2 Samuel 17

Hushai Saves David

1 Moreover Ahithophel said to Absalom, "Now let me choose twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue David tonight. 2 "I will come upon him while he is a weary and weak, and make him 1 afraid. And all the people who are with him will flee, and I will b strike only the king. 3 "Then I will bring back all the people to you. When all return except the man whom you seek, all the people will be at peace." 4 And the saying pleased Absalom and all the c elders of Israel.

5 Then Absalom said, "Now call Hushai the Archite also, and let us hear what he d says too." 6 And when Hushai came to Absalom, Absalom spoke to him, saying, "Ahithophel has spoken in this manner. Shall we do as he says? If not, speak up." 7 So Hushai said to Absalom: "The advice that Ahithophel has given is not good at this time. 8 "For," said Hushai, "you know your father and his men, that they are mighty men, and they are enraged in their minds, like e a bear robbed of her cubs in the field; and your father is a man of war, and will not camp with the people. 9 "Surely by now he is hidden in some pit, or in some other place. And it will be, when some of them are overthrown at the first, that whoever hears it will say, 'There is a slaughter among the people who follow Absalom.' 10 "And even he who is valiant, whose heart is like the heart of a lion, will f melt completely. For all Israel knows that your father is a mighty man, and those who are with him are valiant men. 11 "Therefore I advise that all Israel be fully gathered to you, g from Dan to Beersheba, h like the sand that is by the sea for multitude, and that you go to battle in person. 12 "So we will come upon him in some place where he may be found, and we will fall on him as the dew falls on the ground. And of him and all the men who are with him there shall not be left so much as one. 13 "Moreover, if he has withdrawn into a city, then all Israel shall bring ropes to that city; and we will i pull it into the river, until there is not one small stone found there." 14 So Absalom and all the men of Israel said, "The advice of Hushai the Archite is better than the advice of Ahithophel." For j the LORD had purposed to defeat the good advice of Ahithophel, to the intent that the LORD might bring disaster on Absalom.

15 k Then Hushai said to Zadok and Abiathar the priests, "Thus and so Ahithophel advised Absalom and the elders of Israel, and thus and so I have advised. 16 "Now therefore, send quickly and tell David, saying, 'Do not spend this night l in the plains of the wilderness, but speedily cross over, lest the king and all the people who are with him be swallowed up.' " 17 m Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz n stayed at o En Rogel, for they dared not be seen coming into the city; so a female servant would come and tell them, and they would go and tell King David. 18 Nevertheless a lad saw them, and told Absalom. But both of them went away quickly and came to a man's house p in Bahurim, who had a well in his court; and they went down into it. 19 q Then the woman took and spread a covering over the well's mouth, and spread ground grain on it; and the thing was not known. 20 And when Absalom's servants came to the woman at the house, they said, "Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?" So r the woman said to them, "They have gone over the water brook." And when they had searched and could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem.

21 Now it came to pass, after they had departed, that they came up out of the well and went and told King David, and said to David, s "Arise and cross over the water quickly. For thus has Ahithophel advised against you." 22 So David and all the people who were with him arose and crossed over the Jordan. By morning light not one of them was left who had not gone over the Jordan.

23 Now when Ahithophel saw that his advice was not followed, he saddled a donkey, and arose and went home to t his house, to his city. Then he 2 put his u household in order, and v hanged himself, and died; and he was buried in his father's tomb.

24 Then David went to w Mahanaim. And Absalom crossed over the Jordan, he and all the men of Israel with him. 25 And Absalom made x Amasa captain of the army instead of Joab. This Amasa was the son of a man whose name was 3 Jithra, an 4 Israelite, who had gone in to y Abigail the daughter of Nahash, sister of Zeruiah, Joab's mother. 26 So Israel and Absalom encamped in the land of Gilead.

27 Now it happened, when David had come to Mahanaim, that z Shobi the son of Nahash from Rabbah of the people of Ammon, a Machir the son of Ammiel from Lo Debar, and b Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim, 28 brought beds and basins, earthen vessels and wheat, barley and flour, parched grain and beans, lentils and parched seeds, 29 honey and curds, sheep and cheese of the herd, for David and the people who were with him to eat. For they said, "The people are hungry and weary and thirsty c in the wilderness."

