2 Samuel 17 שְׁמוּאֵל ב

¹וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֲחִיתֹ֖פֶל אֶל־אַבְשָׁלֹ֑ם אֶבְחֲרָ֣ה נָּ֗א שְׁנֵים־עָשָׂ֥ר אֶ֨לֶף֙ אִ֔ישׁ וְאָק֛וּמָה וְאֶרְדְּפָ֥ה אַחֲרֵי־דָוִ֖ד הַלָּֽיְלָה׃

vayyomer achitofel el-avshalom evchara na shenem-asar elef ish ve'akuma ve'erdefa achare-david hallayla

1Moreover Ahithophel said unto Absalom: ‘Let me now choose out twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue after David this night;

²וְאָב֣וֹא עָלָ֗יו וְה֤וּא יָגֵ֨עַ֙ וּרְפֵ֣ה יָדַ֔יִם וְהַֽחֲרַדְתִּ֣י אֹת֔וֹ וְנָ֖ס כָּל־הָעָ֣ם אֲשֶׁר־אִתּ֑וֹ וְהִכֵּיתִ֥י אֶת־הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ לְבַדּֽוֹ׃

ve'avo alav vehu yagea urefe yadayim vehacharadti oto venas kal-ha'am asher-itto vehikketi et-hammelekh levaddo

2and I will come upon him while he is weary and weak-handed, and will make him afraid; and all the people that are with him shall flee; and I will smite the king only;

³וְאָשִׁ֥יבָה כָל־הָעָ֖ם אֵלֶ֑יךָ כְּשׁ֣וּב הַכֹּ֔ל הָאִישׁ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אַתָּ֣ה מְבַקֵּ֔שׁ כָּל־הָעָ֖ם יִהְיֶ֥ה שָׁלֽוֹם׃

ve'ashiva khal-ha'am elekha keshuv hakkol ha'ish asher atta mevakkesh kal-ha'am yihye shalom

3and I will bring back all the people unto thee; when all shall have returned, [save] the man whom thou seekest, all the people will be in peace.’

⁴וַיִּישַׁ֥ר הַדָּבָ֖ר בְּעֵינֵ֣י אַבְשָׁלֹ֑ם וּבְעֵינֵ֖י כָּל־זִקְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

vayyishar haddavar be'ene avshalom uve'ene kal-zikne yisra'el

4And the saying pleased Absalom well, and all the elders of Israel.

⁵וַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ אַבְשָׁל֔וֹם קְרָ֣א נָ֔א גַּ֖ם לְחוּשַׁ֣י הָאַרְכִּ֑י וְנִשְׁמְעָ֥ה מַה־בְּפִ֖יו גַּם־הֽוּא׃

vayyomer avshalom kera na gam lechushay ha'arki venishme'a ma-befiv gam-hu

5Then said Absalom: ‘Call now Hushai the Archite also, and let us hear likewise what he saith.’

⁶וַיָּבֹ֣א חוּשַׁי֮ אֶל־אַבְשָׁלוֹם֒ וַיֹּאמֶר֩ אַבְשָׁל֨וֹם אֵלָ֜יו לֵאמֹ֗ר כַּדָּבָ֤ר הַזֶּה֙ דִּבֶּ֣ר אֲחִיתֹ֔פֶל הֲנַעֲשֶׂ֖ה אֶת־דְּבָר֑וֹ אִם־אַ֖יִן אַתָּ֥ה דַבֵּֽר׃

vayyavo chushay el-avshalom vayyomer avshalom elav lemor kaddavar hazze dibber achitofel hana'ase et-devaro im-ayin atta dabber

6And when Hushai was come to Absalom, Absalom spoke unto him, saying: ‘Ahithophel hath spoken after this manner; shall we do after his saying? if not, speak thou.’

⁷וַיֹּ֥אמֶר חוּשַׁ֖י אֶל־אַבְשָׁל֑וֹם לֹֽא־טוֹבָ֧ה הָעֵצָ֛ה אֲשֶׁר־יָעַ֥ץ אֲחִיתֹ֖פֶל בַּפַּ֥עַם הַזֹּֽאת׃

vayyomer chushay el-avshalom lo-tova ha'etza asher-ya'atz achitofel bappa'am hazzot

7And Hushai said unto Absalom: ‘The counsel that Ahithophel hath given this time is not good.’

