International Standard Version

Hebrew Study Bible

1"Give me 12,000 men! I'll leave tonight and pursue David," Ahithophel advised Absalom.

1וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֲחִיתֹ֖פֶל אֶל־ אַבְשָׁלֹ֑ם אֶבְחֲרָ֣ה נָּ֗א שְׁנֵים־ עָשָׂ֥ר אֶ֙לֶף֙ אִ֔ישׁ וְאָק֛וּמָה וְאֶרְדְּפָ֥ה אַחֲרֵי־ דָוִ֖ד הַלָּֽיְלָה׃

2"I'll catch him while he is still tired and weak. I'll frighten him so all his people with him desert him. But I'll only kill the king.

2וְאָב֣וֹא עָלָ֗יו וְה֤וּא יָגֵ֙עַ֙ וּרְפֵ֣ה יָדַ֔יִם וְהַֽחֲרַדְתִּ֣י אֹת֔וֹ וְנָ֖ס כָּל־ הָעָ֣ם אֲשֶׁר־ אִתּ֑וֹ וְהִכֵּיתִ֥י אֶת־ הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ לְבַדּֽוֹ׃

3Then I'll bring everybody else back to you. When the man you're looking for is dead, all the rest of the people will return quietly."

3וְאָשִׁ֥יבָה כָל־ הָעָ֖ם אֵלֶ֑יךָ כְּשׁ֣וּב הַכֹּ֔ל הָאִישׁ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אַתָּ֣ה מְבַקֵּ֔שׁ כָּל־ הָעָ֖ם יִהְיֶ֥ה שָׁלֽוֹם׃

4Even though this plan seemed like a good idea to Absalom and to all of the elders of Israel,

4וַיִּישַׁ֥ר הַדָּבָ֖ר בְּעֵינֵ֣י אַבְשָׁלֹ֑ם וּבְעֵינֵ֖י כָּל־ זִקְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ ס

5Absalom replied, "Call in Hushai the Archite so I can hear what he has to say, too!"

5וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אַבְשָׁל֔וֹם קְרָ֣א נָ֔א גַּ֖ם לְחוּשַׁ֣י הָאַרְכִּ֑י וְנִשְׁמְעָ֥ה מַה־ בְּפִ֖יו גַּם־ הֽוּא׃

6When Hushai approached Absalom, Absalom asked him, "Here's what Ahithophel had to advise. Should we do what he says? Or if not, say so!"

6וַיָּבֹ֣א חוּשַׁי֮ אֶל־ אַבְשָׁלוֹם֒ וַיֹּאמֶר֩ אַבְשָׁל֨וֹם אֵלָ֜יו לֵאמֹ֗ר כַּדָּבָ֤ר הַזֶּה֙ דִּבֶּ֣ר אֲחִיתֹ֔פֶל הֲנַעֲשֶׂ֖ה אֶת־ דְּבָר֑וֹ אִם־ אַ֖יִן אַתָּ֥ה דַבֵּֽר׃ ס

7"Ahithophel's advice is not best at this time," Hushai suggested to Absalom.

7וַיֹּ֥אמֶר חוּשַׁ֖י אֶל־ אַבְשָׁל֑וֹם לֹֽא־ טוֹבָ֧ה הָעֵצָ֛ה אֲשֶׁר־ יָעַ֥ץ אֲחִיתֹ֖פֶל בַּפַּ֥עַם הַזֹּֽאת׃

8"You know how strong your father and his men are. They're as mad as a bear robbed of her cubs! Furthermore, your father is a skilled warrior. He won't stay with his army at night.

8וַיֹּ֣אמֶר חוּשַׁ֗י אַתָּ֣ה יָ֠דַעְתָּ אֶת־ אָבִ֨יךָ וְאֶת־ אֲנָשָׁ֜יו כִּ֧י גִבֹּרִ֣ים הֵ֗מָּה וּמָרֵ֥י נֶ֙פֶשׁ֙ הֵ֔מָּה כְּדֹ֥ב שַׁכּ֖וּל בַּשָּׂדֶ֑ה וְאָבִ֙יךָ֙ אִ֣ישׁ מִלְחָמָ֔ה וְלֹ֥א יָלִ֖ין אֶת־ הָעָֽם׃

9Look! He's probably already hiding in a cave or someplace like that. If the first attack fails, people will hear about it and think, 'Absalom's army is losing!'

