CHAP. XVII.
MOreover, Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Let me now chuse out twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue a 1.1 after David this night a 1.2.
2 And I will come upon him while he is weary and weak-handed b 1.3, and will make him afraid: and all the people that are with him shall flee, and I will smite the king onely.
3 And I will bring back all the people unto thee: the man whom thou seekest is as if all returned c 1.4: so all the people shall be in peace.
4 And the saying ‡ 1.5 pleased Absalom well, and all the Elders of Israel.
5 Then said Absalom, Call now Hushai the Archite also, and let us hear likewise ‡ 1.6 what he saith d 1.7.
6 And when Hushai was come to Absalom, Absalom spake unto him, saying, Ahithophel hath spoken after this manner: Shall we do after his ‡ 1.8 saying? if not, speak thou.
7 And Hushai said unto Absalom, The coun∣sel that Ahithophel hath ‡ 1.9 given, is not good at this time e 1.10.
8 For (said Hushai) thou knowest thy father and his men, that they be mighty men f 1.11, and they be ‡ 1.12 chafed in their minds g 1.13, as * 1.14 a bear robbed of her whelps in the field g 1.15: and thy father is a man of war h 1.16, and will not lodge with the people.
9 Behold, he is hid now in some pit, or in some other place i 1.17: and it will come to pass, when some of them k 1.18 be ‡ 1.19 overthrown at the first l 1.20, that whosoever heareth it, will say m 1.21, There is a slaughter among the people that followeth Ab∣•…•…alom.