2 Samuel 15

Absalom’s Conspiracy

1Now it cameH1961 about afterH4480H310 thisH3651 that 1AbsalomH53 providedH6213 for himself a chariotH4818 and horsesH5483 and fiftyH2572 menH376 as runnersH7323 beforeH6440 him. 2AbsalomH53 used to riseH7925 earlyH7925 and 2standH5975 besideH5921H3027 the wayH1870 to the gateH8179; and when anyH3605 manH376 hadH1961 a suitH7379 to comeH935 to the kingH4428 for judgmentH4941, AbsalomH53 would callH7121 to him and sayH559, “From whatH2088H335 cityH5892 are you?” And he would sayH559, “Your servantH5650 is from oneH259 of the tribesH7626 of IsraelH3478.” 3Then AbsalomH53 would sayH559 to him, “SeeH7200, 3your 4claimsH1697 are goodH2896 and rightH5228, but noH369 man listensH8085 to you on the partH4480H854 of the kingH4428.” 4Moreover, AbsalomH53 would sayH559, “5OhH4310 that one would appointH7760 me judgeH8199 in the landH776, then everyH3605 manH376 whoH834 hasH1961 any suitH7379 or causeH4941 could comeH935 to me and I would giveH6663 him justiceH6663.” 5And when a manH376 cameH7126 nearH7126 to prostrateH7812 himself before him, he would putH7971 out his handH3027 and takeH2388 holdH2388 of him and 6kissH5401 him. 6In thisH2088 mannerH1697 AbsalomH53 dealtH6213 with allH3605 IsraelH3478 whoH834 cameH935 to the kingH4428 for judgmentH4941; 7so AbsalomH53 stoleH1589 awayH1589 the heartsH3820 of the menH376 of IsraelH3478.

7Now it cameH1961 about at the endH7093 of 8fortyH705 yearsH8141 that AbsalomH53 saidH559 to the kingH4428, “PleaseH4994 let me goH1980 and payH7999 my vowH5088 whichH834 I have vowedH5087 to the LordH3068, in 9HebronH2275. 8For your servantH5650 10vowedH5087 a vowH5088 while I was livingH3427 at GeshurH1650 in AramH758, sayingH559, ‘11IfH518 the LordH3068 shall indeedH7725 bringH7725 me backH7725 to JerusalemH3389, then I will serveH5647 the LordH3068.’” 9The kingH4428 saidH559 to him, “GoH1980 in peaceH7965.” So he aroseH6965 and wentH1980 to HebronH2275. 10But AbsalomH53 sentH7971 spiesH7270 throughout allH3605 the tribesH7626 of IsraelH3478, sayingH559, “As soon as you hearH8085 the soundH6963 of the trumpetH7782, then you shall sayH559, ‘12AbsalomH53 is kingH4427 in HebronH2275.’” 11Then two hundredH3967 menH376 wentH1980 with AbsalomH53 from JerusalemH3389, 13who were invitedH7121 and 14wentH1980 15innocentlyH8537, and they did not knowH3045 anythingH3605H1697. 12And AbsalomH53 sentH7971 for 16AhithophelH302 the GiloniteH1526, David’sH1732 counselorH3289, from his cityH5892 17GilohH1542, while he was offeringH2076 the sacrificesH2077. And the conspiracyH7195 was strongH533, for 18the peopleH5971 increasedH7227 continuallyH1980 with AbsalomH53.

David Flees Jerusalem

13Then a messengerH5046 cameH935 to DavidH1732, sayingH559, “19The heartsH3820 of the menH376 of IsraelH3478 are 20with AbsalomH53.” 14DavidH1732 saidH559 to allH3605 his servantsH5650 whoH834 were with him at JerusalemH3389, “21AriseH6965 and let us fleeH1272, for otherwise noneH3808 of us will escapeH6413 from AbsalomH53. GoH1980 in hasteH4116, orH6435 he will overtakeH5381 us quicklyH4116 and bringH5080 downH5080 calamityH7463 on us and strikeH5221 the cityH5892 with the edgeH6310 of the swordH2719.” 15Then the king’sH4428 servantsH5650 saidH559 to the kingH4428, “BeholdH2009, your servantsH5650 are ready to do whateverH3605H834 my lordH113 the kingH4428 choosesH977.” 16So the kingH4428 wentH3318 out and allH3605 his householdH1004 22with him. But 23the kingH4428 leftH5800 tenH6235 concubinesH6370 to keepH8104 the houseH1004. 17The kingH4428 wentH3318 out and allH3605 the peopleH5971 24with him, and they stoppedH5975 at the lastH4801 houseH1004. 18Now allH3605 his servantsH5650 passedH5674 on besideH5921H3027 him, 25allH3605 the CherethitesH3774, allH3605 the PelethitesH6432 and allH3605 the GittitesH1663, 26sixH8337 hundredH3967 menH376 whoH834 had comeH935 27with him from GathH1661, passedH5674 on beforeH6440 the kingH4428.

