2 Samuel 15

1 And after this Absalom began to furnish himself with a chariot and horses, 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 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,"

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

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 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."

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

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 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.

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 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.'"

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 The king said to him, "Go in peace." So he arose, and went to Hebron.

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

10 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.'"

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

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 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.

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

And there came a news-bearer to David, saying, the heart of the men of Israel is turned after Abshalom.

14 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."

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

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

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

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 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.

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 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."

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 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."

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 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.

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 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.

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 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.

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 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;

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

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

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

29 So Zadok and Abiathar carried the ark to Jerusalem and returned it there.

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

30 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.

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

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 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.

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 David said to him, "If you pass on with me, then you will 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 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.

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 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.

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 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."

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 So Hushai, David's friend, came 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.