⁸וַיֹּ֣אמֶר חוּשַׁ֗י אַתָּ֣ה יָ֠דַעְתָּ אֶת־אָבִ֨יךָ וְאֶת־אֲנָשָׁ֜יו כִּ֧י גִבֹּרִ֣ים הֵ֗מָּה וּמָרֵ֥י נֶ֨פֶשׁ֙ הֵ֔מָּה כְּדֹ֥ב שַׁכּ֖וּל בַּשָּׂדֶ֑ה וְאָבִ֨יךָ֙ אִ֣ישׁ מִלְחָמָ֔ה וְלֹ֥א יָלִ֖ין אֶת־הָעָֽם׃

vayyomer chushay atta yada'ta et-avikha ve'et-anashav ki gibborim hemma umare nefesh hemma kedov shakkul bassade ve'avikha ish milchama velo yalin et-ha'am

8Hushai said moreover: ‘Thou knowest thy father and his men, that they are mighty men, and they are embittered in their minds, as a bear robbed of her whelps in the field; and thy father is a man of war, and will not lodge with the people.

⁹הִנֵּ֨ה עַתָּ֤ה הֽוּא־נֶחְבָּא֙ בְּאַחַ֣ת הַפְּחָתִ֔ים א֖וֹ בְּאַחַ֣ד הַמְּקוֹמֹ֑ת וְהָיָ֗ה כִּנְפֹ֤ל בָּהֶם֙ בַּתְּחִלָּ֔ה וְשָׁמַ֤ע הַשֹּׁמֵ֨עַ֙ וְאָמַ֔ר הָֽיְתָה֙ מַגֵּפָ֔ה בָּעָ֕ם אֲשֶׁ֖ר אַחֲרֵ֥י אַבְשָׁלֹֽם׃

hinne atta hu-nechba be'achat happechatim o be'achad hammekomot vehaya kinfol bahem battechilla veshama' hashomea ve'amar hayta maggefa ba'am asher achare avshalom

9Behold, he is hid now in some pit, or in some place; and it will come to pass, when they fall upon them at the first, and whosoever heareth it shall say: There is a slaughter among the people that follow Absalom;

¹⁰וְה֣וּא גַם־בֶּן־חַ֗יִל אֲשֶׁ֥ר לִבּ֛וֹ כְּלֵ֥ב הָאַרְיֵ֖ה הִמֵּ֣ס יִמָּ֑ס כִּֽי־יֹדֵ֤עַ כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ כִּי־גִבּ֣וֹר אָבִ֔יךָ וּבְנֵי־חַ֖יִל אֲשֶׁ֥ר אִתּֽוֹ׃

vehu gam-ben-chayil asher libbo kelev ha'arye himmes yimmas ki-yodea kal-yisra'el ki-gibbor avikha uvene-chayil asher itto

10then even he that is valiant, whose heart is as the heart of a lion, will utterly melt; for all Israel knoweth that thy father is a mighty man, and they that are with him are valiant men.

¹¹כִּ֣י יָעַ֗צְתִּי הֵ֠אָסֹף יֵאָסֵ֨ף עָלֶ֤יךָ כָל־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ מִדָּן֙ וְעַד־בְּאֵ֣ר שֶׁ֔בַע כַּח֥וֹל אֲשֶׁר־עַל־הַיָּ֖ם לָרֹ֑ב וּפָנֶ֥יךָ הֹלְכִ֖ים בַּקְרָֽב׃

ki ya'atzti he'asof ye'asef alekha khal-yisra'el middan ve'ad-be'er sheva' kachol asher-al-hayyam larov ufanekha holkhim bakrav

11But I counsel that all Israel be gathered together unto thee, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, as the sand that is by the sea for multitude; and that thou go to battle in thine own person.

¹²וּבָ֣אנוּ אֵלָ֗יו באחת [בְּאַחַ֤ד] הַמְּקוֹמֹת֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נִמְצָ֣א שָׁ֔ם וְנַ֣חְנוּ עָלָ֔יו כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר יִפֹּ֥ל הַטַּ֖ל עַל־הָאֲדָמָ֑ה וְלֹֽא־נ֥וֹתַר בּ֛וֹ וּבְכָל־הָאֲנָשִׁ֥ים אֲשֶׁר־אִתּ֖וֹ גַּם־אֶחָֽד׃

uvanu elav be'achad hammekomot asher nimtza sham venachnu alav ka'asher yippol hattal al-ha'adama velo-notar bo uvekhal-ha'anashim asher-itto gam-echad

12So shall we come upon him in some place where he shall be found, and we will light upon him as the dew falleth on the ground; and of him and of all the men that are with him we will not leave so much as one.

