2 Samuel 15

NEW JERUSALEM	STUTTGARTENSIA-DELITZSCH
1 After this, Absalom procured a chariot and horses, with fifty men to run ahead of him.	1 וַיְהִי מֵאַחֲרֵי כֵן וַיַּעַשׂ לֹו אַבְשָׁלֹום מֶרְכָּבָה וְסֻסִים וַחֲמִשִּׁים אִישׁ רָצִים לְפָנָיו
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 וְהִשְׁכִּים אַבְשָׁלֹום וְעָמַד עַל־יַד דֶּרֶךְ הַשָּׁעַר וַיְהִי כָּל־הָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר־יִהְיֶה־לֹּו־רִיב לָבֹוא אֶל־הַמֶּלֶךְ לַמִּשְׁפָּט וַיִּקְרָא אַבְשָׁלֹום אֵלָיו וַיֹּאמֶר אֵי־מִזֶּה עִיר אַתָּה וַיֹּאמֶר מֵאַחַד שִׁבְטֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל עַבְדֶּךָ
3 then Absalom would say, 'Look, your case is sound and just, but not one of the king's deputies willisten to you.'	3 וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו אַבְשָׁלֹום רְאֵה דְבָרֶךָ טֹובִים וּנְכֹחִים וְשֹׁמֵעַ אֵין־לְךָ מֵאֵת הַמֶּלֶךְ
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 וַיֹּאמֶר אַבְשָׁלֹום מִי־יְשִׂמֵנִי שֹׁפֵט בָּאָרֶץ וְעָלַי יָבֹוא כָּל־אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר־יִהְיֶה־לֹּו־רִיב וּמִשְׁפָּט וְהִצְדַּקְתִּיו
5 And whenever anyone came up to him to prostrate himself, he would stretch out his hand, draw him tohim and kiss him.	5 וְהָיָה בִּקְרָב־אִישׁ לְהִשְׁתַּחֲוֹת לֹו וְשָׁלַח אֶת־יָדֹו וְהֶחֱזִיק לֹו וְנָשַׁק לֹו
6 Absalom acted like this with every Israelite who appealed to the king's tribunal, and so Absalom wonthe Israelites' hearts.	6 וַיַּעַשׂ אַבְשָׁלֹום כַּדָּבָר הַזֶּה לְכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר־יָבֹאוּ לַמִּשְׁפָּט אֶל־הַמֶּלֶךְ וַיְגַנֵּב אַבְשָׁלֹום אֶת־לֵב אַנְשֵׁי יִשְׂרָאֵל׃ פ
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 וַיְהִי מִקֵּץ אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה וַיֹּאמֶר אַבְשָׁלֹום אֶל־הַמֶּלֶךְ אֵלֲכָה נָּא וַאֲשַׁלֵּם אֶת־נִדְרִי אֲשֶׁר־נָדַרְתִּי לַיהוָה בְּחֶבְרֹון
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 כִּי־נֵדֶר נָדַר עַבְדְּךָ בְּשִׁבְתִּי בִגְשׁוּר בַּאֲרָם לֵאמֹר אִם־ [יְשִׁיב כ] (יָשֹׁוב ק) יְשִׁיבֵנִי יְהוָה יְרוּשָׁלִַם וְעָבַדְתִּי אֶת־יְהוָה
9 The king said to him, 'Go in peace.' So he set off and went to Hebron.	9 וַיֹּאמֶר־לֹו הַמֶּלֶךְ לֵךְ בְּשָׁלֹום וַיָּקָם וַיֵּלֶךְ חֶבְרֹונָה׃ פ
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 וַיִּשְׁלַח אַבְשָׁלֹום מְרַגְּלִים בְּכָל־שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לֵאמֹר כְּשָׁמְעֲכֶם אֶת־קֹול הַשֹּׁפָר וַאֲמַרְתֶּם מָלַךְ אַבְשָׁלֹום בְּחֶבְרֹון
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 וְאֶת־אַבְשָׁלֹום הָלְכוּ מָאתַיִם אִישׁ מִירוּשָׁלִַם קְרֻאִים וְהֹלְכִים לְתֻמָּם וְלֹא יָדְעוּ כָּל־דָּבָר
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 וַיִּשְׁלַח אַבְשָׁלֹום אֶת־אֲחִיתֹפֶל הַגִּילֹנִי יֹועֵץ דָּוִד מֵעִירֹו מִגִּלֹה בְּזָבְחֹו אֶת־הַזְּבָחִים וַיְהִי הַקֶּשֶׁר אַמִּץ וְהָעָם הֹולֵךְ וָרָב אֶת־אַבְשָׁלֹום
