1
And it came to pass after this[H310], that Absalom[H53]prepared[H6213] him chariots[H4818] and horses[H5483], and fifty[H2572]men[H376] to run[H7323]before[H6440] him.
2
And Absalom[H53] rose up early[H7925], and stood[H5975]beside[H3027] the way[H1870] of the gate[H8179]: and it was so, that when any man[H376] that had a controversy[H7379]came[H935] to the king[H4428] for judgment[H4941], then Absalom[H53]called[H7121] unto him, and said[H559], Of what[H335]city[H5892] art thou? And he said[H559], Thy servant[H5650] is of one[H259] of the tribes[H7626] of Israel[H3478].
3
And Absalom[H53]said[H559] unto him, See[H7200], thy matters[H1697] are good[H2896] and right[H5228]; but there is no man deputed of the king[H4428] to hear[H8085] thee.
4Absalom[H53]said[H559] moreover, Oh that I were made[H7760]judge[H8199] in the land[H776], that every man[H376] which hath any suit[H7379] or cause[H4941] might come[H935] unto me, and I would do him justice[H6663]!
5
And it was so, that when any man[H376] came nigh[H7126] to him to do him obeisance[H7812], he put forth[H7971] his hand[H3027], and took[H2388] him, and kissed[H5401] him.
6
And on this manner[H1697]did[H6213]Absalom[H53] to all Israel[H3478] that came[H935] to the king[H4428] for judgment[H4941]: so Absalom[H53]stole[H1589] the hearts[H3820] of the men[H582] of Israel[H3478].
7
And it came to pass after[H7093]forty[H705]years[H8141], that Absalom[H53]said[H559] unto the king[H4428], I pray thee, let me go[H3212] and pay[H7999] my vow[H5088], which I have vowed[H5087] unto the LORD[H3068], in Hebron[H2275].
8
For thy servant[H5650]vowed[H5087] a vow[H5088] while I abode[H3427] at Geshur[H1650] in Syria[H758], saying[H559], If the LORD[H3068] shall bring me again[H7725] indeed to Jerusalem[H3389], then I will serve[H5647] the LORD[H3068].
9
And the king[H4428]said[H559] unto him, Go[H3212] in peace[H7965]. So he arose[H6965], and went[H3212] to Hebron[H2275].
10
But Absalom[H53]sent[H7971]spies[H7270] throughout all the tribes[H7626] of Israel[H3478], saying[H559], As soon as ye hear[H8085] the sound[H6963] of the trumpet[H7782], then ye shall say[H559], Absalom[H53]reigneth[H4427] in Hebron[H2275].
11
And with Absalom[H53]went[H1980] two hundred[H3967]men[H376] out of Jerusalem[H3389], that were called[H7121]; and they went[H1980] in their simplicity[H8537], and they knew[H3045] not any thing[H1697].
12
And Absalom[H53]sent[H7971] for Ahithophel[H302] the Gilonite[H1526], David's counsellor[H3289], from his city[H5892], even from Giloh[H1542], while he offered[H2076]sacrifices[H2077]. And the conspiracy[H7195] was strong[H533]; for the people[H5971]increased[H7227]continually[H1980] with Absalom[H53].
13
And there came[H935] a messenger[H5046] to David[H1732], saying[H559], The hearts[H3820] of the men[H376] of Israel[H3478] are after[H310]Absalom[H53].
14
And David[H1732]said[H559] unto all his servants[H5650] that were with him at Jerusalem[H3389], Arise[H6965], and let us flee[H1272]; for we shall not else escape[H6413]from[H6440]Absalom[H53]: make speed[H4116] to depart[H3212], lest he overtake[H5381] us suddenly[H4116], and bring[H5080]evil[H7451] upon us, and smite[H5221] the city[H5892] with the edge[H6310] of the sword[H2719].
15
And the king[H4428]'s servants[H5650]said[H559] unto the king[H4428], Behold, thy servants[H5650] are ready to do whatsoever my lord[H113] the king[H4428] shall appoint[H977].
16
And the king[H4428] went forth[H3318], and all his household[H1004]after[H7272] him. And the king[H4428]left[H5800]ten[H6235]women[H802], which were concubines[H6370], to keep[H8104] the house[H1004].
17
And the king[H4428] went forth[H3318], and all the people[H5971]after[H7272] him, and tarried[H5975] in a place[H1004] that was far off[H4801].
18
And all his servants[H5650] passed on[H5674]beside[H3027] him; and all the Cherethites[H3774], and all the Pelethites[H6432], and all the Gittites[H1663], six[H8337]hundred[H3967]men[H376] which came[H935]after[H7272] him from Gath[H1661], passed on[H5674]before[H6440] the king[H4428].
19
Then said[H559] the king[H4428] to Ittai[H863] the Gittite[H1663], Wherefore goest[H3212] thou also with us? return[H7725] to thy place[H4725], and abide[H3427] with the king[H4428]: for thou art a stranger[H5237], and also an exile[H1540].
