1 Ahithophel said to Absalom:
Let me choose 12,000 men and attack David tonight, 2 while he is tired and discouraged. He will panic, and everyone with him will run away. I won't kill anyone except David, 3 since he's the one you want to get rid of. Then I'll bring the whole nation back to you like a bride coming home to her husband. This way there won't be a civil war.
Hushai Fools Absalom
4 Absalom and all the leaders of the tribes of Israel agreed that Ahithophel had a good plan. 5 Then Absalom said, “Bring in Hushai the Archite. Let's hear what he has to say.”
6 Hushai came in, and Absalom told him what Ahithophel had planned. Then Absalom said, “Should we do what he says? And if we shouldn't, can you come up with anything better?”
7 Hushai said:
This time Ahithophel's advice isn't so good. 8 You know that your father and his followers are real warriors. Now they are as fierce as a mother bear whose cubs have just been killed. Besides, your father has a lot of experience in fighting wars, and he won't be spending the night with the others. 9 He has probably already found a hiding place in a cave or somewhere else.
As soon as anyone hears that some of your soldiers have been killed, everyone will think your whole army has been destroyed. 10 Then even those who are as brave as a lion will lose their courage. All Israel knows what a great warrior your father is and what brave soldiers he has.
11 My advice is to gather all the fighting men of Israel from the town of Dan in the north down to the town of Beersheba in the south. You will have more soldiers than there are grains of sand on the seashore. Absalom, you should lead them yourself, 12 and we will all go to fight David wherever he is. We will fall on him just as dew falls and covers the ground. He and all his soldiers will die! 13 If they go into a walled town, we will put ropes around that town and drag it into the river. We won't leave even one small piece of a stone.
14 Absalom and the others liked Hushai's plan better than Ahithophel's plan. This was because the Lord had decided to keep Ahithophel's plan from working and to cause trouble for Absalom.
Jonathan and Ahimaaz Tell David the News
15 At once, Hushai went to Zadok and Abiathar. He told them what advice Ahithophel had given to Absalom and to the leaders of Israel. He also told them about the advice he had given. 16 Then he said, “Hurry! Send someone to warn David not to spend the night on this side of the Jordan. He must get across the river, so he and the others won't be wiped out!”
17 Jonathan and Ahimaaz had been waiting at Rogel Spring because they did not want to be seen in Jerusalem. A servant girl went to the spring and gave them the message for David. 18 But a young man saw them and went to tell Absalom. So Jonathan and Ahimaaz left and hurried to the house of a man who lived in Bahurim. Then they climbed down into a well in the courtyard. 19 The man's wife put the cover on the well and poured grain on top of it, so the well could not be seen.
20 Absalom's soldiers came to the woman and demanded, “Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?”
The woman answered, “They went across that stream.”
The soldiers went off to look for the two men. But when they did not find the men, they went back to Jerusalem.
21 After the soldiers had gone, Jonathan and Ahimaaz climbed out of the well. They went to David and said, “Hurry! Get ready to cross the river!” Then they told him about Ahithophel's plan.
22 David and the others got ready and started crossing the Jordan River. By sunrise all of them were on the other side.
Ahithophel Kills Himself
23 When Ahithophel saw that Absalom and the leaders of Israel were not going to follow his advice, he saddled his donkey and rode back to his home in Gilo. He told his family and servants what to do. Then he hanged himself, and they buried him in his family's burial place.
Absalom Puts Amasa in Charge of the Army
24 David went to the town of Mahanaim, and Absalom crossed the Jordan River with the army of Israel. 25 Absalom put Amasa in Joab's place as commander of the army. Amasa's father was Ithra from the family of Ishmael, and his mother was Abigal, the daughter of Nahash and the sister of Joab's mother Zeruiah. 26 The Israelites under Absalom's command set up camp in the region of Gilead.
Friends Bring Supplies to David
27 After David came to the town of Mahanaim, Shobi the son of Nahash came from Rabbah in Ammon, Machir the son of Ammiel came from Lo-Debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite came from Rogelim.
