2 Samuel 15

1 Men nogen Tid efter skaffede Absalom sige Vogn og Heste og halvtredsindstyve Forløbere;

Sometime later, Absalom got himself a chariot with horses, and fifty men as bodyguards to run ahead of him.

2 og om Morgenen stillede han sig ved Portvejen, og naar nogen gik til Kongen for at faa en Retssag afgjort, kaldte Absalom ham til sig og spurgte ham: »Hvilken By er du fra?« Naar han da svarede: »Din Træl er fra den eller den af Israels Stammer!«

He used to get up early and stand by the main road that led to the city gate. When people brought a case to the king for his decision, Absalom would call out and ask them, “What town are you from?” If they replied, “Your servant is from this particular tribe of Israel,”

3 saa sagde Absalom til ham: »Ja, din Sag er god og retfærdig; men hos Kongen finder du ikke Øre!«

Absalom would tell them, “Look, you're in the right and you've got a good case. It's such a shame there's no one from the king to hear you.”

4 Og Absalom tilføjede: »Vilde man blot sætte mig til Dommer i Landet! Da maatte enhver, der har en Retssag eller Retstrætte, komme til mig, og jeg vilde hjælpe ham til hans Ret.«

Then he would say, “If only there was someone to appoint me as judge for the country. Then everyone could come to me with their case or complaint, and I would give them justice.”

5 Og naar nogen nærmede sig for at kaste sig ned for ham, rakte han Haanden ud og holdt ham fast og kyssede ham.

When anyone came to bow down before him, Absalom would stop them by reaching out his hand, taking hold of him, and kissing him.

6 Saaledes gjorde Absalom over for alle Israeliterne, som kom til Kongen for at faa deres Sager afgjort, og Absalom stjal Israels Mænds Hjerte.

This is how Absalom treated all the Israelites who came to the king for his judgment. So he captured the loyalty of the men of Israel.

7 Da der var gaaet fire Aar, sagde Absalom til Kongen: »Lad mig faa Lov at gaa til Hebron og indfri et Løfte, jeg har aflagt HERREN;

Four years later Absalom asked the king, “Please let me go to Hebron to fulfill a promise I made to the Lord.

8 thi medens din Træl boede i Gesjur i Aram, aflagde jeg det Løfte: Hvis HERREN lader mig komme tilbage til Jerusalem, vil jeg ære HERREN i Hebron!«

For I, your servant, made this promise while living at Geshur in Aram, saying: ‘If the Lord does bring me back to Jerusalem, I will worship the Lord in Hebron.’”

9 Kongen svarede ham: »Gaa med Fred!« Og han begav sig til Hebron.

“Go in peace,” said the king. So Absalom went to Hebron.

10 Men Absalom havde i al Hemmelighed sendt Bud ud i alle Israels Stammer og ladet sige: »Naar I hører, der stødes i Horn, saa skal I raabe: Absalom er blevet Konge i Hebron!«

Then Absalom sent his accomplices among all the tribes of Israel, saying, “When you hear the sound of the ram's horn, you shout, ‘Absalom is king at Hebron!’”

11 Og med Absalom fulgte fra Jerusalem 200 Mænd, som han havde indbudt, og som drog med i god Tro uden at vide af noget.

Two hundred men from Jerusalem went with Absalom. They had been invited and went in all innocence, because they didn't know anything about what was planned.

12 Og da Absalom ofrede, Slagtofre, lod han Giloniten Akitofel, Davids Raadgiver, hente i hans By Gilo. Og Sammensværgelsen vandt i Styrke, idet flere og flere af Folket gik over til Absalom.

While Absalom was offering sacrifices, he sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's advisor, asking him to come from Giloh, the town where he lived. The conspiracy grew stronger, and Absalom's followers went on increasing.

13 Da kom en og meldte David det og sagde: »Israels Hu har vendt sig til Absalom!«

A messenger came to tell David, “Absalom has the loyalty of the men of Israel.”

14 Og David sagde til alle sine Folk, som var hos ham i Jerusalem: »Kom, lad os flygte; ellers kan vi ikke undslippe Absalom; skynd jer af Sted, at han ikke skal skynde sig og naa os, bringe ulykke over os og nedhugge Byens Indbyggere med Sværdet!«

David said to all the officials with him in Jerusalem, “Quick! Let's go! Otherwise we won't be able to get away from Absalom! We must leave immediately, or he will soon catch up with us, attack us, and kill the people here in the city.”

15 Kongens Folk svarede: »Dine Trælle er rede til at gøre alt, hvad du finder rigtigt, Herre Konge!«

“Whatever Your Majesty decides, we'll do what you want,” the king's servants replied.

16 Saa drog Kongen ud, fulgt af hele sit Hus; dog lod Kongen ti Medhustruer blive tilbage for at se efter Huset.

The king set off with his whole household following him, but he left behind ten concubines to look after the palace.

17 Saa drog Kongen ud, fulgt af alle sine Folk. Ved det sidste Hus gjorde de Holdt,

The king left with all his soldiers following him. He stopped at the last house,

18 og alle Krigerne gik forbi ham, ligeledes alle Kreterne og Pleterne; ogsaa alle Gatiten Ittajs Mænd, 600 Mand, som havde fulgt ham fra Gat, gik forbi Kongen.

and all his men marched past him, including all the Cherethites and Pelethites, and six hundred Gittites who had come with him from Gath.

19 Da sagde Kongen til Gatiten Ittaj: »Hvorfor gaar ogsaa du med? Vend om og bliv hos Kongen; thi du er Udlænding og er vandret ud fra din Hjemstavn;

The king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why are you coming with us too? Go back and stay with the new king, because you are a foreigner and an exile a long way from home.

