II Samuel - Ferrar Fenton Bible Translation page 331

10 man, whose heart is like the heart 11 12 16 18 of a lion. Then the power of Israel will melt, for it knows that your father is a hero, and how brave a man he is. Consequently I advise you to collect to yourself the army of Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, like the sand that is by the sea for number, and let them march before you rin a mass, and come upon him secretly at the place where he may be found, and assail him, like rain falling on the ground, so that he cannot escape, or any one of the men who are with him, But if he is in a tower,-——~c011ect, and carry all the army of Israel to that tower with ropes, and drag it into the river by which it is built, and destroy it! And Absalom, and all the Princes of

The advice of Hushai the Arki is better than the advice of Akhitophelf But the Evan-1.1vmo had suggested

it, to destroy the good advice of Akhitophel,because the EVER-LIVING intended to bring punishment upon Absalom. Hushai next informed Zadok and

Akhit0phel has advised Absalom and the Nobles of Israel in this way; but I have ad- vised him in that. So snow be quick and inform David saying, ‘ Do not stay to-night at the ford of the desert,»but pass over it, for fear the king should ge destroyed, and all his forces with ]m·7’U Now ]onathan and Akhimatz were

posted at Ain—roge1, and a girl was sent to inform them, and they went to inform King David, so that- none might be able tosee them leaving the city. A young man, however, saw them, and reported to Absalom. The two, however, ran quickly and came to the house of a man in Bak- hurim, who had a well- in his court~ yard, and they went down it. Then the man took and closed the lid over the top of the well, and spread thrashing corn over it so that it was not seen. So when the omcers of Absalom came to the man’s house Where are jonathan the man replied to They have passed the brook They therefore sought for them, but not finding, they returned to jemsalem. But after they had gone, then those 21 came up from the well and proceeded and informed David, and said to Start, and pass quickly over the water, for Akhitophel has advised thus against you. Consequently David and all the

people with him arose and were crossing the jordan until daybreak, until. there were none left to pass the jordan. But when Akhitophel saw that his

advice was not being acted upon, he saddled his ass, and started, and went to his own home, at his village, and arranged his affairs ;——then hung himself and died, and they buried him in the tomb of his father. Meantime David went to Makha-

naim ; so Absalom crossed the jordan, and all the army of Israel with him. But Absalom had appointed Amasa to command the army instead of joab. Amasa was the son of a man named, Ithra, a jesraalite, who mar- ried Abigail, the daughter of Nakhash, sister of Zeruiah, the mother of j’oab. Thus Israel and Absalom encamped in the land of Gilad. When David arrived at Makha~

naim, Shobi, the son of Nakhsh, from Rabath, of the Beni-Amon, and Makinben-Amial of Lodbar, and Bar- zilai, the Ghiladite of Rogelim, came with beds, and blankets, and furni- ture, cups, and wheat and barley, and flour, and oats, and beans, and lentils, and fuel ; with honey and butter, and sheep, and cow’s cheese for food; and advanced to meet David and the The people are hungry and exhausted. 22 26 28

So they met in the pastures, where 18 David- and the force with him had halted, and he appointed colonels of regiments and captains of companies over them. Afterward David arranged 2 the forces, one third under j’oab, and one third under Abishai, and one third under Athai the gardener. (B.c. 1023.) §zf2at md! Quit}; uf 2\lm¤l¤m. And the king then said to the forces, ‘ I also will march with you.’ You shall not 3 go; for if we are defeated, they will not set their heart upon us; and if they kill half of us, they will not set