2 Samuel 15

1 Sometime later, Absalom got himself a chariot with horses, and fifty men as bodyguards to run ahead of him.

It came about after this that Absalom prepared a chariot and horses for himself, with fifty men to run before him.

2 He used to get up early and stand by the main road that led to the city gate. When people brought a case to the king for his decision, Absalom would call out and ask them, “What town are you from?” If they replied, “Your servant is from this particular tribe of Israel,”

Absalom would get up early and stand beside the road leading to the city gate. When any man had a dispute to come to the king for judgment, Absalom called to him and said, “From what city have you come?” Then the man would answer, “Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel.”

3 Absalom would tell them, “Look, you're in the right and you've got a good case. It's such a shame there's no one from the king to hear you.”

So Absalom would say to him, “Look, your case is good and right, but there is no one empowered by the king to hear your case.”

4 Then he would say, “If only there was someone to appoint me as judge for the country. Then everyone could come to me with their case or complaint, and I would give them justice.”

Absalom added, “I wish that I were made judge in the land, so that every man who had any dispute or cause might come to me, and I would bring him justice!”

5 When anyone came to bow down before him, Absalom would stop them by reaching out his hand, taking hold of him, and kissing him.

So it came about that when any man came to Absalom to honor him, Absalom would put out his hand and take hold of him and kiss him.

6 This is how Absalom treated all the Israelites who came to the king for his judgment. So he captured the loyalty of the men of Israel.

Absalom acted in this way to all Israel who came to the king for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

7 Four years later Absalom asked the king, “Please let me go to Hebron to fulfill a promise I made to the Lord.

It came about at the end of four years that Absalom said to the king, “Please let me go and pay a vow that I have made to Yahweh in Hebron.

8 For I, your servant, made this promise while living at Geshur in Aram, saying: ‘If the Lord does bring me back to Jerusalem, I will worship the Lord in Hebron.’”

For your servant made a vow while I was living at Geshur in Aram, saying,' If Yahweh will indeed bring me again to Jerusalem, then I will worship Yahweh.'”

9 “Go in peace,” said the king. So Absalom went to Hebron.

So the king said to him, “Go in peace.” So Absalom arose and went to Hebron.

10 Then Absalom sent his accomplices among all the tribes of Israel, saying, “When you hear the sound of the ram's horn, you shout, ‘Absalom is king at Hebron!’”

But then Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then you must say, 'Absalom is king in Hebron.'”

11 Two hundred men from Jerusalem went with Absalom. They had been invited and went in all innocence, because they didn't know anything about what was planned.

With Absalom went two hundred men from Jerusalem, who were invited. They went in their innocence, not knowing anything that Absalom had planned.

12 While Absalom was offering sacrifices, he sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's advisor, asking him to come from Giloh, the town where he lived. The conspiracy grew stronger, and Absalom's followers went on increasing.

While Absalom offered sacrfices, he sent for Ahithophel from his hometown of Giloh. He was David's counselor. Absalom's conspiracy was strong, for the people following Absalom were constantly increasing.

13 A messenger came to tell David, “Absalom has the loyalty of the men of Israel.”

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

14 David said to all the officials with him in Jerusalem, “Quick! Let's go! Otherwise we won't be able to get away from Absalom! We must leave immediately, or he will soon catch up with us, attack us, and kill the people here in the city.”

So David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, “Arise and let us flee, or none of us will escape from Absalom. Prepare to leave immediately, or he will quickly overtake us, and he will bring down disaster on us and attack the city with the edge of the sword.”

15 “Whatever Your Majesty decides, we'll do what you want,” the king's servants replied.

The king's servants said to the king, “Look, your servants are ready to do whatever our master the king decides.”

16 The king set off with his whole household following him, but he left behind ten concubines to look after the palace.

The king left and all his family after him, but the king left ten women, who were concubines, to keep the palace.

17 The king left with all his soldiers following him. He stopped at the last house,

After the king went out and all the people after him, they stopped at the last house.

18 and all his men marched past him, including all the Cherethites and Pelethites, and six hundred Gittites who had come with him from Gath.

All his army marched with him, and before him went all the Kerethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites—six hundred men who had followed him from Gath.

19 The king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why are you coming with us too? Go back and stay with the new king, because you are a foreigner and an exile a long way from home.

Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why will you come with us? Return and stay with the king, for you are a foreigner and an exile. Return to your own place.

20 You only just got here, so why should I make you wander around with us now when I don't even know where I am going? Go back and take your men with you. May the Lord show you kindness and faithfulness.”

Since you just left yesterday, why should I make you wander all over with us? I do not even know where I am going. So return and take your fellow countrymen back. May loyalty and faithfulness go with you.”

21 But Ittai answered the king, “As the Lord lives, and as Your Majesty lives, wherever Your Majesty may be, whether dead or alive, that's where your servant will be!”

But Ittai answered the king and said, “As Yahweh lives, and as my master the king lives, surely in whatever place where my master the king goes, there also will your servant go, whether that means living or dying.”

22 “Go ahead, march on!” David replied. Ittai the Gittite marched past with all his men and all the families that were with him.

So David said to Ittai, “Go ahead and continue with us.” So Ittai the Gittite marched with the king, along with all his men and all the families who were with him.

23 All the people in the countryside were crying aloud as everyone with David passed by. They crossed the Kidron Valley with the king on the way toward the wilderness.

All the country wept with a loud voice as all the people passed by over the Kidron Valley, and as the king also himself crossed over. All the people traveled on the road toward the wilderness.

24 Zadok was there too, and all the Levites were with him, carrying the Ark of God's Agreement. They set down the Ark of God, and Abiathar offered sacrifices until everyone had left the city.

Even Zadok with all the Levites, carrying the ark of the covenant of God, were present. They set the ark of God down, and then Abiathar joined them. They waited until all the people had passed by out of the city.

25 Then the king told Zadok, “Take the Ark of God back to the city. If I find the Lord approves of me, he will bring me back and let me see both the Ark and his Tent again.

The king said to Zadok, “Carry the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the eyes of Yahweh, he will bring me back here and show me again the ark and the place where he lives.

26 But if he says, ‘I'm not happy with you,’ then here I stand. Let him do to me whatever he thinks best.”

But if he says, 'I am not pleased with you,' look, here am I, let him do to me whatever seems good to him.”

27 The king also told Zadok the priest, “You understand the situation, don't you? Go back to the city safely with your son Ahimaaz, and also Jonathan, son of Abiathar. You and Abiathar take both of your sons back with you.

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

28 I'll wait at the fords of the wilderness until I hear from you.”

See, I will wait at the fords of the Arabah until word comes from you to inform me.”

29 Zadok and Abiathar took the Ark of God back to Jerusalem and remained there.

So Zadok and Abiathar carried the ark of God back into Jerusalem, and they stayed there.

30 David went on his way up the Mount of Olives, weeping as he did so. He had his head covered, and walked barefoot. All the people with him covered their heads, weeping as they went along.

But David ascended barefoot and weeping up the Mount of Olives, and he had his head covered. Every man of the people who were with him covered his head, and they went up weeping as they walked.

31 David was told, “Ahithophel is one of the people conspiring with Absalom.” So David prayed, “Lord, please make Ahithophel's advice worthless.”

Someone told David saying, “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” So David prayed, “O Yahweh, please turn Ahithophel's advice into foolishness.”

32 When David arrived at the top of the Mount of Olives, where people worshiped God, there to meet him was Hushai the Archite, with his robe torn and with dust on his head.

It came about that when David arrived at the top of the road, where God used to be worshiped, Hushai the Arkite came to meet him with his coat torn and earth on his head.

33 David told him, “If you come with me, you'll only be a burden to me,

David said to him, “If you travel with me, then you will be a burden to me.

34 but if you go back to the city and tell Absalom, ‘I will be your servant, Your Majesty! Formerly I worked for your father, but now I'll work for you,’ then you can block Ahithophel's advice for me.

But if you return to the city and say to Absalom, 'I will be your servant, king, as I have been your father's servant in time past, so will I now be your servant,' then you will confuse Ahithophel's advice for me.

35 Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, will be there too. Tell them everything you hear in the king's palace.

Will you not have the priests Zadok and Abiathar with you? So whatever you hear in the king's palace, you must tell it to Zadok and Abiathar the priests.

36 Their two sons, Ahimaaz and Jonathan, are there with them. Send them to me so they can tell me everything you hear.”

See that they have there with them their two sons, Ahimaaz, Zadok's son, and Jonathan, Abiathar's son. You must send to me by their hand everything that you hear.”

37 David's friend Hushai arrived back in Jerusalem at the same time Absalom was entering the city.

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