2 Samuel 15

1 And after this Absalom began to furnish himself with a chariot and horses, and fifty men to run before him.

After this, Absalom prepared a chariot and horses for himself, and fifty men to run 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,"

Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate. When any man had a suit which should come to the king for judgement, then Absalom called to him, and said, “What city are you from?” He said, “Your servant is of 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."

Absalom said to him, “Behold, your matters are good and right; but there is no man deputized by the king to hear you.”

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."

Absalom said moreover, “Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man who has any suit or cause might come to 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.

It was so, that when any man came near to bow down to him, he stretched out his hand, took 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.

Absalom did this sort of thing to all Israel who came to the king for judgement. So Absalom stole the hearts 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 YHWH, in Hebron.

At the end of forty years, Absalom said to the king, “Please let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed to the LORD, in Hebron.

8 For your servant vowed a vow while I stayed at Geshur in Aram, saying, 'If YHWH will bring me back to Jerusalem, then I will serve YHWH in Hebron.'"

For your servant vowed a vow while I stayed at Geshur in Syria, saying, ‘If the LORD shall indeed bring me again to Jerusalem, then I will serve the LORD.’”

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

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

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

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.

Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counsellor, from his city, even from Giloh, while he was offering the sacrifices. The conspiracy was strong, for the people increased continually with Absalom.

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

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

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."

David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, “Arise! Let’s flee, or else none of us will escape from Absalom. Hurry to depart, lest he overtake us quickly and bring down evil on us, and strike 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."

The king’s servants said to the king, “Behold, your servants are ready to do whatever my lord the king chooses.”

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.

The king went out, and all his household after him. The king left ten women, who were concubines, to keep the house.

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

The king went out, and all the people after him; and they stayed in Beth Merhak.

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.

All his servants passed on beside him; and all the Cherethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, six hundred men who came after him 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 the king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why do you also go with us? Return, and stay with the king; for you are a foreigner and also an exile. Return to your own 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 YHWH show you kindness and truth."

Whereas you came but yesterday, should I today make you go up and down with us, since I go where I may? Return, and take back your brothers. Mercy and truth be with you.”

21 Ittai answered the king, and said, "As YHWH 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."

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

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.

David said to Ittai, “Go and pass over.” Ittai the Gittite passed over, and all his men, and all the little ones who 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.

All the country wept with a loud voice, and all the people passed over. The king also himself passed over the brook Kidron, and all the people passed over towards the way of the wilderness.

24 And look, Zadok also came (and all the Levites with him, bearing the ark of the covenant of YHWH) and Abiathar. And they set down the ark of God until all the people finished passing by from the city.

Behold, Zadok also came, and all the Levites with him, bearing the ark of the covenant of God; and they set down God’s ark; and Abiathar went up until all the people 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 YHWH, he will bring me back and show me both it and his dwelling place;

The king said to Zadok, “Carry God’s ark back into the city. If I find favour in the LORD’s eyes, he will bring me again, and show me both it and his habitation;

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 says, ‘I have no delight in you,’ behold, here I am. Let him do to me as seems good to him.”

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 to Zadok the priest, “Aren’t you a seer? Return into the city in peace, and your two sons with you, Ahimaaz your son and Jonathan the son of Abiathar.

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

Behold, I will stay at the fords of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me.”

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

Zadok therefore and Abiathar carried God’s ark to Jerusalem again; and they stayed 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.

David went up by the ascent of the Mount of Olives, and wept as he went up; and he had his head covered and went barefoot. All the people who were with him each covered 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, "YHWH, please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness."

Someone told David, saying, “Ahithophel is amongst the conspirators with Absalom.” David said, “LORD, please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.”

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.

When David had come to the top, where God was worshipped, behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his tunic torn and earth on his head.

33 David said to him, "If you pass on with me, then you will 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 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 you return to the city, and tell Absalom, ‘I will be your servant, O king. As I have been your father’s servant in time past, so I will now be your servant; then will you defeat for me the counsel of Ahithophel.’

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.

Don’t you have Zadok and Abiathar the priests there with you? Therefore whatever you hear out of the king’s house, tell it to Zadok and Abiathar 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, Ahimaaz, Zadok’s son, and Jonathan, Abiathar’s son. Send to me everything that you shall hear by them.”

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

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