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 Absalom prepared him chariots and horses, and fifty men to run 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 Absalom rose early, and stood beside the way of the gate: and it was [so], that when any man that had a controversy came to the king for judgment, then Absalom called to him, and said, Of what city [art] thou? And he said, Thy servant [is] 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 Absalom said to him, See, thy matters [are] good and right; but [there is] no man [deputed] by the king to hear thee.

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.”

Absalom said moreover, Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man who hath any suit or cause might come to 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 was [so], that when any man came nigh [to him] to do him obeisance, he put forth his hand, and took 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 in 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 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 after forty years, that Absalom said to the king, I pray thee, let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed to the LORD, in 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 shall bring me again indeed to Jerusalem, then I will serve the LORD.

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

And the king said to him, Go in peace, So 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 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 reigneth in 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 Absalom went two hundred men from Jerusalem, [that were] called; and they went in their simplicity, and they knew not any thing.

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 Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's counselor, from his city, [even] from Giloh, while he offered sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong; for the people increased continually with Absalom.

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

And there came a messenger to David, saying, The hearts of the men of Israel are after Absalom.

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 to all his servants that [were] with him at Jerusalem, Arise, and let us flee; for we shall not [else] escape from Absalom: make speed to depart, lest he should overtake us suddenly, and bring evil upon us, 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 to the king, Behold, thy servants [are ready to do] whatever my lord the king shall appoint.

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 after him. And the king left ten women [who were] concubines to keep 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 after him, 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 by his side; and all the Cherethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, six hundred men who came after him 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, Why goest thou also with us? return to thy place, and abide with the king; for thou [art] a stranger, and also an exile.

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.”

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 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 what place my lord the king shall be, whether in death or life, even there also 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 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 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 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, towards the way of 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 [were] 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 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 to 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 again, and show me [both] it, and his habitation:

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 shall thus say, I have no delight in thee; behold, [here am] I, let him do to me as seemeth good to him.

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 to Zadok the priest, [Art not] thou 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 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 word shall come from you to certify me.

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

Zadok therefore and Abiathar carried the ark of God again to Jerusalem: and they tarried 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 [mount] Olivet, and wept as he went, and had his head covered, and he went barefoot: and all the people that [were] with him covered every man his head, and they went up, weeping as they went.

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 [one] told David, saying, Ahithophel [is] among the conspirators with Absalom. And David said, O LORD, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.

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 had come to the top [of the mount], where he worshiped God, behold, Hushai the Archite 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.

To whom David said, If thou shalt pass on with me, then thou wilt be a burden to 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 shalt return to the city, and say to Absalom, I will be thy servant, O king; [as] I [have been] thy father's servant hitherto, so [will] I now also [be] thy servant: then mayest thou for me defeat the counsel of Ahithophel.

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

And [hast thou] not there with thee Zadok and Abiathar the priests? therefore it shall be, [that] whatever thing thou shalt hear out of the king's house, thou shalt tell [it] to Zadok and Abiathar 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, Ahimaaz Zadok's [son], and Jonathan Abiathar's [son]; and by them ye shall send to me every thing that ye can hear.

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

So Hushai David's friend came into the city, and Absalom came into Jerusalem.