2 Samuel · Young's Literal Translation
2 Samuel 17 Young's Literal Translation
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 And Ahithophel said unto Absalom, 'Let me choose, I pray thee, twelve thousand men, and I arise and pursue after David to-night,
1 Moreover Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Let me now choose twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue after David tonight.
2 and come upon him, and he weary and feeble-handed, and I have caused him to tremble, and all the people have fled who [are] with him, and I have smitten the king by himself,
2 I will come on him while he is weary and exhausted, and will make him afraid. All the people who are with him will flee. I will strike the king only,
3 and I bring back all the people unto thee — as the turning back of the whole [is] the man whom thou art seeking — all the people are peace.
3 and I will bring back all the people to you. The man whom you seek is as if all returned. All the people shall be in peace.”
4 And the thing is right in the eyes of Absalom, and in the eyes of all the elders of Israel.
4 The saying pleased Absalom well, and all the elders of Israel.
5 And Absalom saith, 'Call, I pray thee, also for Hushai the Archite, and we hear what [is] in his mouth — even he.'
5 Then Absalom said, “Now call Hushai the Archite also, and let’s hear likewise what he says.”
6 And Hushai cometh in unto Absalom, and Absalom speaketh unto him, saying, 'According to this word hath Ahithophel spoken; do we do his word? if not, thou — speak thou.'
6 When Hushai had come to Absalom, Absalom spoke to him, saying, “Ahithophel has spoken like this. Shall we do what he says? If not, speak up.”
7 And Hushai saith unto Absalom, 'Not good [is] the counsel that Ahithophel hath counselled at this time.'
7 Hushai said to Absalom, “The counsel that Ahithophel has given this time is not good.”
8 And Hushai saith, 'Thou hast known thy father and his men, that they [are] heroes, and they are bitter in soul as a bereaved bear in a field, and thy father [is] a man of war, and doth not lodge with the people;
8 Hushai said moreover, “You know your father and his men, that they are mighty men, and they are fierce in their minds, like a bear robbed of her cubs in the field. Your father is a man of war, and will not lodge with the people.
9 lo, now, he is hidden in one of the pits, or in one of the places, and it hath been, at the falling among them at the commencement, that the hearer hath heard, and said, There hath been a slaughter among the people who [are] after Absalom;
9 Behold, he is now hidden in some pit, or in some other place. It will happen, when some of them have fallen at the first, that whoever hears it will say, ‘There is a slaughter among the people who follow Absalom!’
10 and he also, the son of valour, whose heart [is] as the heart of the lion, doth utterly melt, for all Israel doth know that thy father is a hero, and sons of valour [are] those with him.
10 Even he who is valiant, whose heart is as the heart of a lion, will utterly melt; for all Israel knows that your father is a mighty man, and those who are with him are valiant men.
11 'So that I have counselled: Let all Israel be diligently gathered unto thee, from Dan even unto Beer-Sheba, as the sand that [is] by the sea for multitude, and thou thyself art going in the midst;
11 But I counsel that all Israel be gathered together to you, from Dan even to Beersheba, as the sand that is by the sea for multitude; and that you go to battle in your own person.
12 and we have come in unto him in one of the places where he is found, and we [are] upon him as the dew falleth on the ground, and there hath not been left of him and of all the men who [are] with him even one.
12 So we will come on him in some place where he will be found, and we will light on him as the dew falls on the ground, then we will not leave so much as one of him and of all the men who are with him.
13 And if unto a city he is gathered, then they have caused all Israel to bear unto that city ropes, and we have drawn it unto the brook till that there hath not been found there even a stone.'
13 Moreover, if he has gone into a city, then all Israel will bring ropes to that city, and we will draw it into the river, until there isn’t one small stone found there.”
14 And Absalom saith — and all the men of Israel — 'Better [is] the counsel of Hushai the Archite than the counsel of Ahithophel;' and Jehovah willed to make void the good counsel of Ahithophel for the sake of Jehovah's bringing unto Absalom the evil.
14 Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel.” For Yahweh had ordained to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, to the intent that Yahweh might bring evil on Absalom.
15 And Hushai saith unto Zadok and unto Abiathar the priests, 'Thus and thus hath Ahithophel counselled Absalom and the elders of Israel, and thus and thus I have counselled;
15 Then Hushai said to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, “Ahithophel counseled Absalom and the elders of Israel that way; and I have counseled this way.
16 and now, send hastily, and declare to David, saying, Lodge not to-night in the plains of the wilderness, and also, certainly pass over, lest there be a swallowing up of the king and of all the people who are with him.'
16 Now therefore send quickly, and tell David, saying, ‘Don’t lodge tonight at the fords of the wilderness, but by all means pass over, lest the king be swallowed up, and all the people who are with him.’”
