2 Samuel 17

1And Achitophel said to Absalom: I will choose me twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue after David this night.

2And coming upon him (for he is now weary, and weak handed) I will defeat him: and when all the people is put to flight that is with him, I will kill the king who will be left alone.

3And I will bring back all the people, as if they were but one man: for thou seekest but one man: and all the people shall be in peace.

4And his saying pleased Absalom, and all the ancients of Israel.

5But Absalom said: Call Chusai the Arachite, and let us hear what he also saith.

6And when Chusai was come to Absalom, Absalom said to him: Achitophel hath spoken after this manner: shall we do it or not? what counsel dost thou give?

7And Chusai said to Absalom: The counsel that Achitophel hath given this time is not good.

8And again Chusai said: Thou knowest thy father, and the men that are with him, that they are very valiant, and bitter in their mind, as a bear raging in the wood when her whelps are taken away: and thy father is a warrior, and will not lodge with the people.

9Perhaps he now lieth hid in pits, or in some other place where he liest: and when any one shall fall at the first, every one that heareth it shall say: There is a slaughter among the people that followed Absalom.

10And the most valiant man whose heart is as the heart of a lion, shall melt for fear: for all the people of Israel know thy father to be a valiant man, and that all who are with him are valiant.

11But this seemeth to me to be good counsel: Let all Israel be gathered to thee, from Dan to Bersabee, as the sand of the sea which cannot be numbered: and thou shalt be in the midst of them.

12And we shall come upon him in what place soever he shall be found: and we shall cover him, as the dew falleth upon the ground, and we shall not leave of the men that are with him, not so much as one.

13And if he shall enter into any city, all Israel shall cast ropes round about that city, and we will draw it into the river, so that there shall not be found so much as one small stone thereof.

14And Absalom, and all the men of Israel said: The counsel of Chusai the Arachite is better than the counsel of Achitophel: and by the will of the Lord the profitable counsel of Achitophel was defeated, that the Lord might bring evil upon Absalom.

15And Chusai said to Sadoc and Abiathar the priests: Thus and thus did Achitophel counsel Absalom, and the ancients of Israel: and thus and thus did I counsel them.

16Now therefore send quickly, and tell David, saying: Tarry not this night in the plains of the wilderness, but without delay pass over: lest the king be swallowed up, and all the people that is with him.

17And Jonathan and Achimaas stayed by the fountain Rogel: and there went a maid and told them: and they went forward, to carry the message to king David, for they might not be seen, nor enter into the city.

18But a certain boy saw them, and told Absalom: but they making haste went into the house of a certain man in Bahurim, who had a well in his court, and they went down into it.

19And a woman took, and spread a covering over the mouth of the well, as it were to dry sodden barley and so the thing was not known.

20And when Absalom’s servants were come into the house, they said to the woman: Where is Achimaas and Jonathan? and the woman answered them: They passed on in haste, after they had tasted a little water. But they that sought them, when they found them not, returned into Jerusalem.

21And when they were gone, they came up out of the well, and going on told king David, and said: Arise, and pass quickly over the river: for this manner of counsel has Achitophel given against you.

22So David arose, and all the people that were with him, and they passed over the Jordan, until it grew light, and not one of them was left that was not gone ever the river.

23But Achitophel seeing that his counsel was not followed, saddled his ass, and arose and went home to his house and to his city, and putting his house in order, hanged himself, and was buried in the sepulchre of his father.

24But David came to the camp, and Absalom passed over the Jordan, he and all the men of Israel with him.

25Now Absalom appointed Amasa in Joab’s stead over the army: and Amasa was the son of a man who was called Jethra, of Jezrael, who went in to Abigail the daughter of Naas, the sister of Sarvia who was the mother of Joab.

26And Israel camped with Absalom in the land of Galaad.

27And when David was come to the camp, Sobi the son of Naas of Rabbath of the children of Ammon, and Machir the son of Ammihel of Lodabar and Berzellai the Galaadite of Rogelim,

28Brought him beds, and tapestry, and earthen vessels, and wheat, and barley, and meal, and parched corn, and beans, and lentils, and fried pulse,

29And honey, and butter, and sheep, and fat calves, and they gave to David and the people that were with him, to eat: for they suspected that the people were faint with hunger and thirst in the wilderness.

