2 Samuel 15

1 Some time later, Absalom provided for himself a chariot with horses and fifty men to run ahead of him.

And it came to pass after this, that Abshalom provided for himself a chariot and horses, and fifty men who ran before him.

2 He would get up early and stand beside the road leading to the city gate. Whenever anyone had a grievance to bring before the king for a decision, Absalom would call out and ask, “What city are you from?” And if he replied, “Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel,”

And Abshalom rose up early, and stood on the side of the way to the gate: and it happened, that whenever a man who had a controversy came to the king for judgment, Abshalom called to him, and said, From what city art thou? And he said, Thy servant is from one of the tribes of Israel.

3 Absalom would say, “Look, your claims are good and right, but the king has no deputy to hear you.”

And Abshalom said unto him, See, thy words are good and right; but no one listeneth to thee on the part of the king.

4 And he would add, “If only someone would appoint me judge in the land, then everyone with a grievance or dispute could come to me, and I would give him justice.”

And Abshalom said, Oh, if there were but one to appoint me judge in the land, so that every man who may have any controversy or cause might come unto me, and I would do him justice!

5 Also, when anyone approached to bow down to him, Absalom would reach out his hand, take hold of him, and kiss him.

And it happened, that when a man came nigh to bow down to him, he used to put forth his hand, and laid hold of him, and kissed him.

6 Absalom did this to all the Israelites who came to the king for justice. In this way he stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

And Abshalom did after this manner to all Israel that came to the king for judgment: and thus did Abshalom steal the heart of the men of Israel.

7 After four years had passed, Absalom said to the king, “Please let me go to Hebron to fulfill a vow I have made to the LORD.

And it came to pass at the end of forty years, that Abshalom said unto the king, Let me go, I pray thee, and fulfill my vow, which I have vowed unto the Lord, at Hebron.

8 For your servant made a vow while dwelling in Geshur of Aram, saying: ‘If indeed the LORD brings me back to Jerusalem, I will worship the LORD in Hebron.’”

For thy servant vowed a vow while I abode at Geshur in Syria, saying, If the Lord will ever bring me back again to Jerusalem, then will I serve the Lord.

9 “Go in peace,” said the king. So Absalom got up and went to Hebron.

And the king said unto him, Go in peace: and he arose, and went to Hebron.

10 Then Absalom sent spies throughout the tribes of Israel with this message: “When you hear the sound of the horn, you are to say, ‘Absalom reigns in Hebron!’”

But Abshalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, When ye hear the sound of the cornet, then shall ye say, Abshalom is become king at Hebron.

11 Two hundred men from Jerusalem accompanied Absalom. They had been invited as guests and they went along innocently, for they knew nothing about the matter.

And with Abshalom went two hundred men out of Jerusalem, who were invited, and going in their simplicity; and they knew of nothing whatever.

12 While Absalom was offering the sacrifices, he sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, to come from his hometown of Giloh. So the conspiracy gained strength, and Absalom’s following kept increasing.

And Abshalom sent for Achithophel the Gilomite, David's counsellor, from his city, from Giloh, while he offered the sacrifices. And the conspiracy became strong; and the people increased continually with Abshalom.

13 Then a messenger came to David and reported, “The hearts of the men of Israel are with Absalom.”

And there came a news-bearer to David, saying, the heart of the men of Israel is turned after Abshalom.

14 And David said to all the servants with him in Jerusalem, “Arise and let us flee, or we will not escape from Absalom! We must leave quickly, or he will soon overtake us, heap disaster on us, and put the city to the sword.”

And David said unto all his servants that were with him at Jerusalem, Arise, and let us flee; for there will not [else] be any escape for us from Abshalom: make haste, to depart, lest he make haste and overtake us suddenly and overwhelm us with evil, and smite the city with the edge of the sword.

15 The king’s servants replied, “Whatever our lord the king decides, we are your servants.”

And the king's servants said unto the king, In accordance with all that my Lord the king may choose, are thy servants ready.

16 Then the king set out, and his entire household followed him. But he left behind ten concubines to take care of the palace.

And the king went forth, and all his household in his train. And the king left behind ten women, who were concubines, to guard the house.

17 So the king set out with all the people following him. He stopped at the last house,

And the king went forth, and all the people in his train, and tarried in a place that was far off.

18 and all his servants marched past him—all the Cherethites and Pelethites, and six hundred Gittites who had followed him from Gath.

And all his servants passed on alongside of him, and all the Kerethites, and all the Pelethites; and all the Gittites, six hundred men, who were come in his train from Gath, passed on before the king.

19 Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why should you also go with us? Go back and stay with the new king, since you are both a foreigner and an exile from your homeland.

Then said the king to Ittai the Gittite, Wherefore wilt thou also go with us? turn back and abide with the king; for thou art a stranger, and also an exile from thy place.