20
Whereas thou camest[H935] but yesterday[H8543], should I this day[H3117] make thee go[H3212] up and down[H5128] with us? seeing I go[H1980] whither I may, return[H7725] thou, and take back[H7725] thy brethren[H251]: mercy[H2617] and truth[H571] be with thee.
21
And Ittai[H863]answered[H6030] the king[H4428], and said[H559], As the LORD[H3068]liveth[H2416], and as my lord[H113] the king[H4428]liveth[H2416], surely in what place[H4725] my lord[H113] the king[H4428] shall be, whether in death[H4194] or life[H2416], even there also will thy servant[H5650] be.
22
And David[H1732]said[H559] to Ittai[H863], Go[H3212] and pass over[H5674]. And Ittai[H863] the Gittite[H1663] passed over[H5674], and all his men[H582], and all the little ones[H2945] that were with him.
23
And all the country[H776]wept[H1058] with a loud[H1419]voice[H6963], and all the people[H5971] passed over[H5674]: the king[H4428] also himself passed over[H5674] the brook[H5158]Kidron[H6939], and all the people[H5971] passed over[H5674], toward[H6440] the way[H1870] of the wilderness[H4057].
24
And lo Zadok[H6659] also, and all the Levites[H3881] were with him, bearing[H5375] the ark[H727] of the covenant[H1285] of God[H430]: and they set down[H3332] the ark[H727] of God[H430]; and Abiathar[H54] went up[H5927], until all the people[H5971] had done[H8552]passing[H5674] out of the city[H5892].
25
And the king[H4428]said[H559] unto Zadok[H6659], Carry back[H7725] the ark[H727] of God[H430] into the city[H5892]: if I shall find[H4672]favour[H2580] in the eyes[H5869] of the LORD[H3068], he will bring me again[H7725], and shew[H7200] me both it, and his habitation[H5116]:
26
But if he thus say[H559], I have no delight[H2654] in thee; behold, here am I, let him do[H6213] to me as seemeth[H5869]good[H2896] unto him.
27
The king[H4428]said[H559] also unto Zadok[H6659] the priest[H3548], Art not thou a seer?[H7200]return[H7725] into the city[H5892] in peace[H7965], and your two[H8147]sons[H1121] with you, Ahimaaz[H290] thy son[H1121], and Jonathan[H3083] the son[H1121] of Abiathar[H54].
28See[H7200], I will tarry[H4102] in the plain[H6160] of the wilderness[H4057], until there come[H935]word[H1697] from you to certify[H5046] me.
29Zadok[H6659] therefore and Abiathar[H54]carried[H7725] the ark[H727] of God[H430]again[H7725] to Jerusalem[H3389]: and they tarried[H3427] there.
30
And David[H1732]went[H1980]up[H5927] by the ascent[H4608] of mount Olivet[H2132], and wept[H1058] as he went[H1980]up[H5927], and had his head[H7218]covered[H2645], and he went[H1980]barefoot[H3182]: and all the people[H5971] that was with him covered[H2645] every man[H376] his head[H7218], and they went[H1980]up[H5927], weeping[H1058] as they went[H1980]up[H5927].
31
And one told[H5046]David[H1732], saying[H559], Ahithophel[H302] is among the conspirators[H7194] with Absalom[H53]. And David[H1732]said[H559], O LORD[H3068], I pray thee, turn the counsel[H6098] of Ahithophel[H302] into foolishness[H5528].
32
And it came to pass, that when David[H1732] was come[H935] to the top[H7218] of the mount, where he worshipped[H7812]God[H430], behold, Hushai[H2365] the Archite[H757] came to meet[H7125] him with his coat[H3801]rent[H7167], and earth[H127] upon his head[H7218]:
33
Unto whom David[H1732]said[H559], If thou passest on[H5674] with me, then thou shalt be a burden[H4853] unto me:
34
But if thou return[H7725] to the city[H5892], and say[H559] unto Absalom[H53], I will be thy servant[H5650], O king[H4428]; as I have been thy father's servant[H5650]hitherto[H227], so will I now also be thy servant[H5650]: then mayest thou for me defeat[H6565] the counsel[H6098] of Ahithophel[H302].
35
And hast thou not there with thee Zadok[H6659] and Abiathar[H54] the priests?[H3548] therefore it shall be, that what thing[H1697] soever thou shalt hear[H8085] out of the king's house[H1004], thou shalt tell[H5046] it to Zadok[H6659] and Abiathar[H54] the priests[H3548].
36
Behold, they have there with them[H3027] their two[H8147]sons[H1121], Ahimaaz[H290] Zadok's son, and Jonathan[H3083] Abiathar's son; and by them[H3027] ye shall send[H7971] unto me every thing[H1697] that ye can hear[H8085].
37
So Hushai[H2365] David's friend[H7463]came[H935] into the city[H5892], and Absalom[H53]came[H935] into Jerusalem[H3389].