19Then the kingH4428 saidH559 to 28IttaiH863 the GittiteH1663, “WhyH4100 will you alsoH1571 goH1980 with us? ReturnH7725 and remainH3427 with the kingH4428, for you are a foreignerH5237 and alsoH1571 an exileH1540; return to your own placeH4725. 20You cameH935 only yesterdayH8543, and shall I todayH3117 make you wanderH5128 with us, while 29I goH1980 whereH5921H834 I will? ReturnH7725 and takeH7725 backH7725 your brothersH251; 30mercyH2617 and 31truthH571 be with you.” 21But IttaiH863 answeredH6030 the kingH4428 and saidH559, “As the LordH3068 livesH2416, and as my lordH113 the kingH4428 livesH2416, surelyH3588H518 32whereverH4725H834H8033 my lordH113 the kingH4428 may be, whetherH518 for deathH4194 orH518 for lifeH2425, thereH8033 alsoH3588 your servantH5650 will be.” 22Therefore DavidH1732 saidH559 to IttaiH863, “GoH1980 and passH5674 overH5674.” So IttaiH863 the GittiteH1663 passedH5674 overH5674 with allH3605 his menH376 and allH3605 the littleH2945 onesH2945 whoH834 were with him. 23While allH3605 the countryH776 was weepingH1058 with a loudH1419 voiceH6963, allH3605 the peopleH5971 passedH5674 overH5674. The kingH4428 also passedH5674 overH5674 33the brookH5158 KidronH6939, and allH3605 the peopleH5971 passedH5674 overH5674 towardH5921H6440 34the wayH1870 of the wildernessH4057.

24Now beholdH2009, 35ZadokH6659 alsoH1571 came, and allH3605 the LevitesH3881 with him 36carryingH5375 the arkH727 of the covenantH1285 of GodH430. And they setH3332 downH3332 the arkH727 of GodH430, and 37AbiatharH54 cameH5927 up untilH5704 allH3605 the peopleH5971 had finishedH8552 passingH5674 from the cityH5892. 25The kingH4428 saidH559 to ZadokH6659, “ReturnH7725 the arkH727 of GodH430 to the cityH5892. IfH518 I findH4672 favorH2580 in the sightH5869 of the LordH3068, then 38He will bringH7725 me backH7725 again and showH7200 me both it and 39His habitationH5116. 26But ifH518 He should sayH559 thusH3541, ‘40I haveH2654 noH3808 delightH2654 in you,’ beholdH2009, here I am, 41let Him doH6213 to me as seems goodH2895 42to Him.” 27The kingH4428 saidH559 also to ZadokH6659 the priestH3548, “Are you not 43a seerH7203? ReturnH7725 to the cityH5892 in peaceH7965 and your 44twoH8147 sonsH1121 with you, your sonH1121 AhimaazH290 and JonathanH3083 the sonH1121 of AbiatharH54. 28SeeH7200, I am going to waitH4102 45at the fordsH5679 of the wildernessH4057 untilH5704 wordH1697 comesH935 from you to informH5046 me.” 29Therefore ZadokH6659 and AbiatharH54 returnedH7725 the arkH727 of GodH430 to JerusalemH3389 and remainedH3427 thereH8033.

30And DavidH1732 wentH5927 up the ascentH4608 of the Mount of OlivesH2132, and weptH1058 as he wentH5927, and 46his headH7218 was coveredH2645 and he walkedH1980 47barefootH3182. Then allH3605 the peopleH5971 whoH834 were with him eachH376 coveredH2645 his headH7218 and wentH5927 up weepingH1058 as they wentH5927. 31Now someone toldH5046 DavidH1732, sayingH559, “48AhithophelH302 is among the conspiratorsH7194 with AbsalomH53.” And DavidH1732 saidH559, “O LordH3068, I prayH4994, 49makeH5528 the counselH6098 of AhithophelH302 foolishnessH5528.”

32It happenedH1961 as DavidH1732 was comingH935 to the summitH7218, whereH834H8033 GodH430 was worshipedH7812, that beholdH2009, HushaiH2365 the 50ArchiteH757 metH7122 him with his 51coatH3801 tornH7167 and 52dustH127 on his headH7218. 33DavidH1732 saidH559 to him, “IfH518 you passH5674 overH5674 with me, then you will be 53a burdenH4853 to me. 34But ifH518 you returnH7725 to the cityH5892, and 54sayH559 to AbsalomH53, ‘I will be your servantH5650, O kingH4428; as I have beenH1961 your father’sH1 servantH5650 in timeH227 pastH3975, so I will nowH6258 be your servantH5650,’ then you can thwartH6565 the counselH6098 of AhithophelH302 for me. 35Are not ZadokH6659 and AbiatharH54 the priestsH3548 with you thereH8033? So it shall be that 55whateverH3605H1697H834 you hearH8085 from the king’sH4428 houseH1004, you shall reportH5046 to ZadokH6659 and AbiatharH54 the priestsH3548. 36BeholdH2009 56their twoH8147 sonsH1121 are with them thereH8033, AhimaazH290, Zadok’sH6659 son and JonathanH3083, Abiathar’sH54 son; and 57by them you shall sendH7971 me everythingH3605 that you hearH8085.” 37So HushaiH2365, 58David’sH1732 friendH7463, cameH935 into the cityH5892, and 59AbsalomH53 cameH935 into JerusalemH3389.