18. But a young man saw them and told Absalom, so both of them went quickly and came to the house of a man at Bahurim. Now he had a well in his courtyard, so they went down there.
19. Then the woman took and spread a covering over the opening of the well; then she spread out dried grain on it, so nothing was discovered.
20. When the servants of Absalom came to the woman at the house, they said, “Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?” And she said to them, “They crossed over the brook of water.” So they searched but could not find them, so they returned to Jerusalem.
21. After they left, they came up from the well and went and told King David. They said to David, “Set out and cross over the water quickly, for thus Ahithophel has advised against you.”
22. So David and all the people who were with him set out, and they crossed over the Jordan until morning light until there was no one missing who had not crossed over the Jordan.
23. When Ahithophel saw that his advice was not followed, he saddled the donkey, and he set out and went up to his house in his city. After he set his house in order, he hanged himself, and he died and was buried in the tomb of his ancestors.
24. Now David had come to Mahanaim, and Absalom had crossed over the Jordan, he and all the men of Israel with him.
25. Absalom had appointed Amasa in place of Joab over the army. Now Amasa was the son of a man whose name was Ithra the Israelite, who had married Abigail the daughter of Nahash the sister of Zeruiah, the mother of Joab.