17 And Jonathan and Ahimaaz are standing at En-Rogel, and the maid-servant hath gone and declared to them — and they go and have declared [it] to king David — for they are not able to be seen to go in to the city.
17 Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz were staying by En Rogel; and a female servant used to go and report to them, and they went and told King David; for they couldn’t risk being seen coming into the city.
18 And a youth seeth them, and declareth to Absalom; and they go on both of them hastily, and come in unto the house of a man in Bahurim, and he hath a well in his court, and they go down there,
18 But a boy saw them, and told Absalom. Then they both went away quickly and came to the house of a man in Bahurim, who had a well in his court; and they went down there.
19 and the woman taketh and spreadeth the covering over the face of the well, and spreadeth on it the ground corn, and the thing hath not been known.
19 The woman took and spread the covering over the well’s mouth, and spread out crushed grain on it; and nothing was known.
20 And the servants of Absalom come in unto the woman to the house, and say, 'Where [are] Ahimaaz and Jonathan?' and the woman saith to them, 'They passed over the brook of water;' and they seek, and have not found, and turn back to Jerusalem.
20 Absalom’s servants came to the woman to the house; and they said, “Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?” The woman said to them, “They have gone over the brook of water.” When they had sought and could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem.
21 And it cometh to pass, after their going on, that they come up out of the well, and go and declare to king David, and say unto David, 'Rise ye, and pass over hastily the waters, for thus hath Ahithophel counselled against you.'
21 After they had departed, they came up out of the well and went and told King David; and they said to David, “Arise and pass quickly over the water; for thus has Ahithophel counseled against you.”
22 And David riseth, and all the people who [are] with him, and they pass over the Jordan, till the light of the morning, till one hath not been lacking who hath not passed over the Jordan.
22 Then David arose, and all the people who were with him, and they passed over the Jordan. By the morning light there lacked not one of them who had not gone over the Jordan.
23 And Ahithophel hath seen that his counsel was not done, and he saddleth the ass, and riseth and goeth unto his house, unto his city, and giveth charge unto his household, and strangleth himself, and dieth, and he is buried in the burying-place of his father.
23 When Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his donkey, arose, and went home to his city, set his house in order, and hanged himself; and he died, and was buried in the tomb of his father.
24 And David came to Mahanaim, and Absalom passed over the Jordan, he and all the men of Israel with him;
24 Then David came to Mahanaim. Absalom passed over the Jordan, he and all the men of Israel with him.
25 and Amasa hath Absalom set instead of Joab over the host, and Amasa [is] a man's son whose name is Ithra the Israelite who hath gone in unto Abigail, daughter of Nahash, sister of Zeruiah, mother of Joab;
25 Absalom set Amasa over the army instead of Joab. Now Amasa was the son of a man whose name was Ithra the Israelite, who went in to Abigail the daughter of Nahash, sister to Zeruiah, Joab’s mother.
26 and Israel encampeth with Absalom [in] the land of Gilead.
26 Israel and Absalom encamped in the land of Gilead.
27 And it cometh to pass at the coming in of David to Mahanaim, that Shobi, son of Nahash, from Rabbah of the Bene-Ammon, and Machir son of Ammiel, from Lo-Debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite, from Rogelim,
27 When David had come to Mahanaim, 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,
28 couch, and basin, and earthen vessel, and wheat, and barley, and flour, and roasted [corn], and beans, and lentiles, and roasted [pulse],
28 brought beds, basins, earthen vessels, wheat, barley, meal, parched grain, beans, lentils, roasted grain,
29 and honey, and butter, and sheep, and cheese of kine, have brought nigh for David, and for the people who [are] with him to eat, for they said, 'Thy people [is] hungry, and weary, and thirsty, in the wilderness.'
29 honey, butter, sheep, and cheese of the herd, for David and for the people who were with him to eat; for they said, “The people are hungry, weary, and thirsty in the wilderness.”
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
Absalom
David's handsome son who avenged Tamar, rebelled against his father, and briefly seized the throne.
Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 3:3; 2 Samuel 15-18
Ahimaaz
Zadok's son, who with Jonathan son of Abiathar secretly carried word to David during Absalom's revolt and outran the Cushite to bring David news of the victory.
Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 15:27; 2 Samuel 15:36; 2 Samuel 17:17
Amasa
Son of Ithra and Abigail and a cousin of Joab, whom Absalom made army commander in Joab's place, whom David later offered Joab's command, and whom Joab killed with a dagger.
Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 17:25; 2 Samuel 19:13; 2 Samuel 20:4
Ammiel
Named as the father of Machir of Lo-debar.
Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 9:4; 2 Samuel 17:27
Barzillai
A very wealthy eighty-year-old Gileadite from Rogelim who provided for David at Mahanaim and, declining to go to Jerusalem, asked David to take Chimham in his place. Ezra 2:61 and…
Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 17:27; 2 Samuel 19:31; 2 Samuel 19:32
David
The shepherd who became Israel's greatest king and a man after God's own heart.
Cited in the guide: 1 Sam. 16 - 1 Kings 2; 2 Sam. 7; 1 Chron. 2:15; Matt. 1:6
Ithra
An Ishmaelite who married Abigail, sister of Zeruiah, and was the father of Amasa. 1 Kings 2:5 and 1 Chronicles 2:17 call him Jether.
Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 17:25; 1 Kings 2:5; 1 Kings 2:32
Jonathan
Son of the priest Abiathar, who with Ahimaaz carried messages to David during Absalom's revolt and hid in a well at Bahurim.
Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 15:27; 2 Samuel 15:36; 2 Samuel 17:17
Machir
Son of Ammiel of Lo-debar, in whose house Mephibosheth was staying, and who later brought supplies to David at Mahanaim.
Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 9:4; 2 Samuel 9:5; 2 Samuel 17:27
Nahash
Named in 2 Samuel 17:25 as the father of Abigail, the sister of Zeruiah; the text says no more about him.
Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 17:25
Shobi
Son of Nahash from Rabbah of the Ammonites, who with Machir and Barzillai brought David beds, food and supplies at Mahanaim.
Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 17:27
Cross references (28)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Isaiah 59:7–8; Psalm 4:8; Proverbs 4:16; Psalm 3:3–5; Psalm 109:2–4
- 2 1 Kings 22:31; 2 Samuel 16:14; Matthew 26:31; Zechariah 13:7; John 11:50
- 3 1 Thessalonians 5:3; Isaiah 48:22; 2 Samuel 3:21; Isaiah 57:21
- 4 1 Samuel 23:21; Esther 5:14; 1 Samuel 18:20–21; Romans 1:32; Esther 1:21
- 5 2 Samuel 15:32–37; 2 Samuel 16:16–19
- 7 Proverbs 31:8
- 8 Hosea 13:8; 1 Samuel 16:18; Daniel 7:5; Hebrews 11:32–34; Proverbs 17:12
- 9 1 Samuel 14:14–15; 1 Samuel 22:1; Judges 20:32–33; 1 Samuel 24:3; Joshua 8:6
- 10 Joshua 2:9–11; 1 Samuel 18:17; Song of Songs 3:7; 2 Samuel 23:20; Isaiah 13:7
- 11 Genesis 22:17; Psalm 9:16; Judges 20:1; Joshua 11:4; Psalm 7:15–16
- 12 Isaiah 10:13–14; 2 Kings 18:23; 1 Kings 20:10; 2 Kings 19:24; 1 Samuel 23:23
- 13 Matthew 24:2; Micah 1:6
- 14 2 Samuel 15:34; 1 Corinthians 1:19–20; Proverbs 19:21; Isaiah 8:10; Job 5:12–14
- 15 2 Samuel 15:35–36
- 16 2 Samuel 15:28; 1 Corinthians 15:54; 2 Corinthians 5:4; Psalm 57:3; 2 Samuel 17:21–22
- 17 2 Samuel 15:36; Joshua 15:7; Joshua 18:16; 2 Samuel 15:27; 1 Kings 1:9
- 18 2 Samuel 3:16; 2 Samuel 16:5; 2 Samuel 19:16
- 19 Exodus 1:19; Joshua 2:4–24
- 20 Exodus 1:19; Joshua 2:22–23; Joshua 2:3–5; 1 Samuel 27:11–12; 1 Samuel 21:2
- 21 2 Samuel 17:15–16
- 22 Matthew 10:16; John 18:9; Proverbs 27:12; Numbers 31:49; 2 Samuel 17:24
- 23 Matthew 27:5; 2 Kings 20:1; 2 Samuel 15:12; 1 Kings 16:18; Psalm 5:10
- 24 Genesis 32:2; 2 Samuel 2:8; Joshua 13:26
- 25 2 Samuel 19:13; 1 Chronicles 2:13; 2 Samuel 20:9–12; 2 Samuel 20:4; 1 Chronicles 2:16–17
- 26 Numbers 32:1–42; Deuteronomy 3:15; Joshua 17:1
- 27 1 Kings 2:7; 2 Samuel 9:4; 2 Samuel 10:1–2; 1 Samuel 11:1; Ezra 2:61
- 28 1 Samuel 25:18; Obadiah 3; Isaiah 32:8; 2 Samuel 16:1–2
- 29 2 Samuel 16:2; 2 Samuel 16:14; Isaiah 21:14; Psalm 84:11; Luke 8:3
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences