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1. Ahithophel said to Absalom, "Let me choose twelve thousand men and chase David tonight.
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1. Moreover Ahithophel H302 said H559 unto H413 Absalom H53 , Let me now H4994 choose out H977 twelve H8147 H6240 thousand H505 men H376 , and I will arise H6965 and pursue H7291 after H310 David H1732 this night H3915 :
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2. I'll catch him while he is tired and weak, and I'll frighten him so all his people will run away. But I'll kill only King David.
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2. And I will come H935 upon H5921 him while he H1931 is weary H3023 and weak H7504 handed H3027 , and will make him afraid H2729 H853 : and all H3605 the people H5971 that H834 are with H854 him shall flee H5127 ; and I will smite H5221 H853 the king H4428 only H905 :
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3. Then I'll bring everyone back to you. If the man you are looking for is dead, everyone else will return safely."
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3. And I will bring back H7725 all H3605 the people H5971 unto H413 thee : the man H376 whom H834 thou H859 seekest H1245 is as if all H3605 returned H7725 : so all H3605 the people H5971 shall be H1961 in peace H7965 .
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4. This plan seemed good to Absalom and to all the leaders of Israel.
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4. And the saying H1697 pleased H3474 Absalom H53 well H5869 , and all H3605 the elders H2205 of Israel H3478 .
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5. But Absalom said, "Now call Hushai the Arkite, so I can hear what he says."
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5. Then said H559 Absalom H53 , Call H7121 now H4994 Hushai H2365 the Archite H757 also H1571 , and let us hear H8085 likewise H1571 what H4100 he H1931 saith H6310 .
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6. When Hushai came to Absalom, Absalom said to him, "This is the plan Ahithophel gave. Should we follow it? If not, tell us."
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6. And when Hushai H2365 was come H935 to H413 Absalom H53 , Absalom H53 spoke H559 unto H413 him, saying H559 , Ahithophel H302 hath spoken H1696 after this H2088 manner H1697 : shall we do H6213 after H853 his saying H1697 ? if H518 not H369 ; speak H1696 thou H859 .
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7. Hushai said to Absalom, "Ahithophel's advice is not good this time."
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7. And Hushai H2365 said H559 unto H413 Absalom H53 , The counsel H6098 that H834 Ahithophel H302 hath given H3289 is not H3808 good H2896 at this H2063 time H6471 .
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8. Hushai added, "You know your father and his men are strong. They are as angry as a bear that is robbed of its cubs. Your father is a skilled fighter. He won't stay all night with the army.
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8. For, said H559 Hushai H2365 , thou H859 knowest H3045 H853 thy father H1 and his men H376 , that H3588 they H1992 be mighty men H1368 , and they H1992 be chafed H4751 in their minds H5315 , as a bear H1677 robbed of her whelps H7909 in the field H7704 : and thy father H1 is a man H376 of war H4421 , and will not H3808 lodge H3885 with H854 the people H5971 .
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9. He is probably already hiding in a cave or some other place. If the first attack fails, people will hear the news and think, 'Absalom's followers are losing!'
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9. Behold H2009 , he H1931 is hid H2244 now H6258 in some H259 pit H6354 , or H176 in some H259 other place H4725 : and it will come to pass H1961 , when some of them be overthrown H5307 at the first H8462 , that whosoever heareth H8085 H8085 it will say H559 , There is H1961 a slaughter H4046 among the people H5971 that H834 follow H310 Absalom H53 .
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10. Then even the men who are as brave as lions will be frightened, because all the Israelites know your father is a fighter. They know his men are brave!
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10. And he H1931 also H1571 that is valiant H1121 H2428 , whose H834 heart H3820 is as the heart H3820 of a lion H738 , shall utterly melt H4549 H4549 : for H3588 all H3605 Israel H3478 knoweth H3045 that H3588 thy father H1 is a mighty man H1368 , and they which H834 be with H854 him are valiant H2428 men H1121 .
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11. "This is what I suggest: Gather all the Israelites from Dan to Beersheba. There will be as many people as grains of sand by the sea. Then you yourself must go into the battle.
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11. Therefore H3588 I counsel H3289 that all H3605 Israel H3478 be generally H622 gathered H622 unto H5921 thee , from Dan H4480 H1835 even to H5704 Beer H884 -sheba , as the sand H2344 that H834 is by H5921 the sea H3220 for multitude H7230 ; and that thou go H1980 to battle H7128 in thine own person H6440 .