¹³וְאִם־אֶל־עִיר֙ יֵֽאָסֵ֔ף וְהִשִּׂ֧יאוּ כָֽל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל אֶל־הָעִ֥יר הַהִ֖יא חֲבָלִ֑ים וְסָחַ֤בְנוּ אֹתוֹ֙ עַד־הַנַּ֔חַל עַ֛ד אֲשֶֽׁר־לֹא־נִמְצָ֥א שָׁ֖ם גַּם־צְרֽוֹר׃

ve'im-el-ir ye'asef vehissiu khal-yisra'el el-ha'ir hahi chavalim vesachavnu oto ad-hannachal ad asher-lo-nimtza sham gam-tzeror

13Moreover, if he withdraw himself into a city, then shall all Israel bring up ropes to that city, and we will draw it into the valley until there be not one small stone found there.’

¹⁴וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אַבְשָׁלוֹם֙ וְכָל־אִ֣ישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל טוֹבָ֗ה עֲצַת֙ חוּשַׁ֣י הָאַרְכִּ֔י מֵעֲצַ֖ת אֲחִיתֹ֑פֶל וַיהוָ֣ה צִוָּ֗ה לְהָפֵ֞ר אֶת־עֲצַ֤ת אֲחִיתֹ֨פֶל֙ הַטּוֹבָ֔ה לְבַעֲב֗וּר הָבִ֧יא יְהוָ֛ה אֶל־אַבְשָׁל֖וֹם אֶת־הָרָעָֽה׃

vayyomer avshalom vekhal-ish yisra'el tova atzat chushay ha'arki me'atzat achitofel veADONAI tzivva lehafer et-atzat achitofel hattova leva'avur havi ADONAI el-avshalom et-hara'a

14And 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, to the intent that the LORD might bring evil upon Absalom.

¹⁵וַיֹּ֣אמֶר חוּשַׁ֗י אֶל־צָד֤וֹק וְאֶל־אֶבְיָתָר֙ הַכֹּ֣הֲנִ֔ים כָּזֹ֣את וְכָזֹ֗את יָעַ֤ץ אֲחִיתֹ֨פֶל֙ אֶת־אַבְשָׁלֹ֔ם וְאֵ֖ת זִקְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְכָזֹ֥את וְכָזֹ֖את יָעַ֥צְתִּי אָֽנִי׃

vayyomer chushay el-tzadok ve'el-evyatar hakkohanim kazot vekhazot ya'atz achitofel et-avshalom ve'et zikne yisra'el vekhazot vekhazot ya'atzti ani

15Then said Hushai unto Zadok and to Abiathar the priests: ‘Thus and thus did Ahithophel counsel Absalom and the elders of Israel; and thus and thus have I counselled.

¹⁶וְעַתָּ֡ה שִׁלְח֣וּ מְהֵרָה֩ וְהַגִּ֨ידוּ לְדָוִ֜ד לֵאמֹ֗ר אַל־תָּ֤לֶן הַלַּ֨יְלָה֙ בְּעַֽרְב֣וֹת הַמִּדְבָּ֔ר וְגַ֖ם עָב֣וֹר תַּעֲב֑וֹר פֶּ֚ן יְבֻלַּ֣ע לַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וּלְכָל־הָעָ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר אִתּֽוֹ׃

ve'atta shilchu mehera vehaggidu ledavid lemor al-talen hallayla be'arvot hammidbar vegam avor ta'avor pen yevulla' lammelekh ulekhal-ha'am asher itto

16Now therefore send quickly, and tell David, saying: Lodge not this night in the plains of the wilderness, but in any wise pass over; lest the king be swallowed up, and all the people that are with him.’

¹⁷וִיהוֹנָתָ֨ן וַאֲחִימַ֜עַץ עֹמְדִ֣ים בְּעֵין־רֹגֵ֗ל וְהָלְכָ֤ה הַשִּׁפְחָה֙ וְהִגִּ֣ידָה לָהֶ֔ם וְהֵם֙ יֵֽלְכ֔וּ וְהִגִּ֖ידוּ לַמֶּ֣לֶךְ דָּוִ֑ד כִּ֣י לֹ֥א יוּכְל֛וּ לְהֵרָא֖וֹת לָב֥וֹא הָעִֽירָה׃

vihonatan va'achima'atz omdim be'en-rogel vehalkha hashifcha vehiggida lahem vehem yelkhu vehiggidu lammelekh david ki lo yukhlu leheraot lavo ha'ira

17Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz stayed by En-rogel; and a maid-servant used to go and tell them; and they went and told king David; for they might not be seen to come into the city.