9הִנֵּ֨ה עַתָּ֤ה הֽוּא־ נֶחְבָּא֙ בְּאַחַ֣ת הַפְּחָתִ֔ים א֖וֹ בְּאַחַ֣ד הַמְּקוֹמֹ֑ת וְהָיָ֗ה כִּנְפֹ֤ל בָּהֶם֙ בַּתְּחִלָּ֔ה וְשָׁמַ֤ע הַשֹּׁמֵ֙עַ֙ וְאָמַ֔ר הָֽיְתָה֙ מַגֵּפָ֔ה בָּעָ֕ם אֲשֶׁ֖ר אַחֲרֵ֥י אַבְשָׁלֹֽם׃

10Then even men who would otherwise be as brave as lions will be scared, because every Israeli knows your father is a mighty man, and they know his men are valiant!

10וְה֣וּא גַם־ בֶּן־ חַ֗יִל אֲשֶׁ֥ר לִבּ֛וֹ כְּלֵ֥ב הָאַרְיֵ֖ה הִמֵּ֣ס יִמָּ֑ס כִּֽי־ יֹדֵ֤עַ כָּל־ יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ כִּי־ גִבּ֣וֹר אָבִ֔יךָ וּבְנֵי־ חַ֖יִל אֲשֶׁ֥ר אִתּֽוֹ׃

11So here's my advice: Muster everybody from one end of the country to the other! You'll have an army in number like the sand on the seashore! Then you'll go into battle!

11כִּ֣י יָעַ֗צְתִּי הֵ֠אָסֹף יֵאָסֵ֨ף עָלֶ֤יךָ כָל־ יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ מִדָּן֙ וְעַד־ בְּאֵ֣ר שֶׁ֔בַע כַּח֥וֹל אֲשֶׁר־ עַל־ הַיָּ֖ם לָרֹ֑ב וּפָנֶ֥יךָ הֹלְכִ֖ים בַּקְרָֽב׃

12We'll go find David wherever he's hiding. We'll fall on him like dew on the ground! We'll kill him and all of his men, and we won't leave even one man alive!

12וּבָ֣אנוּ אֵלָ֗יו [באחת] (בְּאַחַ֤ד) הַמְּקוֹמֹת֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נִמְצָ֣א שָׁ֔ם וְנַ֣חְנוּ עָלָ֔יו כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר יִפֹּ֥ל הַטַּ֖ל עַל־ הָאֲדָמָ֑ה וְלֹֽא־ נ֥וֹתַר בּ֛וֹ וּבְכָל־ הָאֲנָשִׁ֥ים אֲשֶׁר־ אִתּ֖וֹ גַּם־ אֶחָֽד׃

13If he escapes into a city, we'll bring ropes to that city and tear it down! We won't leave a single stone left in the valley!"

13וְאִם־ אֶל־ עִיר֙ יֵֽאָסֵ֔ף וְהִשִּׂ֧יאוּ כָֽל־ יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל אֶל־ הָעִ֥יר הַהִ֖יא חֲבָלִ֑ים וְסָחַ֤בְנוּ אֹתוֹ֙ עַד־ הַנַּ֔חַל עַ֛ד אֲשֶֽׁר־ לֹא־ נִמְצָ֥א שָׁ֖ם גַּם־ צְרֽוֹר׃ פ

14Absalom and all of the Israelis replied, "The advice of Hushai the Archite is better than Ahithophel's!" But the LORD had planned to circumvent the sound advice of Ahithophel so the LORD could bring Absalom to destruction.

14וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אַבְשָׁלוֹם֙ וְכָל־ אִ֣ישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל טוֹבָ֗ה עֲצַת֙ חוּשַׁ֣י הָאַרְכִּ֔י מֵעֲצַ֖ת אֲחִיתֹ֑פֶל וַיהוָ֣ה צִוָּ֗ה לְהָפֵ֞ר אֶת־ עֲצַ֤ת אֲחִיתֹ֙פֶל֙ הַטּוֹבָ֔ה לְבַעֲב֗וּר הָבִ֧יא יְהוָ֛ה אֶל־ אַבְשָׁל֖וֹם אֶת־ הָרָעָֽה׃ ס

15So Hushai told Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, what Ahithophel had suggested to Absalom and the elders of Israel. He also reported what he himself had proposed. Hushai said,

15וַיֹּ֣אמֶר חוּשַׁ֗י אֶל־ צָד֤וֹק וְאֶל־ אֶבְיָתָר֙ הַכֹּ֣הֲנִ֔ים כָּזֹ֣את וְכָזֹ֗את יָעַ֤ץ אֲחִיתֹ֙פֶל֙ אֶת־ אַבְשָׁלֹ֔ם וְאֵ֖ת זִקְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְכָזֹ֥את וְכָזֹ֖את יָעַ֥צְתִּי אָֽנִי׃

16"Quick! Get word to David! Tell him not to spend the night at the crossings that lead to the desert. Instead, he must cross the Jordan River immediately. That way, if he crosses the river, the king and his entourage will survive."

