2 Samuel 15

Absalom’s Conspiracy

1Now it cameH1961 aboutH1961 afterH4480H310 thisH3651 that 1AbsalomH53 providedH6213 for himself a chariotH4818 and horsesH5483, and fiftyH2572 menH376 2to runH7323 aheadH6440 of him. 2And AbsalomH53 used to riseH7925 earlyH7925 and 3standH5975 besideH5921H3027 the roadH1870 to the gateH8179; and when anyH3605 manH376 whoH834 hadH1961 a lawsuitH7379 was to comeH935 beforeH413 the kingH4428 for judgmentH4941, AbsalomH53 would callH7121 outH7121 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, 4your 5claimsH1697 are goodH2896 and rightH5228, but you have noH369 one to listenH8085 to you on the partH4480H854 of the kingH4428.” 4Moreover, AbsalomH53 would sayH559, “6OhH4310 that someone would appointH7760 me judgeH8199 in the landH776, then everyH3605 manH376 whoH834 hasH1961 a lawsuitH7379 or claimH4941 could comeH935 to me, and I would giveH6663 him justiceH6663!” 5And whenever a manH376 approachedH7126 to prostrateH2331 himself before him, he would putH7971 outH7971 his handH3027 and takeH2388 holdH2388 of him and 7kissH5401 him. 6AbsalomH53 dealtH6213 thisH2088 wayH1697 with allH3605 IsraelH3478 whoH834 cameH935 to the kingH4428 for judgmentH4941; 8so AbsalomH53 stoleH1589 the heartsH3820 of the peopleH376 of IsraelH3478.

7Now it cameH1961 aboutH1961 at the endH7093 of 9fourH705 yearsH8141 that AbsalomH53 saidH559 to the kingH4428, “PleaseH4994 let me goH1980 and payH7999 my vowH5088 whichH834 I have madeH5087 to the LordH3068, in 10HebronH2275. 8For your servantH5650 11madeH5087 a vowH5088 while I was livingH3427 in GeshurH1650 in AramH758, sayingH559, ‘12IfH518 the LordH3068 will indeedH7725 bringH7725 me backH7725 to JerusalemH3389, then I will serveH5647 the LordH3068.’” 9The kingH4428 saidH559 to him, “GoH1980 in peaceH7965.” So he gotH6965 upH6965 and wentH1980 to HebronH2275. 10But AbsalomH53 sentH7971 spiesH7270 throughoutH3605 the tribesH7626 of IsraelH3478, sayingH559, “As soon as you hearH8085 the soundH6963 of the trumpetH7782, then you shall sayH559, ‘13AbsalomH53 isH4427 kingH4427 in HebronH2275!’” 11Then two hundredH3967 menH376 wentH1980 with AbsalomH53 from JerusalemH3389, 14who were invitedH7121 and 15wentH1980 16innocentlyH8537, for they did not knowH3045 anythingH3605H1697. 12And AbsalomH53 sentH7971 for 17AhithophelH302 the GiloniteH1526, David’sH1732 counselorH3289, from his cityH5892 18GilohH1542, while he was offeringH2076 the sacrificesH2077. And the conspiracyH7195 was strongH533, for 19the peopleH5971 continuallyH1980 increasedH7227 with AbsalomH53.

David Flees Jerusalem

13Then a messengerH5046 cameH935 to DavidH1732, sayingH559, “20The heartsH3820 of the peopleH376 of IsraelH3478 are 21with AbsalomH53.” 14So DavidH1732 saidH559 to allH3605 his servantsH5650 whoH834 were with him in JerusalemH3389, “22AriseH6965 and let’s fleeH1272, for otherwise noneH3808 of us will escapeH6413 from AbsalomH53. GoH1980 quicklyH4116, orH6435 he will hurryH4116 and overtakeH5381 us, and bringH5080 disasterH5080H7463 on us and strikeH5221 the cityH5892 with the edgeH6310 of the swordH2719.” 15Then the king’sH4428 servantsH5650 saidH559 to the kingH4428, “BeholdH2009, your servantsH5650 will do whateverH3605H834 my lordH113 the kingH4428 choosesH977.” 16So the kingH4428 leftH3318, and allH3605 his householdH1004 23with him; but 24the kingH4428 leftH5800 tenH6235 concubinesH6370 behindH5800 to takeH8104 careH8104 of the houseH1004. 17The kingH4428 leftH3318, and allH3605 the peopleH5971 25with him, and they stoppedH5975 at the lastH4801 houseH1004. 18Now allH3605 of his servantsH5650 passedH5674 byH5674 besideH5921H3027 him, and 26allH3605 the CherethitesH3774, allH3605 the PelethitesH6432, and allH3605 the GittitesH1663, 27sixH8337 hundredH3967 menH376 whoH834 had comeH935 28with him from GathH1661, passedH5674 byH5674 beforeH6440 the kingH4428.

