2 Samuel 15:13-37

13Then a messenger came to David, saying, “1The hearts of the people of Israel are 2with Absalom.” 14So David said to all his servants who were with him in Jerusalem, “3Arise 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 4with him; but 5the king left ten concubines behind to take care of the house. 17The king left, and all the people 6with him, and they stopped at the last house. 18Now all of his servants passed by beside him, and 7all the Cherethites, all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, 8six hundred men who had come 9with him from Gath, passed by before the king.

19Then the king said to 10Ittai the Gittite, “Why should you go with us too? Return and stay with 11your 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 12I go wherever I go? Return and take your brothers back; 13mercy and 14truth be with you.” 21But Ittai answered the king and said, “As the Lord lives, and as my lord the king lives, 15wherever 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 16little 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 17the brook Kidron, and all the people were crossing over toward 18the way of the wilderness.

24Now behold, 19Zadok also came, and all the Levites with him, 20carrying the ark of the covenant of God. And they set down the ark of God, and 21Abiathar 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 22He will bring me back and show me both it and 23His habitation. 26But if He says this: ‘24I have no delight in you,’ then here I am, 25let Him do to me as seems good 26to Him.” 27The king also said to Zadok the priest, “Are you not 27a seer? Return to the city in peace, and your 28two sons with you, your son Ahimaaz and Jonathan the son of Abiathar. 28See, I am going to wait 29at 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 30his head was covered, and he was walking 31barefoot. 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, “32Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” And David said, “Lord, please 33make the advice of Ahithophel foolish.”

32It happened as David was coming to the summit, where God was worshiped, that behold, Hushai the 34Archite met him with his 35coat torn, and 36dust on his head. 33And David said to him, “If you go over with me, then you will become 37a burden to me. 34But if you return to the city and 38say 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 39whatever you hear from the king’s house, you shall report to Zadok and Abiathar the priests. 36Behold 40their two sons are there with them, Ahimaaz, Zadok’s son and Jonathan, Abiathar’s son; and 41by them you shall send me everything that you hear.” 37So Hushai, 42David’s friend, came into the city, and 43Absalom came into Jerusalem.