2 Samuel 15

Absalom’s Conspiracy

1Now it came about after this that 1Absalom provided for himself a chariot and horses, and fifty men 2to run ahead of him. 2And Absalom used to rise early and 3stand beside the road to the gate; and when any man who had a lawsuit was to come before the king for judgment, Absalom would call out to him and say, “From what city are you?” And he would say, “Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel.” 3Then Absalom would say to him, “See, 4your 5claims are good and right, but you have no one to listen to you on the part of the king.” 4Moreover, Absalom would say, “6Oh that someone would appoint me judge in the land, then every man who has a lawsuit or claim could come to me, and I would give him justice!” 5And whenever a man approached to prostrate himself before him, he would put out his hand and take hold of him and 7kiss him. 6Absalom dealt this way with all Israel who came to the king for judgment; 8so Absalom stole the hearts of the people of Israel.

7Now it came about at the end of 9four years that Absalom said to the king, “Please let me go and pay my vow which I have made to the Lord, in 10Hebron. 8For your servant 11made a vow while I was living in Geshur in Aram, saying, ‘12If the Lord will indeed bring me back to Jerusalem, then I will serve the Lord.’” 9The king said to him, “Go in peace.” So he got up and went to Hebron. 10But Absalom sent spies throughout the tribes of Israel, saying, “As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then you shall say, ‘13Absalom is king in Hebron!’” 11Then two hundred men went with Absalom from Jerusalem, 14who were invited and 15went 16innocently, for they did not know anything. 12And Absalom sent for 17Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, from his city 18Giloh, while he was offering the sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong, for 19the people continually increased with Absalom.

David Flees Jerusalem

13Then a messenger came to David, saying, “20The hearts of the people of Israel are 21with Absalom.” 14So David said to all his servants who were with him in Jerusalem, “22Arise and let’s flee, for otherwise none of us will escape from Absalom. Go quickly, or he will hurry and overtake us, and bring disaster on us and strike the city with the edge of the sword.” 15Then the king’s servants said to the king, “Behold, your servants will do whatever my lord the king chooses.” 16So the king left, and all his household 23with him; but 24the king left ten concubines behind to take care of the house. 17The king left, and all the people 25with him, and they stopped at the last house. 18Now all of his servants passed by beside him, and 26all the Cherethites, all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, 27six hundred men who had come 28with him from Gath, passed by before the king.

19Then the king said to 29Ittai the Gittite, “Why should you go with us too? Return and stay with 30your king, since you are a foreigner and an exile as well; return to your own place. 20You came only yesterday, so should I make you wander with us today, while 31I go wherever I go? Return and take your brothers back; 32mercy and 33truth be with you.” 21But Ittai answered the king and said, “As the Lord lives, and as my lord the king lives, 34wherever my lord the king may be, whether for death or for life, there assuredly shall your servant be!” 22Then David said to Ittai, “Go and cross over the brook Kidron.” So Ittai the Gittite crossed over with all his men and all the 35little ones who were with him. 23While all the country was weeping with a loud voice, all the people were crossing over. The king was also crossing over 36the brook Kidron, and all the people were crossing over toward 37the way of the wilderness.

24Now behold, 38Zadok also came, and all the Levites with him, 39carrying the ark of the covenant of God. And they set down the ark of God, and 40Abiathar came up until all the people had finished crossing over from the city. 25And the king said to Zadok, “Return the ark of God to the city. If I find favor in the sight of the Lord, then 41He will bring me back and show me both it and 42His habitation. 26But if He says this: ‘43I have no delight in you,’ then here I am, 44let Him do to me as seems good 45to Him.” 27The king also said to Zadok the priest, “Are you not 46a seer? Return to the city in peace, and your 47two sons with you, your son Ahimaaz and Jonathan the son of Abiathar. 28See, I am going to wait 48at the river crossing places of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me.” 29So Zadok and Abiathar returned the ark of God to Jerusalem and remained there.

30And David was going up the ascent of the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went, and 49his head was covered, and he was walking 50barefoot. Then all the people who were with him each covered his own head, and they were going up, weeping as they went. 31Now someone informed David, saying, “51Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” And David said, “Lord, please 52make the advice of Ahithophel foolish.”

32It happened as David was coming to the summit, where God was worshiped, that behold, Hushai the 53Archite met him with his 54coat torn, and 55dust on his head. 33And David said to him, “If you go over with me, then you will become 56a burden to me. 34But if you return to the city and 57say to Absalom, ‘I will be your servant, O king; even as I was your father’s servant in time past, so now I will also be your servant,’ then you can foil the advice of Ahithophel for me. 35Are Zadok and Abiathar the priests not with you there? So it shall be that 58whatever you hear from the king’s house, you shall report to Zadok and Abiathar the priests. 36Behold 59their two sons are there with them, Ahimaaz, Zadok’s son and Jonathan, Abiathar’s son; and 60by them you shall send me everything that you hear.” 37So Hushai, 61David’s friend, came into the city, and 62Absalom came into Jerusalem.