2 Samuel 15

1 Now after these things Absalom made himself chariots, and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.

And after this Absalom began to furnish himself with a chariot and horses, and fifty men to run 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 Absalom used to get up early and stand beside the road. Then when anyone had a dispute which should come to the king for judgment, then Absalom would call out to him and say, "What city are you from?" When he said, "Your 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:

then Absalom would say to him, "Look, your matters are good and right; but there is no one from the king to hear you."

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 Absalom would say, "Oh that I were made judge in the land, then anyone who had a dispute could come to me, and I would give him justice."

5 Moreover when any man came to him to salute him, he put forth his hand, and took him, and kissed him.

It was so, that when any man came near to do him obeisance, he would extend his hand and embrace him, and kiss 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.

Absalom did this sort of thing to all Israel who came to the king for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts 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.

It happened at the end of four years, that Absalom said to the king, "Please let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed to the LORD, in 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 your servant vowed a vow while I stayed at Geshur in Aram, saying, 'If the LORD will bring me back to Jerusalem, then I will serve the LORD in Hebron.'"

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

The king said to him, "Go in peace." So 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 Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, "As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then you shall say, 'Absalom is king in 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.

Two hundred men went with Absalom out of Jerusalem, who were invited, and went in their simplicity; and they did not know anything.

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 he sent and invited Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's counselor, from his city Giloh, where he was offering sacrifice. The conspiracy was strong, for the people increased continually with Absalom.

13 And there came a messenger to David, saying: All Israel with their whole heart followeth Absalom.

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

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.

So David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, "Arise, and let us flee, otherwise none of us shall escape from Absalom. Go immediately, or else he will quickly overtake us and bring down the city on top of us, and strike 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.

Then the king's servants said to him, "Look, your servants are ready to do whatever the king chooses."

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 out with all his household following him. But the king left ten women, who were secondary wives, to take care of the palace.

17 And the king going forth and all Israel on foot, stood afar off from the house:

So the king went out with all his servants following him, and they stopped at the last house.

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 the people passed on before him. And all those with him, all the officers and warriors, were six hundred men, and they passed on before him. And when all the Cherethites and all the Pelethites and all the Gittites who followed him 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 the king said to Ittai the Gittite, "Why do you also go with us? Go back and stay with the king, for you are a foreigner and you also are an exile from your 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.

You came only yesterday. Should I today make you wander about with us, since I go I know not where? Go back, and take your brothers with you, and may the LORD show you 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.

Ittai answered the king, and said, "As the LORD lives, and as my lord the king lives, surely in what place my lord shall be, whether for death or for life, even there also will your 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.

So David said to Ittai, "Go and pass over." Then Ittai passed over, and all his men, and all the little ones who 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 land wept aloud as all the people crossed over. And the king crossed the Wadi Kidron, and all the people passed before him on the Olive road into 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 look, Zadok also came (and all the Levites with him, bearing the ark of the covenant of the LORD) and Abiathar. And they set down the ark of God until all the people finished passing by from 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.

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 show me both it and his dwelling place;

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 say, 'I have no delight in you;' look, here I am. Let him do to me as seems good to him."

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.

And the king said also to Zadok the priest, "Look, you return into the city in peace, and your two sons with you, Ahimaaz your son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar.

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

Look, I will wait at the fords of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me."

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

So Zadok and Abiathar carried the ark to Jerusalem and returned it 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 Olives, and wept as he went, and he had his head covered and went barefoot. And all the people who were with him covered their heads, and they went up weeping as they went.

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 it had been told to David, saying, "Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom." David said, "LORD, please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness."

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.

It happened that when David had come to the top, where God was worshiped, look, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his coat torn, and earth on his head.

33 And David said to him: If thou come with me, thou wilt be a burden to me:

David said to him, "If you pass on with me, then you will be a burden to 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 you return to the city, and tell Absalom, 'Your brothers have left, O king, after your father left, and now I am your servant, O king. Allow me to live. As I have been your father's servant in the past, so now I am your servant,' then you will defeat for me the counsel of Ahithophel.

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 look, Zadok and Abiathar the priests will be there with you. So whatever you hear from the king's house you must tell it to Zadok and Abiathar 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.

Look, their two sons are with them there, Ahimaaz, Zadok's son, and Jonathan, Abiathar's son. And by them you must send to me everything that you hear."

37 Then Chusai the friend of David went into the city, and Absalom came into Jerusalem.

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