13 A messenger came and told David, 'The men of Israel have shifted their allegiance to Absalom.'	13 וַיָּבֹא הַמַּגִּיד אֶל־דָּוִד לֵאמֹר הָיָה לֶב־אִישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל אַחֲרֵי אַבְשָׁלֹום
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 וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִד לְכָל־עֲבָדָיו אֲשֶׁר־אִתֹּו בִירוּשָׁלִַם קוּמוּ וְנִבְרָחָה כִּי לֹא־תִהְיֶה־לָּנוּ פְלֵיטָה מִפְּנֵי אַבְשָׁלֹום מַהֲרוּ לָלֶכֶת פֶּן־יְמַהֵר וְהִשִּׂגָנוּ וְהִדִּיחַ עָלֵינוּ אֶת־הָרָעָה וְהִכָּה הָעִיר לְפִי־חָרֶב
15 The king's retinue replied, 'Whatever my lord the king decides, we are at your service.'	15 וַיֹּאמְרוּ עַבְדֵי־הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶל־הַמֶּלֶךְ כְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר־יִבְחַר אֲדֹנִי הַמֶּלֶךְ הִנֵּה עֲבָדֶיךָ
16 The king set out on foot with his whole household, leaving ten concubines to look after the palace.	16 וַיֵּצֵא הַמֶּלֶךְ וְכָל־בֵּיתֹו בְּרַגְלָיו וַיַּעֲזֹב הַמֶּלֶךְ אֵת עֶשֶׂר נָשִׁים פִּלַגְשִׁים לִשְׁמֹר הַבָּיִת
17 The king set out on foot with everyone fol owing, and they halted at the last house.	17 וַיֵּצֵא הַמֶּלֶךְ וְכָל־הָעָם בְּרַגְלָיו וַיַּעַמְדוּ בֵּית הַמֶּרְחָק
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 וְכָל־עֲבָדָיו עֹבְרִים עַל־יָדֹו וְכָל־הַכְּרֵתִי וְכָל־הַפְּלֵתִי וְכָל־הַגִּתִּים שֵׁשׁ־מֵאֹות אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר־בָּאוּ בְרַגְלֹו מִגַּת עֹבְרִים עַל־פְּנֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ
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 וַיֹּאמֶר הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶל־אִתַּי הַגִּתִּי לָמָּה תֵלֵךְ גַּם־אַתָּה אִתָּנוּ שׁוּב וְשֵׁב עִם־הַמֶּלֶךְ כִּי־נָכְרִי אַתָּה וְגַם־גֹּלֶה אַתָּה לִמְקֹומֶךָ
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 תְּמֹול ׀ בֹּואֶךָ וְהַיֹּום [אֲנֹועֲךָ כ] (אֲנִיעֲךָ ק) עִמָּנוּ לָלֶכֶת וַאֲנִי הֹולֵךְ עַל אֲשֶׁר־אֲנִי הֹולֵךְ שׁוּב וְהָשֵׁב אֶת־אַחֶיךָ עִמָּךְ חֶסֶד וֶאֱמֶת
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 וַיַּעַן אִתַּי אֶת־הַמֶּלֶךְ וַיֹּאמַר חַי־יְהוָה וְחֵי אֲדֹנִי הַמֶּלֶךְ כִּי אִם־בִּמְקֹום אֲשֶׁר יִהְיֶה־שָּׁם ׀ אֲדֹנִי הַמֶּלֶךְ אִם־לְמָוֶת אִם־לְחַיִּים כִּי־שָׁם יִהְיֶה עַבְדֶּךָ
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 וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִד אֶל־אִתַּי לֵךְ וַעֲבֹר וַיַּעֲבֹר אִתַּי הַגִּתִּי וְכָל־אֲנָשָׁיו וְכָל־הַטַּף אֲשֶׁר אִתֹּו
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 וְכָל־הָאָרֶץ בֹּוכִים קֹול גָּדֹול וְכָל־הָעָם עֹבְרִים וְהַמֶּלֶךְ עֹבֵר בְּנַחַל קִדְרֹון וְכָל־הָעָם עֹבְרִים עַל־פְּנֵי־דֶרֶךְ אֶת־הַמִּדְבָּר
