2 Samuel 17-19
Contemporary English Version
17 Ahithophel said to Absalom:
Let me choose 12,000 men and attack David tonight, 2 while he is tired and discouraged. He will panic, and everyone with him will run away. I won't kill anyone except David, 3 since he's the one you want to get rid of. Then I'll bring the whole nation back to you like a bride coming home to her husband.[a] This way there won't be a civil war.
Hushai Fools Absalom
4 Absalom and all the leaders of the tribes of Israel agreed that Ahithophel had a good plan. 5 Then Absalom said, “Bring in Hushai the Archite. Let's hear what he has to say.”
6 Hushai came in, and Absalom told him what Ahithophel had planned. Then Absalom said, “Should we do what he says? And if we shouldn't, can you come up with anything better?”
7 Hushai said:
This time Ahithophel's advice isn't so good. 8 You know that your father and his followers are real warriors. Now they are as fierce as a mother bear whose cubs have just been killed. Besides, your father has a lot of experience in fighting wars, and he won't be spending the night with the others. 9 He has probably already found a hiding place in a cave or somewhere else.
As soon as anyone hears that some of your soldiers have been killed, everyone will think your whole army has been destroyed. 10 Then even those who are as brave as a lion will lose their courage. All Israel knows what a great warrior your father is and what brave soldiers he has.
11 My advice is to gather all the fighting men of Israel from the town of Dan in the north down to the town of Beersheba in the south. You will have more soldiers than there are grains of sand on the seashore. Absalom, you should lead them yourself, 12 and we will all go to fight David wherever he is. We will fall on him just as dew falls and covers the ground. He and all his soldiers will die! 13 If they go into a walled town, we will put ropes around that town and drag it into the river. We won't leave even one small piece of a stone.
14 Absalom and the others liked Hushai's plan better than Ahithophel's plan. This was because the Lord had decided to keep Ahithophel's plan from working and to cause trouble for Absalom.
Jonathan and Ahimaaz Tell David the News
15 At once, Hushai went to Zadok and Abiathar. He told them what advice Ahithophel had given to Absalom and to the leaders of Israel. He also told them about the advice he had given. 16 Then he said, “Hurry! Send someone to warn David not to spend the night on this side of the Jordan. He must get across the river, so he and the others won't be wiped out!”
17 Jonathan and Ahimaaz[b] had been waiting at Rogel Spring[c] because they did not want to be seen in Jerusalem. A servant girl went to the spring and gave them the message for David. 18 But a young man saw them and went to tell Absalom. So Jonathan and Ahimaaz left and hurried to the house of a man who lived in Bahurim. Then they climbed down into a well in the courtyard. 19 The man's wife put the cover on the well and poured grain on top of it, so the well could not be seen.[d]
20 Absalom's soldiers came to the woman and demanded, “Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?”
The woman answered, “They went across that stream.”
The soldiers went off to look for the two men. But when they did not find the men, they went back to Jerusalem.
21 After the soldiers had gone, Jonathan and Ahimaaz climbed out of the well. They went to David and said, “Hurry! Get ready to cross the river!” Then they told him about Ahithophel's plan.
22 David and the others got ready and started crossing the Jordan River. By sunrise all of them were on the other side.
Ahithophel Kills Himself
23 When Ahithophel saw that Absalom and the leaders of Israel were not going to follow his advice, he saddled his donkey and rode back to his home in Gilo. He told his family and servants what to do. Then he hanged himself, and they buried him in his family's burial place.
Absalom Puts Amasa in Charge of the Army
24 David went to the town of Mahanaim, and Absalom crossed the Jordan River with the army of Israel. 25 Absalom put Amasa in Joab's place as commander of the army. Amasa's father was Ithra[e] from the family of Ishmael,[f] and his mother was Abigal,[g] the daughter of Nahash and the sister of Joab's mother Zeruiah. 26 The Israelites under Absalom's command set up camp in the region of Gilead.
Friends Bring Supplies to David
27 After David came to the town of Mahanaim, Shobi the son of Nahash came from Rabbah in Ammon,[h] Machir the son of Ammiel came from Lo-Debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite came from Rogelim.