¹⁸וַיַּ֤רְא אֹתָם֙ נַ֔עַר וַיַּגֵּ֖ד לְאַבְשָׁלֹ֑ם וַיֵּלְכוּ֩ שְׁנֵיהֶ֨ם מְהֵרָ֜ה וַיָּבֹ֣אוּ ׀ אֶל־בֵּֽית־אִ֣ישׁ בְּבַחוּרִ֗ים וְל֥וֹ בְאֵ֛ר בַּחֲצֵר֖וֹ וַיֵּ֥רְדוּ שָֽׁם׃

vayyar otam na'ar vayyagged le'avshalom vayyelkhu shenehem mehera vayyavou el-bet-ish bevachurim velo ve'er bachatzero vayyerdu sham

18But a lad saw them, and told Absalom; and they went both of them away quickly, and came to the house of a man in Bahurim, who had a well in his court; and they went down thither.

¹⁹וַתִּקַּ֣ח הָאִשָּׁ֗ה וַתִּפְרֹ֤שׂ אֶת־הַמָּסָךְ֙ עַל־פְּנֵ֣י הַבְּאֵ֔ר וַתִּשְׁטַ֥ח עָלָ֖יו הָֽרִפ֑וֹת וְלֹ֥א נוֹדַ֖ע דָּבָֽר׃

vattikkach ha'isha vattifros et-hammasakh al-pene habbe'er vattishtach alav harifot velo noda' davar

19And the woman took and spread the covering over the well’s mouth, and strewed groats thereon; and nothing was known.

²⁰וַיָּבֹ֣אוּ עַבְדֵי֩ אַבְשָׁל֨וֹם אֶֽל־הָאִשָּׁ֜ה הַבַּ֗יְתָה וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ אַיֵּ֗ה אֲחִימַ֨עַץ֙ וִיה֣וֹנָתָ֔ן וַתֹּ֤אמֶר לָהֶם֙ הָֽאִשָּׁ֔ה עָבְר֖וּ מִיכַ֣ל הַמָּ֑יִם וַיְבַקְשׁוּ֙ וְלֹ֣א מָצָ֔אוּ וַיָּשֻׁ֖בוּ יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם׃

vayyavou avde avshalom el-ha'isha habbayta vayyomru ayye achima'atz vihonatan vattomer lahem ha'isha avru mikhal hammayim vayvakshu velo matzau vayyashuvu yerushalam

20And Absalom’s servants came to the woman to the house; and they said: ‘Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?’ And the woman said unto them: ‘They are gone over the brook of water.’ And when they had sought and could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem. .

²¹וַיְהִ֣י ׀ אַחֲרֵ֣י לֶכְתָּ֗ם וַֽיַּעֲלוּ֙ מֵֽהַבְּאֵ֔ר וַיֵּ֣לְכ֔וּ וַיַּגִּ֖דוּ לַמֶּ֣לֶךְ דָּוִ֑ד וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ אֶל־דָּוִ֗ד ק֣וּמוּ וְעִבְר֤וּ מְהֵרָה֙ אֶת־הַמַּ֔יִם כִּי־כָ֛כָה יָעַ֥ץ עֲלֵיכֶ֖ם אֲחִיתֹֽפֶל׃

vayhi achare lekhtam vayya'alu mehabbe'er vayyelkhu vayyaggidu lammelekh david vayyomru el-david kumu ve'ivru mehera et-hammayim ki-khakha ya'atz alekhem achitofel

21And it came to pass, after they were departed, that they came up out of the well, and went and told king David; and they said unto David: ‘Arise ye, and pass quickly over the water; for thus hath Ahithophel counselled against you.’

²²וַיָּ֣קָם דָּוִ֗ד וְכָל־הָעָם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אִתּ֔וֹ וַיַּעַבְר֖וּ אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּ֑ן עַד־א֣וֹר הַבֹּ֗קֶר עַד־אַחַד֙ לֹ֣א נֶעְדָּ֔ר אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹא־עָבַ֖ר אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּֽן׃

vayyakam david vekhal-ha'am asher itto vayya'avru et-hayyarden ad-or habboker ad-achad lo ne'dar asher lo-avar et-hayyarden

22Then David arose, and all the people that were with him, and they passed over the Jordan; by the morning light there lacked not one of them that was not gone over the Jordan.

²³וַאֲחִיתֹ֣פֶל רָאָ֗ה כִּ֣י לֹ֣א נֶעֶשְׂתָה֮ עֲצָתוֹ֒ וַיַּחֲבֹ֣שׁ אֶֽת־הַחֲמ֗וֹר וַיָּ֜קָם וַיֵּ֤לֶךְ אֶל־בֵּיתוֹ֙ אֶל־עִיר֔וֹ וַיְצַ֥ו אֶל־בֵּית֖וֹ וַיֵּחָנַ֑ק וַיָּ֕מָת וַיִּקָּבֵ֖ר בְּקֶ֥בֶר אָבִֽיו׃

va'achitofel ra'a ki lo ne'esta atzato vayyachavosh et-hachamor vayyakam vayyelekh el-beto el-iro vaytzav el-beto vayyechanak vayyamat vayyikkaver bekever aviv

23And when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his ass, and arose, and got him home, unto his city, and set his house in order, and strangled himself; and he died, and was buried in the sepulchre of his father.