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 וְהִנֵּה גַם־צָדֹוק וְכָל־הַלְוִיִּם אִתֹּו נֹשְׂאִים אֶת־אֲרֹון בְּרִית הָאֱלֹהִים וַיַּצִּקוּ אֶת־אֲרֹון הָאֱלֹהִים וַיַּעַל אֶבְיָתָר עַד־תֹּם כָּל־הָעָם לַעֲבֹור מִן־הָעִיר
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 וַיֹּאמֶר הַמֶּלֶךְ לְצָדֹוק הָשֵׁב אֶת־אֲרֹון הָאֱלֹהִים הָעִיר אִם־אֶמְצָא חֵן בְּעֵינֵי יְהוָה וֶהֱשִׁבַנִי וְהִרְאַנִי אֹתֹו וְאֶת־נָוֵהוּ
26 But should he say, "You displease me," here I am: let him treat me as he sees fit.'	26 וְאִם כֹּה יֹאמַר לֹא חָפַצְתִּי בָּךְ הִנְנִי יַעֲשֶׂה־לִּי כַּאֲשֶׁר טֹוב בְּעֵינָיו׃ ס
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 וַיֹּאמֶר הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶל־צָדֹוק הַכֹּהֵן הֲרֹואֶה אַתָּה שֻׁבָה הָעִיר בְּשָׁלֹום וַאֲחִימַעַץ בִּנְךָ וִיהֹונָתָן בֶּן־אֶבְיָתָר שְׁנֵי בְנֵיכֶם אִתְּכֶם
28 You see, I shall wait in the passes of the desert plain until word comes from you bringing me news.'	28 רְאוּ אָנֹכִי מִתְמַהְמֵהַּ [בְּעַבְרֹות כ] (בְּעַרְבֹות ק) הַמִּדְבָּר עַד בֹּוא דָבָר מֵעִמָּכֶם לְהַגִּיד לִי
29 So Zadok and Abiathar took the ark of God back to Jerusalem and stayed there.	29 וַיָּשֶׁב צָדֹוק וְאֶבְיָתָר אֶת־אֲרֹון הָאֱלֹהִים יְרוּשָׁלִָם וַיֵּשְׁבוּ שָׁם
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 וְדָוִד עֹלֶה בְמַעֲלֵה הַזֵּיתִים עֹלֶה ׀ וּבֹוכֶה וְרֹאשׁ לֹו חָפוּי וְהוּא הֹלֵךְ יָחֵף וְכָל־הָעָם אֲשֶׁר־אִתֹּו חָפוּ אִישׁ רֹאשֹׁו וְעָלוּ עָלֹה וּבָכֹה
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 וְדָוִד הִגִּיד לֵאמֹר אֲחִיתֹפֶל בַּקֹּשְׁרִים עִם־אַבְשָׁלֹום וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִד סַכֶּל־נָא אֶת־עֲצַת אֲחִיתֹפֶל יְהוָה
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 וַיְהִי דָוִד בָּא עַד־הָרֹאשׁ אֲשֶׁר־יִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה שָׁם לֵאלֹהִים וְהִנֵּה לִקְרָאתֹו חוּשַׁי הָאַרְכִּי קָרוּעַ כֻּתָּנְתֹּו וַאֲדָמָה עַל־רֹאשֹׁו
33 David said, 'If you go along with me, you wil be a burden to me.	33 וַיֹּאמֶר לֹו דָּוִד אִם עָבַרְתָּ אִתִּי וְהָיִתָ עָלַי לְמַשָּׂא
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 וְאִם־הָעִיר תָּשׁוּב וְאָמַרְתָּ לְאַבְשָׁלֹום עַבְדְּךָ אֲנִי הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶהְיֶה עֶבֶד אָבִיךָ וַאֲנִי מֵאָז וְעַתָּה וַאֲנִי עַבְדֶּךָ וְהֵפַרְתָּה לִי אֵת עֲצַת אֲחִיתֹפֶל
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 וַהֲלֹוא עִמְּךָ שָׁם צָדֹוק וְאֶבְיָתָר הַכֹּהֲנִים וְהָיָה כָּל־הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר תִּשְׁמַע מִבֵּית הַמֶּלֶךְ תַּגִּיד לְצָדֹוק וּלְאֶבְיָתָר הַכֹּהֲנִים
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 הִנֵּה־שָׁם עִמָּם שְׁנֵי בְנֵיהֶם אֲחִימַעַץ לְצָדֹוק וִיהֹונָתָן לְאֶבְיָתָר וּשְׁלַחְתֶּם בְּיָדָם אֵלַי כָּל־דָּבָר אֲשֶׁר תִּשְׁמָעוּ
37 Hushai, David's friend, entered the city just as Absalom was reaching Jerusalem.	37 וַיָּבֹא חוּשַׁי רֵעֶה דָוִד הָעִיר וְאַבְשָׁלֹם יָבֹא יְרוּשָׁלִָם