2 Samuel 15

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 After this Absalom provided himself with chariots, horses, and fifty henchmen.	1 Then, after these things, Absalom obtained for himself chariots, and horsemen, and fifty men who went before him.
2 Moreover, Absalom used to rise early and stand alongside the road leading to the gate. If someone had a lawsuit to be decided by the king, Absalom would call to him and say, "From what city are you?" And when he replied, "Your servant is of such and such a tribe of Israel,"	2 And rising up in the morning, Absalom was standing beside the entrance of the gate. And when there was any man who had a dispute that might go before the king’s judgment, Absalom would call him to him, and would say, “Which city are you from?” And responding, he would say, “I am your servant, from a certain tribe of Israel.”
3 Absalom would say to him, "Your suit is good and just, but there is no one to hear you in the king's name."	3 And Absalom would answer him: “Your words seem good and just to me. But there is no one appointed by the king to hear you.” And Absalom would say:
4 And he would continue: "If only I could be appointed judge in the land! Then everyone who has a lawsuit to be decided might come to me and I would render him justice."	4 “Who may appoint me judge over the land, so that all those who have a dispute might come to me, and I might judge justly.”
5 Whenever a man approached him to show homage, he would extend his hand, hold him, and kiss him.	5 Then too, when a man would draw near to him, so that he might greet him, he would extend his hand, and taking hold of him, he would kiss him.
6 By behaving in this way toward all the Israelites who came to the king for judgment, Absalom was stealing away the loyalties of the men of Israel.	6 And he was doing this to all those of Israel arriving for judgment to be heard by the king. And he solicited the hearts of the men of Israel.
7 After a period of four years, Absalom said to the king: "Allow me to go to Hebron and fulfill a vow I made to the LORD.	7 Then, after forty years, Absalom said to king David: “I should go and pay my vows, which I have vowed to the Lord at Hebron.
8 For while living in Geshur in Aram, your servant made this vow: 'If the LORD ever brings me back to Jerusalem, I will worship him in Hebron.'"	8 For your servant made a vow, when he was in Geshur of Syria, saying: If the Lord will lead me back to Jerusalem, I will sacrifice to the Lord.”
9 The king wished him a safe journey, and he went off to Hebron.	9 And king David said to him, “Go in peace.” And he rose up and went away to Hebron.
10 Then Absalom sent spies throughout the tribes of Israel to say, "When you hear the sound of the horn, declare Absalom king in Hebron."	10 They Absalom sent scouts into all the tribes of Israel, saying: “As soon as you hear the blare of the trumpet, say: ‘Absalom reigns in Hebron.’ ”
11 Two hundred men had accompanied Absalom from Jerusalem. They had been invited and went in good faith, knowing nothing of the plan.	11 Now having been called, two hundred men from Jerusalem went forth with Absalom, going in simplicity of heart and being entirely ignorant of the plan.
12 Absalom also sent to Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's counselor, an invitation to come from his town, Giloh, for the sacrifices he was about to offer. So the conspiracy gained strength, and the people with Absalom increased in numbers.	12 Absalom also summoned Ahithophel the Gilonite, a counselor of David, from his city, Giloh. And when he was immolating victims, a very strong oath was sworn, and the people, hurrying together, joined with Absalom.
13 An informant came to David with the report, "The Israelites have transferred their loyalty to Absalom."	13 Then a messenger went to David, saying, “With their whole heart, all of Israel is following Absalom.”
14 At this, David said to all his servants who were with him in Jerusalem: "Up! Let us take flight, or none of us will escape from Absalom. Leave quickly, lest he hurry and overtake us, then visit disaster upon us and put the city to the sword."	14 And David said to his servants, who were with him in Jerusalem: “Rise up, let us flee! For otherwise there will be no escape for us from the face of Absalom. Hurry to depart, lest perhaps, upon arriving, he may seize us, and force ruin upon us, and strike the city with the edge of the sword.”
15 The king's officers answered him, "Your servants are ready, whatever our lord the king chooses to do."	15 And the servants of the king said to him, “Everything whatsoever that our lord the king will command, we your servants shall carry out willingly.”
16 Then the king set out, accompanied by his entire household, except for ten concubines whom he left behind to take care of the palace.	16 Therefore, the king departed, with his entire household on foot. And the king left behind ten women of the concubines to care for the house.
17 As the king left the city, with all his officers accompanying him, they halted opposite the ascent of the Mount of Olives, at a distance,	17 And having gone forth on foot, the king and all of Israel stood at a distance from the house.
18 while the whole army marched past him.As all the Cherethites and Pelethites, and the six hundred men of Gath who had accompanied him from that city, were passing in review before the king,	18 And all his servants were walking beside him. And the legions of the Cerethites and Phelethites, and all the Gittites, powerful fighters, six hundred men who had followed him from Gath on foot, were preceding the king.
19 he said to Ittai the Gittite: "Why should you also go with us? Go back and stay with the king, for you are a foreigner and you, too, are an exile from your own country.	19 Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite: “Why do you come with us? Return and live with the king. For you are a stranger, and you departed from your own place.