1Dixit ergo Achitophel ad Absalom : Eligam mihi duodecim millia virorum, et consurgens persequar David hac nocte.

2Et irruens super eum ( quippe qui lassus est, et solutis manibus) percutiam eum : cumque fugerit omnis populus qui cum eo est, percutiam regem desolatum.

3Et reducam universum populum, quomodo unus homo reverti solet : unum enim virum tu quaeris : et omnis populus erit in pace.

4Placuitque sermo ejus Absalom, et cunctis majoribus natu Israel.

5Ait autem Absalom : Vocate Chusai Arachiten, et audiamus quid etiam ipse dicat.

6Cumque venisset Chusai ad Absalom, ait Absalom ad eum : Hujuscemodi sermonem locutus est Achitophel : facere debemus an non? quod das consilium?

7Et dixit Chusai ad Absalom : Non est bonum consilium, quod dedit Achitophel hac vice.

8Et rursum intulit Chusai : Tu nosti patrem tuum, et viros qui cum eo sunt, esse fortissimos et amaro animo, veluti si ursa raptis catulis in saltu saeviat : sed et pater tuus vir bellator est, nec morabitur cum populo.

9Forsitan nunc latitat in foveis, aut in uno, quo voluerit, loco : et cum ceciderit unus quilibet in principio, audiet quicumque audierit, et dicet : Facta est plaga in populo qui sequebatur Absalom.

10Et fortissimus quisque, cujus cor est quasi leonis, pavore solvetur : scit enim omnis populus Israel fortem esse patrem tuum, et robustos omnes qui cum eo sunt.

11Sed hoc mihi videtur rectum esse consilium. Congregetur ad te universus Israel, a Dan usque Bersabee, quasi arena maris innumerabilis : et tu eris in medio eorum.

12Et irruemus super eum in quocumque loco inventus fuerit : et operiemus eum, sicut cadere solet ros super terram : et non relinquemus de viris, qui cum eo sunt, ne unum quidem.

13Quod si urbem aliquam fuerit ingressus, circumdavit omnis Israel civitati illi funes, et trahemus eam in torrentem, ut non reperiatur ne calculus quidem ex ea.

14Dixitque Absalom, et omnes viri Israel : Melius est consilium Chusai Arachitae, consilio Achitophel : Domini autem nutu dissipatum est consilium Achitophel utile, ut induceret Dominus super Absalom malum.

15Et ait Chusai Sadoc et Abiathar sacerdotibus : Hoc et hoc modo consilium dedit Achitophel Absalom, et senioribus Israel : et ego tale et tale dedi consilium.

16Nunc ergo mittite cito, et nuntiate David dicentes : Ne moreris nocte hac in campestribus deserti, sed absque dilatione transgredere : ne forte absorbeatur rex, et omnis populus qui cum eo est.

17Jonathas autem et Achimaas stabant juxta fontem Rogel : abiit ancilla et nuntiavit eis : et illi profecti sunt, ut referrent ad regem David nuntium : non enim poterant videri, aut introire civitatem.

18Vidit autem eos quidam puer, et indicavit Absalom : illi vero concito gradu ingressi sunt domum cujusdam viri in Bahurim, qui habebat puteum in vestibulo suo, et descenderunt in eum.

19Tulit autem mulier, et expandit velamen super os putei, quasi siccans ptisanas : et sic latuit res.

20Cumque venissent servi Absalom in domum, ad mulierem dixerunt : Ubi est Achimaas et Jonathas? Et respondit eis mulier : Transierunt festinanter, gustata paululum aqua. At hi qui quaerebant, cum non reperissent, reversi sunt in Jerusalem.

21Cumque abiissent, ascenderunt illi de puteo, et pergentes nuntiaverunt regi David, et dixerunt : Surgite, et transite cito fluvium : quoniam hujuscemodi dedit consilium contra vos Achitophel.

22Surrexit ergo David, et omnis populus qui cum eo erat, et transierunt Jordanem, donec dilucesceret : et ne unus quidem residuus fuit, qui non transisset fluvium.

23Porro Achitophel videns quod non fuisset factum consilium suum, stravit asinum suum, surrexitque, et abiit in domum suam et in civitatem suam : et disposita domo sua, suspendio interiit, et sepultus est in sepulchro patris sui.