28-29 Here is a list of what they brought: sleeping mats, blankets, bowls, pottery jars, wheat, barley, flour, roasted grain, beans, lentils, honey, yogurt, sheep, and cheese.
They brought the food for David and the others because they knew that everyone would be hungry, tired, and thirsty from being out in the desert.
Usai Wiri Abisolomo te
1 Aitofele atate Abisolomo ri ekye: “Mi'ba ma lidri kutu 'butealo foritu (12,000) onjine, maso ro be Dawidi vo ŋgäkyi ono si. 2 Ondro nda ka'dote rritiro ago kokote oko matana vo ndaro ndi, ago ma'bana nda 'da a'done turituri ro ago lidri se cini orivoya nda be umuna 'da. Mäfuna toto 'bädri'ba ayani, 3 ago mologona lidri cini ndaro 'da kovole miri oso toko agyebe ka ikyi 'bäru ago anyaro re ronye. Mifu toto mano alodi ayani, ago anjoko lidri cini ro kori robe tokpe.” 4 Ago ata se ono tana si Abisolomo te ndi dri'bai cini Yisaraele robe.
5 'Dooko Abisolomo atate ekye: “Äzi Usai Akite'ba kpa, ago mì'de mèri tase nda kabe atana kpa.” 6 Ondro Usai kikyite Abisolomo re oko, Abisolomo iti tase cini Aitofele katabe ana te ndäri ago eji nda te ekye: “Inye'do màye tase nda katabe riya? Ondro ko inye, nyata tase nyusu miro be.”
7 'Dooko Usai atate Abisolomo ri ekye: “Ta gi Aitofele katabe oyene tu ono si ono ko kado.” 8 Usai ugu atate nonye, ekye: “Minite täpi miro ndi lidri ndaro be lidri mbaraekye yi, ànya orivoya kyilaro oso mänyisile vocowa ro se äru ŋgwa na be ronye. Azana, täpi miro orivoya tauni kyila robe; nda unina ko u'dune vuru kyila'bai ndaro be. 9 Mindre, ca yauono a'dona nda orivoya yi da'doda'do ro kugyi ya, kode vo azaka ya. Ondro ka'do rukä lidri ro äfute kyila käti ya 'dise kabe tana erina atana ṛo ekye: ‘'Ditufu orivoya lidri se sobe Abisolomo vo lako.’ 10 'Dooko ca mano turiako, se yana osoro ya ibi ro ronye, yana a'dona 'da twi turi be; tana Yisaraele'bai cini nite täpi miro orivoya mano mbaraekye yi, ago kyila'bai se orivoya nda be kayi orivoya lidri turiako yi. 11 Oko tausu maro anjioko miri kala Yisaraele'bai cini ro kwotone mire, ni Dana yasi le Beraseba ya, lowa ka'dote otiako oso siŋgwa gyi'desi ro ronye oko, 'dooko modo miro nyoyi robe ànya be kyila ya. 12 'Dooko ämäri oyine Dawidi dri vo aza se usuna nda ndi kigye ya, ago maladana ndi nda dri oso nduruṛi kabe loti gyini dri ronye; 'diaza e'bene lidriidri ro i'do alona, nda ndi 'dise cini kosobe ndavo be. 13 Ondro nda kumute 'bakici aza ya, 'dooko Yisaraele'bai cini ri ikyine roṛi be 'bakici na 'do ya, ago mesena 'bakici na 'do gwo vodelero ya, madale ca kuniŋwa aza anyaro e'bene lau i'do.”
14 Ago Abisolomo ndi lidri cini Yisaraele robe atayite ekye: “Ta Usai Akite'ba ro orivoya kadopara ni ta Aitofele ro ri.” Tana OPI 'ba tana ni ta ata kado Aitofele ro oganezo, tana OPI kezi rueza robe Abisolomo dri.
