16 ¹⁵ Now Ab'salom and all the people, the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahith'ophel with him. 16 ¹⁶ And when Hushai the Archite, David's friend, came to Ab'salom, Hushai said to Ab'salom, "Long live the king! Long live the king!" 16 ¹⁷ And Ab'salom said to Hushai, "Is this your loyalty to your friend? Why did you not go with your friend?" 16 ¹⁸ And Hushai said to Ab'salom, "No; for whom the LORD and this people and all the men of Israel have chosen, his I will be, and with him I will remain. 16 ¹⁹ And again, whom should I serve? Should it not be his son? As I have served your father, so I will serve you."

16 ²⁰ Then Ab'salom said to Ahith'ophel, "Give your counsel; what shall we do?" 16 ²¹ Ahith'ophel said to Ab'salom, "Go in to your father's concubines, whom he has left to keep the house; and all Israel will hear that you have made yourself odious to your father, and the hands of all who are with you will be strengthened." 16 ²² So they pitched a tent for Ab'salom upon the roof; and Ab'salom went in to his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel. 16 ²³ Now in those days the counsel which Ahith'ophel gave was as if one consulted the oracle of God; so was all the counsel of Ahith'ophel esteemed, both by David and by Ab'salom.