28-29 Here is a list of what they brought: sleeping mats, blankets, bowls, pottery jars, wheat, barley, flour, roasted grain, beans, lentils, honey, yogurt, sheep, and cheese.
They brought the food for David and the others because they knew that everyone would be hungry, tired, and thirsty from being out in the desert.
David Gets Ready for Battle
18 David divided his soldiers into groups of 100 and groups of 1,000. Then he chose officers to be in command of each group. 2 He sent out one third of his army under the command of Joab, another third under the command of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, and the rest under the command of Ittai from Gath. He told the soldiers, “I'm going into battle with you.”
3 But the soldiers said, “No, don't go into battle with us! It won't matter to our enemies if they make us all run away, or even if they kill half of us. But you are worth 10,000 of us. It would be better for you to stay in town and send help if we need it.”
4-6 David said, “All right, if you think I should.”
Then in a voice loud enough for everyone to hear, he said, “Joab! Abishai! Ittai! For my sake, be sure that Absalom comes back unharmed.”
David stood beside the town gate as his army marched past in groups of 100 and in groups of 1,000.
Joab Kills Absalom
The war with Israel took place in Ephraim Forest. 7-8 Battles were being fought all over the forest, and David's soldiers were winning. Twenty thousand soldiers were killed[i] that day, and more of them died from the dangers of the forest than from the fighting itself.
9 Absalom was riding his mule under a huge tree when his head[j] caught in the branches. The mule ran off and left Absalom hanging in midair. Some of David's soldiers happened by, 10 and one of them went and told Joab, “I saw Absalom hanging in a tree!”
11 Joab said, “You saw Absalom? Why didn't you kill him? I would have given you ten pieces of silver and a special belt.”
12 The man answered, “Even if you paid me 1,000 pieces of silver here and now, I still wouldn't touch the king's son. We all heard King David tell you and Abishai and Ittai not to harm Absalom. 13 He always finds out what's going on. I would have been risking my life to kill Absalom, because you would have let me take the blame.”
14 Joab said, “I'm not going to waste any more time on you!”
Absalom was still alive, so Joab took three spears and stuck them through Absalom's chest. 15 Ten of Joab's bodyguards came over and finished him off. 16 Then Joab blew a trumpet to signal his troops to stop chasing Israel's soldiers. 17 They threw Absalom's body into a deep pit in the forest and put a big pile of rocks over it.
Meanwhile, the people of Israel had all run back to their own homes.
18 When Absalom was alive, he had set up a stone monument for himself in King's Valley. He explained, “I don't have any sons[k] to keep my name alive.” He called it Absalom's Monument, and that is the name it still has today.[l]
Ahimaaz Wants To Tell David
19 Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, “Joab, let me run and tell King David that the Lord has rescued him from his enemies.”
20 Joab answered, “You're not the one to tell the king that his son is dead. You can take him a message some other time, but not today.”
21 Someone from Ethiopia[m] was standing there, and Joab told him, “Go and tell the king what you have seen.” The man knelt down in front of Joab, then got up and started running.
22 Ahimaaz spoke to Joab again, “No matter what happens, I still want to go. And besides, the Ethiopian has already left.”
Joab said, “Why should you go? You won't get a reward for the news you have!”
23 “I'll run no matter what!” Ahimaaz insisted.
“All right then, run!” Joab said.
Ahimaaz took the road through the Jordan Valley and outran the Ethiopian.
24 Meanwhile, David was sitting between the inner and outer gates[n] in the city wall. One of his soldiers was watching from the roof of the gate-tower. He saw a man running toward the town 25 and shouted down to tell David.
David answered, “If he's alone, he must have some news.”
The runner was getting closer, 26 when the soldier saw someone else running. He shouted down to the gate, “Look! There's another runner!”
David said, “He must have some news too.”
27 The soldier on the roof shouted, “The first one runs just like Ahimaaz the son of Zadok.”
This time David said, “He's a good man. He must have some good news.”
28 Ahimaaz called out, “We won! We won!” Then he bowed low to David and said, “Your Majesty, praise the Lord your God! He has given you victory over your enemies.”
29 “Is my son Absalom all right?” David asked.
Ahimaaz said, “When Joab sent your personal servant and me, I saw a noisy crowd. But I don't know what it was all about.”
