2 Samuel 15

1 And it came to pass after this, that Absalom prepared him a chariot and horses, and fifty men to run before him.2 And Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate: and it was so, that, when any man had a suit which should come to the king for judgment, then Absalom called unto him, and said, Of what city art thou? And he said, Thy servant is of one of the tribes of Israel.3 And Absalom said unto him, See, thy matters are good and right; but there is no man deputed of the king to hear thee.4 Absalom said moreover, Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man who hath any suit or cause might come unto me, and I would do him justice!5 And it was so, that, when any man came nigh to do him obeisance, he put forth his hand, and took hold of him, and kissed him.6 And on this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the king for judgment: so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

7 And it came to pass at the end of forty years, that Absalom said unto the king, I pray thee, let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed unto Jehovah, in Hebron.8 For thy servant vowed a vow while I abode at Geshur in Syria, saying, If Jehovah shall indeed bring me again to Jerusalem, then I will serve Jehovah.9 And the king said unto him, Go in peace. So he arose, and went to Hebron.10 But Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, As soon as ye hear the sound of the trumpet, then ye shall say, Absalom is king in Hebron.11 And with Absalom went two hundred men out of Jerusalem, that were invited, and went in their simplicity; and they knew not anything.12 And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counsellor, from his city, even from Giloh, while he was offering the sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong; for the people increased continually with Absalom.

13 And there came a messenger to David, saying, The hearts of the men of Israel are after Absalom.14 And David said unto all his servants that were with him at Jerusalem, Arise, and let us flee; for else none of us shall escape from Absalom: make speed to depart, lest he overtake us quickly, and bring down evil upon us, and smite the city with the edge of the sword.15 And the king’s servants said unto the king, Behold, thy servants are ready to do whatsoever my lord the king shall choose.16 And the king went forth, and all his household after him. And the king left ten women, that were concubines, to keep the house.17 And the king went forth, and all the people after him; and they tarried in Beth-merhak.18 And all his servants passed on beside him; and all the Cherethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, six hundred men that came after him from Gath, passed on before the king.

19 Then said the king to Ittai the Gittite, Wherefore goest thou also with us? return, and abide with the king: for thou art a foreigner, and also an exile; return to thine own place.20 Whereas thou camest but yesterday, should I this day make thee go up and down with us, seeing I go whither I may? return thou, and take back thy brethren; mercy and truth be with thee.21 And Ittai answered the king, and said, As Jehovah liveth, and as my lord the king liveth, surely in what place my lord the king shall be, whether for death or for life, even there also will thy servant be.22 And David said to Ittai, Go and pass over. And Ittai the Gittite passed over, and all his men, and all the little ones that were with him.23 And all the country wept with a loud voice, and all the people passed over: the king also himself passed over the brook Kidron, and all the people passed over, toward the way of the wilderness.

24 And, lo, Zadok also came, and all the Levites with him, bearing the ark of the covenant of God; and they set down the ark of God; and Abiathar went up, until all the people had done passing out of the city.25 And the king said unto Zadok, Carry back the ark of God into the city: if I shall find favor in the eyes of Jehovah, he will bring me again, and show me both it, and his habitation:26 but if he say thus, I have no delight in thee; behold, here am I, let him do to me as seemeth good unto him.27 The king said also unto Zadok the priest, Art thou not a seer? return into the city in peace, and your two sons with you, Ahimaaz thy son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar.28 See, I will tarry at the fords of the wilderness, until there come word from you to certify me.29 Zadok therefore and Abiathar carried the ark of God again to Jerusalem: and they abode there.

30 And David went up by the ascent of the mount of Olives, and wept as he went up; and he had his head covered, and went barefoot: and all the people that were with him covered every man his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up.31 And one told David, saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. And David said, O Jehovah, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.32 And it came to pass, that, when David was come to the top of the ascent, where God was worshipped, behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his coat rent, and earth upon his head.33 And David said unto him, If thou passest on with me, then thou wilt be a burden unto me:34 but if thou return to the city, and say unto Absalom, I will be thy servant, O king; as I have been thy father’s servant in time past, so will I now be thy servant; then wilt thou defeat for me the counsel of Ahithophel.35 And hast thou not there with thee Zadok and Abiathar the priests? therefore it shall be, that what thing soever thou shalt hear out of the king’s house, thou shalt tell it to Zadok and Abiathar the priests.36 Behold, they have there with them their two sons, Ahimaaz, Zadok’s son, and Jonathan, Abiathar’s son; and by them ye shall send unto me everything that ye shall hear.37 So Hushai, David’s friend, came into the city; and Absalom came into Jerusalem.