24David autem venit in castra, et Absalom transivit Jordanem, ipse et omnes viri Israël cum eo.

25Amasam vero constituit Absalom pro Joab super exercitum : Amasa autem erat filius viri qui vocabatur Jetra de Jezraëli, qui ingressus est ad Abigail filiam Naas, sororem Sarviæ, quæ fuit mater Joab.

26Et castrametatus est Israël cum Absalom in terra Galaad.

27Cumque venisset David in castra, Sobi filius Naas de Rabbath filiorum Ammon, et Machir filius Ammihel de Lodabar, et Berzellai Galaadites de Rogelim,

28obtulerunt ei stratoria, et tapetia, et vasa fictilia, frumentum, et hordeum, et farinam, et polentam, et fabam, et lentem, et frixum cicer,

29et mel, et butyrum, oves, et pingues vitulos : dederuntque David, et populo qui cum eo erat, ad vescendum : suspicati enim sunt populum fame et siti fatigari in deserto.

1καὶ εἶπεν Αχιτοφελ πρὸς Αβεσσαλωμ ἐπιλέξω δὴ ἐμαυτῷ δώδεκα χιλιάδας ἀνδρῶν καὶ ἀναστήσομαι καὶ καταδιώξω ὀπίσω Δαυιδ τὴν νύκτα

2καὶ ἐπελεύσομαι ἐπ' αὐτόν καὶ αὐτὸς κοπιῶν καὶ ἐκλελυμένος χερσίν καὶ ἐκστήσω αὐτόν καὶ φεύξεται πᾶς ὁ λαὸς ὁ μετ' αὐτοῦ καὶ πατάξω τὸν βασιλέα μονώτατον

3καὶ ἐπιστρέψω πάντα τὸν λαὸν πρὸς σέ ὃν τρόπον ἐπιστρέφει ἡ νύμφη πρὸς τὸν ἄνδρα αὐτῆς πλὴν ψυχὴν ἑνὸς ἀνδρὸς σὺ ζητεῖς καὶ παντὶ τῷ λαῷ ἔσται εἰρήνη

4καὶ εὐθὴς ὁ λόγος ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς Αβεσσαλωμ καὶ ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς πάντων τῶν πρεσβυτέρων Ισραηλ

5καὶ εἶπεν Αβεσσαλωμ καλέσατε δὴ καί γε τὸν Χουσι τὸν Αραχι καὶ ἀκούσωμεν τί ἐν τῷ στόματι αὐτοῦ καί γε αὐτοῦ

6καὶ εἰσῆλθεν Χουσι πρὸς Αβεσσαλωμ καὶ εἶπεν Αβεσσαλωμ πρὸς αὐτὸν λέγων κατὰ τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο ἐλάλησεν Αχιτοφελ εἰ ποιήσομεν κατὰ τὸν λόγον αὐτοῦ εἰ δὲ μή σὺ λάλησον

7καὶ εἶπεν Χουσι πρὸς Αβεσσαλωμ οὐκ ἀγαθὴ αὕτη ἡ βουλή ἣν ἐβουλεύσατο Αχιτοφελ τὸ ἅπαξ τοῦτο

8καὶ εἶπεν Χουσι σὺ οἶδας τὸν πατέρα σου καὶ τοὺς ἄνδρας αὐτοῦ ὅτι δυνατοί εἰσιν σφόδρα καὶ κατάπικροι τῇ ψυχῇ αὐτῶν ὡς ἄρκος ἠτεκνωμένη ἐν ἀγρῷ καὶ ὡς ὗς τραχεῖα ἐν τῷ πεδίῳ καὶ ὁ πατήρ σου ἀνὴρ πολεμιστὴς καὶ οὐ μὴ καταλύσῃ τὸν λαόν

9ἰδοὺ γὰρ αὐτὸς νῦν κέκρυπται ἐν ἑνὶ τῶν βουνῶν ἢ ἐν ἑνὶ τῶν τόπων καὶ ἔσται ἐν τῷ ἐπιπεσεῖν αὐτοῖς ἐν ἀρχῇ καὶ ἀκούσῃ ὁ ἀκούων καὶ εἴπῃ ἐγενήθη θραῦσις ἐν τῷ λαῷ τῷ ὀπίσω Αβεσσαλωμ

