2 Samuel 17 Parallel Bible Translations

2 Samuel 17 ▼
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1 Ahithophel said to Absalom, |Let me choose 12,000 men and leave tonight to go after David. Moreover, Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Let me choose twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue David tonight. Ahithophel said to Absalom, “I would choose twelve thousand men and set out tonight in pursuit of David.
2 I'll attack him while he's tired and weak, and I'll cause him to panic. All the people with him will flee, but I'll kill only him. I will come upon him while he is weary and discouraged and throw him into a panic, and all the people who are with him will flee. I will strike down only the king, I would attack him while he is weary and weak. I would strike him with terror, and then all the people with him will flee. I would strike down only the king
3 I'll return all the people to you as a bride is returned to her husband. Since you will be seeking the life of only one man, all the people will have peace.| and I will bring all the people back to you as a bride comes home to her husband. You seek the life of only one man, and all the people will be at peace.” and bring all the people back to you. The death of the man you seek will mean the return of all; all the people will be unharmed.”
4 Absalom and all the leaders of Israel approved this plan. And the advice seemed right in the eyes of Absalom and all the elders of Israel. This plan seemed good to Absalom and to all the elders of Israel.
5 Absalom said, |Please call Hushai, who is descended from Archi's family, and let us hear what he, too, has to say.| Then Absalom said, “Call Hushai the Archite also, and let us hear what he has to say.” But Absalom said, “Summon also Hushai the Arkite, so we can hear what he has to say as well.”
6 When Hushai arrived, Absalom said to him, |Ahithophel has told us his plan. Should we do what he says? If not, tell us.| And when Hushai came to Absalom, Absalom said to him, “Thus has Ahithophel spoken; shall we do as he says? If not, you speak.” When Hushai came to him, Absalom said, “Ahithophel has given this advice. Should we do what he says? If not, give us your opinion.”
7 |This time Ahithophel's advice is no good,| Hushai said to Absalom. Then Hushai said to Absalom, “This time the counsel that Ahithophel has given is not good.” Hushai replied to Absalom, “The advice Ahithophel has given is not good this time.
8 |You know your father and his men. They are warriors as fierce as a wild bear whose cubs have been stolen. Your father is an experienced soldier. He will not camp with the troops tonight. Hushai said, “You know that your father and his men are mighty men, and that they are enraged, like a bear robbed of her cubs in the field. Besides, your father is expert in war; he will not spend the night with the people. You know your father and his men; they are fighters, and as fierce as a wild bear robbed of her cubs. Besides, your father is an experienced fighter; he will not spend the night with the troops.
9 He has already hidden in one of the ravines or some other place. If some of our soldiers are killed in the initial attack, others will definitely hear about it and say, 'The troops that support Absalom have been defeated.' Behold, even now he has hidden himself in one of the pits or in some other place. And as soon as some of the people fall at the first attack, whoever hears it will say, ‘There has been a slaughter among the people who follow Absalom.’ Even now, he is hidden in a cave or some other place. If he should attack your troops first, whoever hears about it will say, ‘There has been a slaughter among the troops who follow Absalom.’
10 Even the bravest man with a heart like a lion would lose his courage, because all Israel knows that your father is a warrior and the men with him are brave. Then even the valiant man, whose heart is like the heart of a lion, will utterly melt with fear, for all Israel knows that your father is a mighty man, and that those who are with him are valiant men. Then even the bravest soldier, whose heart is like the heart of a lion, will melt with fear, for all Israel knows that your father is a fighter and that those with him are brave.
11 So my advice is to gather all Israel's troops from Dan to Beersheba, since they are as numerous as the sand on the seashore. Lead them into battle yourself. But my counsel is that all Israel be gathered to you, from Dan to Beersheba, as the sand by the sea for multitude, and that you go to battle in person. “So I advise you: Let all Israel, from Dan to Beersheba—as numerous as the sand on the seashore—be gathered to you, with you yourself leading them into battle.
12 Then we'll attack him wherever we find him. We'll fall on him as dew falls on the ground. Neither he nor any of his men will be left [alive]. So we shall come upon him in some place where he is to be found, and we shall light upon him as the dew falls on the ground, and of him and all the men with him not one will be left. Then we will attack him wherever he may be found, and we will fall on him as dew settles on the ground. Neither he nor any of his men will be left alive.
13 If he retreats into a city, all Israel will bring ropes to that city and drag it into a valley so that not even a pebble will be found there.| If he withdraws into a city, then all Israel will bring ropes to that city, and we shall drag it into the valley, until not even a pebble is to be found there.” If he withdraws into a city, then all Israel will bring ropes to that city, and we will drag it down to the valley until not so much as a pebble is left.”
14 Absalom and all the people of Israel said, |The advice of Hushai from Archi's family is better than Ahithophel's advice.| (The LORD had commanded Ahithophel's good advice to be defeated in order to ruin 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 ordained to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, so that the LORD might bring harm upon Absalom. Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The advice of Hushai the Arkite is better than that of Ahithophel.” For the LORD had determined to frustrate the good advice of Ahithophel in order to bring disaster on Absalom.
15 Then Hushai told the priests Zadok and Abiathar, |Ahithophel advised Absalom and the leaders of Israel to do one thing, but I advised them to do something else. Then Hushai said to Zadok and Abiathar the priests, “Thus and so did Ahithophel counsel Absalom and the elders of Israel, and thus and so have I counseled. Hushai told Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, “Ahithophel has advised Absalom and the elders of Israel to do such and such, but I have advised them to do so and so.