  1. Cross References
    2 Samuel 15:12
    Then Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's counselor, from his city - from Giloh - while he offered sacrifices. And the conspiracy grew strong, for the people with Absalom continually increased in number.
  2. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 25:18
    How he met you on the way and attacked your rear ranks, all the stragglers at your rear, when you were tired and weary; and he did not fear God.
    2 Samuel 16:14
    Now the king and all the people who were with him became weary; so they refreshed themselves there.
  3. Cross References
    Zechariah 13:7
    Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, Against the Man who is My Companion," Says the LORD of hosts. "Strike the Shepherd, And the sheep will be scattered; Then I will turn My hand against the little ones.
  4. Cross References
    2 Samuel 5:3
    Therefore all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and King David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the LORD. And they anointed David king over Israel.
    2 Samuel 19:11
    So King David sent to Zadok and Abiathar the priests, saying, "Speak to the elders of Judah, saying, 'Why are you the last to bring the king back to his house, since the words of all Israel have come to the king, to his very house?
  5. Cross References
    2 Samuel 15:32 - 34
    Now it happened when David had come to the top of the mountain, where he worshiped God - there was Hushai the Archite coming to meet him with his robe torn and dust on his head.
  6. Cross References
    Hosea 13:8
    I will meet them like a bear deprived of her cubs; I will tear open their rib cage, And there I will devour them like a lion. The wild beast shall tear them.
  7. Cross References
    Joshua 2:11
    And as soon as we heard these things, our hearts melted; neither did there remain any more courage in anyone because of you, for the LORD your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath.
  8. Cross References
    Judges 20:1
    So all the children of Israel came out, from Dan to Beersheba, as well as from the land of Gilead, and the congregation gathered together as one man before the LORD at Mizpah.
    2 Samuel 3:10
    "to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul, and set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan to Beersheba."
  9. Cross References
    Genesis 22:17
    Blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies.
    Joshua 11:4
    So they went out, they and all their armies with them, as many people as the sand that is on the seashore in multitude, with very many horses and chariots.
    1 Kings 20:10
    Then BenHadad sent to him and said, "The gods do so to me, and more also, if enough dust is left of Samaria for a handful for each of the people who follow me.
  10. Cross References
    Micah 1:6
    Therefore I will make Samaria a heap of ruins in the field, Places for planting a vineyard; I will pour down her stones into the valley, And I will uncover her foundations.
  11. Cross References
    2 Samuel 15:31
    Then someone told David, saying, "Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom." And David said, "O LORD, I pray, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness!
    2 Samuel 15:34
    But if you return to the city, and say to Absalom, 'I will be your servant, O king; as I was your father's servant previously, so I will now also be your servant,' then you may defeat the counsel of Ahithophel for me.
  12. Cross References
    2 Samuel 15:35
    And do you not have Zadok and Abiathar the priests with you there? Therefore it will be that whatever you hear from the king's house, you shall tell to Zadok and Abiathar the priests.
    2 Samuel 15:36
    "Indeed they have there with them their two sons, Ahimaaz, Zadok's son, and Jonathan, Abiathar's son; and by them you shall send me everything you hear."
  13. Cross References
    2 Samuel 15:28
    "See, I will wait in the plains of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me."
  14. Cross References
    2 Samuel 15:27
    The king also said to Zadok the priest, " Are you not a seer? Return to the city in peace, and your two sons with you, Ahimaaz your son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar.
    2 Samuel 15:36
    "Indeed they have there with them their two sons, Ahimaaz, Zadok's son, and Jonathan, Abiathar's son; and by them you shall send me everything you hear."
    1 Kings 1:42
    While he was still speaking, there came Jonathan, the son of Abiathar the priest. And Adonijah said to him, "Come in, for you are a prominent man, and bring good news.
    1 Kings 1:43
    Then Jonathan answered and said to Adonijah, "No! Our lord King David has made Solomon king.
  15. Cross References
    Joshua 2:4 - 6
    Then the woman took the two men and hid them. So she said, "Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they were from.
  16. Cross References
    Joshua 15:7
    Then the border went up toward Debir from the Valley of Achor, and it turned northward toward Gilgal, which is before the Ascent of Adummim, which is on the south side of the valley. The border continued toward the waters of En Shemesh and ended at En Rogel.
    Joshua 18:16
