26But if He should say, ‘I do not delight in you,’ then here I am; let Him do to me whatever seems good to Him.”27The king also said to Zadok the priest, “Are you not a seer? Return to the city in peace—you with your son Ahimaaz, and Abiathar with his son Jonathan.28See, I will wait at the fords of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me.”29So Zadok and Abiathar returned the ark of God to Jerusalem and stayed there.

David Weeps at the Mount of Olives

30But David continued up the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went up. His head was covered, and he was walking barefoot. And all the people with him covered their heads and went up, weeping as they went.

31Now someone told David: “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” So David pleaded, “O LORD, please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness!”

32When David came to the summit, where he used to worship God, Hushai the Archite was there to meet him with his robe torn and dust on his head.33David said to him, “If you go on with me, you will be a burden to me.34But you can thwart the counsel of Ahithophel for me if you return to the city and say to Absalom: ‘I will be your servant, my king; in the past I was your father’s servant, but now I will be your servant.’35Will not Zadok and Abiathar the priests be there with you? Report to them everything you hear from the king’s palace.36Indeed, their two sons, Ahimaaz son of Zadok and Jonathan son of Abiathar, are there with them. Send them to me with everything you hear.”

37So David’s friend Hushai arrived in Jerusalem just as Absalom was entering the city.

David and Ziba

1When David had gone a little beyond the summit, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth was there to meet him. He had a pair of saddled donkeys loaded with two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred clusters of raisins, a hundred summer fruits, and a skin of wine.2“Why do you have these?” asked the king. Ziba replied, “The donkeys are for the king’s household to ride, the bread and summer fruit are for the young men to eat, and the wine is to refresh those who become exhausted in the wilderness.”

3“Where is your master’s grandson?” asked the king. And Ziba answered, “Indeed, he is staying in Jerusalem, for he has said, ‘Today, the house of Israel will restore to me the kingdom of my grandfather.’”

4So the king said to Ziba, “All that belongs to Mephibosheth is now yours!” “I humbly bow before you,” said Ziba. “May I find favor in your eyes, my lord the king!”

Shimei Curses David

5As King David approached Bahurim, a man from the family of the house of Saul was just coming out. His name was Shimei son of Gera, and as he approached, he kept yelling out curses.6He threw stones at David and at all the servants of the king, though the troops and all the mighty men were on David’s right and left.7And as he yelled curses, Shimei said, “Get out, get out, you worthless man of bloodshed!8The LORD has paid you back for all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned, and the LORD has delivered the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom. See, you have come to ruin because you are a man of bloodshed!”

9Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and cut off his head!”10But the king replied, “What have I to do with you, O sons of Zeruiah? If he curses me because the LORD told him, ‘Curse David,’ who can ask, ‘Why did you do this?’”

11Then David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “Behold, my own son, my own flesh and blood, seeks my life. How much more, then, this Benjamite! Leave him alone and let him curse me, for the LORD has told him so.12Perhaps the LORD will see my affliction and repay me with good for the cursing I receive today.”13So David and his men proceeded along the road as Shimei went along the ridge of the hill opposite him. As Shimei went, he yelled curses, threw stones, and flung dust at David.14Finally, the king and all the people with him arrived, exhausted. And there he refreshed himself.

The Counsel of Ahithophel and Hushai

15Then Absalom and all the men of Israel came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel was with him.16And David’s friend Hushai the Archite went to Absalom and said to him, “Long live the king! Long live the king!”

17“Is this the loyalty you show your friend?” Absalom replied. “Why did you not go with your friend?”

18“Not at all,” Hushai answered. “For the one chosen by the LORD, by the people, and by all the men of Israel—his I will be, and with him I will remain.19Furthermore, whom should I serve if not the son? As I served in your father’s presence, so also I will serve in yours.”

20Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give me counsel. What should we do?”

21Ahithophel replied, “Sleep with your father’s concubines, whom he has left to keep the palace. When all Israel hears that you have become a stench to your father, then the hands of all who are with you will be strengthened.”

22So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, and he slept with his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.

