Ahithophel

10But Absalom sent secret messengers all through the tribes of Israel. He told them, "When you hear the horn blow, shout, 'Absalom is king in Hebron!'"

But Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, As soon as ye hear the sound of the trumpet, then ye shall say, Absalom reigneth in Hebron.

NoteThe horn was a ram's horn, blown hard like a trumpet. People used it to send a signal everyone could hear far away.

11Two hundred men from Jerusalem went along with Absalom as invited guests. They went honestly. They knew nothing about his secret plan.

And with Absalom went two hundred men out of Jerusalem, that were called; and they went in their simplicity, and they knew not any thing.

NoteThese two hundred men were invited along as guests. They thought they were going to a worship feast. They did not know Absalom wanted to take the throne.

12While Absalom was giving offerings, he sent for a man named Ahithophel. Ahithophel came from the town of Giloh. He had been King David's adviser, the man who told the king what to do. The secret plan grew strong, and more and more people joined Absalom.

And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counsellor, from his city, even from Giloh, while he offered sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong; for the people increased continually with Absalom.

NoteOfferings were gifts of animals or food given to God at a worship place.

30David walked up the Mount of Olives, crying as he climbed. His head was covered and his feet were bare. All the people with him covered their heads too. They cried as they walked up the hill.

And David went up by the ascent of mount Olivet, and wept as he went up, and had his head covered, and he went barefoot: and all the people that was with him covered every man his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up.

NoteThe Mount of Olives is a hill next to Jerusalem, covered with olive trees. Covering your head and walking without shoes showed everyone you were very sad.

31Someone told David, "Ahithophel has joined Absalom's secret plan." David prayed, "LORD, please turn Ahithophel's advice into foolish advice."

And one told David, saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. And David said, O LORD, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.

32David reached the top of the hill, where he used to worship God. Hushai the Archite came there to meet him. Hushai's coat was torn, and he had dirt on his head.

And it came to pass, that when David was come to the top of the mount, where he worshipped God, behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his coat rent, and earth upon his head:

NoteTearing your coat and putting dirt on your head showed deep sadness. People did this so others could see how they felt.

33David said to him, "If you come along with me, you will only be a load for me to carry."

Unto whom David said, If thou passest on with me, then thou shalt be a burden unto me:

34"Instead, go back to the city. Say to Absalom, 'I will serve you, my king. I served your father before, and now I will serve you.' Then you can ruin Ahithophel's advice for me."

But if thou return to the city, and say unto Absalom, I will be thy servant, O king; as I have been thy father’s servant hitherto, so will I now also be thy servant: then mayest thou for me defeat the counsel of Ahithophel.

35"Zadok and Abiathar the priests will be there with you. Tell them everything you hear in the king's house."

And hast thou not there with thee Zadok and Abiathar the priests? therefore it shall be, that what thing soever thou shalt hear out of the king’s house, thou shalt tell it to Zadok and Abiathar the priests.

36"Their two sons are with them, Ahimaaz and Jonathan. Send those two to me with everything you hear."

Behold, they have there with them their two sons, Ahimaaz Zadok’s son, and Jonathan Abiathar’s son; and by them ye shall send unto me every thing that ye can hear.

37So Hushai, David's friend, went into the city. Absalom was arriving in Jerusalem at the same time.

So Hushai David’s friend came into the city, and Absalom came into Jerusalem.

Note"David's friend" was a real job at the palace. The king's friend was a trusted helper who gave him advice.

15Absalom and all the men of Israel came into Jerusalem. Ahithophel, who gave advice, came with him.

And Absalom, and all the people the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him.

NoteAhithophel used to help David decide what to do. Now he was helping Absalom instead.

16Hushai the Archite was David's friend. He came to Absalom and said, "Long live the king! Long live the king!"

And it came to pass, when Hushai the Archite, David’s friend, was come unto Absalom, that Hushai said unto Absalom, God save the king, God save the king.

NoteDavid had secretly sent Hushai to pretend to join Absalom. "Long live the king" was a greeting that wished a king a long life. Archite means Hushai came from a place called Archi.

17Absalom said to Hushai, "Is this how you treat your friend David? Why did you not go with him?"

And Absalom said to Hushai, Is this thy kindness to thy friend? why wentest thou not with thy friend?

18Hushai said to Absalom, "No. I belong to the man the LORD chooses. I belong to the man Israel chooses. I will stay with him."

And Hushai said unto Absalom, Nay; but whom the LORD, and this people, and all the men of Israel, choose, his will I be, and with him will I abide.

19"Besides, who else should I serve? Should I not serve the king's son? I helped your father. Now I will help you the same way."

And again, whom should I serve? should I not serve in the presence of his son? as I have served in thy father’s presence, so will I be in thy presence.

20Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, "Tell me what you think. What should we do?"

Then said Absalom to Ahithophel, Give counsel among you what we shall do.

21Ahithophel said, "Your father left some of his wives here to take care of the palace. Go and sleep with them. Then all Israel will hear that your father hates you now. That will make your men brave and ready to fight."

And Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Go in unto thy father’s concubines, which he hath left to keep the house; and all Israel shall hear that thou art abhorred of thy father: then shall the hands of all that are with thee be strong.

