2 Samuel 15–19

Chapter 15

¹And it came to pass after this, that Absalom prepared for himself chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him. ²And Absalom rose early, and stood beside the way of the gate; and it was so, that when any man who had a controversy had to come to the king for judgment, then Absalom called him, and said, Of what city art thou? And he said, Thy servant is of one of the tribes of Israel. ³And Absalom said to him, See, thy matters are good and right; but there is no man to hear thee appointed by the king. ⁴And Absalom said, Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man who has any controversy and cause might come to me, and I would do him justice! ⁵And it was so, that when any man came near to do him obeisance, he put forth his hand, and took him, and kissed him. ⁶And in this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the king for judgment; and Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

⁷And it came to pass at the end of forty years, that Absalom said to the king, I pray thee, let me go and pay in Hebron my vow which I have vowed to Jehovah. ⁸For thy servant vowed a vow while I abode in Geshur in Syria, saying, If Jehovah shall bring me again indeed to Jerusalem, then I will serve Jehovah. ⁹And the king said to him, Go in peace. And he rose up and went to Hebron. ¹⁰And Absalom sent emissaries into all the tribes of Israel, saying, When ye hear the sound of the trumpet, ye shall say, Absalom reigns in Hebron. ¹¹And with Absalom went two hundred men out of Jerusalem, that were invited; and they went in their simplicity, and they knew nothing. ¹²And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counsellor, from his city, from Giloh, while he offered the sacrifices. And the conspiracy gathered strength; and the people increased continually with Absalom.

¹³And there came one to David who reported saying, The hearts of the men of Israel are after Absalom. ¹⁴And David said to all his servants that were with him at Jerusalem, Rise up and let us flee; for we shall not else escape from Absalom. Be quick to depart, lest he overtake us quickly, and bring evil upon us, and smite the city with the edge of the sword. ¹⁵And the king’s servants said to the king, Behold, thy servants will do whatever my lord the king shall choose. ¹⁶And the king went forth, and all his household after him, and the king left ten women, concubines, to keep the house. ¹⁷And the king went forth, and all the people after him, and stayed at the remote house. ¹⁸And all his servants passed on beside him; and all the Cherethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, six hundred men that came after him from Gath, passed over before the king. ¹⁹And the king said to Ittai the Gittite, Why dost thou also go with us? return to thy place, and abide with the king; for thou art a foreigner, and besides, thou hast emigrated to the place where thou dwellest. ²⁰Thou didst come yesterday, and should I this day make thee go up and down with us, seeing I go whither I can? Return and take back thy brethren. Mercy and truth be with thee! ²¹And Ittai answered the king and said, As Jehovah 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. ²²And 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. ²³And all the country wept with a loud voice, and all the people passed over; the king also himself passed over the torrent Kidron, and all the people passed over, towards the way of the wilderness.

²⁴And behold, Zadok also, and all the Levites 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 passed completely out of the city. ²⁵And the king said to Zadok, Carry back the ark of God into the city. If I shall find favour in the eyes of Jehovah, he will bring me again, and shew me it, and its habitation. ²⁶But if he thus say, I have no delight in thee; behold, here am I, let him do to me as seemeth good to him. ²⁷And the king said to Zadok the priest, Thou art the seer: return into the city in peace, and your two sons with you, Ahimaaz thy son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar. ²⁸See, I will stop in the plains of the desert, until there come word from you to inform me. ²⁹And Zadok and Abiathar carried the ark of God again to Jerusalem; and they abode there. ³⁰But David went up by the ascent of the Olives, 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.

³¹And one told David saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. Then said David, Jehovah, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness. ³²And it came to pass, when David had come to the summit, where he worshipped God, that behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his coat rent, and earth upon his head. ³³And David said to him, If thou passest on with me, thou wilt be a burden to me; ³⁴but if thou return to the city, and say to Absalom, I will be thy servant, O king; as I have been thy father’s servant hitherto, so now will I be thy servant; then mayest thou for me defeat the counsel of Ahithophel. ³⁵And hast thou not there with thee Zadok and Abiathar the priests? and it shall be, that whatsoever thing thou shalt hear out of the king’s house, thou shalt tell it to Zadok and Abiathar the priests. ³⁶Behold, they have there with them their two sons, Ahimaaz Zadok’s son, and Jonathan Abiathar’s son; and by them ye shall send to me everything that ye shall hear. ³⁷And Hushai David’s friend came into the city, and Absalom came into Jerusalem.

Chapter 16

¹And when David was a little past the summit, behold, Ziba, Mephibosheth’s servant, met him, with a couple of asses saddled, and upon them two hundred loaves of bread, and a hundred raisin-cakes, and a hundred cakes of summer fruits, and a flask of wine. ²And the king said to Ziba, What meanest thou by these? And Ziba said, The asses are for the king’s household to ride on; and the bread and summer fruits for the young men to eat; and the wine, that such as are faint in the wilderness may drink. ³And the king said, And where is thy master’s son? And Ziba said to the king, Behold, he abides at Jerusalem; for he said, To-day shall the house of Israel restore me the kingdom of my father. ⁴And the king said to Ziba, Behold, thine are all that pertained to Mephibosheth. And Ziba said, I humbly bow myself: may I find favour in thy sight, my lord, O king.

⁵And when king David came to Bahurim, behold, there came out from thence a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera: he came forth, and cursed, ⁶and cast stones at David, and at all the servants of king David; and all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left. ⁷And thus said Shimei as he cursed: Away, away, thou man of blood and man of Belial! ⁸Jehovah has returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned; and Jehovah has given the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son; and behold, thou art taken in thine own evil, for thou art a man of blood. ⁹And Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? let me go over, I pray thee, and take off his head. ¹⁰And the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? so let him curse, for Jehovah has said to him, Curse David! Who shall then say, Why dost thou so? ¹¹And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, who came forth of my bowels, seeks my life: how much more now a Benjaminite? let him alone and let him curse; for Jehovah has bidden him. ¹²It may be that Jehovah will look on mine affliction, and that Jehovah will requite me good for my being cursed this day. ¹³And David and his men went by the way; and Shimei went along on the hill’s side over against him, and cursed as he went, and threw stones at him, and cast dust. ¹⁴And the king, and all the people that were with him, came weary, and refreshed themselves there.

¹⁵Now Absalom, and all the people, the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him. ¹⁶And it came to pass, when Hushai the Archite, David’s friend, came to Absalom, that Hushai said to Absalom, Long live the king! Long live the king! ¹⁷And Absalom said to Hushai, Is this thy kindness to thy friend? why didst thou not go with thy friend? ¹⁸And Hushai said to Absalom, No; but whom Jehovah, and this people, and all the men of Israel choose, his will I be, and with him will I abide. ¹⁹And again, whom should I serve? should it not be in the presence of his son? as I have served in thy father’s presence, so will I be in thy presence. ²⁰And Absalom said to Ahithophel, Give counsel among you what we shall do. ²¹And Ahithophel said to Absalom, Go in to thy father’s concubines, whom he has left to keep the house; and all Israel shall hear that thou art become odious with thy father; and the hands of all that are with thee shall be strong. ²²So they spread a tent for Absalom upon the roof; and Absalom went in to his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel. ²³And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counselled in those days, was as if a man had inquired of the word of God: so was all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom.

Chapter 17

¹And Ahithophel said to Absalom, Let me, I pray, choose out twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue after David to-night; ²and I will come upon him while he is weary and weak-handed, and will make him afraid; and all the people that are with him shall flee; and I will smite the king only; ³and I will bring back all the people to thee. The man whom thou seekest is as if all returned: all the people shall be in…