2 Samuel 15

1 Sometime later, Absalom got himself a chariot with horses, and fifty men as bodyguards to run ahead of him.

And it came to pass after this that Abessalom prepared for himself chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him.

2 He used to get up early and stand by the main road that led to the city gate. When people brought a case to the king for his decision, Absalom would call out and ask them, “What town are you from?” If they replied, “Your servant is from this particular tribe of Israel,”

And Abessalom rose early, and stood by the side of the way of the gate: and it came to pass that every man who had a cause, came to the king for judgement, and Abessalom cried to him, and said to him, Of what city are you? And he said, Your servant [is] of one of the tribes of Israel.

3 Absalom would tell them, “Look, you're in the right and you've got a good case. It's such a shame there's no one from the king to hear you.”

And Abessalom said to him, See, your affairs [are] right and clear, yet you have no one [appointed] of the king to hear you.

4 Then he would say, “If only there was someone to appoint me as judge for the country. Then everyone could come to me with their case or complaint, and I would give them justice.”

And Abessalom said, O that one would make me a judge in the land; then every man who had a dispute or a cause would come to me, and I would judge him!

5 When anyone came to bow down before him, Absalom would stop them by reaching out his hand, taking hold of him, and kissing him.

And it came to pass when a man came near to do him obeisance, that he stretched out his hand, and took hold of him, and kissed him.

6 This is how Absalom treated all the Israelites who came to the king for his judgment. So he captured the loyalty of the men of Israel.

And Abessalom did after this manner to all Israel that came to the king for judgement; and Abessalom gained the hearts of the men of Israel.

7 Four years later Absalom asked the king, “Please let me go to Hebron to fulfill a promise I made to the Lord.

And it came to pass after forty years, that Abessalom said to his father, I will go now, and pay my vows, which I vowed to the Lord in Chebron.

8 For I, your servant, made this promise while living at Geshur in Aram, saying: ‘If the Lord does bring me back to Jerusalem, I will worship the Lord in Hebron.’”

For your servant vowed a vow when I lived at Gedsur in Syria, saying, If the Lord should indeed restore me to Jerusalem, then will I serve the Lord.

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

And the king said to him, Go in peace. And he arose and went to Chebron.

10 Then Absalom sent his accomplices among all the tribes of Israel, saying, “When you hear the sound of the ram's horn, you shout, ‘Absalom is king at Hebron!’”

And Abessalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, When you hear the sound of the trumpet, then shall you say, Abessalom is become king in Chebron.

11 Two hundred men from Jerusalem went with Absalom. They had been invited and went in all innocence, because they didn't know anything about what was planned.

And there went with Abessalom two hundred chosen men from Jerusalem; and they went in their simplicity, and knew not anything.

12 While Absalom was offering sacrifices, he sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's advisor, asking him to come from Giloh, the town where he lived. The conspiracy grew stronger, and Absalom's followers went on increasing.

And Abessalom sent to Achitophel the Theconite, the counsellor of David, from his city, from Gola, where he was sacrificing: and there was a strong conspiracy; and the people with Abessalom were increasingly numerous.

13 A messenger came to tell David, “Absalom has the loyalty of the men of Israel.”

And there came a messenger to David, saying, the heart of the men of Israel is gone after Abessalom.

14 David said to all the officials with him in Jerusalem, “Quick! Let's go! Otherwise we won't be able to get away from Absalom! We must leave immediately, or he will soon catch up with us, attack us, and kill the people here in the city.”

And David said to all his servants who were with him in Jerusalem, Rise, and let us flee, for we have no refuge from Abessalom: make haste and go, lest he overtake us speedily, and bring evil upon us, and strike the city with the edge of the sword.

15 “Whatever Your Majesty decides, we'll do what you want,” the king's servants replied.

And the king's servants said to the king, In all things which our lord the king chooses, behold [we are] your servants.

16 The king set off with his whole household following him, but he left behind ten concubines to look after the palace.

And the king and all his house went out on foot: and the king left ten women of his concubines to keep the house.

17 The king left with all his soldiers following him. He stopped at the last house,

And the king and all his servants went out on foot; and abode in a distant house.

18 and all his men marched past him, including all the Cherethites and Pelethites, and six hundred Gittites who had come with him from Gath.

And all his servants passed on by his side, and every Chelethite, and every Phelethite, and they stood by the olive tree in the wilderness: and all the people marched near him, and all his court, and all the men of might, and all the men of war, six hundred: and they were present at his side: and every Chelethite, and every Phelethite, and all the six hundred Gittites that came on foot out of Geth, and they went on before the king.

19 The king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why are you coming with us too? Go back and stay with the new king, because you are a foreigner and an exile a long way from home.

And the king said to Ethi, the Gittite, Why do you also go with us? return, and dwell with the king, for you are a stranger, and you has come forth as a sojourner out of your place.

20 You only just got here, so why should I make you wander around with us now when I don't even know where I am going? Go back and take your men with you. May the Lord show you kindness and faithfulness.”