NoteThe wives of a king belonged only to him. Taking them told everyone, "I am the king now, not my father." After that, Absalom could never make peace with David.

22So they put up a tent for Absalom on the flat roof of the palace. Absalom went in and slept with his father's concubines, women who were his, a bit like wives. All Israel could see it.

So they spread Absalom a tent upon the top of the house; and Absalom went in unto his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.

NoteRoofs back then were flat, like an extra room on top of the house. People down in the street could see what happened up there. A concubine was a woman who belonged to a man like a wife, with a lower place in the house.

23In those days people trusted the advice of Ahithophel like words from God. Both David and Absalom felt that way about his advice.

And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counselled in those days, was as if a man had enquired at the oracle of God: so was all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom.

NotePeople believed Ahithophel's advice was always right. They trusted it as much as words from God.

1Ahithophel gave advice to Absalom. He said, "Let me pick twelve thousand men. I will go after David tonight."

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

NoteAbsalom was King David's own son. He was trying to take his father's throne. Ahithophel was a man people trusted to give wise advice.

2"I will attack him while he is tired and weak. I will scare him. All his people will run away. I will kill only the king."

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:

3"Then I will bring all the people back to you. You want only one man. After that, everyone else can live in peace."

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.

4Absalom liked this plan very much. So did all the leaders of Israel.

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

NoteLeaders here means the older men who spoke for the people. People listened to them and followed their choices.

5Then Absalom said, "Call Hushai the Archite too. Let us hear what he says as well."

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

NoteHushai was really King David's friend. He came to Absalom to give him bad advice on purpose.

6Hushai came to Absalom. Absalom told him what Ahithophel had said. He asked, "Should we do it? If not, tell us your plan."

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.

7Hushai said, "This time Ahithophel's advice is not good."

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

8Hushai said, "You know your father and his men. They are strong fighters. Right now they are angry, like a mother bear whose cubs were stolen. Your father knows war. He will not sleep in camp with the soldiers."

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.

9"By now he is hiding in a pit or some other place. If some of your men are killed first, people will hear about it. They will say, "Absalom's soldiers are being killed."

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.

NoteA pit is a deep hole in the ground. It could also mean a cave in the rocks.

10"Then even the bravest soldier will lose all his courage. All Israel knows your father is a strong fighter. They know his men are brave too."

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.

11"So here is my advice. Gather all Israel to you, from Dan in the north to Beersheba in the south. Let there be as many men as sand on the beach. And lead them into battle yourself."

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.

NoteDan was the town farthest north. Beersheba was the town farthest south. Saying both means everybody in the whole country.

12"Then we will find David wherever he is. We will cover him like dew covers the ground. Not one of his men will be left alive."

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.

NoteDew is tiny drops of water. It covers the grass everywhere in the morning. Hushai means their army would cover David the same way.

13"If he hides inside a city, all Israel will bring ropes. We will pull that city down into the valley. Not one small stone will be left."

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.

NoteCities back then had thick stone walls around them. Pulling a whole city down with ropes was a huge brag.

14Absalom and all the men of Israel said Hushai's advice was better. But the LORD had already decided to stop Ahithophel's good advice. God was bringing trouble on Absalom.

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.

NoteThe LORD in big letters is God's own special name. Israel used it when they talked about their God.

15Then Hushai went to Zadok and Abiathar, the priests. He told them both plans, Ahithophel's and his own.

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.

NoteA priest was a man who served God for the people.

16"Send word to David quickly. Tell him not to stay tonight by the river crossings in the desert. Tell him to cross over at once. If he waits, he and all his people may be destroyed."

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.

NoteA river crossing is a shallow place. People could walk across the water there instead of swimming.

17Jonathan and Ahimaaz were waiting at a spring called En-rogel. They could not let anyone see them go into the city. A servant girl brought them the news. Then they carried it to King David.

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.

NoteA spring is a place where water comes up out of the ground. People went there to fill their water jars.

18But a young man saw them and told Absalom. So the two left fast. They came to a house in Bahurim. The man there had a well in his yard. They climbed down into it.

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.

NoteA well is a deep hole dug down to water. This one was dry enough for two men to hide inside.

19The man's wife spread a cover over the mouth of the well. She scattered grain on top of the cover. Nobody could tell anything was hidden there.

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

NoteWomen spread grain outside to dry in the sun. So the grain made the well look like a normal work spot.

20Absalom's servants came to the woman and asked where Ahimaaz and Jonathan were. She said, "They went over the brook." The men looked but could not find them. So they went back to Jerusalem.

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.

21After the men left, the two climbed out of the well. They hurried to King David. They said, "Get up and cross the river right now. This is the plan Ahithophel made against you."

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.

22So David and all his people got up. They crossed the Jordan River. By morning light, every single one of them had crossed.

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.

NoteThe Jordan is the big river of that land. Once David crossed it, the river lay between him and his enemies.

23Ahithophel saw that no one used his advice. He put a saddle on his donkey and rode home to his own town. He got his house in order. Then he hanged himself and died. He was buried in his father's grave.

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.

NoteGetting his house in order means he settled his things. He said what should happen to his family and his land.