2 Samuel 15:7-31

7Now it came about at the end of 1four years that Absalom said to the king, “Please let me go and pay my vow which I have made to the Lord, in 2Hebron. 8For your servant 3made a vow while I was living in Geshur in Aram, saying, ‘4If 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, ‘5Absalom is king in Hebron!’” 11Then two hundred men went with Absalom from Jerusalem, 6who were invited and 7went 8innocently, for 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 continually increased with Absalom.

13Then a messenger came to David, saying, “12The hearts of the people of Israel are 13with Absalom.” 14So David said to all his servants who were with him in Jerusalem, “14Arise 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 15with him; but 16the king left ten concubines behind to take care of the house. 17The king left, and all the people 17with him, and they stopped at the last house. 18Now all of his servants passed by beside him, and 18all the Cherethites, all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, 19six hundred men who had come 20with him from Gath, passed by before the king.

19Then the king said to 21Ittai the Gittite, “Why should you go with us too? Return and stay with 22your 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 23I go wherever I go? Return and take your brothers back; 24mercy and 25truth be with you.” 21But Ittai answered the king and said, “As the Lord lives, and as my lord the king lives, 26wherever 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 27little 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 28the brook Kidron, and all the people were crossing over toward 29the way of the wilderness.

24Now behold, 30Zadok also came, and all the Levites with him, 31carrying the ark of the covenant of God. And they set down the ark of God, and 32Abiathar 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 33He will bring me back and show me both it and 34His habitation. 26But if He says this: ‘35I have no delight in you,’ then here I am, 36let Him do to me as seems good 37to Him.” 27The king also said to Zadok the priest, “Are you not 38a seer? Return to the city in peace, and your 39two sons with you, your son Ahimaaz and Jonathan the son of Abiathar. 28See, I am going to wait 40at 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 41his head was covered, and he was walking 42barefoot. 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, “43Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” And David said, “Lord, please 44make the advice of Ahithophel foolish.”