16וְעַתָּ֡ה שִׁלְח֣וּ מְהֵרָה֩ וְהַגִּ֨ידוּ לְדָוִ֜ד לֵאמֹ֗ר אַל־ תָּ֤לֶן הַלַּ֙יְלָה֙ בְּעַֽרְב֣וֹת הַמִּדְבָּ֔ר וְגַ֖ם עָב֣וֹר תַּעֲב֑וֹר פֶּ֚ן יְבֻלַּ֣ע לַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וּלְכָל־ הָעָ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר אִתּֽוֹ׃

17Meanwhile, since they could not risk being seen entering the city, Jonathan and Ahimaaz had been waiting at En-rogel, where a young servant woman was to go to inform them and they would then go brief King David.

17וִיהוֹנָתָ֨ן וַאֲחִימַ֜עַץ עֹמְדִ֣ים בְּעֵין־ רֹגֵ֗ל וְהָלְכָ֤ה הַשִּׁפְחָה֙ וְהִגִּ֣ידָה לָהֶ֔ם וְהֵם֙ יֵֽלְכ֔וּ וְהִגִּ֖ידוּ לַמֶּ֣לֶךְ דָּוִ֑ד כִּ֣י לֹ֥א יוּכְל֛וּ לְהֵרָא֖וֹת לָב֥וֹא הָעִֽירָה׃

18But a young man observed Jonathan and Ahimaaz and informed Absalom, so they left in a hurry, arrived at the home of a man who lived at Bahurim, and hid inside a well that was in his courtyard.

18וַיַּ֤רְא אֹתָם֙ נַ֔עַר וַיַּגֵּ֖ד לְאַבְשָׁלֹ֑ם וַיֵּלְכוּ֩ שְׁנֵיהֶ֨ם מְהֵרָ֜ה וַיָּבֹ֣אוּ ׀ אֶל־ בֵּֽית־ אִ֣ישׁ בְּבַחוּרִ֗ים וְל֥וֹ בְאֵ֛ר בַּחֲצֵר֖וֹ וַיֵּ֥רְדוּ שָֽׁם׃

19The man's wife grabbed a sheet, covered the mouth of the well with it, and spread some dried grain over it. As a result, nobody could tell it was a hiding place.

19וַתִּקַּ֣ח הָאִשָּׁ֗ה וַתִּפְרֹ֤שׂ אֶת־ הַמָּסָךְ֙ עַל־ פְּנֵ֣י הַבְּאֵ֔ר וַתִּשְׁטַ֥ח עָלָ֖יו הָֽרִפ֑וֹת וְלֹ֥א נוֹדַ֖ע דָּבָֽר׃

20When Absalom's servants approached the woman of the house, they asked her, "Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?" "They've already crossed the brook," the woman answered. So Absalom's servants went away in search of Jonathan and Ahimaaz, but they couldn't find them, so they returned to Jerusalem.

20וַיָּבֹ֣אוּ עַבְדֵי֩ אַבְשָׁל֨וֹם אֶֽל־ הָאִשָּׁ֜ה הַבַּ֗יְתָה וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ אַיֵּ֗ה אֲחִימַ֙עַץ֙ וִיה֣וֹנָתָ֔ן וַתֹּ֤אמֶר לָהֶם֙ הָֽאִשָּׁ֔ה עָבְר֖וּ מִיכַ֣ל הַמָּ֑יִם וַיְבַקְשׁוּ֙ וְלֹ֣א מָצָ֔אוּ וַיָּשֻׁ֖בוּ יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם׃ ס

21A little while later, the men crawled up out of the well and went off to talk to King David. They told David, "Get up! Cross the water quickly, because this is what Ahithophel advised about you…"

21וַיְהִ֣י ׀ אַחֲרֵ֣י לֶכְתָּ֗ם וַֽיַּעֲלוּ֙ מֵֽהַבְּאֵ֔ר וַיֵּ֣לְכ֔וּ וַיַּגִּ֖דוּ לַמֶּ֣לֶךְ דָּוִ֑ד וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ אֶל־ דָּוִ֗ד ק֣וּמוּ וְעִבְר֤וּ מְהֵרָה֙ אֶת־ הַמַּ֔יִם כִּי־ כָ֛כָה יָעַ֥ץ עֲלֵיכֶ֖ם אֲחִיתֹֽפֶל׃

22So David got up and all of his entourage crossed the Jordan River. Everyone had crossed the Jordan River by dawn's first light.

