1. Moreover Achitophel said unto Avshalom, Let me now choose out shneym asar elef ish, and I will arise and pursue after Dovid halailah (this night);
2. And I will come upon him while he is weary and weak of hands, and will make him tremble with fear; and kol haAm that are with him shall flee; and I will strike HaMelech only;
3. When I return kol HaAm to you, all except the ish whom thou seekest, it is as if [kol HaAm] returned; so kol haAm shall be in shalom.
4. And the saying pleased Avshalom well, and kol Ziknei Yisroel.
5. Then said Avshalom, Call now Chushai the Archi also, and let us hear likewise from his peh (mouth).
6. And when Chushai was come to Avshalom, Avshalom spoke unto him, saying, Achitophel hath spoken after this manner; shall we do after his saying? If not; speak thou.
7. And Chushai said unto Avshalom, The etza (counsel) that Achitophel hath given is not tovah at this time.
8. For, said Chushai, thou knowest Avicha and his anashim, that they be Gibborim, and they be enraged in their nefesh, as a dov (bear) robbed of her cubs in the sadeh; and Avicha is ish milchamah, and will not spend the night with HaAm (the troops).
9. Hinei, he is hid now in one of the pits, or in some other makom; and it will come to pass, when some of them be overthrown at the outset, that whosoever heareth it will say, There is a magefah (slaughter) among the people that follow Avshalom.
10. And he also that is chayil (valiant), whose lev is as the lev ha'aryeh (heart of a lion), shall utterly melt; for kol Yisroel knoweth that Avicha is a Gibbor, and they that be with him are Bnei Chayil (valiant men).