    Then the border came down to the end of the mountain that lies before the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, which is in the Valley of the Rephaim on the north, descended to the Valley of Hinnom, to the side of the Jebusite city on the south, and descended to En Rogel.
  17. Cross References
    2 Samuel 3:16
    Then her husband went along with her to Bahurim, weeping behind her. So Abner said to him, "Go, return!" And he returned.
    2 Samuel 16:5
    Now when King David came to Bahurim, there was a man from the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei the son of Gera, coming from there. He came out, cursing continuously as he came.
  18. Cross References
    Joshua 2:4 - 6
    Then the woman took the two men and hid them. So she said, "Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they were from.
  19. Cross References
    Exodus 1:19
    And the midwives said to Pharaoh, "Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women; for they are lively and give birth before the midwives come to them.
    Leviticus 19:11
    You shall not steal, nor deal falsely, nor lie to one another.
    Joshua 2:3 - 5
    So the king of Jericho sent to Rahab, saying, "Bring out the men who have come to you, who have entered your house, for they have come to search out all the country.
  20. Cross References
    2 Samuel 17:15
    Then Hushai said to Zadok and Abiathar the priests, "Thus and so Ahithophel advised Absalom and the elders of Israel, and thus and so I have advised.
    2 Samuel 17:16
    "Now therefore, send quickly and tell David, saying, 'Do not spend this night in the plains of the wilderness, but speedily cross over, lest the king and all the people who are with him be swallowed up.'"
  21. Cross References
    2 Samuel 15:12
    Then Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's counselor, from his city - from Giloh - while he offered sacrifices. And the conspiracy grew strong, for the people with Absalom continually increased in number.
  22. Cross References
    2 Kings 20:1
    In those days Hezekiah was sick and near death. And Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, went to him and said to him, "Thus says the LORD: 'Set your house in order, for you shall die, and not live.'
  23. Cross References
    Matthew 27:5
    Then he threw down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed, and went and hanged himself.
  24. Cross References
    Genesis 32:2
    When Jacob saw them, he said, "This is God's camp." And he called the name of that place Mahanaim.
    Joshua 13:26
    And from Heshbon to Ramath Mizpah and Betonim, and from Mahanaim to the border of Debir.
    2 Samuel 2:8
    But Abner the son of Ner, commander of Saul's army, took Ishbosheth the son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim.
    2 Samuel 19:32
    Now Barzillai was a very aged man, eighty years old. And he had provided the king with supplies while he stayed at Mahanaim, for he was a very rich man.
  25. Cross References
    2 Samuel 19:13
    "And say to Amasa, ' Are you not my bone and my flesh? God do so to me, and more also, if you are not commander of the army before me continually in place of Joab.'"
    2 Samuel 20:9 - 12
    Then Joab said to Amasa, " Are you in health, my brother?" And Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him.
    1 Kings 2:5
    Moreover you know also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, and what he did to the two commanders of the armies of Israel, to Abner the son of Ner and Amasa the son of Jether, whom he killed. And he shed the blood of war in peacetime, and put the blood of war on his belt that was around his waist, and on his sandals that were on his feet.
    1 Kings 2:32
    So the LORD will return his blood on his head, because he struck down two men more righteous and better than he, and killed them with the sword - Abner the son of Ner, the commander of the army of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, the commander of the army of Judah - though my father David did not know it.
  26. Cross References
    1 Chronicles 2:16
    Now their sisters were Zeruiah and Abigail. And the sons of Zeruiah were Abishai, Joab, and Asahel - three.
  27. Cross References
    1 Samuel 11:1
    Then Nahash the Ammonite came up and encamped against Jabesh Gilead; and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, "Make a covenant with us, and we will serve you.
    2 Samuel 10:1
    It happened after this that the king of the people of Ammon died, and Hanun his son reigned in his place.
    2 Samuel 12:29
    So David gathered all the people together and went to Rabbah, fought against it, and took it.
  28. Cross References
    2 Samuel 9:4
    So the king said to him, "Where is he?" And Ziba said to the king, "Indeed he is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, in Lo Debar.
  29. Cross References
    2 Samuel 19:31
    And Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim and went across the Jordan with the king, to escort him across the Jordan.
    2 Samuel 19:32
    Now Barzillai was a very aged man, eighty years old. And he had provided the king with supplies while he stayed at Mahanaim, for he was a very rich man.
    1 Kings 2:7
    But show kindness to the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be among those who eat at your table, for so they came to me when I fled from Absalom your brother.
New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
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