30 David told him, “Stand over there and wait.”
Ahimaaz went over and stood there. 31 The Ethiopian came and said, “Your Majesty, today I have good news! The Lord has rescued you from all your enemies!”
32 “Is my son Absalom all right?” David asked.
The Ethiopian replied, “I wish that all Your Majesty's enemies and everyone who tries to harm you would end up like him!”
David Cries for Absalom
33 David started trembling. Then he went up to the room above the city gate to cry. As he went, he kept saying, “My son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! I wish I could have died instead of you! Absalom, my son, my son!”[o]
19 Someone told Joab, “The king is crying because Absalom is dead.”
2 David's army found out he was crying because his son had died, and their day of victory suddenly turned into a day of sadness. 3 The troops were sneaking into Mahanaim, just as if they had run away from a battle and were ashamed.
4 David covered his face with his hands and kept on crying loudly, “My son, Absalom! Absalom, my son, my son!”
5 Joab went to the house where David was staying and told him:
You've made your soldiers ashamed! Not only did they save your life, they saved your sons and daughters and wives as well. 6 You're more loyal to your enemies than to your friends. What you've done today has shown your officers and soldiers that they don't mean a thing to you. You would be happy if Absalom was still alive, even if the rest of us were dead.
7 Now get up! Go out there and thank them for what they did. If you don't, I swear by the Lord that you won't even have one man left on your side tomorrow morning. You may have had a lot of troubles in the past, but this will be the worst thing that has ever happened to you!
8 David got up and went to the town gate and sat down. When the people heard that he was sitting there, they came to see him.
Israel and Judah Want David Back
After Israel's soldiers had all returned home, 9-10 everyone in Israel started arguing. They were saying to each other, “King David rescued us from the Philistines and from our other enemies. But then we chose Absalom to be our new leader, and David had to leave the country to get away. Absalom died in battle, so why hasn't something been done to bring David back?”
11 When David found out what they were saying, he sent a message to Zadok and Abiathar the priests. It said:
Say to the leaders of Judah, “Why are you the last tribe to think about bringing King David back home? 12 He is your brother, your own relative! Why haven't you done anything to bring him back?”
13 And tell Amasa, “You're my nephew, and with God as a witness, I swear I'll make you commander of my army instead of Joab.”
14 Soon the tribe of Judah again became followers of David, and they sent him this message: “Come back, and bring your soldiers with you.”
David Starts Back for Jerusalem
15 David started back and had gone as far as the Jordan River when he met the people of Judah. They had gathered at Gilgal and had come to help him cross the river.
16 (A) Shimei[p] the son of Gera was there with them. He had hurried from Bahurim to meet David. Shimei was from the tribe of Benjamin, and 17 1,000 others from Benjamin had come with him.
Ziba, the chief servant of Saul's family, also came to the Jordan River. He and his 15 sons and 20 servants waded across[q] to meet David. 18 Then they brought David's family and servants back across the river, and they did everything he wanted them to do.
Shimei Meets with David
Shimei crossed the Jordan River and bowed down in front of David. 19 He said, “Your Majesty, I beg you not to punish me! Please, forget what I did when you were leaving Jerusalem. Don't even think about it. 20 I know I was wrong. That's why I wanted to be the first one from the northern tribes to meet you.”
21 But Abishai shouted, “You should be killed for cursing the Lord's chosen king!”
22 David said, “Abishai, what will I ever do with you and your brother Joab? Is it your job to tell me who has done wrong? I've been made king of all Israel today, and no one will be put to death!” 23 Then David promised Shimei that he would not be killed.
Mephibosheth Meets with David
24-25 (B) Mephibosheth, the grandson of Saul, also came to meet David. He had missed David so much that he had not taken a bath or trimmed his beard or washed his clothes the whole time David was gone. David asked him, “Why didn't you go with me?”
26 He answered, “Your Majesty, you know I can't walk. I told my servant to saddle a donkey for me[r] so I could go with you. But my servant left without me, and 27 then he lied about me. You're as wise as an angel of God, so do what you think is right. 28 After all, you could have killed my whole family and me. But instead, you let me eat at your own table. Your Majesty, what more could I ask?”
