9. “See, by now he is hidden in some pit, or in some place. And it shall be, when some of them fall at the first, that whoever hears it shall say, ‘There has been a slaughter among the people who are following Aḇshalom.’
10. “And even he who is brave, whose heart is like the heart of a lion, would utterly melt. For all Yisra’ĕl knows that your father is a mighty man, and those who are with him are brave men.
11. “But I advise: Let all Yisra’ĕl without fail be gathered to you, from Dan to Be’ĕrsheḇa, as numerous as the sand by the sea, and that you yourself go to battle.
12. “And we shall come upon him in some place where he is found, and fall on him as the dew falls on the ground. And there shall be left of him and of all the men with him not even one.
13. “And if he withdraws into a city, then all Yisra’ĕl shall bring ropes to that city. And we shall pull it into the wadi, until there is not one small stone found there.”
14. Aḇshalom and all the men of Yisra’ĕl then said, “The advice of Ḥushai the Arkite is better than the advice of Aḥithophel.” For יהוה had ordained to nullify the good advice of Aḥithophel, for the sake of יהוה bringing evil upon Aḇshalom.
15. Ḥushai then said to Tsaḏoq and to Eḇyathar the priests, “Aḥithophel has advised Aḇshalom and the elders of Yisra’ĕl such and such, but I have advised so and so.
16. “And now, send hastily and inform Dawiḏ, saying, ‘Do not spend this night in the desert plains of the wilderness, but pass over without fail, lest the sovereign and all the people with him be swallowed up.’ ”
17. And Yehonathan and Aḥima‛ats were stationed at Ěn Rog̅ĕl, and a female servant would come and inform them, and they would go and inform Sovereign Dawiḏ, for they could not be seen entering the city.
18. But a youth saw them, and informed Aḇshalom. So the two of them went away at once and came to a man’s house in Baḥurim, who had a well in his courtyard, and they went down into it.
19. And the woman took and spread a covering over the well’s mouth, and spread ground grain on it, so the matter was not known.
20. And the servants of Aḇshalom came to the woman at the house and said, “Where are Aḥima‛ats and Yehonathan?” And the woman said to them, “They have passed over the stream of water.” And they looked and did not find them, and returned to Yerushalayim.
21. And it came to be, after they had left, that they came up out of the well and went and informed Sovereign Dawiḏ, and said to Dawiḏ, “Arise and pass over the water quickly. For thus Aḥithophel has advised against you.”
22. And Dawiḏ and all the people who were with him rose up and passed over the Yardĕn. And by morning light not even one remained who had not gone over the Yardĕn.