During the rebellion against David, a psychological battle unfolds to sway military strategy. Hushai carefully plays upon the deep-seated fear and awe the people hold for David and his loyal forces. By painting a terrifying picture of total morale collapse at the very onset of battle, he strategically plants deep doubts in the minds of Absalom and his followers. Behind this dramatic presentation lies a calculated deception. Hushai intentionally exaggerates the dangers to make the competing advice of Ahithophel seem ridiculous and completely illogical [מצודת דוד]. At the same time, his hidden goal is to buy precious time for David and his men to rest and recover, while baiting Absalom into leading the battle himself, hoping the rebellious son will ultimately fall in combat [אלשיך].
To achieve this, Hushai describes how even the bravest fighters will completely lose their nerve. The primary approach among commentators is that this warning applies to any soldier in Absalom's camp [רש״י, מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. According to this view, even an exceptionally courageous warrior with the heart of a lion will panic and lose his senses. Because of David's formidable reputation, the moment Absalom's army suffers even a minor setback, the troops will interpret it as a punishment from God for rebelling against a father. They will immediately surrender and lose all desire to continue fighting [רש״י, מצודת דוד].
Other perspectives suggest the focus of this psychological attack is Ahithophel himself. Hushai might be tactically praising Ahithophel as a lion-hearted hero to mask his true intentions, ensuring the advice is rejected without appearing openly hostile. Yet, he warns that even the famously brave Ahithophel will be overcome with dread upon hearing any rumor of defeat [רד״ק]. Taking this a step further, another view presents a direct clash between the two figures: Ahithophel, who confidently promises to strike down his target with the boldness of a lion, is precisely the one who will melt in terror when confronting the true hero, David [אלשיך]. This overwhelming panic is described as a twofold anxiety that will paralyze Absalom's camp. The soldiers will be struck by a double fear: first, the dread of David himself, whose heroism is universally known, and second, the terror inspired by his highly skilled and loyal army [אלשיך].