29 David answered, “You've said enough! I've decided to divide the property[s] between you and Ziba.”
30 Mephibosheth replied, “He can have it all! I'm just glad you've come home safely.”
Barzillai Returns Home
31 (C) Barzillai came from Rogelim in Gilead to meet David at the Jordan River and go across with him. 32 Barzillai was 80 years old. He was very rich and had sent food to David in Mahanaim.
33 David said to him, “Cross the river and go to Jerusalem with me. I will take care of you.”
34 Barzillai answered:
Your Majesty, why should I go to Jerusalem? I don't have much longer to live. 35 I'm already 80 years old, and my body is almost numb. I can't taste my food or hear the sound of singing, and I would be nothing but a burden. 36 I'll cross the river with you, but I'll only go a little way on the other side. You don't have to be so kind to me. 37 Just let me return to my hometown, where I can someday be buried near my father and mother. My servant Chimham[t] can go with you, and you can treat him as your own.
38 David said, “I'll take Chimham with me, and whatever you ask me to do for him, I'll do. And if there's anything else you want, I'll also do that.”
39 David's soldiers went on across the river, while he stayed behind to tell Barzillai goodbye and to wish him well. Barzillai returned home, but 40 Chimham crossed the river with David.
Israel and Judah Argue
All of Judah's army and half of Israel's army were there to help David cross the river. 41 The soldiers from Israel came to him and said, “Why did our relatives from Judah secretly take you and your family and your soldiers across the Jordan?”
42 The people of Judah answered, “Why are you so angry? We are the king's relatives. He didn't give us any food, and we didn't take anything for ourselves!”
43 Those from Israel said, “King David belongs to us ten times more than he belongs to you.[u] Why didn't you think we were good enough to help you? After all, we were the first ones to think of bringing him back!”
The people of Judah argued more strongly than the people of Israel.
Footnotes
- 17.3 back to you … husband: One ancient translation; Hebrew “back to you. The man you are chasing is like bringing back the whole nation.”
- 17.17 Jonathan and Ahimaaz: See 15.27.
- 17.17 Rogel Spring: South of Jerusalem in Kidron Valley.
- 17.19 The man's wife … seen: Everyone would have thought that the woman was drying grain on a mat that she had spread on the ground.
- 17.25 Ithra: Or “Jether.”
- 17.25 the family of Ishmael: Some manuscripts of one ancient translation; other manuscripts of the same translation “the town of Jezreel”; Hebrew “the people of Israel.”
- 17.25 Amasa … Abigal: Abigal and Zeruiah (Joab's mother) were full sisters, and David was evidently their half-brother with the same mother, but a different father. This made Amasa one of David's nephews (see 1 Chronicles 2.12-17).
- 17.27 Shobi … Ammon: Shobi was probably the new king of the Ammonites that David had appointed after he captured Rabbah (see 2 Samuel 10.1-3; 12.26-31).
- 18.7,8 Twenty … killed: This may refer to the total number or to the number of Absalom's soldiers who were killed.
- 18.9 head: Or “hair.”
- 18.18 I don't have any sons: According to 14.27, Absalom had three sons. But they could have died young or been put to death for Absalom's murder of Amnon.
- 18.18 today: That is, at the time of writing. This monument is not the same as the structure now known as “Absalom's Tomb,” which was built at least 600 years later.
- 18.21 Ethiopia: The Hebrew text has “Cush,” which was a region south of Egypt that included parts of the present countries of Ethiopia and Sudan.
- 18.24 between … gates: The city gate was often like a tower in the city wall, with one gate on the outside of the wall and another gate on the inside of the wall.
- 18.33 son: In Hebrew, this verse is 19.1.
- 19.16 Shimei: See 16.5-13.
- 19.17 waded across: Or “rushed.”
- 19.26 I told … me: Two ancient translations; Hebrew, “I said, ‘I will saddle a donkey for myself.’ ”
- 19.29 the property: The property that had belonged to Saul (see 9.7; 16.4).
- 19.37 My servant Chimham: Or “My son Chimham.”
- 19.43 King David … you: In this verse “Israel” stands for the ten northern tribes and does not include the tribe of Judah in the south.
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