1 Ahithophel told Absalom a plan. He would take 12,000 men and chase David at night. ♂️⚔️ 2 He said David is tired. He would scare David. The men would run. He would hurt only the king. ️ 3 He said he would bring all the people back to Absalom. He would stop only one man. Then there would be peace. ️ 4 Absalom and the big men liked this plan. 5 Absalom said, “Call Hushai. I want his word too.” 6 Hushai came. Absalom told him the plan and asked if it was good. ️❓ 7 Hushai said, “This plan is not good now.” ✋ 8 Hushai said, “David and his men are strong. They are mad, like a mom bear who lost her babies. David knows war. He will not sleep with the group.” ️ 9 “He is hiding in a cave or a hole. If your men fall first, people will say, ‘Absalom lost!’” ️ 10 “Then even strong men, brave like lions, will be scared.” ➡️ 11 “So bring all the people, from north to south. Many, many. You go with them.” 12 “We will find David. We will come like soft rain on grass. No one will get away.” ️ 13 “If David runs into a city, we will tie ropes and pull it down. Not one small rock will stay.” ️⬇️ 14 Absalom and all the men picked Hushai’s plan. God made this happen so Absalom would lose. 15 Hushai told the priests, Zadok and Abiathar, both plans. ♂️️ 16 He said, “Send word fast. Tell David, ‘Do not wait by the river. Cross now. Do not be caught.’” ️⚠️ 17 The two messengers, Jonathan and Ahimaaz, hid at En-rogel. A girl told them the news. They ran to tell King David. They could not go in the town. ♂️ 18 A boy saw them and told Absalom. The two ran to a house in Bahurim and went down in a well. ➡️️ 19 The woman put a cloth on the well top and put grain on it. No one knew. 20 Absalom’s men came and asked, “Where are the two?” The woman said, “They crossed the stream.” They looked and did not find them. They went back to the city. ♂️ 21 After they left, the two came out. They told King David, “Get up. Cross the river now. Ahithophel has a plan.” ⏰♂️️ 22 David and all his people got up and crossed the Jordan River. By morning, all were over. ♂️♀️ 23 Ahithophel saw they did not use his plan. He rode his donkey home. He put his house in order. Then he ended his life. He was buried. ⚰️ 24 David came to Mahanaim. Absalom crossed the river with many men. ️⚔️ 25 Absalom made Amasa the boss of the army, not Joab. Amasa was in David’s family. He was the son of Abigail. Abigail was sister of Zeruiah, Joab’s mom. ️ 26 Absalom and Israel camped in Gilead. ⛺ 27 When David came to Mahanaim, friends came: Shobi son of Nahash from Rabbah, Machir son of Ammiel from Lo-debar, and Barzillai from Rogelim. 28 They brought beds, bowls, pots, wheat, barley, flour, dry grain, beans, and lentils. ️ 29 They also brought honey, milk food, sheep, and cheese. They said, “Your people are hungry, tired, and thirsty here.”