2 Samuel 15

NEW JERUSALEM	KING JAMES BIBLE
1 After this, Absalom procured a chariot and horses, with fifty men to run ahead of him.	1 And it came to pass after this, that Absalom prepared him chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him.
2 He would get up early and stand beside the road leading to the city gate; and whenever a man withsome lawsuit had to come before the king's tribunal, Absalom would cal out to him and ask, 'Which town are youfrom?' If he answered, 'Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel,'	2 And Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate: and it was so, that when any man that had a controversy 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 then Absalom would say, 'Look, your case is sound and just, but not one of the king's deputies willisten to you.'	3 And Absalom said unto him, See, thy matters are good and right; but there is no man deputed of the king to hear thee.
4 Absalom would say, 'Oh, who will appoint me judge in the land? Then anyone with a lawsuit or a pleacould come to me and I should see he had justice!'	4 Absalom said moreover, Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man which hath any suit or cause might come unto me, and I would do him justice!
5 And whenever anyone came up to him to prostrate himself, he would stretch out his hand, draw him tohim and kiss him.	5 And it was so, that when any man came nigh to him to do him obeisance, he put forth his hand, and took him, and kissed him.
6 Absalom acted like this with every Israelite who appealed to the king's tribunal, and so Absalom wonthe Israelites' hearts.	6 And on this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the king for judgment: so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.
7 When four years had gone by, Absalom said to the king, 'Al ow me to go to Hebron and fulfil the vowwhich I have made to Yahweh;	7 And it came to pass after forty years, that Absalom said unto the king, I pray thee, let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed unto the LORD, in Hebron.
8 for, when I was in Geshur, in Aram, your servant made this vow, "If Yahweh brings me back toJerusalem, I shal pay my devotions to Yahweh in Hebron." '	8 For thy servant vowed a vow while I abode at Geshur in Syria, saying, If the LORD shall bring me again indeed to Jerusalem, then I will serve the LORD.
9 The king said to him, 'Go in peace.' So he set off and went to Hebron.	9 And the king said unto him, Go in peace. So he arose, and went to Hebron.
10 Absalom sent couriers throughout the tribes of Israel to say, 'When you hear the trumpet sound, you are to say, "Absalom is king at Hebron!" '	10 But Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, As soon as ye hear the sound of the trumpet, then ye shall say, Absalom reigneth in Hebron.
11 With Absalom went two hundred men from Jerusalem; they had been invited and had gone in alinnocence, unaware of what was going on.	11 And with Absalom went two hundred men out of Jerusalem, that were called; and they went in their simplicity, and they knew not any thing.
12 Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's counsellor, from Giloh his town, and had him withhim while offering the sacrifices. The conspiracy grew in strength, since Absalom's supporters grew in number.	12 And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's counseller, from his city, even from Giloh, while he offered sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong; for the people increased continually with Absalom.
13 A messenger came and told David, 'The men of Israel have shifted their allegiance to Absalom.'	13 And there came a messenger to David, saying, The hearts of the men of Israel are after Absalom.
14 David said to al his retinue then with him in Jerusalem, 'Up, let us flee, or we shal not escape fromAbsalom! Leave as quickly as you can, in case he mounts a sudden attack, overcomes us and puts the city tothe sword.'	14 And David said unto all his servants that were with him at Jerusalem, Arise, and let us flee; for we shall not else escape from Absalom: make speed to depart, lest he overtake us suddenly, and bring evil upon us, and smite the city with the edge of the sword.
15 The king's retinue replied, 'Whatever my lord the king decides, we are at your service.'	15 And the king's servants said unto the king, Behold, thy servants are ready to do whatsoever my lord the king shall appoint.
16 The king set out on foot with his whole household, leaving ten concubines to look after the palace.	16 And the king went forth, and all his household after him. And the king left ten women, which were concubines, to keep the house.
17 The king set out on foot with everyone fol owing, and they halted at the last house.	17 And the king went forth, and all the people after him, and tarried in a place that was far off.
18 Al his officers stood at his side. All the Cherethites and all the Pelethites, with Ittai and all the sixhundred Gittites who had come in his retinue from Gath, marched past the king.	18 And all his servants passed on beside him; and all the Cherethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, six hundred men which came after him from Gath, passed on before the king.
19 The king said to Ittai the Gittite, 'You, why are you coming with us? Go back and stay with the king,for you are a foreigner, indeed an exile from your homeland.	19 Then said the king to Ittai the Gittite, Wherefore goest thou also with us? return to thy place, and abide with the king: for thou art a stranger, and also an exile.
