Absalom’s Conspiracy
And it was afterward that Absalom got himself a chariot and horses, and fifty men to run before him.
And Absalom would rise early and stand beside the way of the gate; and it was, whenever any man had a dispute to bring to the king for judgment, that Absalom would call to him and say, “What city are you from?” And he would say, “Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel.”
And Absalom would say to him, “See — your claims are good and right, but there is no one to hear you from the king.”
And Absalom would say, “Who will set me as judge in the land, so that every man who has a dispute or a judgment might come to me, and I would give him justice!”
And it was, when a man approached to prostrate himself to him, that he would stretch out his hand and take hold of him and kiss him.
And Absalom did according to this to all Israel who came to the king for judgment; and Absalom stole the heart of the men of Israel.
And it was at the end of forty years that Absalom said to the king, “Let me go, please, and pay my vow that I vowed to the LORD, in Hebron.
For your servant vowed a vow while I lived at Geshur in Aram, saying, ‘If the LORD will surely bring me back to Jerusalem, then I will serve the LORD in Hebron.’”
And the king said to him, “Go in peace.” And he rose and went to Hebron.
But Absalom sent spies through all the tribes of Israel, saying, “When you hear the sound of the trumpet, then you shall say, ‘Absalom has become king at Hebron.’”
And with Absalom went two hundred men from Jerusalem — invited guests, going in their innocence; and they knew nothing at all.
And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, from his city, from Giloh, while he was offering the sacrifices. And the conspiracy grew strong, and the people with Absalom kept increasing.
David Flees Jerusalem
And the one who brought the news came to David, saying, “The heart of the men of Israel has gone after Absalom.”
And David said to all his servants who were with him in Jerusalem: “Rise, and let us flee, for there will be no escape for us from Absalom. Hurry to go, lest he hurry and overtake us, and bring the evil down on us, and strike the city with the edge of the sword.”
And the king’s servants said to the king, “According to all that my lord the king chooses — look, your servants.”
And the king went out, and all his household at his feet; and the king left ten women, concubines, to keep the house.
And the king went out, and all the people at his feet; and they stopped at the last house.
And all his servants were crossing over beside him — and all the Cherethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, six hundred men who had come at his feet from Gath, crossing over before the king.
And the king said to Ittai the Gittite: “Why should you also go with us? Turn back and stay with the king — for you are a foreigner, and you are also an exile from your own place.
You came only yesterday — and today shall I make you wander with us, when I go where I am going? Turn back, and take your brothers back with you — loyal love and faithfulness.”
And Ittai answered the king and said, “As the LORD lives, and as my lord the king lives — surely in the place where my lord the king is, whether for death or for life, there your servant will be.”
And David said to Ittai, “Go, and cross over.” And Ittai the Gittite crossed over, with all his men and all the little ones who were with him.
And all the land was weeping with a great voice as all the people crossed over; and the king was crossing the brook Kidron, and all the people crossing over on the way of the wilderness.
And look — Zadok too, and all the Levites with him, carrying the ark of the covenant of God; and they set down the ark of God, and Abiathar came up, until all the people had finished crossing over from the city.
And the king said to Zadok: “Take the ark of God back to the city. If I find favor in the eyes of the LORD, he will bring me back and show me both it and his dwelling.
But if he says this — ‘I have no delight in you’ — here I am; let him do to me as is good in his eyes.”
And the king said to Zadok the priest: “Are you a seer? Return to the city in peace, with Ahimaaz your son and Jonathan the son of Abiathar — your two sons with you.
See — I will linger at the fords of the wilderness until word comes from you to tell me.”
So Zadok and Abiathar took the ark of God back to Jerusalem, and they stayed there.
David Weeps at the Mount of Olives
And David was going up the ascent of the Olives, going up and weeping, with his head covered, and he was walking barefoot; and all the people who were with him — each had covered his head, and they went up, going up and weeping.
And it was told to David, saying, “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” And David said, “Turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness, please, O LORD.”
And it was, as David came to the summit, where one prostrates himself to God — look, Hushai the Archite coming to meet him, with his tunic torn and earth on his head.
And David said to him: “If you cross over with me, you will be a burden on me.
But if you return to the city and say to Absalom, ‘I will be your servant, O king; I was your father’s servant before, and now I will be your servant’ — then you can break the counsel of Ahithophel for me.
And are not Zadok and Abiathar the priests there with you? And it shall be, every word that you hear from the king’s house you shall tell to Zadok and Abiathar the priests.
Look — their two sons are there with them, Ahimaaz for Zadok and Jonathan for Abiathar; and by their hand you shall send to me every word that you hear.”
So Hushai, David’s friend, came to the city — as Absalom was entering Jerusalem.