²³ When Abigail saw David, she quickly got off her donkey and bowed down before David with her face to the ground.^{(A) 24} She fell at his feet and said: “Pardon your servant, my lord,^(B) and let me speak to you; hear what your servant has to say. ²⁵ Please pay no attention, my lord, to that wicked man Nabal. He is just like his name—his name means Fool^(C),^(D) and folly goes with him. And as for me, your servant, I did not see the men my lord sent. ²⁶ And now, my lord, as surely as the Lord your God lives and as you live, since the Lord has kept you from bloodshed^(E) and from avenging^(F) yourself with your own hands, may your enemies and all who are intent on harming my lord be like Nabal.^{(G) 27} And let this gift,^(H) which your servant has brought to my lord, be given to the men who follow you.

²⁸ “Please forgive^(I) your servant’s presumption. The Lord your God will certainly make a lasting^(J) dynasty for my lord, because you fight the Lord’s battles,^(K) and no wrongdoing^(L) will be found in you as long as you live. ²⁹ Even though someone is pursuing you to take your life,^(M) the life of my lord will be bound securely in the bundle of the living by the Lord your God, but the lives of your enemies he will hurl^(N) away as from the pocket of a sling.^{(O) 30} When the Lord has fulfilled for my lord every good thing he promised concerning him and has appointed him ruler^(P) over Israel, ³¹ my lord will not have on his conscience the staggering burden of needless bloodshed or of having avenged himself. And when the Lord your God has brought my lord success, remember^(Q) your servant.”^(R)

³² When David arrived at the summit, where people used to worship God, Hushai^(A) the Arkite^(B) was there to meet him, his robe torn and dust^(C) on his head. ³³ David said to him, “If you go with me, you will be a burden^(D) to me. ³⁴ But if you return to the city and say to Absalom, ‘Your Majesty, I will be your servant; I was your father’s servant in the past, but now I will be your servant,’^(E) then you can help me by frustrating^(F) Ahithophel’s advice.

⁶ When Hushai came to him, Absalom said, “Ahithophel has given this advice. Should we do what he says? If not, give us your opinion.”

⁷ Hushai replied to Absalom, “The advice Ahithophel has given is not good this time. ⁸ You know your father and his men; they are fighters, and as fierce as a wild bear robbed of her cubs.^(A) Besides, your father is an experienced fighter;^(B) he will not spend the night with the troops. ⁹ Even now, he is hidden in a cave or some other place.^(C) If he should attack your troops first,^[a] whoever hears about it will say, ‘There has been a slaughter among the troops who follow Absalom.’ ¹⁰ Then even the bravest soldier, whose heart is like the heart of a lion,^(D) will melt^(E) with fear, for all Israel knows that your father is a fighter and that those with him are brave.^(F)

¹¹ “So I advise you: Let all Israel, from Dan to Beersheba^(G)—as numerous as the sand^(H) on the seashore—be gathered to you, with you yourself leading them into battle. ¹² Then we will attack him wherever he may be found, and we will fall on him as dew settles on the ground. Neither he nor any of his men will be left alive. ¹³ If he withdraws into a city, then all Israel will bring ropes to that city, and we will drag it down to the valley^(I) until not so much as a pebble is left.”

¹⁴ Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The advice^(J) of Hushai the Arkite is better than that of Ahithophel.”^(K) For the Lord had determined to frustrate^(L) the good advice of Ahithophel in order to bring disaster^(M) on Absalom.^(N)