1
And it was, after this, that Absalom made for himself chariots and horses, and fifty men◦ to run before him.
2
And Absalom got··up··early, and stood by◦ the side* of the way of the gate; and it was, that when any man◦ that had a plea came to▵ the king for judgment, then Absalom called unto▵ him and said, Of what city art thou◦? And he said, Thy servant is of one of the tribes◦ of Israel.
3
And Absalom said to▵ him, See, thy words are good and righteous, but no··one hearkens to thee from◦ the king.
4
And Absalom said, Who will set me as judge in the land, and every man◦ who has a plea and a judgment might come to me and I would justify him?
5
And it was, when a man◦ would come··near to bow··down to him, that he put··forth◦ his hand and held· him ·firmly and kissed him.
6
And according··to this thing Absalom did to all Israel that came for judgment to▵ the king; and Absalom stole the heart of the men◦ of Israel.
7
And it was, at the end of forty years, that Absalom said unto▵ the king, Let me go, I pray◦ thee, and pay my vow which I have vowed to Jehovah in Hebron.
8
For thy servant vowed a vow while I abode▫ at Geshur in Syria, saying, If bringing··back, Jehovah will bring· me ·back to Jerusalem, then will I serve Jehovah.
9
And the king said unto him, Go in peace. And he arose and went to Hebron.
10
And Absalom sent··out spies into all the tribes◦ of Israel, saying, When you hear the voice of the shophar*, then you shall say, Absalom reigns in Hebron.
11
And with Absalom went◦ two··hundred men◦ out of Jerusalem, that were called; and they went◦ in integrity, and knew not anything.
12
And Absalom sent Ahithophel the Gilonite, a counselor of David, from his city, from Giloh, when he sacrificed the sacrifices. And the conspiracy was encouraged, and the people walked and were many with◦ Absalom.
13
And there came one that told David, saying, The heart of the men◦ of Israel is after Absalom.
14
And David said unto all his servants that were with◦ him in Jerusalem, Arise and let us run··away; for there shall be no◦ escape◦ for us from before Absalom; hasten to go, lest he hasten to overtake us and thrust evil upon us, and smite the city with the mouth of the sword.
15
And the servants of the king said unto▵ the king, According to all that my lord the king shall choose, behold, thy servants.
16
And the king went··forth and all his house at his feet. And the king left◦ ten women, concubines, to keep the house.
17
And the king went··out and all the people followed at his feet, and they stood at Beth-hamerchak.
18
And all his servants crossed··over at his side*, and all the Cherethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, six hundred men◦ that came following at his foot from Gath passing over before the king.
19
And the king said to▵ Ittai the Gittite, Why goest thou◦ also with◦ us? Return and sit with the king; for thou◦ art a foreigner, and thou◦ art also an exile to thy place.
20
Yesterday thou camest, and today shall I make thee to go··to··and··fro, to go with us, and I◦ go◦ where I◦ go. Return, and Return thy brothers with thee, with mercy and truth.
21
And Ittai answered the king and said, By the life of Jehovah and by the life of my lord the king, surely in what place my lord the king shall be, whether for death or for life, even there shall thy servant be.
22
And David said to▵ Ittai, Go and cross··over. And Ittai the Gittite crossed··over and all his men◦, and every infant that was with◦ him.
23
And all the land wept with a great voice, and all the people crossed··over; and the king crossed··over the brook Kidron, and all the people crossed··over, toward* the way of the wilderness.
24
And behold, Zadok also, and all the Levites with◦ him, bearing the ark of the covenant of God, and they set down the ark of God, and Abiathar went··up until all the people had finished passing out of the city.
25
And the king said to Zadok, Return the ark of God to the city. If I shall find grace in the eyes of Jehovah, then He will Return me and let me see it and His home.
26
But if He say thus; I delight not in thee, Behold me. Let Him do to me what is good in His eyes.
27
And the king said unto▵ Zadok the priest, Thou◦ art a seer. Return to the city in peace, and Ahimaaz thy son, and Jonathan◦ the son of Abiathar, your two sons with◦ you.
28
See, I▵ will linger in the plains of the wilderness, until there come word from you to tell me.
29
And Zadok and Abiathar returned the ark of God to Jerusalem, and abode▫ there.
30
And David went··up in going··up to the Mount of Olives, going··up and weeping, and had◦ his head covered··over. And he◦ went◦ barefoot; and all the people that were with◦ him covered··over each man◦ his head, and they went··up, going··up and weeping.
31
And one told David, saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. And David said, O Jehovah, I pray◦ Thee, make··senseless the counsel of Ahithophel.
32
And it was, that David was come even··to the head of the mount where he worshipped God, and, behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him, with his tunic rent, and the dust* of the ground on his head.
33
And David said unto him, If thou cross··over with me, then thou shalt be a burden unto me.
34
But if thou return to the city, and wilt say to Absalom, I◦ am thy servant, O king; I have been the servant of thy father, even▵ I◦ from that··time▵; but now even▵ I◦ will be thy servant; then thou shalt make· the counsel of Ahithophel ·of··none··effect for me.
35
And hast thou not there with thee Zadok and Abiathar the priests? and it shall be that every word thou shalt hear out of the king’s house, thou shalt··tell to Zadok and Abiathar the priests.
36
Behold they have there with them their two sons, Ahimaaz for Zadok, and Jonathan◦ for Abiathar; and by their hand you shall send unto▵ me every word that you hear.
37
And Hushai the companion of David came to the city, and Absalom came to Jerusalem.