20 You arrived only yesterday; should I take you wandering with us today, when I do not know myselfwhere I am going? Go back, take your fellow countrymen with you, and may Yahweh show you mercy andfaithful love!'	20 Whereas thou camest but yesterday, should I this day make thee go up and down with us? seeing I go whither I may, return thou, and take back thy brethren: mercy and truth be with thee.
21 Ittai replied to the king, 'As Yahweh lives, and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the kingmay be, for death or life, your servant wil be there too.'	21 And Ittai answered the king, and said, As the LORD liveth, and as my lord the king liveth, surely in what place my lord the king shall be, whether in death or life, even there also will thy servant be.
22 David then said to Ittai, 'Go ahead, march past!' And Ittai of Gath marched past with al his men andwith all his children too.	22 And David said to Ittai, Go and pass over. And Ittai the Gittite passed over, and all his men, and all the little ones that were with him.
23 The entire population was weeping aloud as the king stood in the bed of the Kidron and everyonemarched past him, making for the desert.	23 And all the country wept with a loud voice, and all the people passed over: the king also himself passed over the brook Kidron, and all the people passed over, toward the way of the wilderness.
24 Zadok was there too, and al the Levites with him, carrying the ark of God. They set the ark of Goddown beside Abiathar until everyone had finished marching out of the town.	24 And lo Zadok also, and all the Levites were 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 done passing out of the city.
25 The king then said to Zadok, 'Take the ark of God back into the city. Should I win Yahweh's favour,he wil bring me back and al ow me to see it and its tent once more.	25 And the king said unto Zadok, Carry back the ark of God into the city: if I shall find favour in the eyes of the LORD, he will bring me again, and shew me both it, and his habitation:
26 But should he say, "You displease me," here I am: let him treat me as he sees fit.'	26 But if he thus say, I have no delight in thee; behold, here am I, let him do to me as seemeth good unto him.
27 The king said to Zadok the priest, 'Look, you and Abiathar go back quietly into the city, with your twosons, your own son Ahimaaz and Jonathan son of Abiathar.	27 The king said also unto Zadok the priest, Art not thou a seer? return into the city in peace, and your two sons with you, Ahimaaz thy son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar.
28 You see, I shall wait in the passes of the desert plain until word comes from you bringing me news.'	28 See, I will tarry in the plain of the wilderness, until there come word from you to certify me.
29 So Zadok and Abiathar took the ark of God back to Jerusalem and stayed there.	29 Zadok therefore and Abiathar carried the ark of God again to Jerusalem: and they tarried there.
30 David then made his way up the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went, his head covered and his feetbare. And al the people with him had their heads covered and made their way up, weeping as they went.	30 And David went up by the ascent of mount Olivet, and wept as he went up, and had his head covered, and he went barefoot: and all the people that was with him covered every man his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up.
31 David was then informed that Ahithophel was among the conspirators with Absalom. David said, 'Ibeg you, Yahweh, turn Ahithophel's advice to fol y.'	31 And one told David, saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. And David said, O LORD, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.
32 As David reached the summit, where God is worshipped, he saw Hushai the Archite, his friend,coming to meet him with his tunic torn and with earth on his head.	32 And it came to pass, that when David was come to the top of the mount, where he worshipped God, behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his coat rent, and earth upon his head:
33 David said, 'If you go along with me, you wil be a burden to me.	33 Unto whom David said, If thou passest on with me, then thou shalt be a burden unto me:
34 But if you go back to the city and say to Absalom, "I am at your service, my lord king; once I was inyour father's service, but now I shal serve you," you wil be able to thwart Ahithophel's advice for me.	34 But if thou return to the city, and say unto Absalom, I will be thy servant, O king; as I have been thy father's servant hitherto, so will I now also be thy servant: then mayest thou for me defeat the counsel of Ahithophel.
35 Surely the priests Zadok and Abiathar wil be with you? Anything you hear from the palace you mustreport to the priests Zadok and Abiathar.	35 And hast thou not there with thee Zadok and Abiathar the priests? therefore it shall be, that what thing soever thou shalt hear out of the king's house, thou shalt tell it to Zadok and Abiathar the priests.
36 You see, their two sons are there with them, Zadok's son Ahimaaz, and Abiathar's son Jonathan;through these, you will send me word of everything you hear.'	36 Behold, they have there with them their two sons, Ahimaaz Zadok's son, and Jonathan Abiathar's son; and by them ye shall send unto me every thing that ye can hear.
37 Hushai, David's friend, entered the city just as Absalom was reaching Jerusalem.	37 So Hushai David's friend came into the city, and Absalom came into Jerusalem.