20 i Gaar kom du, og i Dag skulde jeg tage dig med paa vor Omflakken, jeg, som gaar uden at vide hvorhen! Vend tilbage og tag dine Landsmænd med; HERREN vise dig Miskundhed og Trofasthed!«

You only just got here, so why should I make you wander around with us now when I don't even know where I am going? Go back and take your men with you. May the Lord show you kindness and faithfulness.”

21 Men Ittaj svarede Kongen: »Saa sandt HERREN lever, og saa sandt du, Herre Konge, lever: Hvor du, Herre Konge, er, der vil din Træl være, hvad enten det bliver Liv eller Død!«

But Ittai answered the king, “As the Lord lives, and as Your Majesty lives, wherever Your Majesty may be, whether dead or alive, that's where your servant will be!”

22 Da sagde David til Ittaj: »Vel, saa drag forbi!« Saa drog Gatiten Ittaj forbi med alle sine Mænd og hele sit Følge af Kvinder og Børn.

“Go ahead, march on!” David replied. Ittai the Gittite marched past with all his men and all the families that were with him.

23 Hele Landet græd højt, medens alle Krigerne gik forbi; og Kongen stod i Kedrons Dal, medens alle Krigerne gik forbi ham ad Vejen til Oliventræet i Ørkenen.

All the people in the countryside were crying aloud as everyone with David passed by. They crossed the Kidron Valley with the king on the way toward the wilderness.

24 Ogsaa Zadok og Ebjatar, som bar Guds Pagts Ark, kom til Stede; de satte Guds Ark ned og lod den staa, indtil alle Krigerne fra Byen var gaaet forbi.

Zadok was there too, and all the Levites were with him, carrying the Ark of God's Agreement. They set down the Ark of God, and Abiathar offered sacrifices until everyone had left the city.

25 Da sagde Kongen til Zadok: »Bring Guds Ark tilbage til Byen! Hvis jeg finder Naade for HERRENS Øjne, fører han mig tilbage og lader mig stedes for ham og hans Bolig;

Then the king told Zadok, “Take the Ark of God back to the city. If I find the Lord approves of me, he will bring me back and let me see both the Ark and his Tent again.

26 siger han derimod: Jeg har ikke Behag i dig! se, da er jeg rede; han gøre med mig, hvad ham tykkes godt!«

But if he says, ‘I'm not happy with you,’ then here I stand. Let him do to me whatever he thinks best.”

27 Og Kongen sagde til Præsten Zadok: »Se, du og Ebjatar skal med Fred vende tilbage til Byen tillige med eders to Sønner, din Søn Ahima'az og Ebjatars Søn Jonatan!

The king also told Zadok the priest, “You understand the situation, don't you? Go back to the city safely with your son Ahimaaz, and also Jonathan, son of Abiathar. You and Abiathar take both of your sons back with you.

28 Se, jeg bier ved Vadestederne paa Jordansletten, indtil jeg faar Bud fra eder med Efterretning.«

I'll wait at the fords of the wilderness until I hear from you.”

29 Zadok og Ebjatar bragte da Guds Ark tilbage til Jerusalem, og de blev der.

Zadok and Abiathar took the Ark of God back to Jerusalem and remained there.

30 Men David gik grædende op ad Oliebjerget med tilhyllet Hoved og bare Fødder, og alle Krigerne, som fulgte ham, havde tilhyllet deres Hoveder og gik grædende opefter.

David went on his way up the Mount of Olives, weeping as he did so. He had his head covered, and walked barefoot. All the people with him covered their heads, weeping as they went along.

31 Da David fik at vide, at Akitofel var iblandt de sammensvorne, som holdt med Absalom, sagde han: »Gør Akitofels Raad til Skamme, HERRE!«

David was told, “Ahithophel is one of the people conspiring with Absalom.” So David prayed, “Lord, please make Ahithophel's advice worthless.”

32 Da David var kommet til Bjergets Top, hvor man plejede at tilbede Gud, kom Arkiten Husjaj, Davids Ven, ham i Møde med sønderrevet Kjortel og Jord paa Hovedet.

When David arrived at the top of the Mount of Olives, where people worshiped God, there to meet him was Hushai the Archite, with his robe torn and with dust on his head.

33 Da sagde David til ham: »Hvis du drager med, bliver du mig til Byrde;

David told him, “If you come with me, you'll only be a burden to me,

34 men vender du tilbage til Byen og siger til Absalom: Jeg vil være din Træl, Konge; din Faders Træl var jeg fordum, men nu vil jeg være din Træl! saa kan du gøre mig Akitofels Raad til Skamme.

but if you go back to the city and tell Absalom, ‘I will be your servant, Your Majesty! Formerly I worked for your father, but now I'll work for you,’ then you can block Ahithophel's advice for me.

35 Der har du jo Præsterne Zadok og Ebjatar; alt, hvad du hører fra Kongens Palads, maa du give Præsterne Zadok og Ebjatar Nys om.

Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, will be there too. Tell them everything you hear in the king's palace.

36 Se, de har der deres to Sønner hos sig, Zadoks Søn Ahima'az og Ebjatars Søn Jonatan; send mig gennem dem Bud om alt, hvad I hører.«

Their two sons, Ahimaaz and Jonathan, are there with them. Send them to me so they can tell me everything you hear.”

37 Saa kom Husjaj, Davids Ven, til Byen, og samtidig kom Absalom til Jerusalem.

David's friend Hushai arrived back in Jerusalem at the same time Absalom was entering the city.