2 Samuel 15

1 Then, after these things, Absalom obtained for himself chariots, and horsemen, and fifty men who went before him.

It came about after this that Absalom prepared a chariot and horses for himself, with fifty men to run before him.

2 And rising up in the morning, Absalom was standing beside the entrance of the gate. And when there was any man who had a dispute that might go before the king’s judgment, Absalom would call him to him, and would say, “Which city are you from?” And responding, he would say, “I am your servant, from a certain tribe of Israel.”

Absalom would get up early and stand beside the road leading to the city gate. When any man had a dispute to come to the king for judgment, Absalom called to him and said, “From what city have you come?” Then the man would answer, “Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel.”

3 And Absalom would answer him: “Your words seem good and just to me. But there is no one appointed by the king to hear you.” And Absalom would say:

So Absalom would say to him, “Look, your case is good and right, but there is no one empowered by the king to hear your case.”

4 “Who may appoint me judge over the land, so that all those who have a dispute might come to me, and I might judge justly.”

Absalom added, “I wish that I were made judge in the land, so that every man who had any dispute or cause might come to me, and I would bring him justice!”

5 Then too, when a man would draw near to him, so that he might greet him, he would extend his hand, and taking hold of him, he would kiss him.

So it came about that when any man came to Absalom to honor him, Absalom would put out his hand and take hold of him and kiss him.

6 And he was doing this to all those of Israel arriving for judgment to be heard by the king. And he solicited the hearts of the men of Israel.

Absalom acted in this way to all Israel who came to the king for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

7 Then, after forty years, Absalom said to king David: “I should go and pay my vows, which I have vowed to the Lord at Hebron.

It came about at the end of four years that Absalom said to the king, “Please let me go and pay a vow that I have made to Yahweh in Hebron.

8 For your servant made a vow, when he was in Geshur of Syria, saying: If the Lord will lead me back to Jerusalem, I will sacrifice to the Lord.”

For your servant made a vow while I was living at Geshur in Aram, saying,' If Yahweh will indeed bring me again to Jerusalem, then I will worship Yahweh.'”

9 And king David said to him, “Go in peace.” And he rose up and went away to Hebron.

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

10 Then Absalom sent scouts into all the tribes of Israel, saying: “As soon as you hear the blare of the trumpet, say: ‘Absalom reigns in Hebron.’”

But then Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then you must say, 'Absalom is king in Hebron.'”

11 Now having been called, two hundred men from Jerusalem went forth with Absalom, going in simplicity of heart and being entirely ignorant of the plan.

With Absalom went two hundred men from Jerusalem, who were invited. They went in their innocence, not knowing anything that Absalom had planned.

12 Absalom also summoned Ahithophel the Gilonite, a counselor of David, from his city, Giloh. And when he was immolating victims, a very strong oath was sworn, and the people, hurrying together, joined with Absalom.

While Absalom offered sacrfices, he sent for Ahithophel from his hometown of Giloh. He was David's counselor. Absalom's conspiracy was strong, for the people following Absalom were constantly increasing.

13 Then a messenger went to David, saying, “With their whole heart, all of Israel is following Absalom.”

A messenger came to David saying, “The hearts of the men of Israel are following after Absalom.”

14 And David said to his servants, who were with him in Jerusalem: “Rise up, let us flee! For otherwise there will be no escape for us from the face of Absalom. Hurry to depart, lest perhaps, upon arriving, he may seize us, and force ruin upon us, and strike the city with the edge of the sword.”

So David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, “Arise and let us flee, or none of us will escape from Absalom. Prepare to leave immediately, or he will quickly overtake us, and he will bring down disaster on us and attack the city with the edge of the sword.”

15 And the servants of the king said to him, “Everything whatsoever that our lord the king will command, we your servants shall carry out willingly.”

The king's servants said to the king, “Look, your servants are ready to do whatever our master the king decides.”

16 Therefore, the king departed, with his entire household on foot. And the king left behind ten women of the concubines to care for the house.

The king left and all his family after him, but the king left ten women, who were concubines, to keep the palace.

17 And having gone forth on foot, the king and all of Israel stood at a distance from the house.

After the king went out and all the people after him, they stopped at the last house.

18 And all his servants were walking beside him. And the legions of the Cerethites and Phelethites, and all the Gittites, powerful fighters, six hundred men who had followed him from Gath on foot, were preceding the king.

All his army marched with him, and before him went all the Kerethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites—six hundred men who had followed him from Gath.

19 Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite: “Why do you come with us? Return and live with the king. For you are a stranger, and you departed from your own place.

Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why will you come with us? Return and stay with the king, for you are a foreigner and an exile. Return to your own place.

