2 Samuel 15:7-31

7Now it came about at the end of 1forty years that Absalom said to the king, “Please let me go and pay my vow which I have vowed to the Lord, in 2Hebron. 8For your servant 3vowed a vow while I was living at Geshur in Aram, saying, ‘4If the Lord shall indeed bring me back to Jerusalem, then I will serve the Lord.’” 9The king said to him, “Go in peace.” So he arose and went to Hebron. 10But Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then you shall say, ‘5Absalom is king in Hebron.’” 11Then two hundred men went with Absalom from Jerusalem, 6who were invited and 7went 8innocently, and they did not know anything. 12And Absalom sent for 9Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, from his city 10Giloh, while he was offering the sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong, for 11the people increased continually with Absalom.

13Then a messenger came to David, saying, “12The hearts of the men of Israel are 13with Absalom.” 14David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, “14Arise and let us flee, for otherwise none of us will escape from Absalom. Go in haste, or he will overtake us quickly and bring down calamity on us and strike the city with the edge of the sword.” 15Then the king’s servants said to the king, “Behold, your servants are ready to do whatever my lord the king chooses.” 16So the king went out and all his household 15with him. But 16the king left ten concubines to keep the house. 17The king went out and all the people 17with him, and they stopped at the last house. 18Now all his servants passed on beside him, 18all the Cherethites, all the Pelethites and all the Gittites, 19six hundred men who had come 20with him from Gath, passed on before the king.

19Then the king said to 21Ittai the Gittite, “Why will you also go with us? Return and remain with the king, for you are a foreigner and also an exile; return to your own place. 20You came only yesterday, and shall I today make you wander with us, while 22I go where I will? Return and take back your brothers; 23mercy and 24truth be with you.” 21But Ittai answered the king and said, “As the Lord lives, and as my lord the king lives, surely 25wherever my lord the king may be, whether for death or for life, there also your servant will be.” 22Therefore David said to Ittai, “Go and pass over.” So Ittai the Gittite passed over with all his men and all the little ones who were with him. 23While all the country was weeping with a loud voice, all the people passed over. The king also passed over 26the brook Kidron, and all the people passed over toward 27the way of the wilderness.

24Now behold, 28Zadok also came, and all the Levites with him 29carrying the ark of the covenant of God. And they set down the ark of God, and 30Abiathar came up until all the people had finished passing from the city. 25The king said to Zadok, “Return the ark of God to the city. If I find favor in the sight of the Lord, then 31He will bring me back again and show me both it and 32His habitation. 26But if He should say thus, ‘33I have no delight in you,’ behold, here I am, 34let Him do to me as seems good 35to Him.” 27The king said also to Zadok the priest, “Are you not 36a seer? Return to the city in peace and your 37two sons with you, your son Ahimaaz and Jonathan the son of Abiathar. 28See, I am going to wait 38at the fords of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me.” 29Therefore Zadok and Abiathar returned the ark of God to Jerusalem and remained there.

30And David went up the ascent of the Mount of Olives, and wept as he went, and 39his head was covered and he walked 40barefoot. Then all the people who were with him each covered his head and went up weeping as they went. 31Now someone told David, saying, “41Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” And David said, “O Lord, I pray, 42make the counsel of Ahithophel foolishness.”