23Now in those days the advice of Ahithophel was like the consultation of the word of God. Such was the regard that both David and Absalom had for Ahithophel’s advice.

Hushai Counters Ahithophel’s Advice

1Furthermore, Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Let me choose twelve thousand men and set out tonight in pursuit of David.2I will attack him while he is weak and weary; I will throw him into a panic, and all the people with him will flee; I will strike down only the king3and bring all the people back to you as a bride returning to her husband. You seek the life of only one man; then all the people will be at peace.”

4This proposal seemed good to Absalom and all the elders of Israel.5Then Absalom said, “Summon Hushai the Archite as well, and let us hear what he too has to say.”

6So Hushai came to Absalom, who told him, “Ahithophel has spoken this proposal. Should we carry it out? If not, what do you say?”

7Hushai replied, “This time the advice of Ahithophel is not sound.”8He continued, “You know your father and his men. They are mighty men, and as fierce as a wild bear robbed of her cubs. Moreover, your father is a man of war who will not spend the night with the troops.9Surely by now he is hiding in a cave or some other location. If some of your troops fall first, whoever hears of it will say, ‘There has been a slaughter among the troops who follow Absalom.’10Then even the most valiant soldier with the heart of a lion will melt with fear, because all Israel knows that your father is a mighty man who has valiant men with him.11Instead, I advise that all Israel from Dan to Beersheba—a multitude like the sand on the seashore—be gathered to you, and that you yourself lead them into battle.12Then we will attack David wherever we find him, and we will descend on him like dew on the ground. And of all the men with him, not even one will remain.13If he retreats to a city, all Israel will bring ropes to that city, and we will drag it down to the valley until not even a pebble can be found.”

14Then Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The advice of Hushai the Archite is better than that of Ahithophel.” For the LORD had purposed to thwart the good counsel of Ahithophel in order to bring disaster on Absalom.

Hushai’s Warning Saves David

15So Hushai told Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, “This is what Ahithophel has advised Absalom and the elders of Israel, and this is what I have advised.16Now send quickly and tell David, ‘Do not spend the night at the fords of the wilderness, but be sure to cross over. Otherwise the king and all the people with him will be swallowed up.’”

17Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz were staying at En-rogel, where a servant girl would come and pass along information to them. They in turn would go and inform King David, for they dared not be seen entering the city.18But a young man did see them and told Absalom. So the two left quickly and came to the house of a man in Bahurim. He had a well in his courtyard, and they climbed down into it.19Then the man’s wife took a covering and spread it over the mouth of the well, scattering grain over it so nobody would know a thing.20When Absalom’s servants came to the woman at the house, they asked, “Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?” “They have crossed over the brook,” she replied. The men searched but did not find them, so they returned to Jerusalem.21After the men had gone, Ahimaaz and Jonathan climbed up out of the well and went to inform King David, saying, “Get up and cross over the river at once, for Ahithophel has given this advice against you.”

22So David and all the people with him got up and crossed the Jordan. By daybreak, there was no one 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 affairs in order and hanged himself. So he died and was buried in his father’s tomb.

24Then David 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 a man named Ithra, the Ishmaelite who had married Abigail, the daughter of Nahash and sister of Zeruiah the mother of Joab.26So the Israelites and Absalom camped in the land of Gilead.

27When David came to Mahanaim, he was met by Shobi son of Nahash from Rabbah of the Ammonites, Machir son of Ammiel from Lo-debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim.28They brought beds, basins, and earthen vessels, as well as wheat, barley, flour, roasted grain, beans, lentils,29honey, curds, sheep, and cheese from the herd for David and his people to eat. For they said, “The people have become hungry, exhausted, and thirsty in the wilderness.”

Absalom Killed

1Then David reviewed his troops and appointed over them commanders of hundreds and of thousands.2He sent out the troops, a third under Joab, a third under Joab’s brother Abishai son of Zeruiah, and a third under Ittai the Gittite. And the king said to the troops, “I will surely march out with you as well.”

3But the people pleaded, “You must not go out! For if we have to flee, they will pay no attention to us. Even if half of us die, they will not care; but you are worth ten thousand of us. It is better for now if you support us from the city.”