20 You arrived yesterday. And today should you be compelled to go away with us? For I should go to the place where I am going. But you should return, and lead your own brothers back with you. And the Lord will show mercy and truth to you, because you have shown grace and faith.”

Since you just left yesterday, why should I make you wander all over with us? I do not even know where I am going. So return and take your fellow countrymen back. May loyalty and faithfulness go with you.”

21 And Ittai responded to the king, by saying, “As the Lord lives, and as my lord the king lives, in whatever place you will be, my lord the king, whether in death or in life, your servant will be there.”

But Ittai answered the king and said, “As Yahweh lives, and as my master the king lives, surely in whatever place where my master the king goes, there also will your servant go, whether that means living or dying.”

22 And David said to Ittai, “Come, and pass over.” And Ittai the Gittite passed over, and all the men who were with him, and the rest of the multitude.

So David said to Ittai, “Go ahead and continue with us.” So Ittai the Gittite marched with the king, along with all his men and all the families who were with him.

23 And they all wept with a great voice, and all the people passed over. The king also passed over the torrent Kidron. And all the people advanced opposite the way which looks out toward the desert.

All the country wept with a loud voice as all the people passed by over the Kidron Valley, and as the king also himself crossed over. All the people traveled on the road toward the wilderness.

24 Now Zadok the priest also went, and all the Levites went with him, carrying the ark of the covenant of God. And they set down the ark of God. And Abiathar went up, until all the people who had departed from the city had gone by.

Even Zadok with all the Levites, carrying the ark of the covenant of God, were present. They set the ark of God down, and then Abiathar joined them. They waited until all the people had passed by out of the city.

25 And the king said to Zadok: “Carry back the ark of God into the city. If I shall find grace in the sight of the Lord, he will lead me back. And he will show it to me in his tabernacle.

The king said to Zadok, “Carry the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the eyes of Yahweh, he will bring me back here and show me again the ark and the place where he lives.

26 But if he will say to me, ‘You are not pleasing,’ I am ready. Let him do whatever is good in his own sight.”

But if he says, 'I am not pleased with you,' look, here am I, let him do to me whatever seems good to him.”

27 And the king said to Zadok the priest: “O seer, return into the city in peace. And let your son Ahimaaz, and Jonathan, the son of Abiathar, your two sons, be with you.

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

28 Behold, I will hide in the plains of the desert, until word from you may arrive to inform me.”

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

29 Therefore, Zadok and Abiathar carried back the ark of God into Jerusalem, and they remained there.

So Zadok and Abiathar carried the ark of God back into Jerusalem, and they stayed there.

30 But David ascended to the Mount of Olives, climbing and weeping, advancing with bare feet and with his head covered. Moreover, all the people who were with him ascended, weeping with their heads covered.

But David ascended barefoot and weeping up the Mount of Olives, and he had his head covered. Every man of the people who were with him covered his head, and they went up weeping as they walked.

31 Then it was reported to David that Ahithophel also had joined in swearing with Absalom. And David said, “O Lord, I beg you, to uncover the foolishness of the counsel of Ahithophel.”

Someone told David saying, “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” So David prayed, “O Yahweh, please turn Ahithophel's advice into foolishness.”

32 And when David had ascended to the summit of the mountain, where he was going to adore the Lord, behold Hushai the Archite met him, with his garment torn and his head covered with soil.

It came about that when David arrived at the top of the road, where God used to be worshiped, Hushai the Arkite came to meet him with his coat torn and earth on his head.

33 And David said to him: “If you come with me, you will be a burden to me.

David said to him, “If you travel with me, then you will be a burden to me.

34 But if you return to the city, and you say to Absalom, ‘I am your servant, O king; just as I have been the servant of your father, so too will I be your servant,’ you will destroy the counsel of Ahithophel

But if you return to the city and say to Absalom, 'I will be your servant, king, as I have been your father's servant in time past, so will I now be your servant,' then you will confuse Ahithophel's advice for me.

35 And you have with you the priests Zadok and Abiathar. And any word whatsoever that you will hear from the house of the king, you shall reveal it to Zadok and Abiathar, the priests.

Will you not have the priests Zadok and Abiathar with you? So whatever you hear in the king's palace, you must tell it to Zadok and Abiathar the priests.

36 Now with them are their two sons Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok, and Jonathan, the son of Abiathar. And you shall send to me by them every word that you will have heard.”

See that they have there with them their two sons, Ahimaaz, Zadok's son, and Jonathan, Abiathar's son. You must send to me by their hand everything that you hear.”

37 Therefore, Hushai, the friend of David, went into the city. And Absalom also entered into Jerusalem.

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