2 Samuel 15

Absalom Leads an Insurrection against David

1 Some time later Absalom managed to acquiret a chariot and horses, as well as fifty men to serve as his royal guard.t2 Now Absalom used to get up early and stand beside the road that led to the city gate. Whenever anyone came by who had a complaint to bring to the king for arbitration, Absalom would call out to him, “What city are you from?” The person would answer, “I, your servant,t am from one of the tribes of Israel.”3 Absalom would then say to him, “Look, your claims are legitimate and appropriate.t But there is no representative of the king who will listen to you.”

4 Absalom would then say, “If only they would make met a judge in the land! Then everyone who had a judicial complaintt could come to me and I would make sure he receives a just settlement.”
5 When someone approached to bow before him, Absalomt would extend his hand and embrace him and kiss him.

6 Absalom acted this way toward everyone in Israel who came to the king for justice. In this way Absalom won the loyaltyt of the citizenst of Israel.
7 After fours years Absalom said to the king, “Let me go and repay my vow that I made to the Lord while I was in Hebron.8 For I made this vowt when I was living in Geshur in Aram: ‘If the Lord really does allow me to return to Jerusalem,s I will serve the Lord.’”

9 The king replied to him, “Go in peace.” So Absalomt got up and went to Hebron.
10 Then Absalom sent spies through all the tribes of Israel who said, “When you hear the sound of the horn, you may assumet that Absalom rules in Hebron.”11 Now two hundred men had gone with Absalom from Jerusalem. Since they were invited, they went naively and were unaware of what Absalom was planning.t

12 While he was offering sacrifices, Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s adviser,t to come from his city, Giloh.t The conspiracy was gaining momentum, and the people were starting to side with Absalom.

David Flees from Jerusalem

13 Then a messenger came to David and reported, “The men of Israel are loyal to Absalom!”t14 So David said to all his servants who were with him in Jerusalem,s “Come on!t Let’s escape!t Otherwise no one will be delivered from Absalom! Go immediately, or else he will quickly overtake us and bringt disaster on us and kill the city’s residents with the sword.”t

15 The king’s servants replied to the king, “We will do whatever our lord the king decides.”t
16 So the king and all the members of his royal courtt set out on foot, though the king left behind ten concubinest to attend to the palace.17 The king and all the people set out on foot, pausingt at a spott some distance away.

18 All his servants were leaving with him,t along with all the Kerethites, all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites – some six hundred men who had come on foot from Gath. They were leaving witht the king.
19 Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why should you come with us? Go back and stay with the newt king, for you are a foreigner and an exile from your own country.t

20 It seems like you arrived just yesterday. Today should I make you wander around by going with us? I go where I must go. But as for you, go back and take your ment with you. May genuine loyal lovet protectt you!”
21 But Ittai replied to the king, “As surely as the Lord lives and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king is, whether dead or alive,t there It will be as well!”

22 So David said to Ittai, “Come along then.”t So Ittai the Gittite went along,t accompanied by all his men and all the dependentst who were with him.
23 All the land was weeping loudlyt as all these people were leaving.t As the king was crossing over the Kidron Valley, all the people were leavingt on the road that leads to the desert.

24 Zadok and all the Levites who were with him were carrying the ark of the covenant of God. When they positioned the ark of God, Abiathar offered sacrifices until all the people had finished leavingt the city.
25 Then the king said to Zadok, “Take the ark of God back to the city. If I find favor in the Lord’s sight he will bring me back and enable me to see both it and his dwelling place again.

26 However, if he should say, ‘I do not take pleasure in you,’ then he will deal with me in a way that he considers appropriate.”t
27 The king said to Zadok the priest, “Are you a seer?t Go back to the city in peace! Your son Ahimaaz and Abiathar’s son Jonathan may go with you and Abiathar.t28 Look, I will be waiting at the fords of the desert until word from yout reaches me.”

29 So Zadok and Abiathar took the ark of God back to Jerusalem and remained there.
30 As David was going up the Mount of Olives, he was weeping as he went; his head was covered and his feet were bare. All the people who were with him also had their heads covered and were weeping as they went up.

31 Now Davids had been told, “Ahithophel has sided with the conspirators who are with Absalom. So David prayed,t “Make the advice of Ahithophel foolish, O Lord!”
32 When David reached the summit, where he used to worship God, Hushai the Arkite met him with his clothes torn and dirt on his head.33 David said to him, “If you leavet with me you will be a burden to me.34 But you will be able to counter the advice of Ahithophel if you go back to the city and say to Absalom, ‘I will be your servant, O king! Previously I was your father’s servant, and now I will be your servant.’35 Zadok and Abiathar the priests will be there with you.t Everything you hear in the king’s palacet you must tell Zadok and Abiathar the priests.

36 Furthermore, their two sons are there with them, Zadok’s son Ahimaaz and Abiathar’s son Jonathan. You must send them to me with any information you hear.”t

37 So David’s friend Hushai arrived in the city, just as Absalom was entering Jerusalem.