2 Samuel

Focuses on King David's reign, his troubles, successes, and the promise of his dynasty.

Chapter 17

1 Moreover Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Let me now choose out twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue after David this night:

*Ahithophel told Absalom, "Let me pick 12,000 men, then I'll chase after David tonight."

2 And I will come upon him while he is weary and weak handed, and will make him afraid: and all the people that are with him shall flee; and I will smite the king only:

*I will surprise him when he's tired and weak, scaring him. Everyone with him will run away, and I'll only hurt the king.

3 And I will bring back all the people unto thee: the man whom thou seekest is as if all returned: so all the people shall be in peace.

*I will return everyone to you, the person you're looking for is like everyone else back; this way, everyone will have peace.

4 And the saying pleased Absalom well, and all the elders of Israel.

*And everyone, including Absalom, really liked what was said, as did the important people of Israel.

5 Then said Absalom, Call now Hushai the Archite also, and let us hear likewise what he saith.

*Then Absalom asked to call Hushai the Architect too, so they could hear his thoughts as well.

6 And when Hushai was come to Absalom, Absalom spake unto him, saying, Ahithophel hath spoken after this manner: shall we do after his saying? if not; speak thou.

*When Hushai arrived, Absalom asked him, "Ahithophel suggested this plan. Should we follow it? If not, you tell us what to do."

7 And Hushai said unto Absalom, The counsel that Ahithophel hath given is not good at this time.

*Hushai told Absalom that Ahithophel's advice wasn't good right now.

8 For, said Hushai, thou knowest thy father and his men, that they be mighty men, and they be chafed in their minds, as a bear robbed of her whelps in the field: and thy father is a man of war, and will not lodge with the people.

*"For Hushai said, your father and his men are strong and very angry, like a mother bear protecting her cubs. Your father is a skilled fighter and won't stay in one place for long."

9 Behold, he is hid now in some pit, or in some other place: and it will come to pass, when some of them be overthrown at the first, that whosoever heareth it will say, There is a slaughter among the people that follow Absalom.

*Look, he is hiding somewhere, maybe in a hole or another spot. When some are defeated at the start, those who hear about it will think, "There's a massacre among the people supporting Absalom."

10 And he also that is valiant, whose heart is as the heart of a lion, shall utterly melt: for all Israel knoweth that thy father is a mighty man, and they which be with him are valiant men.

*The brave person with a lion's heart will lose strength because everyone in Israel knows your father is strong, and the people with him are also courageous.

11 Therefore I counsel that all Israel be generally gathered unto thee, from Dan even to Beersheba, as the sand that is by the sea for multitude; and that thou go to battle in thine own person.

*So, I advise you to gather all of Israel around you, from Dan to Beersheba, like a huge amount of sand near the sea; then, you should personally join the fight.

12 So shall we come upon him in some place where he shall be found, and we will light upon him as the dew falleth on the ground: and of him and of all the men that are with him there shall not be left so much as one.

*Then we'll find him at a spot where he can't hide, like dew on the ground. Not one person, including those with him, will be left alive.

13 Moreover, if he be gotten into a city, then shall all Israel bring ropes to that city, and we will draw it into the river, until there be not one small stone found there.

*In addition, if he is in a city, all of Israel will bring ropes to that city. We will pull it into the river until no tiny stone remains there.

14 And Absalom and all the men of Israel said, The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel. For the LORD had appointed to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, to the intent that the LORD might bring evil upon Absalom.

*And Absalom and the people with him agreed that Hushai's advice was better than Ahithophel's. This happened because God wanted to stop Ahithophel's good advice and cause trouble for Absalom instead.

15 Then said Hushai unto Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, Thus and thus did Ahithophel counsel Absalom and the elders of Israel; and thus and thus have I counselled.

*Hushai told Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, "This is what Ahithophel advised Absalom and the leaders of Israel, and this is what I also advised."

