2 Samuel 15

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 After this, Absalom procured a chariot and horses, with fifty men to run ahead of him.	1 After this Absalom provided himself with chariots, horses, and fifty henchmen.
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 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,"
3 then Absalom would say, 'Look, your case is sound and just, but not one of the king's deputies willisten to you.'	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."
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 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."
5 And whenever anyone came up to him to prostrate himself, he would stretch out his hand, draw him tohim and kiss him.	5 Whenever a man approached him to show homage, he would extend his hand, hold him, and kiss him.
6 Absalom acted like this with every Israelite who appealed to the king's tribunal, and so Absalom wonthe Israelites' hearts.	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.
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 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.
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 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.'"
9 The king said to him, 'Go in peace.' So he set off and went to Hebron.	9 The king wished him a safe journey, and he went off 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 Then Absalom sent spies throughout the tribes of Israel to say, "When you hear the sound of the horn, declare Absalom king 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 Two hundred men had accompanied Absalom from Jerusalem. They had been invited and went in good faith, knowing nothing of the plan.
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 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.
13 A messenger came and told David, 'The men of Israel have shifted their allegiance to Absalom.'	13 An informant came to David with the report, "The Israelites have transferred their loyalty to 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 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."
15 The king's retinue replied, 'Whatever my lord the king decides, we are at your service.'	15 The king's officers answered him, "Your servants are ready, whatever our lord the king chooses to do."
16 The king set out on foot with his whole household, leaving ten concubines to look after the palace.	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.
17 The king set out on foot with everyone fol owing, and they halted at the last 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,
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 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,
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 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.
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 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."
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 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."
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 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.
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 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.
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 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.
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 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.
26 But should he say, "You displease me," here I am: let him treat me as he sees fit.'	26 But if he should say, 'I am not pleased with you,' I am ready; let him do to me as he sees fit."
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 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.
28 You see, I shall wait in the passes of the desert plain until word comes from you bringing me news.'	28 Remember, I shall be waiting at the fords near the desert until I receive information from you."
29 So Zadok and Abiathar took the ark of God back to Jerusalem and stayed there.	29 So Zadok and Abiathar took the ark of God back to Jerusalem and remained 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 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.
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 When David was informed that Ahithophel was among the conspirators with Absalom, he said, "O LORD, turn the counsel of Ahithophel to folly!"
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 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.
33 David said, 'If you go along with me, you wil be a burden to me.	33 David said to him: "If you come with me, you will be a burden to 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 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.
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 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,
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 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."
37 Hushai, David's friend, entered the city just as Absalom was reaching Jerusalem.	37 So David's friend Hushai went into the city of Jerusalem as Absalom was about to enter it.