Usai Emba mi Dawidi rote
15 'Dooko Usai iti tase cini Aitofele katabe Abisolomo ndi dri'bai Yisaraele robe ri ana tana te kohanii Zadoka ndi Abiatara be ri, ago iti ta se nda modo katabe kpate. 16 Ago Usai ata te ekye: “Mizo lazo ndrindri Dawidi ri ago nyiti ta ndäri mikye: ‘Ŋgäkyi ono si miri ko goloŋwà vocowa roya, oko miza drî Golo Yaradene ro tasi nasi ndriro; ukyi äfu 'bädri'ba 'da ndi kyila'bai se cini nda be ono be.’ ”
17 Jonatana ndi Aimaza be riyite ta kwotene Enerogela ya, vose ruindu'ba ŋguti ro kabe oyi ta itine ànyari kigye ya, tana ànya koyi robe tase ka'dobe tana itine 'Bädri'ba Dawidi ri; tana beṛo ko ànyari andivo ànyaro o'bane ondrene ecivoya 'bakici ya. 18 Oko tu alo aza si agoŋwa aza ndre ànya te, ago iti tana te Abisolomo ri; ago ànya riti oyite ndrindri ruda'done zo mano aza roya Baurima ya, se nda orivoya koro be goko ndaro ya; ago ànya ciyite kigye. 19 Toko mano ana ro ru ŋga ŋgadri takoro te ago tako kala koro rote, ago lara inya te driigye; ago äni ta aza kote tana ro. 20 Ondro ruindu'bai Abisolomo ro kikyite zo ya toko ana re oko ejiyi tate ekye: “Aimaza ndi Jonatana be gaŋwaro ya?”
Ago toko ana atate ànyari ekye: “Ànya zayite golo tasi.”
Ago ondro kuṛiyi ànya te ago niyi kote ànya usune oko, ànya egoyite kovole Yerusalema ya.
21 Oyi ànyaro vosi oko, Aimaza ndi Jonatana be efoyite ni koro yasi, ago oyiyite ago itiyi tate 'Bädri'ba Dawidi ri. Ago ànya itiyi tase Aitofele äyibe nda lomvo ana tana te ndäri; ago ànya atayite ndäri ekye: “Miŋga, miza drî golo ro ndrindri.” 22 'Dooko Dawidi ŋgate, ndi lidri se cini nda be ana be, ago zayidrî Golo Yaradene rote, 'buzevo osivoya 'diaza alo e'be kote ozaako Golo Yaradene tasi nasi.
23 Ondro Aitofele kondrete tase nda katabe aso kote voigye oko, nda tute doŋgyi ndaro dri, ago oyite kovole 'bakici modo ndaro roya. Ago nda päṛikala te katidri ndaro ri, ndi yi andivo ndaro te, ago nda drate, ndi ase nda te 'budri täpi ndaro roya.
24 'Dooko Dawidi ikyite 'ba'desi Mahanaima ya. Ago Abisolomo ndi lidri cini Yisaraele ro se nda be ana be zayidri Golo Yaradene rote. 25 Ago Abisolomo 'ba Amasa te otaozo'ba 'desi ro kyila'bai dri vo Yoaba roya. Amasa orivoya ŋgwa mano aza ävuruna Itera ro, nda Isa maele'ba yi, endre ndaro ni Abigaila ŋguti Naasa ro, endreŋwa Zeruya, endre Yoaba ro ro. 26 Yisaraele'bai ndi Abisolomo be otoyi gawa te wari Gilada roya.
27 Ondro Dawidi kikyite Mahanaima ya oko, Sobei ŋgwaagoro Naasa ro ni 'bakici Raba se Amona ya yasi, Makira ŋgwa Amiele ro ni Lodebara yasi, ago Baruzilai ni Rogelima se Gilada ya ana yasi be, 28 eziyi kitapara, deŋbele, lakazà ludri ro, kyifo, kaaza, kyira, diri lusilusiro, kwoso ndi duduṛu be, 29 epe, muruṛu leyi ro, timele ndi idokosa ni äṛi voŋgaro ro yasi be te, onyane Dawidi ri ndi lidri se nda be be. Tana ànya atayite ekye: “Lidri orivoya täbiri ro ago gyilu be ago rritiro vocowa ya.”