2 Samuel 15

1 And it cometh to pass afterwards, that Absalom prepareth for himself a chariot, and horses, and fifty men are running before him;

Some time later, Absalom acquired a chariot and horses [to pull it]. He [hired] 50 men to run in front of him [to honor him while he was riding around Jerusalem in the chariot].

2 and Absalom hath risen early, and stood by the side of the way of the gate, and it cometh to pass, every man who hath a pleading to come unto the king for judgment, that Absalom calleth unto him, and saith, 'Of what city [art] thou?' and he saith, 'Of one of the tribes of Israel [is] thy servant.'

Furthermore, he always rose early [each morning] and stood by the city gate. Whenever someone came there with a dispute/quarrel that he wanted the king to decide, Absalom would call out to him, asking “What city are you from?” When the person told him what [city and] tribe he was from,

3 And Absalom saith unto him, 'See, thy matters [are] good and straightforward — and there is none hearkening to thee from the king.'

Absalom would say to him, “Listen, [I am sure that] what you are saying/claiming is right. But there is no one whom the king has appointed/authorized to listen to [people like] you.”

4 And Absalom saith, 'Who doth make me a judge in the land, that unto me doth come every man who hath a plea and judgment? — then I have declared him righteous.'

Absalom would then add, “I wish that I were a judge in this land. If I were a judge, anyone who had a dispute could come to me, and I would decide it fairly/justly.”

5 And it hath come to pass, in the drawing nearing of any one to bow himself to him, that he hath put forth his hand, and laid hold on him, and given a kiss to him;

And whenever anyone came near to Absalom to bow respectfully in front of him, Absalom would reach out and embrace him and kiss him.

6 and Absalom doth according to this thing to all Israel who come in for judgment unto the king, and Absalom stealeth the heart of the men of Israel.

Absalom did this to everyone in Israel who came to the king because of having a dispute with someone. In that way, Absalom persuaded all the Israeli people to be more pleased with him [IDM] [than they were pleased with David].

7 And it cometh to pass, at the end of forty years, that Absalom saith unto the king, 'Let me go, I pray thee, and I complete my vow, that I vowed to Jehovah in Hebron,

Four years later, Absalom [went to] the king and said, “Please allow me to go to Hebron [city], in order that I can do what I promised Yahweh that I would do.

8 for a vow hath thy servant vowed in my dwelling in Geshur, in Aram, saying, If Jehovah doth certainly bring me back to Jerusalem, then I have served Jehovah.'

When I was living in Geshur, in Syria, I promised Yahweh that if he brought me back to Jerusalem, I would worship him [in Hebron].”

9 And the king saith to him, 'Go in peace;' and he riseth and goeth to Hebron,

The king replied, “You may go.” So Absalom went to Hebron.

10 and Absalom sendeth spies through all the tribes of Israel, saying, 'At your hearing the voice of the trumpet, then ye have said, Absalom hath reigned in Hebron.'

But [while he was there, ] he secretly sent messengers to all the tribes in Israel, to tell them, “When you hear the sound of the trumpets [being blown], shout ‘Absalom has become the king at Hebron!’”

11 And with Absalom have gone two hundred men, out of Jerusalem, invited ones, and they are going in their simplicity, and have not known anything;

Absalom had taken with him to Hebron 200 men from Jerusalem, but they did not know [what Absalom was planning to do].

12 and Absalom sendeth Ahithophel the Gilonite, a counsellor of David, out of his city, out of Gilo, in his sacrificing sacrifices; and the conspiracy is strong, and the people are going and increasing with Absalom.

While Absalom was offering sacrifices [at Hebron], he sent a message to Ahithophel, from Giloh [town], requesting him to come. Ahithophel was one of the king’s advisors. So the number of people who joined Absalom and who were ready to rebel [against David] became larger.

13 And he who is declaring tidings cometh in unto David, saying, 'The heart of the men of Israel hath been after Absalom.'

Soon a messenger came to David and said to him, “All [HYP] the Israeli people [SYN] are joining Absalom to rebel against you!”

14 And David saith to all his servants who [are] with him in Jerusalem, 'Rise, and we flee, for we have no escape from the face of Absalom; haste to go, lest he hasten, and have overtaken us, and forced on us evil, and smitten the city by the mouth of the sword.'

So David said to all his officials, “We must leave immediately if we want to escape from Absalom! We must go quickly, before he [and his men] arrive. If we do not do that, they will kill us and everyone else in the city!”

15 And the servants of the king say unto the king, 'According to all that my lord the king chooseth — lo, thy servants [do].'

The king’s officials said, “Okay, your majesty, we are ready to do whatever you decide.”

16 And the king goeth out, and all his household at his feet, and the king leaveth ten women — concubines — to keep the house.

So the king left ten of his slave wives there to take care of the palace, but all the other people in his palace went with him.

17 And the king goeth out, and all the people at his feet, and they stand still at the farthest off house.

When they all were leaving [the city], they stopped at the last house.

18 And all his servants are passing on at his side, and all the Cherethite, and all the Pelethite, and all the Gittites, six hundred men who came at his feet from Gath, are passing on at the front of the king.

The king and his officials stood there while his bodyguards went by in front of him. 600 soldiers from Gath [city] also walked by in front of him.

19 And the king saith unto Ittai the Gittite, 'Why dost thou go — thou also — with us? turn back — and abide with the king, for thou [art] a stranger, and also an exile thou — to thy place.