²⁴וְדָוִ֖ד בָּ֣א מַחֲנָ֑יְמָה וְאַבְשָׁלֹ֗ם עָבַר֙ אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ן ה֕וּא וְכָל־אִ֥ישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל עִמּֽוֹ׃

vedavid ba machanayma ve'avshalom avar et-hayyarden hu vekhal-ish yisra'el immo

24When David was come to Mahanaim, Absalom passed over the Jordan, he and all the men of Israel with him.

²⁵וְאֶת־עֲמָשָׂ֗א שָׂ֧ם אַבְשָׁלֹ֛ם תַּ֥חַת יוֹאָ֖ב עַל־הַצָּבָ֑א וַעֲמָשָׂ֣א בֶן־אִ֗ישׁ וּשְׁמוֹ֙ יִתְרָ֣א הַיִּשְׂרְאֵלִ֔י אֲשֶׁר־בָּא֙ אֶל־אֲבִיגַ֣ל בַּת־נָחָ֔שׁ אֲח֥וֹת צְרוּיָ֖ה אֵ֥ם יוֹאָֽב׃

ve'et-amasa sam avshalom tachat yo'av al-hatzava va'amasa ven-ish ushemo yitra hayyisre'eli asher-ba el-avigal bat-nachash achot tzeruya em yo'av

25And Absalom had set Amasa over the host instead of Joab. Now Amasa was the son of a man, whose name was Ithra the Jesraelite, that went in to Abigal the daughter of Nahash, sister to Zeruiah Joab’s mother.

²⁶וַיִּ֤חַן יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ וְאַבְשָׁלֹ֔ם אֶ֖רֶץ הַגִּלְעָֽד׃

vayyichan yisra'el ve'avshalom eretz haggil'ad

26And Israel and Absalom pitched in the land of Gilead.

²⁷וַיְהִ֕י כְּב֥וֹא דָוִ֖ד מַחֲנָ֑יְמָה וְשֹׁבִ֨י בֶן־נָחָ֜שׁ מֵרַבַּ֣ת בְּנֵֽי־עַמּ֗וֹן וּמָכִ֤יר בֶּן־עַמִּיאֵל֙ מִלֹּ֣א דְבָ֔ר וּבַרְזִלַּ֥י הַגִּלְעָדִ֖י מֵרֹגְלִֽים׃

vayhi kevo david machanayma veshovi ven-nachash merabbat bene-ammon umakhir ben-ammi'el millo devar uvarzillay haggil'adi meroglim

27And it came to pass, when David was come to Mahanaim, that Shobi the son of Nahash of Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and Machir the son of Ammiel of Lo-debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite of Rogelim,

²⁸מִשְׁכָּ֤ב וְסַפּוֹת֙ וּכְלִ֣י יוֹצֵ֔ר וְחִטִּ֥ים וּשְׂעֹרִ֖ים וְקֶ֣מַח וְקָלִ֑י וּפ֥וֹל וַעֲדָשִׁ֖ים וְקָלִֽי׃

mishkav vesappot ukheli yotzer vechittim use'orim vekemach vekali ufol va'adashim vekali

28brought beds, and basins, and earthen vessels, and wheat, and barley, and meal, and parched corn, and beans, and lentils, and parched pulse,

²⁹וּדְבַ֣שׁ וְחֶמְאָ֗ה וְצֹאן֙ וּשְׁפ֣וֹת בָּקָ֔ר הִגִּ֧ישׁוּ לְדָוִ֛ד וְלָעָ֥ם אֲשֶׁר־אִתּ֖וֹ לֶאֱכ֑וֹל כִּ֣י אָמְר֔וּ הָעָ֗ם רָעֵ֛ב וְעָיֵ֥ף וְצָמֵ֖א בַּמִּדְבָּֽר׃

udevash vechem'a vetzon ushefot bakar higgishu ledavid vela'am asher-itto le'ekhol ki amru ha'am ra'ev ve'ayef vetzame bammidbar

29and honey, and curd, and sheep, and cheese of kine, for David, and for the people that were with him, to eat; for they said: ‘The people is hungry, and faint, and thirsty, in the wilderness.’