9. He’s probably already hiding in one of the caves or some other place. If some of our troops fall first, someone is sure to hear and say, ‘There’s been a slaughter among the people who follow Absalom.’
10. Then, even a brave man with the heart of a lion will melt because all Israel knows that your father and the valiant men with him are warriors.
11. Instead, I advise that all Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba — as numerous as the sand by the sea — be gathered to you and that you personally go into battle.
12. Then we will attack David wherever we find him, and we will descend on him like dew on the ground. Not even one will be left of all the men with him.
13. If he retreats to some city, all Israel will bring ropes to that city, and we will drag its stones into the valley until not even a pebble can be found there.”
14. Since the Lord had decreed that Ahithophel’s good advice be undermined in order to bring about Absalom’s ruin, Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The advice of Hushai the Archite is better than Ahithophel’s advice.”
15. Hushai then told the priests Zadok and Abiathar, “This is what Ahithophel advised Absalom and the elders of Israel, and this is what I advised.
16. Now send someone quickly and tell David, ‘Don’t spend the night at the wilderness ford of the Jordan, but be sure to cross over, or the king and all the people with him will be destroyed.’ ”
17. Jonathan and Ahimaaz were staying at En-rogel, where a servant girl would come and pass along information to them. They in turn would go and inform King David, because they dared not be seen entering the city.
18. However, a young man did see them and informed Absalom. So the two left quickly and came to the house of a man in Bahurim. He had a well in his courtyard, and they climbed down into it.
19. Then his wife took the cover, placed it over the mouth of the well, and scattered grain on it so nobody would know anything.
20. Absalom’s servants came to the woman at the house and asked, “Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan? ”“They passed by toward the water,” the woman replied to them. The men searched but did not find them, so they returned to Jerusalem.
21. After they had gone, Ahimaaz and Jonathan climbed out of the well and went and informed King David. They told him, “Get up and immediately ford the river, for Ahithophel has given this advice against you.”
22. So David and all the people with him got up and crossed the Jordan. By daybreak, there was no one who had not crossed the Jordan.