SECOND SAMUEL

 

2 Samuel Chapter 15

1 ¶ After this, Absalom prepared chariots and horses for himself, and fifty men to run in front of him.

2 And Absalom got up early, and stood beside the gateway: and when anyone who had a controversy came to the king for judgment, Absalom called to him, and said, What city are you from? And he would reply, Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel.

3 Absalom would then say to him, Look, your cause is just and right; but there is no agent of the king to hear you.

4 Absalom would then say, Oh if only I were made judge in the land, so that everyone who has any suit or cause might come to me, I would do him justice!

5 And whenever a man came near to him to do him obeisance, he stretched out his arm, and embraced him, and kissed him.

6 And Absalom acted this way toward all the Israelites who came to the king for judgment: thus Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

7 ¶ Now after four years, Absalom said to the king, I pray you, let me go to Hebron and pay my vow, which I made to the LORD.

8 For your servant made a vow while I was living in Geshur in Syria, saying, If the LORD will bring me back again to Jerusalem, then I will serve the LORD.

9 And the king said to him, Go in peace. So he arose, and went to Hebron.

10 But Absalom sent secret agents throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then say, Absalom reigns in Hebron.

11 And two hundred men from Jerusalem, who were invited, went with Absalom; and they went innocently, without knowing anything.

12 And while offering sacrifices, Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, from his city Giloh. And the conspiracy was strong; for the number of people with Absalom increased continually.

13 ¶ And a messenger came to David, saying, The hearts of the men of Israel have gone after Absalom.

14 So David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, Get up, we have to flee; or we will not escape from Absalom: hurry to depart, or he will overtake us, and heap disaster upon us, and destroy the city with the edge of the sword.

15 Then the king’s servants said to the king, Behold, your servants are ready to do whatever my lord the king says.

16 So the king and his entire household set out. But the king left ten women, who were concubines, to take care of the palace.

17 But as the king and all the people with him left, they halted at the last house.

18 And all of David’s servants passed on by him; then all the Cherethites, Pelethites, and Gittites, six hundred men who came with him from Gath, passed on by the king.

19 Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, Why are you going with us? return to your place, and remain with the king: for you are a stranger, and also an exile.

20 Since you came only yesterday, should I make you wander around with us today? seeing I go wherever I can, return, and take back your brethren: may mercy and truth be with you.

21 But Ittai answered the king, and said, As the LORD lives, and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king is, whether it means life or death, your servant will be there.

22 So David said to Ittai, Go on and pass by. And Ittai the Gittite, and all his men, and all the little ones that were with him, passed by.

23 And the entire country wept aloud, as all the people crossed over: the king also himself crossed over the brook Kidron, and all the people went on toward the wilderness.

24 ¶ Abiathar came up, and Zadok was also there, with all the Levites, carrying the ark of the covenant of God: and they set down the ark of God; until all the people had gone from the city.

25 Then the king said to Zadok, Carry the ark of God back into the city: if I find favor in the eyes of the LORD, he will bring me back, and let me see both it, and his house:

26 But if he says, I have no delight in you; then, here I am, let him do to me what seems good to him.

27 The king also said to Zadok the priest, Are not you a seer? return to the city in peace, with your two sons, Ahimaaz your son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar.

28 Remember, I will wait by the fords of the wilderness, until word comes from you to inform me.

29 Therefore Zadok and Abiathar carried the ark of God back to Jerusalem: and they remained there.

30 And David went up over the mount of Olives, and wept as he went up, barefoot with his head covered: and everyone who was with him covered his head, and they went up, weeping as they went.

31 ¶ Then David was told, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. And David said, O LORD, I pray you, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.

32 And when David came to the summit, where he worshipped God, behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his coat torn, and dust upon his head:

33 David said to him, If you go on with me, you will be a burden to me:

34 But if you return to the city, and say to Absalom, I will be your servant, O king; as I have been your father’s servant in the past, I will also now be your servant: then you may defeat the counsel of Ahithophel for me.

35 Will not Zadok and Abiathar the priests be there with you? therefore tell whatever you hear from the king’s house, to Zadok and Abiathar the priests.

36 Behold, their two sons are there with them, Ahimaaz Zadok’s son, and Jonathan Abiathar’s son; and by them you shall send to me everything that you hear.

37 So Hushai David’s friend went back to the city, and Absalom entered Jerusalem.