1Ahithophel said to Absalom, “I would17:1 Or Let me choose twelve thousand men and set out tonight in pursuit of David. 2I would attack him while he is weary and weak. I would strike him with terror, and then all the people with him will flee. I would strike down only the king 3and bring all the people back to you. The death of the man you seek will mean the return of all; all the people will be unharmed.” 4This plan seemed good to Absalom and to all the elders of Israel.
5But Absalom said, “Summon also Hushai the Arkite, so we can hear what he has to say as well.” 6When Hushai came to him, Absalom said, “Ahithophel has given this advice. Should we do what he says? If not, give us your opinion.”
7Hushai replied to Absalom, “The advice Ahithophel has given is not good this time. 8You know your father and his men; they are fighters, and as fierce as a wild bear robbed of her cubs. Besides, your father is an experienced fighter; he will not spend the night with the troops. 9Even now, he is hidden in a cave or some other place. If he should attack your troops first,17:9 Or When some of the men fall at the first attack whoever hears about it will say, ‘There has been a slaughter among the troops who follow Absalom.’ 10Then even the bravest soldier, whose heart is like the heart of a lion, will melt with fear, for all Israel knows that your father is a fighter and that those with him are brave.
11“So I advise you: Let all Israel, from Dan to Beersheba—as numerous as the sand on the seashore—be gathered to you, with you yourself leading them into battle. 12Then we will attack him wherever he may be found, and we will fall on him as dew settles on the ground. Neither he nor any of his men will be left alive. 13If he withdraws into a city, then all Israel will bring ropes to that city, and we will drag it down to the valley until not so much as a pebble is left.”
14Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The advice of Hushai the Arkite is better than that of Ahithophel.” For the Lord had determined to frustrate the good advice of Ahithophel in order to bring disaster on Absalom.
15Hushai told Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, “Ahithophel has advised Absalom and the elders of Israel to do such and such, but I have advised them to do so and so. 16Now 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.’ ”
17Jonathan 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. 18But 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. 19His 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.
20When 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.”17:20 Or “They passed by the sheep pen toward the water.” The men searched but found no one, so they returned to Jerusalem.
21After 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.” 22So 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.
23When 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
24David went to Mahanaim, and Absalom crossed the Jordan with all the men of Israel. 25Absalom had appointed Amasa over the army in place of Joab. Amasa was the son of Jether,17:25 Hebrew Ithra, a variant of Jether an Ishmaelite17:25 Some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 2:17); Hebrew and other Septuagint manuscripts Israelite who had married Abigail,17:25 Hebrew Abigal, a variant of Abigail the daughter of Nahash and sister of Zeruiah the mother of Joab. 26The Israelites and Absalom camped in the land of Gilead.
27When David came to Mahanaim, Shobi son of Nahash from Rabbah of the Ammonites, and Makir son of Ammiel from Lo Debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim 28brought bedding and bowls and articles of pottery. They also brought wheat and barley, flour and roasted grain, beans and lentils,17:28 Most Septuagint manuscripts and Syriac; Hebrew lentils, and roasted grain 29honey and curds, sheep, and cheese from cows’ milk for David and his people to eat. For they said, “The people have become exhausted and hungry and thirsty in the wilderness.”
亞希多弗計謀落空
1亞希多弗對押沙龍說：「請讓我挑選一萬二千人，今夜啟程追趕大衛， 2趁他疲憊無力的時候襲擊他，使他驚慌失措，他的隨從必逃命。我只把王一個人殺掉， 3把他的部下全都帶來歸順你。你尋索的人既然死了，跟隨他的人必然會歸順你。這樣，大家就平安無事了。」 4押沙龍和以色列的長老都贊成這個提議。
5押沙龍說：「召亞基人戶篩進來，我們也聽聽他的意見。」 6戶篩來了，押沙龍就把亞希多弗的建議告訴他，問他：「我們應該照亞希多弗的提議去做嗎？如果不可行，說說你的看法吧。」 7戶篩答道：「亞希多弗這次的主意不好！ 8你知道你父親和他的部下，他們都是勇士，現在他們就像丟了熊崽的母熊一樣兇猛。況且你父親是個身經百戰的人，他一定不會跟部下睡在一處。 9他現在可能藏在山洞或某個地方。要是他襲擊我們的人馬，聽見的人會說押沙龍的軍隊慘敗了。 10那時候，你手下的人再膽量過人，也會膽戰心驚。因為全以色列都知道你父親是英雄，他的部下都是勇士。 11因此，我認為你應該把從但到別示巴的那多如海沙的以色列人都聚集起來，然後你親自率領他們出征。 12這樣不管在哪裡找到大衛，我們就像露水一樣鋪天蓋地地襲擊他，讓他全軍覆沒。 13如果大衛退進一座城裡，我們以色列全軍就拿繩索把那城拉到河谷，連一塊石頭都不留。」
14押沙龍和以色列眾人都說：「亞基人戶篩的主意比亞希多弗的好！」其實是耶和華決定破壞亞希多弗的巧計，好把災禍降在押沙龍身上。
15戶篩把亞希多弗和自己為押沙龍及以色列長老所提的建議告訴祭司撒督和亞比亞他， 16並說：「你們現在快派人去通知大衛，告訴他今晚不可在曠野的渡口過夜，務必要渡過約旦河，免得他和隨從全軍覆沒。」
17當時，約拿單和亞希瑪斯待在隱·羅結，不敢進城，怕被人看見。有一個婢女從城中出來給他們報信，他們便去通知大衛王。 18不料，有一個少年發現了他們，就去告訴押沙龍。他們二人急忙逃走，來到巴戶琳的一戶人家，藏到那家院子裡的一口井內， 19那家的婦人用蓋子蓋上井口，然後在上面撒了一些麥子，沒有人知道這件事。 20押沙龍的部下來到婦人家查問約拿單和亞希瑪斯的下落，婦人說他們已經過河了。押沙龍的部下就去搜索，結果一無所獲，就返回耶路撒冷。 21押沙龍的部下離開後，約拿單和亞希瑪斯便從井裡爬出來，去向大衛王報信，把亞希多弗的計謀告訴他，請他趕快渡過約旦河。 22大衛王和部下就動身過約旦河，在黎明之前，所有的人都過去了。
23亞希多弗見自己的提議不被接納，便備上驢，啟程回鄉，安頓好家事以後，就自縊身亡了。他被安葬在他父親的墓穴裡。
24大衛來到瑪哈念，押沙龍也率領以色列全軍渡過了約旦河。 25押沙龍任命亞瑪撒為元帥，代替約押的位置。亞瑪撒是以實瑪利人以特拉的兒子，他母親是拿轄的女兒亞比該。亞比該與約押的母親洗魯雅是姊妹。 26押沙龍和以色列人在基列地區安營。
27大衛來到瑪哈念後，得到亞捫族拉巴人拿轄的兒子朔比、羅·底巴人亞米利的兒子瑪吉和基列的羅基琳人巴西萊的款待。 28他們帶來被褥、碗盆、瓦器、小麥、大麥、麵粉、炒麥、豆子、扁豆、 29蜂蜜、奶油、綿羊和乳酪，送給大衛和跟隨他的人，因為他們想：「眾人在曠野一定饑渴疲乏了。」
