1 A fter this, Absalom got a chariot and horses, and fifty men to run before him.

¶ And it came to pass after this that Absalom prepared himself chariots and horses and fifty men to run before him.

2 A nd rose up early and stood beside the gateway; and when any man who had a controversy came to the king for judgment, Absalom called to him, Of what city are you? And he would say, Your servant is of such and such a tribe of Israel.

And Absalom rose up early and stood beside the way of the gate; and when anyone that had a controversy came to the king for judgment, then Absalom called unto them and said, Of what city art thou? And he said, Thy slave is of one of the tribes of Israel.

3 A bsalom would say to him, Your claims are good and right, but there is no man appointed as the king’s agent to hear you.

And Absalom would say unto them, See, thy matters are good and just; but there is no one delegated by the king to hear thee.

4 A bsalom added, Oh, that I were judge in the land! Then every man with any suit or cause might come to me and I would do him justice!

And Absalom would say, Oh, that I were made judge in the land, that everyone who has any suit or cause might come unto me, and I would do him justice!

5 A nd whenever a man came near to do obeisance to him, he would put out his hand, take hold of him, and kiss him.

And it was so, that when anyone came near unto him to do him obeisance, he put forth his hand and took him and kissed him.

6 T hus Absalom did to all Israel who came to the king for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

And Absalom did according to this manner with all Israel that came to the king for judgment; so Absalom stole the hearts of those of Israel.

7 A nd after years, Absalom said to the king, I pray you, let me go to Hebron and pay my vow to the Lord.

¶ And at the end of a predetermined period of forty years, it came to pass that Absalom said unto the king, I pray thee, let me go to Hebron and pay my vow, which I have vowed unto the LORD.

8 F or your servant vowed while I dwelt at Geshur in Syria, If the Lord will bring me again to Jerusalem, then I will serve the Lord.

For thy slave 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 A nd the king said to him, Go in peace. So he arose and went to Hebron.

And the king said unto him, Go in peace. So he arose and went to Hebron.

10 B ut Absalom sent secret messengers throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then say, Absalom is king at Hebron.

But Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, As soon as ye hear the sound of the shofar, then ye shall say, Absalom reigns in Hebron.

11 W ith Absalom went 200 men from Jerusalem, who were invited; and they went in their simplicity, and they knew not a thing.

And two hundred men of Jerusalem went with Absalom, that were invited by him, and they went in their integrity, without knowing anything.

12 A nd while Absalom was offering the sacrifices, he sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, from his city Giloh. And the conspiracy was strong; the people with Absalom increased continually.

Absalom also sent for Ahithophel, the Gilonite, of David’s counsel, from his city, even from Giloh, while he offered sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong, for the people increased continually with Absalom.

13 A nd there came a messenger to David, saying, The hearts of the men of Israel have gone after Absalom.

¶ And the word came to David, saying, The hearts of the men of Israel are after Absalom.

14 D avid said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, Arise and let us flee, or else none of us will escape from Absalom. Make haste to depart, lest he overtake us suddenly and bring evil upon us and smite the city with the sword.

Then David said unto all his slaves that were with him at Jerusalem, Arise, and let us flee, for we shall not otherwise 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 A nd the king’s servants said to the king, Behold, your servants are ready to do whatever my lord the king says.

And the king’s slaves said unto the king, Behold, thy slaves are ready to do whatever my lord the king shall choose.

16 S o the king and all his household after him went forth. But he left ten women who were concubines to keep the house.

And the king went forth and all his household after him. And the king left ten women, who were concubines, to keep the house.

17 T he king went forth with all the people after him, and halted at the last house.

And the king went forth and all the people after him and stopped in a place that was far off.

18 A ll David’s servants passed on beside him, along with all the Cherethites, Pelethites; also all the Gittites, 600 men who came after him from Gath, passed on before the king.

And all his slaves passed to his side, and all the Cherethites and all the Pelethites and all the Gittites, six hundred men who had come on foot with him from Gath, went before the king.

19 T he king said to Ittai the Gittite, Why do you go with us also? Return to your place and remain with the king, for you are a foreigner and an exile.

Then 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 stranger and also an exile.

