2 Samuel 15

Absaloms Treason

1 After this it happened that Absalom provided himself with chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him.2 Now Absalom would rise early and stand beside the way to the gate. So it was, whenever anyone who had a lawsuit came to the king for a decision, that Absalom would call to him and say, What city are you from? And he would say, Your servant is from such and such a tribe of Israel.3 Then Absalom would say to him, Look, your case is good and right; but there is no deputy of the king to hear you.4 Moreover Absalom would say, Oh, that I were made judge in the land, and everyone who has any suit or cause would come to me; then I would give him justice.5 And so it was, whenever anyone came near to bow down to him, that he would put out his hand and take him and kiss him.6 In this manner Absalom acted toward all Israel who came to the king for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.7 Now it came to pass after forty years that Absalom said to the king, Please, let me go to Hebron and pay the vow which I made to the Lord.8 For your servant took a vow while I dwelt at Geshur in Syria, saying, If the Lord indeed brings me back to Jerusalem, then I will serve the Lord.9 And the king said to him, Go in peace. So he arose and went to Hebron.10 Then Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then you shall say, Absalom reigns in Hebron!11 And with Absalom went two hundred men invited from Jerusalem, and they went along innocently and did not know anything.12 Then Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, Davids counselor, from his cityfrom Gilohwhile he offered sacrifices. And the conspiracy grew strong, for the people with Absalom continually increased in number.

David Escapes from Jerusalem

13 Now a messenger came to David, saying, The hearts of the men of Israel are with Absalom.14 So David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, Arise, and let us flee, or we shall not escape from Absalom. Make haste to depart, lest he overtake us suddenly and bring disaster upon us, and strike the city with the edge of the sword.15 And the kings servants said to the king, We are your servants, ready to do whatever my lord the king commands.16 Then the king went out with all his household after him. But the king left ten women, concubines, to keep the house.17 And the king went out with all the people after him, and stopped at the outskirts.18 Then all his servants passed before him; and all the Cherethites, all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, six hundred men who had followed him from Gath, passed before the king.19 Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, Why are you also going with us? Return and remain with the king. For you are a foreigner and also an exile from your own place.20 In fact, you came only yesterday. Should I make you wander up and down with us today, since I go I know not where? Return, and take your brethren back. Mercy and truth be with you.21 But Ittai answered the king and said, As the Lord lives, and as my lord the king lives, surely in whatever place my lord the king shall be, whether in death or life, even there also your servant will be.22 So David said to Ittai, Go, and cross over. Then Ittai the Gittite and all his men and all the little ones who were with him crossed over.23 And all the country wept with a loud voice, and all the people crossed over. The king himself also crossed over the Brook Kidron, and all the people crossed over toward the way of the wilderness.24 There was Zadok also, 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 finished crossing over from the city.25 Then the king said to Zadok, Carry the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the eyes of the Lord, He will bring me back and show me both it and His dwelling place.26 But if He says thus: I have no delight in you, here I am, let Him do to me as seems good to Him.27 The king also said to Zadok the priest, Are you not a seer? Return to the city in peace, and your two sons with you, Ahimaaz your son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar.28 See, I will wait in the plains of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me.29 Therefore Zadok and Abiathar carried the ark of God back to Jerusalem. And they remained there.30 So 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 who were with him covered their heads and went up, weeping as they went up.31 Then someone told David, saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. And David said, O Lord, I pray, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness!32 Now it happened when David had come to the top of the mountain, where he worshiped Godthere was Hushai the Archite coming to meet him with his robe torn and dust on his head.33 David said to him, If you go on with me, then you will become a burden to me.34 But if you return to the city, and say to Absalom, I will be your servant, O king; as I was your fathers servant previously, so I will now also be your servant, then you may defeat the counsel of Ahithophel for me.35 And do you not have Zadok and Abiathar the priests with you there? Therefore it will be that whatever you hear from the kings house, you shall tell to Zadok and Abiathar the priests.36 Indeed they have there with them their two sons, Ahimaaz, Zadoks son, and Jonathan, Abiathars son; and by them you shall send me everything you hear.37 So Hushai, Davids friend, went into the city. And Absalom came into Jerusalem.