20 In fact, you arrived only yesterday; should I make you wander around with us today while I do not know where I am going? Go back and take your brothers with you. May the LORD show you loving devotion and faithfulness.”

Yesterday thou camest; and today should I move thee about with us to wander? seeing that I go whither I may: return thou, and take back thy brethren with thee, in kindness and truth.

21 But Ittai answered the king, “As surely as the LORD lives, and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king may be, whether it means life or death, there will your servant be!”

And Ittai answered the king, and said, As the Lord liveth, and as my Lord the king liveth, surely in whatever place my Lord the king may be, whether for death or for life, even there will thy servant be.

22 “March on then,” said David to Ittai. So Ittai the Gittite marched past with all his men and all the little ones who were with him.

And David said then to Ittai, Go and pass on. And Ittai the Gittite passed on, and all his men, and all the little ones that were with him.

23 Everyone in the countryside was weeping loudly as all the people passed by. And as the king crossed the Kidron Valley, all the people also passed toward the way of the wilderness.

And all the [people of the] country wept with a loud voice, as all the people passed on: and the king passed over the brook Kidron, and all the people passed over, along the way to the wilderness.

24 Zadok was also there, and all the Levites with him were carrying the ark of the covenant of God. And they set down the ark of God, and Abiathar offered sacrifices until the people had passed out of the city.

And lo, Zadok also, and all the Levites with him, were bearing the ark of the covenant of God; and they set down the ark of God; and Ebyathar went up, until all the people had finished passing out of the city.

25 Then the king said to Zadok, “Return the ark of God to the city. If I find favor in the eyes of the LORD, He will bring me back and let me see both it and His dwelling place again.

And the king said unto Zadok, Carry back the ark of God into the city; if I shall find favor in the eyes of the Lord, he will bring me back again, and show me both it, and his dwelling;

26 But if He should say, ‘I do not delight in you,’ then here I am; let Him do to me whatever seems good to Him.”

But if he should thus say, I have no delight in thee: here am I, let him do to me as seemeth good in his eyes.

27 The king also said to Zadok the priest, “Are you not a seer? Return to the city in peace—you with your son Ahimaaz, and Abiathar with his son Jonathan.

The king said also unto Zadok the priest, If thou see the justice of this, return to the city in peace: and your two sons, Achima'az thy son, and Jonathan the son of Ebyathar, are with you.

28 See, I will wait at the fords of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me.”

See, I will tarry in the plain of the wilderness, until there come word from you to bring me news.

29 So Zadok and Abiathar returned the ark of God to Jerusalem and stayed there.

Zadok therefore and Ebyathar carried the ark of God again to Jerusalem: and they remained there.

30 But David continued up the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went up. His head was covered, and he was walking barefoot. And all the people with him covered their heads and went up, weeping as they went.

And David went up by the ascent of the mount of Olives, weeping as he went up, and had his head covered, and he was walking barefoot: and all the people that were with him covered every man his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up.

31 Now someone told David: “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” So David pleaded, “O LORD, please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness!”

And some one told David, saying, Achithophel is among the conspirators with Abshalom. And David said, I pray thee, turn into foolishness the counsel of Achithophel, O Lord!

32 When David came to the summit, where he used to worship God, Hushai the Archite was there to meet him with his robe torn and dust on his head.

And it came to pass, that, when David was come to the top, where he used to bow himself down to God, behold, Chushai the Arkite came to meet him with his coat rent, and earth upon his head.

33 David said to him, “If you go on with me, you will be a burden to me.

And David said unto him, If thou passest on with me, thou wouldst be a burden unto me;

34 But you can thwart the counsel of Ahithophel for me if you return to the city and say to Absalom: ‘I will be your servant, my king; in the past I was your father’s servant, but now I will be your servant.’

But if thou shouldst return to the city, and say unto Abshalom, Thy servant will I be, O king; thy father's servant have I been this long time past, and now will I also be thy servant: then mightest thou defeat for me the counsel of Achithophel.

35 Will not Zadok and Abiathar the priests be there with you? Report to them everything you hear from the king’s palace.

And, behold, thou hast with thee there Zadok and Ebyathar the priests; therefore shall it be, that what thing soever thou mayest hear out of the king's house, shalt thou tell to Zadok and Ebyathar the priests.

36 Indeed, their two sons, Ahimaaz son of Zadok and Jonathan son of Abiathar, are there with them. Send them to me with everything you hear.”

Behold, they have there with them their two sons. Achima'az for Zadok, and Jonathan for Ebyathar: and ye shall send by means of them unto me whatever thing ye can hear.

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

So Chushai, David's friend, came into the city, as Abshalom had just resolved to enter into Jerusalem.