CHAPTER 15
Some time later,
Absalom
provided for
himself
a chariot
with horses
and fifty
men
to run
before him.
He
would get up early
and stand
beside
the road
leading to the city gate.
Whenever anyone
had
a grievance
to bring
before
the king
for a decision,
Absalom
would call out
and ask,
“What
city
are you from?”
And if he replied,
“Your servant is
from one
of the tribes
of Israel,”
Absalom
would say,
“Look,
your claims
are good
and right,
but the king
has no deputy
to hear
you.”
And he
would add,
“If only
someone would appoint
me judge
in the land,
then everyone
with
a grievance
or dispute
could come
to me,
and I would give him justice.”
Also, when
anyone
approached
to bow down
to him,
Absalom would reach out
his hand,
take hold
of him,
and kiss
him.
Absalom
did
this
to all
the Israelites
who
came
to
the king
for justice.
In this way he
stole
the hearts
of the men
of Israel.
After
four
years
had passed,
Absalom
said
to
the king,
“Please
let me go
to Hebron
to fulfill
a vow
I have made
to the LORD.
For
your servant
made
a vow
while dwelling
in Geshur
of Aram,
saying:
‘If
indeed
the LORD
brings me back
to Jerusalem,
I will worship
the LORD in Hebron.’”
Then Absalom
sent
spies
throughout
the tribes
of Israel
with this message:
“When you hear
the sound
of the trumpet,
you are to say,
‘Absalom
reigns
in Hebron!’”
Two hundred
men
from Jerusalem
accompanied
Absalom.
They had been invited as guests
and they went along
innocently,
for they knew
nothing
about
the matter.
While Absalom was offering
the sacrifices,
he
sent for
Ahithophel
the Gilonite,
David’s
counselor,
to come from his hometown
of Giloh.
So the conspiracy
gained
strength,
and Absalom's
following
kept
increasing.
And David
said
to all
the servants
with
him in Jerusalem,
“Arise
and let us flee,
or
we will not
escape
from
Absalom!
We must leave
quickly,
or
he will soon
overtake us,
heap
disaster
on us,
and put
the city
to
the sword."
Then the king
set out,
and his entire
household
followed him.
But he
left behind
ten
concubines
to take care of
the palace.
and all
his servants
marched
past
him—
all
the Cherethites
and
Pelethites,
and
six
hundred
Gittites
who
had followed
him
from Gath.
Then the king
said
to
Ittai
the Gittite,
“Why
should you
also
go
with us?
Go back
and stay
with
the new king,
since
you are
both a foreigner
and
an exile
from your homeland.
In fact, you arrived
only yesterday;
should I make you
wander around
with us
today
while I
do not know
where
I
am going?
Go back
and take
your brothers
with you.
May the LORD show you loving devotion
and faithfulness.”
But Ittai
answered
the king,
“As surely as the LORD
lives,
and as my lord
the king
lives,
wherever
my lord
the king
may be,
whether
it means life
or
death,
there will
your servant
be!”
“March on then,”
said
David
to
Ittai.
So Ittai
the Gittite
marched past
with all
his men
and all
the little ones
who were
with him.
Everyone
in the countryside
was weeping
loudly
as all
the people
passed by.
And as the king
crossed
the Kidron
Valley,
all
the people
also passed
toward
the way
of the wilderness.
Zadok
was also
there,
and all
the Levites
with
him were carrying
the ark
of the covenant
of God.
And they set down
the ark
of God,
and Abiathar
offered
sacrifices until
the people
had finished
passing
out of the city.
Then the king
said
to Zadok,
“Return
the ark
of God
to the city.
If
I find
favor
in the eyes
of the LORD,
He will bring me back
and let me see
both it
and
His dwelling place again.
But if
He should say,
‘I do not
delight
in you,’
then here I am;
let Him do
to me
whatever
seems good
to Him.”
The king
also said
to
Zadok
the priest,
“Are you not a seer?
Return
to the city
in peace
with your son
Ahimaaz
and Jonathan
the son
of Abiathar.
You and Abiathar take your two
sons
with you.
But David
continued up
the Mount of Olives,
weeping
as he went up.
His head
was covered,
and he
was walking
barefoot.
And all
the people
with him
covered
their heads
and went up,
weeping
as they went.
Now someone told
David:
“Ahithophel is
among the conspirators
with
Absalom.”
So David
pleaded,
“O LORD,
please
turn the counsel
of Ahithophel
into foolishness!”
When
David
came
to
the summit,
where
he used to worship
God,
Hushai
the Archite
was there
to meet him
with his robe
torn
and dust
on
his head.
but if
you return
to the city
and say
to Absalom,
‘I
will be
your servant,
my king!
In the past
I
was your father’s
servant,
but now
I
will be your servant,’
then you can thwart
the counsel
of Ahithophel
for me.
Will not
Zadok
and Abiathar
the priests
be there
with you?
Report
to them
everything
you hear
from the king’s
palace.
Indeed,
their two
sons,
Ahimaaz
son of Zadok
and Jonathan
son of Abiathar,
are there
with them.
Send
them
to me
with everything
you hear.”