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12. We will go to David wherever he is hiding. We will fall on him as dew falls on the ground. We will kill him and all of his men so that no one will be left alive.
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12. So shall we come H935 upon H413 him in some H259 place H4725 where H834 H8033 he shall be found H4672 , and we will light H5117 upon H5921 him as H834 the dew H2919 falleth H5307 on H5921 the ground H127 : and of him and of all H3605 the men H376 that H834 are with H854 him there shall not H3808 be left H3498 so much H1571 as one H259 .
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13. If David escapes into a city, all the Israelites will bring ropes to that city and pull it into the valley. Not a stone will be left!"
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13. Moreover, if H518 he be gotten H622 into H413 a city H5892 , then shall all H3605 Israel H3478 bring H5375 ropes H2256 to H413 that H1931 city H5892 , and we will draw H5498 it into H5704 the river H5158 , until H5704 H834 there be not H3808 one small H1571 stone H6872 found H4672 there H8033 .
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14. Absalom and all the Israelites said, "The advice of Hushai the Arkite is better than that of Ahithophel." (The Lord had planned to destroy the good advice of Ahithophel so the Lord could bring disaster on Absalom.)
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14. And Absalom H53 and all H3605 the men H376 of Israel H3478 said H559 , The counsel H6098 of Hushai H2365 the Archite H757 is better H2896 than the counsel H4480 H6098 of Ahithophel H302 . For the LORD H3068 had appointed H6680 to defeat H6565 H853 the good H2896 counsel H6098 of Ahithophel H302 , to the intent H5668 that the LORD H3068 might bring H935 evil H7451 upon H413 Absalom H53 .
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15. Hushai told Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, what Ahithophel had suggested to Absalom and the older leaders of Israel. He also reported to them what he himself had suggested. Hushai said,
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15. Then said H559 Hushai H2365 unto H413 Zadok H6659 and to H413 Abiathar H54 the priests H3548 , Thus H2063 and thus H2063 did Ahithophel H302 counsel H3289 H853 Absalom H53 and the elders H2205 of Israel H3478 ; and thus H2063 and thus H2063 have I H589 counseled H3289 .
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16. "Quickly! Send a message to David. Tell him not to stay tonight at the crossings into the desert but to cross over the Jordan River at once. If he crosses the river, he and all his people won't be destroyed."
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16. Now H6258 therefore send H7971 quickly H4120 , and tell H5046 David H1732 , saying H559 , Lodge H3885 not H408 this night H3915 in the plains H6160 of the wilderness H4057 , but H1571 speedily H5674 pass over H5674 ; lest H6435 the king H4428 be swallowed up H1104 , and all H3605 the people H5971 that H834 are with H854 him.
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17. Jonathan and Ahimaaz were waiting at En Rogel. They did not want to be seen going into the city, so a servant girl would go out to them and give them messages. Then Jonathan and Ahimaaz would go and tell King David.
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17. Now Jonathan H3083 and Ahimaaz H290 stayed H5975 by En H5883 -rogel; for H3588 they might H3201 not H3808 be seen H7200 to come H935 into the city H5892 : and a wench H8198 went H1980 and told H5046 them ; and they H1992 went H1980 and told H5046 king H4428 David H1732 .
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18. But a boy saw Jonathan and Ahimaaz and told Absalom. So Jonathan and Ahimaaz left quickly and went to a man's house in Bahurim. He had a well in his courtyard, and they climbed down into it.
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18. Nevertheless a lad H5288 saw H7200 them , and told H5046 Absalom H53 : but they went H1980 both H8147 of them away quickly H4120 , and came H935 to H413 a man H376 's house H1004 in Bahurim H980 , which had a well H875 in his court H2691 ; whither H8033 they went down H3381 .
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19. The man's wife spread a sheet over the opening of the well and covered it with grain. No one could tell that anyone was hiding there.
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19. And the woman H802 took H3947 and spread H6566 H853 a covering H4539 over H5921 the well H875 's mouth H6440 , and spread H7849 ground corn H7383 thereon H5921 ; and the thing H1697 was not H3808 known H3045 .
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20. Absalom's servants came to the woman at the house and asked, "Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?" She said to them, "They have already crossed the brook." Absalom's servants then went to look for Jonathan and Ahimaaz, but they could not find them. So they went back to Jerusalem.
