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Chapter Cxxx.

THE OVERTHROW OF THE COUNSEL OF THE

ENEMIES OF DAVID.

DAVID had not gone far from Jerusalem, before Absalom and the people who were with him came and took possession of the city. And Hushai, David's faithful friend, met Absalom as he entered, and said that he would serve with him as he had served with his father David.

Then Absalom assembled the chief men who were with him, and asked them to give counsel what he should do. And Ahithophel said, "Let me now choose out 12,000 men, and I will arise and pursue after David this night: and I will come upon him while he is weary and weak handed: and all the people that are with him shall flee; and I will smite the king only: and I will bring back all the people unto thee." And the counsel of Ahithophel pleased Absalom and all the elders who were with him. But he said, "Call now Hushai also, and let us hear what he saith." And when Hushai was come, he told him what Ahithophel had

advised; and said, "Shall we do after this saying?" Then Hushai said, "The counsel that Ahithophel hath given is not good at this time. For thou knowest thy father and his men, that they be valiant men, and they be chafed in their minds, as a bear robbed of her whelps: and thy father is a man of war, and will not lodge with the people. Behold, he is hid now in some pit, or in some other place. Therefore I counsel that all Israel be gathered unto thee, from Dan even to Beersheba; and that thou go to battle in thine own person. So shall we come upon him in some place where he shall be found; and of him and all the people that are with him there shall not be left so much as one."

And Absalom and the elders who were with him said, "The counsel of Hushai is better than the counsel of Ahithophel." For the Lord had appointed that the good counsel of Ahithophel should be defeated, that the way of wickedness might not

prosper, and that evil should come upon Absalom.

Then Hushai told Zadok and Abiathar the priests the counsel of Ahithophel, and the counsel

which he had himself given. And he told them to send and tell David that he should not lodge that night in the plains of the wilderness, but should pass over the river Jordan at once; for he feared that Ahithophel might take men and pursue after him, as he had said. So Zadok and Abiathar sent and told David the words of Hushai. And he and all the people that were with him crossed over the Jordan that night; and they journeyed on, and came, faint and weary, to Mahanaim.

And when it was known that David had fled from Jerusalem, and had come to Mahanaim with his men, Barzillai and others, who loved David, who were near to that city, brought wheat, and barley, and flour, and parched corn, and beans, and lentiles, and honey, and butter, and sheep, and cheese for him and for the people that were with him to eat; for they said, "The people is hungry, and weary, and thirsty, in the wilder

ness."

When Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he arose and returned home to his

own city, and put his household in order, and hanged himself, and died.

And when Absalom had gathered together a large army, he made Amasa, a cousin of Joab, his chief captain, and set forth to pursue after David. And he crossed the Jordan, and pitched his camp in the plains of Gilead near to the city of Mahanaim where David was.

2 Samuel xvi. xvii.

To be chafed, is to be furious, or very angry.
To defeat, is to overthrow.

Chapter CXXXE.

THE DEATH OF ABSALOM.

As soon as it was known throughout the land of Israel that king David had fled to Mahanaim, from Absalom his rebellious son, a number of his men of war, who remained faithful to their king, gathered themselves together to him.

And when David found that Absalom sought his life, and had followed him with his army, he

determined to lead forth his men against him. Then he numbered the people that were with him, and set captains over every thousand, and over every hundred. And he divided his army into three parts; and sent forth one part under Joab, another under Abishai his brother, and the third under Ittai. But he himself did not go forth with them; for his people besought him not to risk his life in the battle, but to remain in the city to help them in case his army might be overcome. And as the army went forth against Absalom, king David stood by the gate side, and as they passed by he commanded the chief captains, Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, to deal gently with Absalom for his sake. And all the people heard the king give the captains charge to spare Absalom.

So the army of king David went forth, and met Absalom with his army near a thick wood. And the battle was fought in the wood; and Absalom's people were scattered before the servants of David, and they fled, and a great number were slain. And as Absalom fled through the wood, his mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak, and