10καί γε αὐτὸς υἱὸς δυνάμεως οὗ ἡ καρδία καθὼς ἡ καρδία τοῦ λέοντος τηκομένη τακήσεται ὅτι οἶδεν πᾶς Ισραηλ ὅτι δυνατὸς ὁ πατήρ σου καὶ υἱοὶ δυνάμεως οἱ μετ' αὐτοῦ

11ὅτι οὕτως συμβουλεύων ἐγὼ συνεβούλευσα καὶ συναγόμενος συναχθήσεται ἐπὶ σὲ πᾶς Ισραηλ ἀπὸ Δαν καὶ ἕως Βηρσαβεε ὡς ἡ ἄμμος ἡ ἐπὶ τῆς θαλάσσης εἰς πλῆθος καὶ τὸ πρόσωπόν σου πορευόμενον ἐν μέσῳ αὐτῶν

12καὶ ἥξομεν πρὸς αὐτὸν εἰς ἕνα τῶν τόπων οὗ ἐὰν εὕρωμεν αὐτὸν ἐκεῖ καὶ παρεμβαλοῦμεν ἐπ' αὐτόν ὡς πίπτει ἡ δρόσος ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν καὶ οὐχ ὑπολειψόμεθα ἐν αὐτῷ καὶ τοῖς ἀνδράσιν τοῖς μετ' αὐτοῦ καί γε ἕνα

13καὶ ἐὰν εἰς πόλιν συναχθῇ καὶ λήμψεται πᾶς Ισραηλ πρὸς τὴν πόλιν ἐκείνην σχοινία καὶ συροῦμεν αὐτὴν ἕως εἰς τὸν χειμάρρουν ὅπως μὴ καταλειφθῇ ἐκεῖ μηδὲ λίθος

14καὶ εἶπεν Αβεσσαλωμ καὶ πᾶς ἀνὴρ Ισραηλ ἀγαθὴ ἡ βουλὴ Χουσι τοῦ Αραχι ὑπὲρ τὴν βουλὴν Αχιτοφελ καὶ κύριος ἐνετείλατο διασκεδάσαι τὴν βουλὴν Αχιτοφελ τὴν ἀγαθήν ὅπως ἂν ἐπαγάγῃ κύριος ἐπὶ Αβεσσαλωμ τὰ κακὰ πάντα

15καὶ εἶπεν Χουσι ὁ τοῦ Αραχι πρὸς Σαδωκ καὶ Αβιαθαρ τοὺς ἱερεῖς οὕτως καὶ οὕτως συνεβούλευσεν Αχιτοφελ τῷ Αβεσσαλωμ καὶ τοῖς πρεσβυτέροις Ισραηλ καὶ οὕτως καὶ οὕτως συνεβούλευσα ἐγώ

16καὶ νῦν ἀποστείλατε ταχὺ καὶ ἀναγγείλατε τῷ Δαυιδ λέγοντες μὴ αὐλισθῇς τὴν νύκτα ἐν Αραβωθ τῆς ἐρήμου καί γε διαβαίνων σπεῦσον μήποτε καταπίῃ τὸν βασιλέα καὶ πάντα τὸν λαὸν τὸν μετ' αὐτοῦ

17καὶ Ιωναθαν καὶ Αχιμαας εἱστήκεισαν ἐν τῇ πηγῇ Ρωγηλ καὶ ἐπορεύθη ἡ παιδίσκη καὶ ἀνήγγειλεν αὐτοῖς καὶ αὐτοὶ πορεύονται καὶ ἀναγγέλλουσιν τῷ βασιλεῖ Δαυιδ ὅτι οὐκ ἐδύναντο ὀφθῆναι τοῦ εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὴν πόλιν

18καὶ εἶδεν αὐτοὺς παιδάριον καὶ ἀπήγγειλεν τῷ Αβεσσαλωμ καὶ ἐπορεύθησαν οἱ δύο ταχέως καὶ εἰσῆλθαν εἰς οἰκίαν ἀνδρὸς ἐν Βαουριμ καὶ αὐτῷ λάκκος ἐν τῇ αὐλῇ καὶ κατέβησαν ἐκεῖ

