2 Samuel 15

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

And it came to pass after this, that Absalom prepared him a chariot and horses, and fifty men to run before him.

2 And Absolom used to rise up early, and take his stand beside the way of the gate, —and so it was—when any man who had a controversy would come unto the king for judgment, then Absalom called unto him, and said: Of what city, art, thou? And he said, Of one of the tribes of Israel, is thy servant. And Absolom said unto him,

And Absalom used to rise up early, and stand beside the way of the gate; and it was so, that when any man had a suit which should come to the king for judgment, then Absalom called unto him, and said: 'Of what city art thou?' And he said: 'Thy servant is of one of the tribes of Israel.'

3 See! thy cause, is good and right, —but, to hear it, thou hast no one, from the king.

And Absalom said unto him: 'See, thy matters are good and right; but there is no man deputed of the king to hear thee.'

4 And Absalom said, Oh would that I were appointed to judge in the land! that, unto me, might come every man having a complaint or a defence, then would I see him righted.

Absalom said moreover: 'Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man who hath any suit or cause might come unto me, and I would do him justice!'

5 Moreover, so it used to be, that, when any man came near to do him homage, he would put forth his hand, and lay hold of him, and kiss him.

And it was so, that when any man came nigh to prostrate himself before him, he put forth his hand, and took hold of him, and kissed him.

6 And Absolom did, after this manner, to all Israel who came for judgment, unto the king, —so Absolom stole away the heart of the men of Israel.

And on this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the king for judgment; so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

7 And it came to pass, at the end of forty years, that Absolom said unto the king—Let me go, I pray thee, that I may pay my vow which I have vowed unto Yahweh, in Hebron;

And it came to pass at the end of forty years, that Absalom said unto the king: 'I pray thee, let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed unto the LORD, in Hebron.

8 for thy servant vowed, a vow, while I abode in Geshur in Syria, saying, —If Yahweh, will but bring me back, unto Jerusalem, then will I serve Yahweh,

For thy servant vowed a vow while I abode at Geshur in Aram, saying: If the LORD shall indeed bring me back to Jerusalem, then I will serve the LORD.'

9 And the king said unto him—Go and prosper! So he arose and went to Hebron.

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

10 And Absolom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, —When ye hear the sound of the horn, then shall ye say, Absolom hath become king in Hebron!

But Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying: 'As soon as ye hear the sound of the horn, then ye shall say: Absalom is king in Hebron.'

11 And, with Absolom, went two hundred men, out of Jerusalem, who, having been bidden, were going in their simplicity, —neither knew they anything.

And with Absalom went two hundred men out of Jerusalem, that were invited, and went in their simplicity; and they knew not any thing.

12 And Absalom sent and called Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counsellor, out of his city, out of Gilo, when he was offering sacrifices, —and so it was that the conspiracy was strong, and, the people, went on multiplying with Absolom.

And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's counsellor, from his city, even from Giloh, while he offered the sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong; for the people increased continually with Absalom.

13 Then came one bearing tidings unto David, saying, —It hath come about, that the heart of the men of Israel goeth after Absolom.

And there came a messenger to David, saying: 'The hearts of the men of Israel are after Absalom.'

14 Then said David, to all his servants who were with him in Jerusalem—Arise and let us flee, or we shall have no way of escape from the face of Absolom, —make speed to depart, lest he make speed, and so overtake us, and bring down misfortune upon us, and smite 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; or else none of us shall escape from Absalom; make speed to depart, lest he overtake us quickly, and bring down evil upon us, and smite the city with the edge of the sword.'

15 And the king’s servants said unto the king, —According to all that my lord the king shall choose, here are thy servants.

And the king's servants said unto the king: 'Behold, thy servants are ready to do whatsoever my lord the king shall choose.'

16 So the king went forth, with all his household attending him, —but the king left ten women who were concubines, to keep the house.

And the king went forth, and all his household after him. And the king left ten women, that were concubines, to keep the house.

17 Thus then the king went forth, with all the people attending him, —and they came to a stand at a place that was far off.

And the king went forth, and all the people after him; and they tarried in Beth-merhak.

18 And, all his servants, were passing on beside him, and all the Cherethites, and all the Pelethites, —and, all the Gittites—six hundred men, who had accompanied him from Gath, —were passing on before the king.

And all his servants passed on beside him; and all the Cherethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, six hundred men that came after him from Gath, passed on before the king.

19 Then said the king, unto Ittai the Gittite, Wherefore shouldest, thou also, go with us? return and abide with the king, for, a stranger, art thou, moreover also, an exile, art thou from thine own country.

Then said the king to Ittai the Gittite: 'Wherefore goest thou also with us? return, and abide with the king; for thou art a foreigner, and also an exile from thine own place.

20 Only yesterday, camest thou, and, today, shall I let thee wander with us, on our journey, seeing that, I, am going, whithersoever I may? Return and take back thy brethren with thee, and may Yahweh deal with thee in lovingkindness and faithfulness.