20 S ince you came only yesterday, should I make you go up and down with us? Since I must go where I may, you return, and take back your brethren with you. May loving-kindness and faithfulness be with you.

Whereas thou didst come but yesterday, should I this day make thee go up and down with us? Seeing I go where I go, return thou and take back thy brethren; mercy and truth are in thee.

21 B ut Ittai answered the king, As the Lord lives, and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king shall be, whether for death or life, even there also will your servant be.

And Ittai answered the king and said, As the LORD lives and as my lord the king lives, for life or for death, wherever my lord the king shall be, there also will thy slave be.

22 S o David said to Ittai, Go on and pass over. And Ittai the Gittite passed over and all his men and all the little ones who were with him.

Then David said to Ittai, Go, therefore, and pass. And Ittai, the Gittite, passed and all his men and all the little ones that were with him.

23 A ll the country wept with a loud voice as all the people passed over. The king crossed the brook Kidron, and all the people went on toward the wilderness.

And all those of the land wept with a loud voice, and all the people passed the brook Kidron; and then the king also passed, and all the people passed unto the way of the wilderness.

24 A biathar and behold, Zadok came also, and all the Levites with him, bearing the ark of the covenant of God. And they set down the ark of God until all the people had gone from the city.

¶ And behold Zadok also and with him all the Levites who bore the ark of the covenant of God, and they set down the ark of God. And Abiathar went up after all the people had finished leaving the city.

25 T hen the king told Zadok, Take back the ark of God to the city. If I find favor in the Lord’s eyes, He will bring me back and let me see both it and His house.

But the king said unto Zadok, Carry back the ark of God into the city; if I shall find grace in the eyes of the LORD, he will bring me again and show me both it and his tabernacle.

26 B ut if He says, I have no delight in you, then here I am; let Him do to me what seems good to Him.

But if he should say, I have no delight in thee; behold, here I am, let him do to me as seems good unto him.

27 T he king also said to Zadok the priest, Are you not a seer? return to the city in peace, and your two sons with you, Ahimaaz your son and Jonathan son of Abiathar.

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 S ee, I will wait at the fords of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me.

See, I will tarry in the plain of the wilderness until you send word to me.

29 Z adok, therefore, and Abiathar carried the ark of God back to Jerusalem and they stayed there.

Then Zadok and Abiathar carried the ark of God again to Jerusalem, and they remained there.

30 A nd David went up over the Mount of Olives and wept as he went, barefoot and his head covered. And all the people who were with him covered their heads, weeping as they went.

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 were with him covered each one his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up.

31 D avid was told, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. David said, O Lord, I pray You, turn Ahithophel’s counsel into foolishness.

¶ And it was told David, saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. Then David said, O LORD, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into folly.

32 W hen David came to the summit, where he worshiped God, behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his coat rent and earth upon his head.

And it came to pass that when David came to the top of the mount to worship God there, behold, Hushai, the Archite came to meet him, with his coat rent and earth upon his head,

33 D avid said to him, If you go with me, you will be a burden to me.

Unto whom David said, If thou pass on with me, then thou shalt be a burden unto me;

34 B ut if you return to the city and say to Absalom, I will be your servant, O king; as I have been your father’s servant in the past, so will I be your servant now, then you may defeat for me the counsel of Ahithophel.

but if thou return to the city and say unto Absalom, I will be thy slave, O king as I have been thy father’s slave until now, so will I now also be thy slave; then thou may defeat the counsel of Ahithophel for me.

35 W ill not Zadok and Abiathar the priests be with you? So whatever you hear from the king’s house, just tell it to.

Are not Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, there with thee? Therefore, it shall be that whatever thou shalt hear out of the king’s house, thou shalt tell it to Zadok and Abiathar, the priests.

36 B ehold, their two sons are there with them, Ahimaaz, Zadok’s son and Jonathan, Abiathar’s son; and by them send to me everything you hear.

Behold, they have there with them their two sons, Ahimaaz, Zadok’s son, and Jonathan, Abiathar’s son; and by them you shall send unto me everything that you hear.

37 S o Hushai, David’s friend, returned, and Absalom also came into Jerusalem.

So Hushai, David’s special companion came into the city, and Absalom came into Jerusalem.