16 Now therefore send quickly, and tell David, saying, Lodge not this night in the plains of the wilderness, but speedily pass over; lest the king be swallowed up, and all the people that are with him.

*Tell David not to stay in the open fields tonight. He should quickly cross over. This is important so the king doesn't get caught, and neither does everyone with him.

17 Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz stayed by Enrogel; for they might not be seen to come into the city: and a wench went and told them; and they went and told king David.

*Jonathan and Ahimaaz stayed near Enrogel, so people wouldn't see them entering the city. A girl then informed them, and they shared the information with King David.

18 Nevertheless a lad saw them, and told Absalom: but they went both of them away quickly, and came to a man’s house in Bahurim, which had a well in his court; whither they went down.

*A boy saw Absalom and another person together, but they quickly left and went to a house in Bahurim with a well in the yard. They went inside the well.

19 And the woman took and spread a covering over the well’s mouth, and spread ground corn thereon; and the thing was not known.

*The woman covered the well's opening with a material and spread grain on it, and nobody knew about it.

20 And when Absalom’s servants came to the woman to the house, they said, Where is Ahimaaz and Jonathan? And the woman said unto them, They be gone over the brook of water. And when they had sought and could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem.

*When Absalom's helpers reached the woman's home, they asked, "Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?" The woman replied, "They crossed the river." When they searched but couldn't find them, they went back to Jerusalem.

21 And it came to pass, after they were departed, that they came up out of the well, and went and told king David, and said unto David, Arise, and pass quickly over the water: for thus hath Ahithophel counselled against you.

*After they left, they emerged from the well and informed King David. They said to David, "Get up and quickly cross the water, because Ahithophel has advised against you."

22 Then David arose, and all the people that were with him, and they passed over Jordan: by the morning light there lacked not one of them that was not gone over Jordan.

*Then David and his group got up, and they crossed the river Jordan. In the morning light, no one from their group was left who hadn't crossed the river.

23 And when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his ass, and arose, and gat him home to his house, to his city, and put his household in order, and hanged himself, and died, and was buried in the sepulchre of his father.

*When Ahithophel saw that no one listened to his advice, he prepared his donkey and went back to his home in the city. He organized his family, then hung himself and died. He was buried in his father's tomb.

24 Then David came to Mahanaim. And Absalom passed over Jordan, he and all the men of Israel with him.

*Then, David arrived at Mahanaim. Meanwhile, Absalom and all the Israeli people crossed the Jordan River.

25 And Absalom made Amasa captain of the host instead of Joab: which Amasa was a man’s son, whose name was Ithra an Israelite, that went in to Abigail the daughter of Nahash, sister to Zeruiah Joab’s mother.

*And Absalom chose Amasa as leader of his army instead of Joab. Amasa was the son of a man named Ithra, who was an Israeli. He married Abigail, the daughter of Nahash, who was Zeruiah's sister and also Joab's mother.

26 So Israel and Absalom pitched in the land of Gilead.

*So, Israel and Absalom set up camp in the area called Gilead.

27 And it came to pass, when David was come to Mahanaim, that Shobi the son of Nahash of Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and Machir the son of Ammiel of Lodebar, and Barzillai the Gileadite of Rogelim,

*When David arrived at Mahanaim, Shobi, a man from Rabbah in Ammon, and Machir, a man from Lodebar, and Barzillai from Gilead, came to meet him.

28 Brought beds, and basons, and earthen vessels, and wheat, and barley, and flour, and parched corn, and beans, and lentiles, and parched pulse,

*Brought beds, bowls, clay pots, and grains like wheat and barley. Also brought prepared food like roasted grain, beans, and lentils, and more roasted seeds.

29 And honey, and butter, and sheep, and cheese of kine, for David, and for the people that were with him, to eat: for they said, The people is hungry, and weary, and thirsty, in the wilderness.

*And honey, butter, sheep, and cow cheese for David and his group to eat. They said, "The people are hungry, tired, and thirsty in the desert."

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