2Sam 15
1
And it came to pass after this that Abessalom Gr. made prepared for himself chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before
him.
2
And Abessalom rose early, and stood by the side of the way of the gate: and it came
to pass that every man who had a cause, came to the king for judgement, and Abessalom
cried to him, and said to him, Of what city are you? And he said, Your servant is
of one of the tribes of Israel.
3
And Abessalom said to him, See, your affairs are right and Gr. easy to be understood clear, yet you have no one appointed
of the king to hear you.
4
And Abessalom said, O that one would make me a judge in the land; then every man who
had a dispute or a cause would come to me, and I would judge him!
5
And it came to pass when a man came near to do him obeisance, that he stretched out
his hand, and took hold of him, and kissed him.
6
And Abessalom did after this manner to all Israel that came to the king for judgement;
and Abessalom gained the hearts of the men of Israel.
7
And it came to pass Gr. from the end of, etc. after forty years, that Abessalom said to his father, I will go now, and pay
my vows,
which I vowed to the Lord in Chebron.
8
For your servant vowed a vow when I dwelt at Gedsur in Syria, saying, If the Lord
should indeed restore me to Jerusalem, then will I serve the Lord.
9
And the king said to him, Go in peace. And he arose and went to Chebron.
10
And Abessalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, When you hear
the sound of the trumpet, then shall you say, Abessalom is become king in Chebron.
11
And there went with Abessalom two hundred chosen men from Jerusalem; and they went
in their simplicity, and knew not anything.
12
And Abessalom sent to Achitophel the Theconite, the counselor of David, from his city,
from Gola, where he was sacrificing: and there was a strong So the Alex. which reads sustremma; see Ac 23:12 conspiracy; and
the people with Abessalom were increasingly numerous.
13
And there came a messenger to David, saying, the heart of the men of Israel is gone
after Abessalom.
14
And David said to all his servants who were with him in Jerusalem, Rise, and let us
flee, for we have no refuge from Abessalom: make haste and go, lest he overtake us
speedily, and bring evil upon us, and smite the city with the edge of the sword.
15
And the king’s servants said to the king, In all things which our lord the king chooses,
behold we are your servants.
16
And the king and all his house went out on foot: and the king left ten women of his
concubines to keep the house.
17
And the king and all his servants went out on foot; and abode in a distant house.
18
And all his servants passed on by his Gr. hand side, and every Chelethite, and every Phelethite, and they stood by the olive
tree
in the wilderness: and all the people marched near him, and all his court, and all
the men of might, and all the men of war, six hundred: and they were present at his
side: and every Chelethite, and every Phelethite, and all the six hundred Gittites
that came on foot out of Geth, and Or, they that they went on before the king.
19
And the king said to Ethi, the Gittite, Why do you also go with us? return, and dwell
with the king, for you are a stranger, and you has come forth as a sojourner out of
your place.
20
Gr. if Whereas you came yesterday, shall I to-day cause you to travel with us, and shall
you thus change your place? you did come forth yesterday, and to-day shall I set you
in motion to go along with us? I indeed will go wherever I may go: return then, and
cause your brethren to return with you, and may the Lord deal mercifully and truly
with you.
21
And Ethi answered the king and said, As the Lord lives and as my lord the king lives,
in the place wheresoever my lord shall be, whether it be for death or life, there
shall your servant be.
22
And the king said to Ethi, Come and pass over with me. So Ethi the Gittite and the
king passed over, and all his servants, and all the multitude with him.
23
And all the Gr. land country wept with a loud voice. And all the people passed by Gr. in over the brook of Kedron; and the
king crossed the brook Kedron: and all the people
and the king passed on toward the way of the wilderness.
24
And behold also Sadoc, and all the Levites were with him, bearing the ark of the covenant
of the Lord from Baethar: and they set down the ark of God; and Abiathar went up,
until all the people had passed out of the city.
25
And the king said to Sadoc, Carry back the ark of God into the city: if I should find
favour in the eyes of the Lord, then will he bring me back, and he will shew me it
and its beauty.
26
But if he should say thus, I have no pleasure in you; behold, here I am, let him do
to me according to that which is good in his eyes.
27
And the king said to Sadoc the priest, Behold, you Gr. do shall return to the city in peace, and Achimaas your son, and Jonathan
the son of
Abiathar, your two sons with you.
28
Behold, I continue in arms in Araboth of the desert, until there come tidings from
you to report to me.
29
So Sadoc and Abiathar brought back the ark of the Lord to Jerusalem, and it continued
there.
30
And David went up by the ascent of the mount of Olives, ascending and weeping, and
had his head covered, and went barefooted: and all the people that were with him covered
every man his head; and they went up, ascending and weeping.
31
And it was reported to David, saying, Achitophel also is among the conspirators with
Abessalom. And David said, O Lord my God, disconcert, I pray you, the counsel of Achitophel.
32
And David came as far as Ros, where he worshiped God: and behold, Chusi the chief
friend of David came out to meet him, having rent his garment, and earth was upon
his head.
33
And David said to him, If you should go over with me, then will you be a burden to
me;
34
but if you shall return to the city, and shall say to Abessalom, Your brethren are
passed over, and the king your father is passed over after me: and now I am your servant,
O king, suffer me to live: at one time even of late I was the servant of your father,
and now I am your humble servant—so shall you disconcert for me, the counsel of Achitophel.
35
And, behold, there are there with you Sadoc and Abiathar the priests; and it shall
be that every word that you shall hear of the house of the king, you shall report
it to Sadoc and Abiathar the priests.
36
Behold, there are there with them their two sons, Achimaas the son of Sadoc, and Jonathan
the son of Abiathar; and by them you shall report to me every word which you shall
hear.
37
So Chusi the friend of David went into the city, and Abessalom was lately gone into
Jerusalem.