20 You came only yesterday, and shall I have you wander about with us today, wherever I have to go? Return and take your brothers with you, and may the LORD be kind and faithful to you."	20 You arrived yesterday. And today should you be compelled to go away with us? For I should go to the place where I am going. But you should return, and lead your own brothers back with you. And the Lord will show mercy and truth to you, because you have shown grace and faith.”
21 But Ittai answered the king, "As the LORD lives, and as my lord the king lives, your servant shall be wherever my lord the king may be, whether for death or for life."	21 And Ittai responded to the king, by saying, “As the Lord lives, and as my lord the king lives, in whatever place you will be, my lord the king, whether in death or in life, your servant will be there.”
22 So the king said to Ittai, "Go, then, march on." And Ittai the Gittite, with all his men and all the dependents that were with him, marched on.	22 And David said to Ittai, “Come, and pass over.” And Ittai the Gittite passed over, and all the men who were with him, and the rest of the multitude.
23 Everyone in the countryside wept aloud as the last of the soldiers went by, and the king crossed the Kidron Valley with all the soldiers moving on ahead of him by way of the Mount of Olives, toward the desert.	23 And they all wept with a great voice, and all the people passed over. The king also passed over the torrent Kidron. And all the people advanced opposite the way which looks out toward the desert.
24 Zadok, too (with all the Levite bearers of the ark of the covenant of God), and Abiathar brought the ark of God to a halt until the soldiers had marched out of the city.	24 Now Zadok the priest also went, and all the Levites went with him, carrying the ark of the covenant of God. And they set down the ark of God. And Abiathar went up, until all the people who had departed from the city had gone by.
25 Then the king said to Zadok: "Take the ark of God back to the city. If I find favor with the LORD, he will bring me back and permit me to see it and its lodging.	25 And the king said to Zadok: “Carry back the ark of God into the city. If I shall find grace in the sight of the Lord, he will lead me back. And he will show it to me in his tabernacle.
26 But if he should say, 'I am not pleased with you,' I am ready; let him do to me as he sees fit."	26 But if he will say to me, ‘You are not pleasing,’ I am ready. Let him do whatever is good in his own sight.”
27 The king also said to the priest Zadok: "See to it that you and Abiathar return to the city in peace, and both your sons with you, your own son Ahimaaz, and Abiathar's son Jonathan.	27 And the king said to Zadok the priest: “O seer, return into the city in peace. And let your son Ahimaaz, and Jonathan, the son of Abiathar, your two sons, be with you.
28 Remember, I shall be waiting at the fords near the desert until I receive information from you."	28 Behold, I will hide in the plains of the desert, until word from you may arrive to inform me.”
29 So Zadok and Abiathar took the ark of God back to Jerusalem and remained there.	29 Therefore, Zadok and Abiathar carried back the ark of God into Jerusalem, and they remained there.
30 As David went up the Mount of Olives, he wept without ceasing. His head was covered, and he was walking barefoot. All those who were with him also had their heads covered and were weeping as they went.	30 But David ascended to the Mount of Olives, climbing and weeping, advancing with bare feet and with his head covered. Moreover, all the people who were with him ascended, weeping with their heads covered.
31 When David was informed that Ahithophel was among the conspirators with Absalom, he said, "O LORD, turn the counsel of Ahithophel to folly!"	31 Then it was reported to David that Ahithophel also had joined in swearing with Absalom. And David said, “ O Lord, I beg you, to uncover the foolishness of the counsel of Ahithophel.”
32 When David reached the top, where men used to worship God, Hushai the Archite was there to meet him, with rent garments and dirt upon his head.	32 And when David had ascended to the summit of the mountain, where he was going to adore the Lord, behold Hushai the Archite met him, with his garment torn and his head covered with soil.
33 David said to him: "If you come with me, you will be a burden to me.	33 And David said to him: “If you come with me, you will be a burden to me.
34 But if you return to the city and say to Absalom, 'Let me be your servant, O king; I was formerly your father's servant, but now I will be yours,' you will undo for me the counsel of Ahithophel.	34 But if you return to the city, and you say to Absalom, ‘I am your servant, O king; just as I have been the servant of your father, so too will I be your servant,’ you will destroy the counsel of Ahithophel
35 You will have the priests Zadok and Abiathar there with you. If you hear anything from the royal palace, you shall report it to the priests Zadok and Abiathar,	35 And you have with you the priests Zadok and Abiathar. And any word whatsoever that you will hear from the house of the king, you shall reveal it to Zadok and Abiathar, the priests.
36 who have there with them both Zadok's son Ahimaaz and Abiathar's son Jonathan. Through them you shall send on to me whatever you hear."	36 Now with them are their two sons Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok, and Jonathan, the son of Abiathar. And you shall send to me by them every word that you will have heard.”
37 So David's friend Hushai went into the city of Jerusalem as Absalom was about to enter it.	37 Therefore, Hushai, the friend of David, went into the city. And Absalom also entered into Jerusalem.