19καὶ ἔλαβεν ἡ γυνὴ καὶ διεπέτασεν τὸ ἐπικάλυμμα ἐπὶ πρόσωπον τοῦ λάκκου καὶ ἔψυξεν ἐπ' αὐτῷ Αραφωθ καὶ οὐκ ἐγνώσθη ῥῆμα

20καὶ ἦλθαν οἱ παῖδες Αβεσσαλωμ πρὸς τὴν γυναῖκα εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν καὶ εἶπαν ποῦ Αχιμαας καὶ Ιωναθαν καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς ἡ γυνή παρῆλθαν μικρὸν τοῦ ὕδατος καὶ ἐζήτησαν καὶ οὐχ εὗραν καὶ ἀνέστρεψαν εἰς Ιερουσαλημ

21ἐγένετο δὲ μετὰ τὸ ἀπελθεῖν αὐτοὺς καὶ ἀνέβησαν ἐκ τοῦ λάκκου καὶ ἐπορεύθησαν καὶ ἀνήγγειλαν τῷ βασιλεῖ Δαυιδ καὶ εἶπαν πρὸς Δαυιδ ἀνάστητε καὶ διάβητε ταχέως τὸ ὕδωρ ὅτι οὕτως ἐβουλεύσατο περὶ ὑμῶν Αχιτοφελ

22καὶ ἀνέστη Δαυιδ καὶ πᾶς ὁ λαὸς ὁ μετ' αὐτοῦ καὶ διέβησαν τὸν Ιορδάνην ἕως τοῦ φωτὸς τοῦ πρωί ἕως ἑνὸς οὐκ ἔλαθεν ὃς οὐ διῆλθεν τὸν Ιορδάνην

23καὶ Αχιτοφελ εἶδεν ὅτι οὐκ ἐγενήθη ἡ βουλὴ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐπέσαξεν τὴν ὄνον αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀνέστη καὶ ἀπῆλθεν εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ εἰς τὴν πόλιν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐνετείλατο τῷ οἴκῳ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀπήγξατο καὶ ἀπέθανεν καὶ ἐτάφη ἐν τῷ τάφῳ τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ

24καὶ Δαυιδ διῆλθεν εἰς Μαναϊμ καὶ Αβεσσαλωμ διέβη τὸν Ιορδάνην αὐτὸς καὶ πᾶς ἀνὴρ Ισραηλ μετ' αὐτοῦ

25καὶ τὸν Αμεσσαϊ κατέστησεν Αβεσσαλωμ ἀντὶ Ιωαβ ἐπὶ τῆς δυνάμεως καὶ Αμεσσαϊ υἱὸς ἀνδρὸς καὶ ὄνομα αὐτῷ Ιοθορ ὁ Ισραηλίτης οὗτος εἰσῆλθεν πρὸς Αβιγαιαν θυγατέρα Ναας ἀδελφὴν Σαρουιας μητρὸς Ιωαβ

26καὶ παρενέβαλεν πᾶς Ισραηλ καὶ Αβεσσαλωμ εἰς τὴν γῆν Γαλααδ

27καὶ ἐγένετο ἡνίκα ἦλθεν Δαυιδ εἰς Μαναϊμ Ουεσβι υἱὸς Ναας ἐκ Ραββαθ υἱῶν Αμμων καὶ Μαχιρ υἱὸς Αμιηλ ἐκ Λωδαβαρ καὶ Βερζελλι ὁ Γαλααδίτης ἐκ Ρωγελλιμ

28ἤνεγκαν δέκα κοίτας καὶ ἀμφιτάπους καὶ λέβητας δέκα καὶ σκεύη κεράμου καὶ πυροὺς καὶ κριθὰς καὶ ἄλευρον καὶ ἄλφιτον καὶ κύαμον καὶ φακὸν

29καὶ μέλι καὶ βούτυρον καὶ πρόβατα καὶ Σαφφωθ βοῶν καὶ προσήνεγκαν τῷ Δαυιδ καὶ τῷ λαῷ τῷ μετ' αὐτοῦ φαγεῖν ὅτι εἶπαν ὁ λαὸς πεινῶν καὶ ἐκλελυμένος καὶ διψῶν ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