Then David said to Ittai, [the leader of the soldiers] from Gath, “(Why are you going with us?/You should not be going with us.) [RHQ] Go back and stay with [Absalom] the [new] king. You are not an Israeli; you are living away from your own land.

20 Yesterday [is] thy coming in, and to-day I move thee to go with us, and I am going on that which I am going! — turn back, and take back thy brethren with thee, — kindness and truth.'

You have lived here [in Israel] for only a short time [HYP]. And we do not even know where we will be going. So it is not right [RHQ] for me to force you to wander around with us. And take your troops with you. And I hope/wish that Yahweh will faithfully love and be loyal to you.”

21 And Ittai answereth the king and saith, 'Jehovah liveth, and my lord the king liveth, surely in the place where my lord the king is — if for death, if for life, surely there is thy servant.'

But Ittai replied, “Your Majesty, as surely as you live, wherever you go, I will go; I will stay with you, whether they kill me or allow me to live.”

22 And David saith unto Ittai, 'Go and pass over;' and Ittai the Gittite passeth over, and all his men, and all the infants who [are] with him.

David replied to Ittai, “Okay, march with us!” So Ittai and all his troops and their families went [with David].

23 And all the land are weeping — a great voice, and all the people are passing over; and the king is passing over through the brook Kidron, and all the people are passing over on the front of the way of the wilderness;

All the people [along the road] cried when they saw them walking by. The king and all the others crossed the Kidron Valley and then they all went [up the hill] toward the desert.

24 and lo, also Zadok, and all the Levites with him, bearing the ark of the covenant of God, and they make the ark of God firm, and Abiathar goeth up, till the completion of all the people to pass over out of the city.

Abiathar and Zadok, [the priests, ] were walking with them. The descendants of Levi [who helped the priests] also went with them, carrying the sacred chest that contained the Ten Commandments. But they set it on the ground until all the others had left the city.

25 And the king saith to Zadok, 'Take back the ark of God to the city; if I find grace in the eyes of Jehovah, then He hath brought me back, and shewn me it and His habitation;

Then the king said to Zadok, “You and Abiathar take the sacred chest back into the city. If Yahweh is pleased with me, he will some day allow me to return to see it and the place where it is kept.

26 and if thus He say, I have not delighted in thee; here [am] I, He doth to me as [is] good in His eyes.'

But if he says that he is not pleased with me, then I am willing for him to do to me whatever he thinks is good.”

27 And the king saith unto Zadok the priest, 'Art thou a seer? turn back to the city in peace, and Ahimaaz thy son, and Jonathan son of Abiathar, your two sons with you;

He also said to Zadok, “Listen [to what I suggest]. You and Abiathar return to the city peacefully/safely, and take your son Ahimaaz and Abiathar’s son Jonathan with you.

28 see ye, I am tarrying in the plains of the wilderness till the coming in of a word from you to declare to me.'

I will wait in the desert at the place where people can walk across the river, until you send a message to me.”

29 And Zadok taketh back — and Abiathar — the ark of God to Jerusalem, and they abide there.

So Zadok and Abiathar carried the sacred chest back to Jerusalem, and they stayed there.

30 And David is going up in the ascent of the olives, going up and weeping, and he hath the head covered, and he is going barefooted, and all the people who [are] with him have covered each his head, and have gone up, going up and weeping;

David [and those with him] went up Olive [Tree] Hill. David was crying while he walked. He was walking barefoot and had something covering his head [to show that he was sorrowful]. All those who were going with him also covered their heads and were crying while they walked.

31 and David declared, saying, 'Ahithophel [is] among the conspirators with Absalom;' and David saith, 'Make foolish, I pray Thee, the counsel of Ahithophel, O Jehovah.'

Someone told David that Ahithophel had joined with those who were rebelling against David. So David prayed, “Yahweh, cause whatever Ahithophel suggests to Absalom [that he should do to be considered] to be foolish!”

32 And it cometh to pass, David hath come unto the top, where he boweth himself to God, and lo, to meet him [is] Hushai the Archite, his coat rent, and earth on his head;

When they arrived at the top of the hill, where there was a place where the people worshiped [God], suddenly Hushai, from the Arki people-group, met David. He had torn his clothes and put dirt on his head [to show that he was very sad].

33 and David saith to him, 'If thou hast passed on with me then thou hast been on me for a burden,

David said to him, “If you go with me, you will not be able to help me.

34 and if to the city thou dost turn back, and hast said to Absalom, Thy servant I am, O king; servant of thy father I [am] also hitherto, and now, I [am] also thy servant; then thou hast made void for me the counsel of Ahithophel;

But if you return to the city, [you can help me by] saying to Absalom, ‘Your Majesty, I will serve you as faithfully as I served your father.’ If you do that [and stay near Absalom], you will be able to oppose any advice that Ahithophel gives to Absalom.

35 and are there not with thee there Zadok and Abiathar the priests? and it hath been, the whole of the matter that thou hearest from the house of the king thou dost declare to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests.

Zadok and Abiathar the priests are already there [RHQ]. Whatever you hear people say in the king’s palace, tell it to Zadok and Abiathar.

36 Lo, there with them [are] their two sons, Ahimaaz to Zadok, and Jonathan to Abiathar, and ye have sent by their hand unto me anything that ye hear.'

Keep in mind that Zadok’s son Ahimaaz and Abiathar’s son Jonathan are also there. You can tell them whatever you find out, and send them to report it to me.”

37 And Hushai, David's friend, cometh in to the city, and Absalom cometh in to Jerusalem.

So David’s friend Hushai returned to the city, at the same time that Absalom was entering Jerusalem.