? but if not, do you speak. 7 And Chusi said to Abessalom, This counsel which Achitophel has counselled this one timeis not good. 8 And Chusi said, You know your father and his men, that they are very mighty, and bitterin their spirit, as a bereaved bear in the field,and as a wild boar in the plain: and your fatheris 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 someother place: and it shall come to pass when he falls upon them at the beginning, thatsome one will certainly hear, and say, There has been a slaughter among the people that followafter Abessalom. 10 Then even hethat is strong, whose heart is as the heart of a lion, —it shall utterly melt: for all Israelknows that your fatheris mighty, and they that are with himare mighty men. 11 For thus I have surely given counsel, that all Israel be generally gathered to you fromDan even to Bersabee, as the sand that is upon the sea-shore for multitude: and that your presence goin the midst of them. 12 And we will come upon him in one of the places where we shall find him, and we will encampagainst 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 takeropes 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 Arachiteis better than the counsel of Achitophel. For the Lord ordained to disconcert the good counselof 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 Achitophelcounselled 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 ofthe wilderness: even go and make haste, lestone swallow up the king, and all the people with him. 17 And Jonathan and Achimaas stood by the well of Rogel, and a maidservant went and reportedto 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 intothe 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 outground 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, Whereare Achimaas and Jonathan? and the woman said to them, They are gone a little way beyond thewater. 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 wenton their way; and reported to king David, and said to David, Arise you⌃ 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 morninglight; 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 roseand departed to his house into his city; and he gave orders to his household, and hanged himself, anddied, and was buried in the sepulchre of his father. 24 And David passed over to Manaim: and Abessalom crossed over Jordan, he and all the menof Israel with him. 25 And Abessalom appointed Amessai in the room of Joab over the host. And Amessai was theson of a man whose name was Jether of Jezrael: he went in to Abigaia the daughter of Naas, the sisterof Saruia the mother of Joab. 26 And all Israel and Abessalom encamped in the land of Galaad. 27 And it came to pass when David came to Manaim, that Uesbi the son of Naas of Rabbathof the sons of Ammon, and Machir son of Amiel of Lodabar, and Berzelli the Galaadite of Rogellim, 28 brought ten embroidered beds, (with double coverings,)and ten caldrons, and earthenware,and wheat, and barley, and flour, and meal, and beans, and pulse, 29 and honey, and butter, and sheep, and cheeses of kine: and they brought them to Davidand to his people with him to eat; forone said, The peopleis faint and hungry and thirsty in the wilderness.