19Then the kingH4428 saidH559 to 29IttaiH863 the GittiteH1663, “WhyH4100 should you goH1980 with us tooH1571? ReturnH7725 and stayH3427 with 30your kingH4428, sinceH3588 you are a foreignerH5237 and an exileH1540 asH1571 wellH1571; return to your own placeH4725. 20You cameH935 only yesterdayH8543, so should I make you wanderH5128 with us todayH3117, while 31I goH1980 whereverH5921H834 I goH1980? ReturnH7725 and takeH7725 your brothersH251 backH7725; 32mercyH2617 and 33truthH571 be with you.” 21But IttaiH863 answeredH6030 the kingH4428 and saidH559, “As the LordH3068 livesH2416, and as my lordH113 the kingH4428 livesH2416, 34whereverH4725H834H8033 my lordH113 the kingH4428 may be, whetherH518 for deathH4194 orH518 for lifeH2425, thereH8033 assuredlyH3588H518 shall your servantH5650 be!” 22Then DavidH1732 saidH559 to IttaiH863, “GoH1980 and crossH5674 overH5674 the brook Kidron.” So IttaiH863 the GittiteH1663 crossedH5674 overH5674 with allH3605 his menH376 and allH3605 the 35littleH2945 onesH2945 whoH834 were with him. 23While allH3605 the countryH776 was weepingH1058 with a loudH1419 voiceH6963, allH3605 the peopleH5971 were crossingH5674 overH5674. The kingH4428 was also crossingH5674 overH5674 36the brookH5158 KidronH6939, and allH3605 the peopleH5971 were crossingH5674 overH5674 towardH5921H6440 37the wayH1870 of the wildernessH4057.

24Now beholdH2009, 38ZadokH6659 alsoH1571 came, and allH3605 the LevitesH3881 with him, 39carryingH5375 the arkH727 of the covenantH1285 of GodH430. And they setH3322 downH3322 the arkH727 of GodH430, and 40AbiatharH54 cameH5927 upH5927 untilH5704 allH3605 the peopleH5971 had finishedH8552 crossingH5674 overH5674 from the cityH5892. 25And the kingH4428 saidH559 to ZadokH6659, “ReturnH7725 the arkH727 of GodH430 to the cityH5892. IfH518 I findH4672 favorH2580 in the sightH5869 of the LordH3068, then 41He will bringH7725 me backH7725 and showH7200 me both it and 42His habitationH5116. 26But ifH518 He saysH559 thisH3541: ‘43I haveH2654 noH3808 delightH2654 in you,’ then hereH2009 I am, 44let Him doH6213 to me as seems goodH2895 45to Him.” 27The kingH4428 also saidH559 to ZadokH6659 the priestH3548, “Are you not 46a seerH7203? ReturnH7725 to the cityH5892 in peaceH7965, and your 47twoH8147 sonsH1121 with you, your sonH1121 AhimaazH290 and JonathanH3083 the sonH1121 of AbiatharH54. 28SeeH7200, I am going to waitH4102 48at the riverH5679 crossingH5679 placesH5679 of the wildernessH4057 untilH5704 wordH1697 comesH935 from you to informH5046 me.” 29So ZadokH6659 and AbiatharH54 returnedH7725 the arkH727 of GodH430 to JerusalemH3389 and remainedH3427 thereH8033.

30And DavidH1732 was goingH5927 upH5927 the ascentH4608 of the Mount of OlivesH2132, weepingH1058 as he wentH5927, and 49his headH7218 was coveredH2645, and he was walkingH1980 50barefootH3182. Then allH3605 the peopleH5971 whoH834 were with him eachH376 coveredH2645 his own headH7218, and they were goingH5927 upH5927, weepingH1058 as they wentH5927. 31Now someone informedH5046 DavidH1732, sayingH559, “51AhithophelH302 is among the conspiratorsH7194 with AbsalomH53.” And DavidH1732 saidH559, “LordH3068, pleaseH4994 52makeH5528 the adviceH6098 of AhithophelH302 foolishH5528.”

32It happenedH1961 as DavidH1732 was comingH935 to the summitH7218, whereH834H8033 GodH430 was worshipedH2331, that beholdH2009, HushaiH2365 the 53ArchiteH757 metH7122 him with his 54coatH3801 tornH7167, and 55dustH127 on his headH7218. 33And DavidH1732 saidH559 to him, “IfH518 you goH5674 overH5674 with me, then you will becomeH1961 56a burdenH4853 to me. 34But ifH518 you returnH7725 to the cityH5892 and 57sayH559 to AbsalomH53, ‘I will be your servantH5650, O kingH4428; even as I was your father’sH1 servantH5650 in timeH227 pastH3975, so nowH6258 I will also be your servantH5650,’ then you can foilH6565 the adviceH6098 of AhithophelH302 for me. 35Are ZadokH6659 and AbiatharH54 the priestsH3548 not with you thereH8033? So it shall be that 58whateverH3605H1697H834 you hearH8085 from the king’sH4428 houseH1004, you shall reportH5046 to ZadokH6659 and AbiatharH54 the priestsH3548. 36BeholdH2009 59their twoH8147 sonsH1121 are thereH8033 with them, AhimaazH290, Zadok’sH6659 son and JonathanH3083, Abiathar’sH54 son; and 60by them you shall sendH7971 me everythingH3605 that you hearH8085.” 37So HushaiH2365, 61David’sH1732 friendH7463, cameH935 into the cityH5892, and 62AbsalomH53 cameH935 into JerusalemH3389.