22וַיָּ֣קָם דָּוִ֗ד וְכָל־ הָעָם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אִתּ֔וֹ וַיַּעַבְר֖וּ אֶת־ הַיַּרְדֵּ֑ן עַד־ א֣וֹר הַבֹּ֗קֶר עַד־ אַחַד֙ לֹ֣א נֶעְדָּ֔ר אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹא־ עָבַ֖ר אֶת־ הַיַּרְדֵּֽן׃

23Meanwhile, when Ahithophel observed that his counsel was not being acted upon, he saddled his donkey, got up, and left for his hometown. Leaving behind a set of orders for his household, he hanged himself. After his death he was buried in his father's tomb.

23וַאֲחִיתֹ֣פֶל רָאָ֗ה כִּ֣י לֹ֣א נֶעֶשְׂתָה֮ עֲצָתוֹ֒ וַיַּחֲבֹ֣שׁ אֶֽת־ הַחֲמ֗וֹר וַיָּ֜קָם וַיֵּ֤לֶךְ אֶל־ בֵּיתוֹ֙ אֶל־ עִיר֔וֹ וַיְצַ֥ו אֶל־ בֵּית֖וֹ וַיֵּחָנַ֑ק וַיָּ֕מָת וַיִּקָּבֵ֖ר בְּקֶ֥בֶר אָבִֽיו׃ ס

24Later, David arrived at Mahanaim. Absalom and all of the Israelis who supported him crossed the Jordan River.

24וְדָוִ֖ד בָּ֣א מַחֲנָ֑יְמָה וְאַבְשָׁלֹ֗ם עָבַר֙ אֶת־ הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ן ה֕וּא וְכָל־ אִ֥ישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל עִמּֽוֹ׃

25Absalom had installed Amasa in place of Joab over the army. (Amasa was the son of a man named Jether the Ishmaelite. His mother was Abigail, a daughter of Nahash and a sister of Zeruiah, Joab's mother.)

25וְאֶת־ עֲמָשָׂ֗א שָׂ֧ם אַבְשָׁלֹ֛ם תַּ֥חַת יוֹאָ֖ב עַל־ הַצָּבָ֑א וַעֲמָשָׂ֣א בֶן־ אִ֗ישׁ וּשְׁמוֹ֙ יִתְרָ֣א הַיִּשְׂרְאֵלִ֔י אֲשֶׁר־ בָּא֙ אֶל־ אֲבִיגַ֣ל בַּת־ נָחָ֔שׁ אֲח֥וֹת צְרוּיָ֖ה אֵ֥ם יוֹאָֽב׃

26Absalom and the Israelis with him camped in the territory of Gilead.

26וַיִּ֤חַן יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ וְאַבְשָׁלֹ֔ם אֶ֖רֶץ הַגִּלְעָֽד׃ ס

27When David arrived at Mahanaim, Shobi (Nahash's son from the Ammonite town of Rabbah), Makir (Ammiel's son from Lo-debar), and Barzillai (from Rogelim in Gilead) were already there.

27וַיְהִ֕י כְּב֥וֹא דָוִ֖ד מַחֲנָ֑יְמָה וְשֹׁבִ֨י בֶן־ נָחָ֜שׁ מֵרַבַּ֣ת בְּנֵֽי־ עַמּ֗וֹן וּמָכִ֤יר בֶּן־ עַמִּיאֵל֙ מִלֹּ֣א דְבָ֔ר וּבַרְזִלַּ֥י הַגִּלְעָדִ֖י מֵרֹגְלִֽים׃

28They brought along bedding, bowls, clay basins, wheat, barley, flour, roasted grains, beans, peas,

28מִשְׁכָּ֤ב וְסַפּוֹת֙ וּכְלִ֣י יוֹצֵ֔ר וְחִטִּ֥ים וּשְׂעֹרִ֖ים וְקֶ֣מַח וְקָלִ֑י וּפ֥וֹל וַעֲדָשִׁ֖ים וְקָלִֽי׃

29honey, cheeses, sheep, and cheese made from cow's milk for David and his entourage because they had been reasoning, "The people are hungry, tired, and thirsty there in the wilderness."

29וּדְבַ֣שׁ וְחֶמְאָ֗ה וְצֹאן֙ וּשְׁפ֣וֹת בָּקָ֔ר הִגִּ֧ישׁוּ לְדָוִ֛ד וְלָעָ֥ם אֲשֶׁר־ אִתּ֖וֹ לֶאֱכ֑וֹל כִּ֣י אָמְר֔וּ הָעָ֗ם רָעֵ֛ב וְעָיֵ֥ף וְצָמֵ֖א בַּמִּדְבָּֽר׃

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