Whereas you came yesterday, shall I today cause you to travel with us, and shall you [thus] change your place? you did come forth yesterday, and today shall I set you in motion to go along with us? I indeed will go wherever I may go: return then, and cause your brethren to return with you, and may the Lord deal mercifully and truly with you.

21 But Ittai answered the king, “As the Lord lives, and as Your Majesty lives, wherever Your Majesty may be, whether dead or alive, that's where your servant will be!”

And Ethi answered the king and said, [As] the Lord lives and as my lord the king lives, in the place wherever my lord shall be, whether it be for death or life, there shall your servant be.

22 “Go ahead, march on!” David replied. Ittai the Gittite marched past with all his men and all the families that were with him.

And the king said to Ethi, Come and pass over with me. So Ethi the Gittite and the king passed over, and all his servants, and all the multitude with him.

23 All the people in the countryside were crying aloud as everyone with David passed by. They crossed the Kidron Valley with the king on the way toward the wilderness.

And all the country wept with a loud voice. And all the people passed by over the brook of Kedron; and the king crossed the brook Kedron: and all the people and the king passed on towards the way of the wilderness.

24 Zadok was there too, and all the Levites were with him, carrying the Ark of God's Agreement. They set down the Ark of God, and Abiathar offered sacrifices until everyone had left the city.

And behold also Sadoc, and all the Levites were with him, bearing the ark of the covenant of the Lord from Baethar: and they set down the ark of God; and Abiathar went up, until all the people had passed out of the city.

25 Then the king told Zadok, “Take the Ark of God back to the city. If I find the Lord approves of me, he will bring me back and let me see both the Ark and his Tent again.

And the king said to Sadoc, Carry back the ark of God into the city: if I should find favour in the eyes of the Lord, then will he bring me back, and he will show me it and its beauty.

26 But if he says, ‘I'm not happy with you,’ then here I stand. Let him do to me whatever he thinks best.”

But if he should say thus, I have no pleasure in you; behold, [here] I am, let him do to me according to that which is good in his eyes.

27 The king also told Zadok the priest, “You understand the situation, don't you? Go back to the city safely with your son Ahimaaz, and also Jonathan, son of Abiathar. You and Abiathar take both of your sons back with you.

And the king said to Sadoc the priest, Behold, you shall return to the city in peace, and Achimaas your son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar, your two sons with you.

28 I'll wait at the fords of the wilderness until I hear from you.”

Behold, I continue in arms in Araboth of the desert, until there come tidings from you to report to me.

29 Zadok and Abiathar took the Ark of God back to Jerusalem and remained there.

So Sadoc and Abiathar brought back the ark of the Lord to Jerusalem, and it continued there.

30 David went on his way up the Mount of Olives, weeping as he did so. He had his head covered, and walked barefoot. All the people with him covered their heads, weeping as they went along.

And David went up by the ascent of [the mount of] Olives, ascending and weeping, and had his head covered, and went barefooted: and all the people that were with him covered [every] man his head; and they went up, ascending and weeping.

31 David was told, “Ahithophel is one of the people conspiring with Absalom.” So David prayed, “Lord, please make Ahithophel's advice worthless.”

And it was reported to David, saying, Achitophel also [is] amongst the conspirators with Abessalom. And David said, O Lord my God, disconcert, I pray you, the counsel of Achitophel.

32 When David arrived at the top of the Mount of Olives, where people worshiped God, there to meet him was Hushai the Archite, with his robe torn and with dust on his head.

And David came as far as Ros, where he worshipped God: and behold, Chusi the chief friend of David came out to meet him, having tore his garment, and earth [was] upon his head.

33 David told him, “If you come with me, you'll only be a burden to me,

And David said to him, If you should go over with me, then will you be a burden to me;

34 but if you go back to the city and tell Absalom, ‘I will be your servant, Your Majesty! Formerly I worked for your father, but now I'll work for you,’ then you can block Ahithophel's advice for me.

but if you shall return to the city, and shall say to Abessalom, Your brethren are passed over, and the king your father is passed over after me: and now I am your servant, O king, suffer me to live: at one time even of late I was the servant of your father, and now I [am] your humble servant—so shall you disconcert for me, the counsel of Achitophel.

35 Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, will be there too. Tell them everything you hear in the king's palace.

And, behold, [there are] there with you Sadoc and Abiathar the priests; and it shall be that every word that you shall hear of the house of the king, you shall report it to Sadoc and Abiathar the priests.

36 Their two sons, Ahimaaz and Jonathan, are there with them. Send them to me so they can tell me everything you hear.”

Behold, [there are] there with them their two sons, Achimaas the son of Sadoc, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar; and by them you shall report to me every word which you shall hear.

37 David's friend Hushai arrived back in Jerusalem at the same time Absalom was entering the city.

So Chusi the friend of David went into the city, and Abessalom was lately gone into Jerusalem.