And it came to pass after this [0310], that Absalom [053] prepared [06213] him chariots [04818] and horses [05483], and fifty [02572] men [0376] to run [07323] before [06440] him.
And Absalom [053] rose up early [07925], and stood [05975] beside [03027] the way [01870] of the gate [08179]: and it was so, that when any man [0376] that had a controversy [07379] came [0935] to the king [04428] for judgment [04941], then Absalom [053] called [07121] unto him, and said [0559], Of what [0335] city [05892] art thou? And he said [0559], Thy servant [05650] is of one [0259] of the tribes [07626] of Israel [03478].came: Heb. to come
And Absalom [053] said [0559] unto him, See [07200], thy matters [01697] are good [02896] and right [05228]; but there is no man deputed of the king [04428] to hear [08085] thee.there…: or, none will hear thee from the king downward
Absalom [053] said [0559] moreover, Oh that I were made [07760] judge [08199] in the land [0776], that every man [0376] which hath any suit [07379] or cause [04941] might come [0935] unto me, and I would do him justice [06663]!
And it was so, that when any man [0376] came nigh [07126] to him to do him obeisance [07812], he put forth [07971] his hand [03027], and took [02388] him, and kissed [05401] him.
And on this manner [01697] did [06213] Absalom [053] to all Israel [03478] that came [0935] to the king [04428] for judgment [04941]: so Absalom [053] stole [01589] the hearts [03820] of the men [0582] of Israel [03478].
And it came to pass after [07093] forty [0705] years [08141], that Absalom [053] said [0559] unto the king [04428], I pray thee, let me go [03212] and pay [07999] my vow [05088], which I have vowed [05087] unto the Lord [03068], in Hebron [02275].
For thy servant [05650] vowed [05087] a vow [05088] while I abode [03427] at Geshur [01650] in Syria [0758], saying [0559], If the Lord [03068] shall bring me again [07725] [07725] indeed to Jerusalem [03389], then I will serve [05647] the Lord [03068].
And the king [04428] said [0559] unto him, Go [03212] in peace [07965]. So he arose [06965], and went [03212] to Hebron [02275].
But Absalom [053] sent [07971] spies [07270] throughout all the tribes [07626] of Israel [03478], saying [0559], As soon as ye hear [08085] the sound [06963] of the trumpet [07782], then ye shall say [0559], Absalom [053] reigneth [04427] in Hebron [02275].
And with Absalom [053] went [01980] two hundred [03967] men [0376] out of Jerusalem [03389], that were called [07121]; and they went [01980] in their simplicity [08537], and they knew [03045] not any thing [01697].
And Absalom [053] sent [07971] for Ahithophel [0302] the Gilonite [01526], David's [01732] counsellor [03289], from his city [05892], even from Giloh [01542], while he offered [02076] sacrifices [02077]. And the conspiracy [07195] was strong [0533]; for the people [05971] increased [07227] continually [01980] with Absalom [053].
And there came [0935] a messenger [05046] to David [01732], saying [0559], The hearts [03820] of the men [0376] of Israel [03478] are after [0310] Absalom [053].
And David [01732] said [0559] unto all his servants [05650] that were with him at Jerusalem [03389], Arise [06965], and let us flee [01272]; for we shall not else escape [06413] from [06440] Absalom [053]: make speed [04116] to depart [03212], lest he overtake [05381] us suddenly [04116], and bring [05080] evil [07451] upon us, and smite [05221] the city [05892] with the edge [06310] of the sword [02719].bring: Heb. thrust
And the king's [04428] servants [05650] said [0559] unto the king [04428], Behold, thy servants [05650] are ready to do whatsoever my lord [0113] the king [04428] shall appoint [0977].appoint: Heb. choose
And the king [04428] went forth [03318], and all his household [01004] after [07272] him. And the king [04428] left [05800] ten [06235] women [0802], which were concubines [06370], to keep [08104] the house [01004].after…: Heb. at his feet
And the king [04428] went forth [03318], and all the people [05971] after [07272] him, and tarried [05975] in a place [01004] that was far off [01023] [04801].
And all his servants [05650] passed on [05674] beside [03027] him; and all the Cherethites [03774], and all the Pelethites [06432], and all the Gittites [01663], six [08337] hundred [03967] men [0376] which came [0935] after [07272] him from Gath [01661], passed on [05674] before [06440] the king [04428].
Then said [0559] the king [04428] to Ittai [0863] the Gittite [01663], Wherefore goest [03212] thou also with us? return [07725] to thy place [04725], and abide [03427] with the king [04428]: for thou art a stranger [05237], and also an exile [01540].
