2 Samuel 15

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

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

2 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.”

And Absalom rose up early, and stood 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 to him, and said, Of what city are thou? And he said, Thy servant is of one of the tribes of Israel.

3 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:

And Absalom said to him, See, thy matters are good and right, but there is no man appointed by the king to hear thee.

4 “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.”

Absalom said moreover, Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man who has any suit or case might come to me, and I would do for him justice!

5 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.

And it was so, that, when any man came near to do him obeisance, he put forth his hand, and took hold of him, and kissed him.

6 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.

And on this manner Absalom did to all Israel who came to the king for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

7 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.

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

8 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.”

For thy servant vowed a vow while I abode at Geshur in Syria, saying, If Jehovah shall indeed bring me again to Jerusalem, then I will serve Jehovah.

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

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

10 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.’”

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

11 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.

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

12 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.

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

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

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

14 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.”

And David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, Arise, and let us flee, for otherwise 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 servants of the king said to him, “Everything whatsoever that our lord the king will command, we your servants shall carry out willingly.”

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

16 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.

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

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

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

18 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.

And 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 come with us? Return and live with the king. For you are a stranger, and you departed from your own place.

Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, Why do thou also go with us? Return, and abide with the king, for thou are a foreigner, and also an exile. Return to thine own place.

20 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.”

Whereas thou came but yesterday, should I this day make thee go up and down with us, seeing I go where I may? Return thou, and take back thy brothers. Mercy and truth be with thee.

21 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.”

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

22 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.

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 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.

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

24 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.

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, and Abiathar went up until all the people had finished passing out of the city.

25 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.

And the king said to Zadok, Carry back the ark of God into the city. If I shall find favor in the eyes of Jehovah he will bring me again, and show me both it, and his habitation.

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

But if he says thus, I have no delight in thee, behold, here I am. Let him do to me as seems good to him.

27 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.

The king said also to Zadok the priest, Are thou not a seer? Return into the city in peace, and your two sons with you, Ahimaaz thy son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar.

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

See, I will remain at the fords of the wilderness until there comes word from you to report to me.

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

Therefore Zadok and Abiathar carried the ark of God again to Jerusalem, and they abode there.

30 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.

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 who were with him covered every man his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up.

31 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.”

And it was told David, saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. And David said, O Jehovah, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.

32 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.

And it came to pass, that, when David came to the top of the ascent, where God was worshiped, behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his coat torn, and dirt upon his head.

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

And David said to him, If thou pass on with me, then thou will be a burden to me,

34 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

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

35 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.

And have thou not there with thee Zadok and Abiathar the priests? Therefore it shall be, that whatever thing thou shall hear out of the king's house, thou shall tell it to Zadok and Abiathar the priests.

36 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.”

Behold, they have there with them their two sons, Ahimaaz, Zadok's son, and Jonathan, Abiathar's son. And by them ye shall send to me everything that ye shall hear.

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

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