Whereas thou camest but yesterday, should I this day make thee go up and down with us, seeing I go whither I may? return thou, and take back thy brethren with thee in kindness and truth.'

21 But Ittai answered the king, and said, —By the life of Yahweh, and by the life of my lord the king, surely, in whatsoever place, my lord the king, may be, whether for death or for life, there will, thy servant, be.

And Ittai answered the king, and said: 'As the LORD liveth, and as my lord the king liveth, surely in what place my lord the king shall be, whether for death or for life, even there also will thy servant be.'

22 Then said David unto Ittai—Go, and pass on. So Ittai the Gittite passed on, with all his men, and all the little ones that were with him.

And David said to Ittai: 'Go and pass over.' And Ittai the Gittite passed over, and all his men, and all the little ones that were with him.

23 And, fall the land, was weeping, with a loud voice, and, all the people, were passing on, —the king also, was passing on, through the torrent-bed of Kidron, and all the people were passing on over the face of the way leading to the wilderness.

And all the country wept with a loud voice, as all the people passed over; and as the king passed over the brook Kidron, all the people passed over, toward the way of the wilderness.

24 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 Abiathar went up, until all the people had made an end of passing over out of the city.

And, lo, Zadok also came, and all the Levites with him, bearing the ark of the covenant of God; and they set down the ark of God — but Abiathar went up — until all the people had done passing out of the city.

25 Then said the king unto Zadok, Take back the ark of God into the city, —if I find favour in the eyes of Yahweh, then will he bring me back, and let me see both him and his habitation,

And the king said unto Zadok: 'Carry back the ark of God into the city; if I shall find favour in the eyes of the LORD, He will bring me back, and show me both it, and His habitation;

26 but, if thus, he say, I have no delight in thee, here I am, let him do unto me as may be good in his eyes.

but if He say thus: I have no delight in thee; behold, here am I, let Him do to me as seemeth good unto Him.'

27 And the king said, unto Zadok the priest, Art thou not, a seer? return into the city, in peace, —and Ahimaaz thine own son, and Jonathan son of Abiathar—your two sons, with you.

The king said also unto Zadok the priest: 'Seest thou? return into the city in peace, and your two sons with you, Ahimaaz thy son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar.

28 See! I, am tarrying in the waste plains of the wilderness—until there come word from you, to tell me.

See, I will tarry in the plains of the wilderness, until there come word from you to announce unto me.'

29 So Zadok and Abiathar took back the ark of God to Jerusalem, —and abode there.

Zadok therefore and Abiathar carried the ark of God back to Jerusalem; and they abode there.

30 Now, David, was going up by the ascent of Olivet, weeping as he went up, with his head covered, himself, passing on barefoot, —and all the people who were with him, covered every man his head, and went up, weeping as they went.

And 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; and all the people that were with him covered every man his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up.

31 And, unto David, it was told, saying, Ahithophel, is among the conspirators with Absolom. And David said, Turn to foolishness, I pray thee, the counsel of Ahithophel, O Yahweh.

And one told David, saying: 'Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.' And David said: 'O LORD, I pray Thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.'

32 And it came to pass, when David reached the summit, where he bowed himself down unto God, that lo! there met him, Hushai the Archite, his tunic rent, and earth upon his head.

And it came to pass, that when David was come to the top of the ascent, where God was wont to be worshipped, behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his coat rent, and earth upon his head.

33 And David said unto him, —If thou pass over with me, then shalt thou become unto me, a burden;

And David said unto him: 'If thou passest on with me, then thou wilt be a burden unto Me;

34 but, if, to the city, thou return, then canst thou say unto Absolom—Thy servant, I, O king, will be, as, the servant of thy father, I was formerly, so will I, now, be thy servant: thus shalt thou frustrate for me the counsel of Ahithophel.

but if thou return to the city, and say unto Absalom: I will be thy servant, O king; as I have been thy father's servant in time past, so will I now be thy servant; then wilt thou defeat for me the counsel of Ahithophel.

35 And hast thou not, with thee, there Zadok and Abiathar the priests? so then it shall be, that, what thing soever thou shalt hear out of the house of the king, thou shalt tell to Zadok and to Abiathar, the priests.

And hast thou not there with thee Zadok and Abiathar the priests? therefore it shall be, that what thing soever thou shalt hear out of the king's house, thou shalt tell it to Zadok and Abiathar the priests.

36 Lo! they have there with them, their two sons, Ahimaaz for Zadok, and Jonathan for Abiathar, —so shall ye send, by their hand, unto me, everything which ye shall hear.

Behold, they have there with them their two sons, Ahimaaz Zadok's son, and Jonathan Abiathar's son; and by them ye shall send unto me every thing that ye shall hear.'

37 So Hushai, David’s friend, went into the city, —when, Absolom, was about to enter Jerusalem.

So Hushai David's friend came into the city; and Absalom was at the point of coming into Jerusalem.