16 Now send messengers quickly to tell David, 'Don't rest tonight in the river crossings in the desert, but make sure you cross [the river], or Your Majesty and all the troops with him will be wiped out.'| Now therefore send quickly and tell David, ‘Do not stay tonight at the fords of the wilderness, but by all means pass over, lest the king and all the people who are with him be swallowed up.’” Now send a message at once and tell David, ‘Do not spend the night at the fords in the wilderness; cross over without fail, or the king and all the people with him will be swallowed up.’”
17 Jonathan and Ahimaaz were waiting at En Rogel. They could not risk being seen coming into the city, so a servant girl was to go and tell them, and they were to go and tell King David. Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz were waiting at En-rogel. A female servant was to go and tell them, and they were to go and tell King David, for they were not to be seen entering the city. Jonathan and Ahimaaz were staying at En Rogel. A female servant was to go and inform them, and they were to go and tell King David, for they could not risk being seen entering the city.
18 But a young man saw Jonathan and Ahimaaz and told Absalom. So both of them left quickly and came to the home of a man in Bahurim who had a cistern in his courtyard, and they went down into it. But a young man saw them and told Absalom. So both of them went away quickly and came to the house of a man at Bahurim, who had a well in his courtyard. And they went down into it. But a young man saw them and told Absalom. So the two of them left at once and went to the house of a man in Bahurim. He had a well in his courtyard, and they climbed down into it.
19 The man's wife took a cover, spread it over the top of the cistern, and scattered some grain over it so that no one could tell it was there. And the woman took and spread a covering over the well’s mouth and scattered grain on it, and nothing was known of it. His wife took a covering and spread it out over the opening of the well and scattered grain over it. No one knew anything about it.
20 Absalom's servants came to the woman at her home. |Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?| they asked. The woman said, |They've crossed the stream.| The servants looked for them but did not find them. So Absalom's servants returned to Jerusalem. When Absalom’s servants came to the woman at the house, they said, “Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?” And the woman said to them, “They have gone over the brook of water.” And when they had sought and could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem. When Absalom’s men came to the woman at the house, they asked, “Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?” The woman answered them, “They crossed over the brook.” The men searched but found no one, so they returned to Jerusalem.
21 After Absalom's servants left, both men came out of the cistern and went and told King David. |Leave right away,| they told David. |Cross the river quickly because this is what Ahithophel has advised against you....| After they had gone, the men came up out of the well, and went and told King David. They said to David, “Arise, and go quickly over the water, for thus and so has Ahithophel counseled against you.” After they had gone, the two climbed out of the well and went to inform King David. They said to him, “Set out and cross the river at once; Ahithophel has advised such and such against you.”
22 David and all the troops with him left to cross the Jordan River. When the dawn came, everyone had crossed the Jordan River. Then David arose, and all the people who were with him, and they crossed the Jordan. By daybreak not one was left who had not crossed the Jordan. So David and all the people with him set out and crossed the Jordan. By daybreak, no one was left who had not crossed the Jordan.
23 When Ahithophel saw that his advice hadn't been followed, he saddled his donkey, left, and went home to his own city. He gave instructions to his family. Then he hanged himself, died, and was buried in his father's tomb. When Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his donkey and went off home to his own city. He set his house in order and hanged himself, and he died and was buried in the tomb of his father. When 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 house in order and then hanged himself. So he died and was buried in his father’s tomb.
24 David had [already] come to Mahanaim by the time Absalom and all the men of Israel with him crossed the Jordan River. Then David came to Mahanaim. And Absalom crossed the Jordan with all the men of Israel. David went to Mahanaim, and Absalom crossed the Jordan with all the men of Israel.
25 Absalom appointed Amasa to take Joab's place as commander of the army. (Amasa was the son of a man named Ithra, a descendant of Ishmael. His mother was Abigail, the daughter of Nahash and sister of Joab's mother Zeruiah.) Now Absalom had set Amasa over the army instead of Joab. Amasa was the son of a man named Ithra the Ishmaelite, who had married Abigal the daughter of Nahash, sister of Zeruiah, Joab’s mother. Absalom had appointed Amasa over the army in place of Joab. Amasa was the son of Jether, an Ishmaelite who had married Abigail, the daughter of Nahash and sister of Zeruiah the mother of Joab.
26 The Israelites and Absalom camped in the region of Gilead. And Israel and Absalom encamped in the land of Gilead. The Israelites and Absalom camped in the land of Gilead.
27 When David came to Mahanaim, Shobi, son of Nahash from Rabbah in Ammon, and Machir, son of Ammiel from Lo Debar, and Barzillai from Rogelim in Gilead When David came to Mahanaim, Shobi the son of Nahash from Rabbah of the Ammonites, and Machir the son of Ammiel from Lo-debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim, When David came to Mahanaim, Shobi son of Nahash from Rabbah of the Ammonites, and Makir son of Ammiel from Lo Debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim
28 brought [supplies] and food for David and his troops: bedding, bowls, pots, wheat, barley, flour, roasted grain, beans, lentils, brought beds, basins, and earthen vessels, wheat, barley, flour, parched grain, beans and lentils, brought bedding and bowls and articles of pottery. They also brought wheat and barley, flour and roasted grain, beans and lentils,
29 honey, buttermilk, sheep, and calves. They brought these things because they thought, |The troops in the desert are hungry, exhausted, and thirsty.| honey and curds and sheep and cheese from the herd, for David and the people with him to eat, for they said, “The people are hungry and weary and thirsty in the wilderness.” honey and curds, sheep, and cheese from cows’ milk for David and his people to eat. For they said, “The people have become exhausted and hungry and thirsty in the wilderness.”
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