15
1 After
this, Absalom prepared
a chariot and
horses for himself,
and fifty men
to run before
him.
2 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 judgment,
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 Absalom said
to him, “Behold,
your matters are
good and right;
but there is
no man deputized
by the king
to hear you.”
4 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 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.
7 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 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.
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!’ ”
11 Two
hundred men went
with Absalom out
of Jerusalem, who
were invited, and
went in their
simplicity; and
they didn’t know
anything.
12 Absalom
sent for Ahithophel
the Gilonite,
David’s counselor,
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.”
14 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 The
king’s servants said
to the king, “Behold, your servants
are ready to do
whatever my lord
the king chooses.”
16 The
king went out,
and all his
household after
him. The king
left ten women,
who were
concubines, to
keep the house.
17 The
king went out,
and all the
people after him;
and they stayed
in Beth Merhak.
18 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? Return,
and stay with
the king; for
you are a
foreigner and also
an exile. Return
to your own
place.
20 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
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 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 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 toward
the way of
the wilderness.
24 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,
“Carry God’s ark back
into the city.
If I find
favor in the
LORD’s eyes, he
will bring me
again, and show
me both it and
his habitation;
26 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 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 Behold,
I will stay
at the fords
of the wilderness
until word comes
from you to
inform me.”
29 Zadok therefore and Abiathar
carried God’s ark to
Jerusalem again;
and they stayed
there.
30 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 Someone
told David, saying, “Ahithophel
is among the
conspirators with Absalom.”
David said, “LORD,
please turn the
counsel of Ahithophel into
foolishness.”
32 When
David had come
to the top,
where God was
worshiped, 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;
34 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 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 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.