2 SAMUEL 15

Absalom Rebels //against David

1 Some time later, Absalom got himself a chariot with horses to pull it, and he had 50 men run in front.

2 He would get up early each morning and wait by the side of the road that led to the city gate.t Anyone who had a complaint to bring to King David would have to go that way, and Absalom would ask each of them, “Where are you from?”
If they said, “I'm from a tribe in the north,” 3 Absalom would say, “You deserve to win your case. It's too bad the king doesn't have anyone to hear complaints like yours.

4 I wish someone would make me the judge around here! I would be fair to everyone.”
5 Whenever anyone came to Absalom and started bowing down, he would reach out and hug and kiss them.

6 That's how he treated everyone from Israel who brought a complaint to the king. Soon everyone in Israel liked Absalom better than they liked David.
7 Four yearst later, Absalom said to David, “Please, let me go to Hebron. I have to keep a promise that I made to the [Lord],

8 when I was living with the Arameans in Geshur. I promised that if the [Lord] would bring me back to live in Jerusalem, I would worship him in Hebron.”t
9 David gave his permission, and Absalom went to Hebron.

10-12 He took 200 men from Jerusalem with him, but they had no idea what he was going to do. Absalom offered sacrifices in Hebron and sent someone to Gilo to tell David's advisor Ahithophel to come.
More and more people were joining Absalom and supporting his plot. Meanwhile, Absalom had secretly sent some messengers to the northern tribes of Israel. The messengers told everyone, “When you hear the sound of the trumpets, you must shout, ‘Absalom now rules as king in Hebron!’ ”

David Has To Leave //Jerusalem

13 A messenger came and told David, “Everyone in Israel is on Absalom's side!”

14 David's officials were in Jerusalem with him, and he told them, “Let's get out of here! We'll have to leave soon, or none of us will escape from Absalom. Hurry! If he moves fast, he could catch us while we're still here. Then he will kill us and everyone else in the city.”

15 The officials said, “Your Majesty, we'll do whatever you say.”

16-17 David left behind ten of his wivest to take care of the palace, but the rest of his family and his officials and soldiers went with him.
They stopped at the last house at the edge of the city.

18 Then David stood there and watched while his regular troops and his bodyguardst marched past. The last group was the 600 soldiers who had followed him from Gath.t Their commander was Ittai.
19 David spoke to Ittai and said, “You're a foreigner from the town of Gath. You don't have to leave with us. Go back and join the new king!

20 You haven't been with me very long, so why should you have to follow me, when I don't even know where I'm going? Take your soldiers and go back. I pray that the Lord will bet kind and faithful to you.”

21 Ittai answered, “Your Majesty, just as surely as you and the [Lord] live, I will go where you go, no matter if it costs me my life.”

22 “Then come on!” David said.
So Ittai and all his men and their families walked on past David.

David Sends the Sacred Chest //Back to Jerusalem

23 The people of Jerusalem were crying and moaning as David and everyone with him passed by. He led them across Kidron Valleyt and along the road toward the desert.

24 Zadok and Abiathar the priests were there along with several men from the tribe of Levi who were carrying the sacred chest. They set the chest down, and left it there until David and his followers had gone out of the city.

25 Then David said:
Zadok, take the sacred chest back to Jerusalem. If the [Lord] is pleased with me, he will bring me back and let me see it and his tent again.

26 But if he says he isn't pleased with me, then let him do what he knows is best.
27 Zadok, you are a good judge of things, t so return to the city and don't cause any trouble. Take your son Ahimaaz with you. Abiathar and his son Jonathan will also go back.

28 I'll wait at the river crossing in the desert until I hear from you.
29 Zadok and Abiathar took the sacred chest back into Jerusalem and stayed there.

30 David went on up the slope of the Mount of Olives. He was barefoot and crying, and he covered his head to show his sorrow. Everyone with him was crying, and they covered their heads too.

31 Someone told David, “Ahithophel is helping Absalom plot against you!”
David said, “Please, [Lord], keep Ahithophel's plans from working!”

David Sends Hushai Back //as a Spy

33 David told him:
If you come with me, you might slow us down.t

34 Go back into the city and tell Absalom, “Your Majesty, I am your servant. I will serve you now, just as I served your father in the past.”
Hushai, if you do that, you can help me ruin Ahithophel's plans. 35 Zadok and Abiathar the priests will be there with you, and you can tell them everything you hear in the palace.

36 Then they can send their sons Ahimaaz and Jonathan to tell me what you've heard.
37 David's advisor Hushai slipped back into Jerusalem, at just about the same time Absalom was coming in.