Kings II 15

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

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

2 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 judgment, 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.

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.”

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

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:

4 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!

“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.”

5 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.

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.

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

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.

7 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.

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.

8 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.

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.”

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

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

10 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.

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.’”

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

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.

12 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.

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.

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

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

14 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.

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.”

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

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.”

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

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.

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

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

18 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.

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.

19 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.

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.

20 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.

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.”

21 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.

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.”

22 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.

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.

23 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 toward the way of the wilderness.

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.

24 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.

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.

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

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.

26 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.

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

27 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.

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.

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

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

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

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

30 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.

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.

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

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.”

32 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.

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.

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

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

34 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.

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

35 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.

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.

36 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.

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.”

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

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