Whereas thou camest [0935] but yesterday [08543], should I this day [03117] make thee go [03212] up and down [05128] [05128] with us? seeing I go [01980] whither I may, return [07725] thou, and take back [07725] thy brethren [0251]: mercy [02617] and truth [0571] be with thee.go up…: Heb. wander in going
And Ittai [0863] answered [06030] the king [04428], and said [0559], As the Lord [03068] liveth [02416], and as my lord [0113] the king [04428] liveth [02416], surely in what place [04725] my lord [0113] the king [04428] shall be, whether in death [04194] or life [02416], even there also will thy servant [05650] be.
And David [01732] said [0559] to Ittai [0863], Go [03212] and pass over [05674]. And Ittai [0863] the Gittite [01663] passed over [05674], and all his men [0582], and all the little ones [02945] that were with him.
And all the country [0776] wept [01058] with a loud [01419] voice [06963], and all the people [05971] passed over [05674]: the king [04428] also himself passed over [05674] the brook [05158] Kidron [06939], and all the people [05971] passed over [05674], toward [06440] the way [01870] of the wilderness [04057].Kidron: Gr. Cedron
And lo Zadok [06659] also, and all the Levites [03881] were with him, bearing [05375] the ark [0727] of the covenant [01285] of God [0430]: and they set down [03332] the ark [0727] of God [0430]; and Abiathar [054] went up [05927], until all the people [05971] had done [08552] passing [05674] out of the city [05892].
And the king [04428] said [0559] unto Zadok [06659], Carry back [07725] the ark [0727] of God [0430] into the city [05892]: if I shall find [04672] favour [02580] in the eyes [05869] of the Lord [03068], he will bring me again [07725], and shew [07200] me both it, and his habitation [05116]:
But if he thus say [0559], I have no delight [02654] in thee; behold, here am I, let him do [06213] to me as seemeth [05869] good [02896] unto him.
The king [04428] said [0559] also unto Zadok [06659] the priest [03548], Art not thou a seer [07200]? return [07725] into the city [05892] in peace [07965], and your two [08147] sons [01121] with you, Ahimaaz [0290] thy son [01121], and Jonathan [03083] the son [01121] of Abiathar [054].
See [07200], I will tarry [04102] in the plain [05679] [06160] of the wilderness [04057], until there come [0935] word [01697] from you to certify [05046] me.
Zadok [06659] therefore and Abiathar [054] carried [07725] the ark [0727] of God [0430] again [07725] to Jerusalem [03389]: and they tarried [03427] there.
And David [01732] went up [05927] by the ascent [04608] of mount Olivet [02132], and wept [01058] as he went up [05927], and had his head [07218] covered [02645], and he went [01980] barefoot [03182]: and all the people [05971] that was with him covered [02645] every man [0376] his head [07218], and they went up [05927], weeping [01058] as they went up [05927].and wept…: Heb. going up and weeping
And one told [05046] David [01732], saying [0559], Ahithophel [0302] is among the conspirators [07194] with Absalom [053]. And David [01732] said [0559], O Lord [03068], I pray thee, turn the counsel [06098] of Ahithophel [0302] into foolishness [05528].
And it came to pass, that when David [01732] was come [0935] to the top [07218] of the mount, where he worshipped [07812] God [0430], behold, Hushai [02365] the Archite [0757] came to meet [07125] him with his coat [03801] rent [07167], and earth [0127] upon his head [07218]:
Unto whom David [01732] said [0559], If thou passest on [05674] with me, then thou shalt be a burden [04853] unto me:
But if thou return [07725] to the city [05892], and say [0559] unto Absalom [053], I will be thy servant [05650], O king [04428]; as I have been thy father's [01] servant [05650] hitherto [0227], so will I now also be thy servant [05650]: then mayest thou for me defeat [06565] the counsel [06098] of Ahithophel [0302].
And hast thou not there with thee Zadok [06659] and Abiathar [054] the priests [03548]? therefore it shall be, that what thing [01697] soever thou shalt hear [08085] out of the king's [04428] house [01004], thou shalt tell [05046] it to Zadok [06659] and Abiathar [054] the priests [03548].
Behold, they have there with them their two [08147] sons [01121], Ahimaaz [0290] Zadok's [06659] son, and Jonathan [03083] Abiathar's [054] son; and by them [03027] ye shall send [07971] unto me every thing [01697] that ye can hear [08085].
So Hushai [02365] David's [01732] friend [07463] came [0935] into the city [05892], and Absalom [053] came [0935] into Jerusalem [03389].