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20. And when Absalom H53 's servants H5650 came H935 to H413 the woman H802 to the house H1004 , they said H559 , Where H346 is Ahimaaz H290 and Jonathan H3083 ? And the woman H802 said H559 unto them , They be gone over H5674 the brook H4323 of water H4325 . And when they had sought H1245 and could not H3808 find H4672 them , they returned H7725 to Jerusalem H3389 .
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21. After Absalom's servants left, Jonathan and Ahimaaz climbed out of the well and went to tell King David. They said, "Hurry, cross over the river! Ahithophel has said these things against you!"
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21. And it came to pass H1961 , after H310 they were departed H1980 , that they came up H5927 out of the well H4480 H875 , and went H1980 and told H5046 king H4428 David H1732 , and said H559 unto H413 David H1732 , Arise H6965 , and pass quickly over H5674 H4120 H853 the water H4325 : for H3588 thus H3602 hath Ahithophel H302 counseled H3289 against H5921 you.
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22. So David and all his people crossed the Jordan River. By dawn, everyone had crossed the Jordan.
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22. Then David H1732 arose H6965 , and all H3605 the people H5971 that H834 were with H854 him , and they passed over H5674 H853 Jordan H3383 : by H5704 the morning H1242 light H216 there lacked H5737 not H3808 one H259 of them that H834 was not H3808 gone over H5674 H853 Jordan H3383 .
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23. When Ahithophel saw that the Israelites did not accept his advice, he saddled his donkey and went to his hometown. He left orders for his family and property, and then he hanged himself. He died and was buried in his father's tomb.
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23. And when Ahithophel H302 saw H7200 that H3588 his counsel H6098 was not H3808 followed H6213 , he saddled H2280 his H853 ass H2543 , and arose H6965 , and got H1980 him home to H413 his house H1004 , to H413 his city H5892 , and put H6680 H413 his household H1004 in order , and hanged himself H2614 , and died H4191 , and was buried H6912 in the sepulcher H6913 of his father H1 .
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24. David arrived at Mahanaim. And Absalom and all his Israelites crossed over the Jordan River.
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24. Then David H1732 came H935 to Mahanaim H4266 . And Absalom H53 passed over H5674 H853 Jordan H3383 , he H1931 and all H3605 the men H376 of Israel H3478 with H5973 him.
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25. Absalom had made Amasa captain of the army instead of Joab. Amasa was the son of a man named Jether the Ishmaelite. Amasa's mother was Abigail daughter of Nahash and sister of Zeruiah, Joab's mother.
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25. And Absalom H53 made H7760 Amasa H6021 captain H5921 of the host H6635 instead H8478 of Joab H3097 : which Amasa H6021 was a man H376 's son H1121 , whose name H8034 was Ithra H3501 an Israelite H3481 , that H834 went H935 in to H413 Abigail H26 the daughter H1323 of Nahash H5176 , sister H269 to Zeruiah H6870 Joab H3097 's mother H517 .
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26. Absalom and the Israelites camped in the land of Gilead.
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26. So Israel H3478 and Absalom H53 pitched H2583 in the land H776 of Gilead H1568 .
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27. Shobi, Makir, and Barzillai were at Mahanaim when David arrived. Shobi son of Nahash was from the Ammonite town of Rabbah. Makir son of Ammiel was from Lo Debar, and Barzillai was from Rogelim in Gilead.
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27. And it came to pass H1961 , when David H1732 was come H935 to Mahanaim H4266 , that Shobi H7629 the son H1121 of Nahash H5176 of Rabbah H4480 H7237 of the children H1121 of Ammon H5983 , and Machir H4353 the son H1121 of Ammiel H5988 of Lo H4480 H3810 -debar , and Barzillai H1271 the Gileadite H1569 of Rogelim H4480 H7274 ,
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28. They brought beds, bowls, clay pots, wheat, barley, flour, roasted grain, beans, small peas,
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28. Brought H5066 beds H4904 , and basins H5592 , and earthen H3335 vessels H3627 , and wheat H2406 , and barley H8184 , and flour H7058 , and parched H7039 corn , and beans H6321 , and lentils H5742 , and parched H7039 pulse ,
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29. honey, milk curds, sheep, and cheese made from cows' milk for David and his people. They said, "The people are hungry and tired and thirsty in the desert."
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29. And honey H1706 , and butter H2529 , and sheep H6629 , and cheese H8194 of kine H1241 , for David H1732 , and for the people H5971 that H834 were with H854 him , to eat H398 : for H3588 they said H559 , The people H5971 is hungry H7457 , and weary H5889 , and thirsty H6771 , in the wilderness H4057 .
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