2 Samuel 15

1 Now after these things Absalom made himself chariots, and horsemen, and fifty men to run before 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 And Absalom rising up early stood by the entrance of the gate, and when any man had business to come to the king’s judgment, Absalom called him to him, and said: Of what city art thou? He answered, and said: Thy servant is of such a tribe 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 And Absalom answered him: Thy words seem to me good and just. But there is no man appointed by the king to hear thee. And Absalom said:

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 O that they would make me judge over the land, that all that have business might come to me, that I might do them 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 Moreover when any man came to him to salute him, he put forth his hand, and took him, and kissed 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 And this he did to all Israel that came for judgment, to be heard by the king, and he enticed 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 And after forty years, Absalom said to king David: Let me go, and pay my vows which I have vowed to the Lord in Hebron.

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 thy servant made avow, when he was in Gessur of Syria, saying: If the Lord shall bring me again into Jerusalem I will offer sacrifice to the Lord.

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

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

10 And Absalom sent spies into all the tribes of Israel, saying: As soon as you shall hear the sound of the trumpet, say ye: Absalom reigneth 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 Now there went with Absalom two hundred men out of Jerusalem that were called, going with simplicity of heart, and knowing nothing of the design.

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 Absalom also sent for Achitophel the Gilonite, David’s counsellor, from his city Gilo. And while he was offering sacrifices, there was a strong conspiracy, and the people running together increased with Absalom.

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 And there came a messenger to David, saying: All Israel with their whole heart followeth 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 his servants, that were with him in Jerusalem: Arise and let us flee: for we shall not escape else from the face of Absalom: make haste to go out, lest he come and overtake us, and bring ruin upon us, and smite the city with the edge of 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 And the king’s servants said to him: Whatsoever our lord the king shall command, we thy servants will willingly execute.

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 And the king went forth, and all his household on foot: and the king left ten women his concubines to keep the house:

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 And the king going forth and all Israel on foot, stood afar off from the 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 walked by him, and the bands of the Cerethi, and the Phelethi, and all the Gethites, valiant warriors, six hundred men who had followed him from Geth on foot, went before the king.

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 And the king said to Ethai the Gethite: Why comest thou with us? return and dwell with the king, for thou art a stranger, and art come out of thy own place.

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 Yesterday thou camest, and today shalt thou be forced to go forth with us? but I shall go whither I am going: return thou, and take back thy brethren with thee, and the Lord will shew thee mercy, and truth, because thou hast shewn grace and fidelity.

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 And Ethai answered the king, saying: As the Lord liveth, and as my lord the king liveth: in what place soever thou shalt be, my lord, O king, either in death, or in life, there will thy 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 And David said to Ethai: Come, and pass over. And Ethai the Gethite passed, and all the men that were with him, and the rest of the people.

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 And they all wept with a loud voice, and all the people passed over: the king also himself went over the brook Cedron, and all the people marched towards the way that looketh to the desert.

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 And Sadoc the priest also came, and all the Levites with him carrying the ark of the covenant of God, and they set down the ark of God: and Abiathar went up, till all the people that was come out of the city had done passing.

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 And the king said to Sadoc: Carry back the ark of God into the city: if I shall find grace in the sight of the Lord, he will bring me again, and he will shew me it, and his tabernacle.

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 shall say to me: Thou pleasest me not: I am ready, let him do that which is good before 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 And the king said to Sadoc the priest: O seer, return into the city in peace: and let Achimaas thy son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar, your two sons, be with you.

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 Behold I will lie hid in the plains of the wilderness, till there come word from you to certify me.

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

29 So Sadoc and Abiathar carried back the ark of God into Jerusalem: and they tarried there.

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

30 But David went up by the ascent of mount Olivet, going up and weeping, walking barefoot, and with his head covered, and all the people that were with them, went up with their heads covered weeping.

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 And it was told David that Achitophel also was in the conspiracy with Absalom, and David said: Infatuate, O Lord, I beseech thee, the counsel of Achitophel.

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 And when David was come to the top of the mountain, where he was about to adore the Lord, behold Chusai the Arachite, came to meet him with his garment rent and his head covered with earth.

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 And David said to him: If thou come with me, thou wilt 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 if thou return into the city, and wilt say to Absalom: I am thy servant, O king: as I have been thy father’s servant, so I will be thy servant: thou shalt defeat the counsel of Achitophel.

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 And thou hast with thee Sadoc, and Abiathar the priests: and what thing soever thou shalt hear out of the king’s house, thou shalt tell it to Sadoc and Abiathar the priests.

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 And there are with them their two sons Achimaas the son of Sadoc, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar: and you shall send by them to me every thing that you shall 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 Then Chusai the friend of David went into the city, and Absalom came into Jerusalem.

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