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

And it cometh to pass afterwards, that Absalom prepareth for himself a chariot, and horses, and fifty men are running before him;

2 A nd 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.

and Absalom hath risen early, and stood by the side of the way of the gate, and it cometh to pass, every man who hath a pleading to come unto the king for judgment, that Absalom calleth unto him, and saith, `Of what city thou?' and he saith, `Of one of the tribes of Israel thy servant.'

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

And Absalom saith unto him, `See, thy matters good and straightforward -- and there is none hearkening to thee from the king.'

4 A nd 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!

And Absalom saith, `Who doth make me a judge in the land, that unto me doth come every man who hath a plea and judgment? -- then I have declared him righteous.'

5 A nd 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.

And it hath come to pass, in the drawing nearing of any one to bow himself to him, that he hath put forth his hand, and laid hold on him, and given a kiss to him;

6 A nd 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.

and Absalom doth according to this thing to all Israel who come in for judgment unto the king, and Absalom stealeth the heart of the men of Israel.

7 ¶ 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.

And it cometh to pass, at the end of forty years, that Absalom saith unto the king, `Let me go, I pray thee, and I complete my vow, that I vowed to Jehovah in Hebron,

8 F or 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.

for a vow hath thy servant vowed in my dwelling in Geshur, in Aram, saying, If Jehovah doth certainly bring me back to Jerusalem, then I have served Jehovah.'

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

And the king saith to him, `Go in peace;' and he riseth and goeth to Hebron,

10 B ut 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.

and Absalom sendeth spies through all the tribes of Israel, saying, `At your hearing the voice of the trumpet, then ye have said, Absalom hath reigned in Hebron.'

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

And with Absalom have gone two hundred men, out of Jerusalem, invited ones, and they are going in their simplicity, and have not known anything;

12 A bsalom 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.

and Absalom sendeth Ahithophel the Gilonite, a counsellor of David, out of his city, out of Gilo, in his sacrificing sacrifices; and the conspiracy is strong, and the people are going and increasing with Absalom.

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

And he who is declaring tidings cometh in unto David, saying, `The heart of the men of Israel hath been after Absalom.'

14 T hen 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.

And David saith to all his servants who with him in Jerusalem, `Rise, and we flee, for we have no escape from the face of Absalom; haste to go, lest he hasten, and have overtaken us, and forced on us evil, and smitten the city by the mouth of the sword.'

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

And the servants of the king say unto the king, `According to all that my lord the king chooseth -- lo, thy servants.'

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

And the king goeth out, and all his household at his feet, and the king leaveth ten women -- concubines -- to keep the house.

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

And the king goeth out, and all the people at his feet, and they stand still at the farthest off house.

18 A nd 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.

And all his servants are passing on at his side, and all the Cherethite, and all the Pelethite, and all the Gittites, six hundred men who came at his feet from Gath, are passing on at the front of the king.

19 T hen 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.

And the king saith unto Ittai the Gittite, `Why dost thou go -- thou also -- with us? turn back -- and abide with the king, for thou a stranger, and also an exile thou -- to thy place.

20 W hereas 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.

Yesterday thy coming in, and to-day I move thee to go with us, and I am going on that which I am going! -- turn back, and take back thy brethren with thee, -- kindness and truth.'

21 A nd 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.

And Ittai answereth the king and saith, `Jehovah liveth, and my lord the king liveth, surely in the place where my lord the king is -- if for death, if for life, surely there is thy servant.'

22 T hen 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.

And David saith unto Ittai, `Go and pass over;' and Ittai the Gittite passeth over, and all his men, and all the infants who with him.

23 A nd 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.

And all the land are weeping -- a great voice, and all the people are passing over; and the king is passing over through the brook Kidron, and all the people are passing over on the front of the way of the wilderness;

24 ¶ 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.

and lo, also Zadok, and all the Levites with him, bearing the ark of the covenant of God, and they make the ark of God firm, and Abiathar goeth up, till the completion of all the people to pass over out of the city.

25 B ut 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.

And the king saith to Zadok, `Take back the ark of God to the city; if I find grace in the eyes of Jehovah, then He hath brought me back, and shewn me it and His habitation;

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

and if thus He say, I have not delighted in thee; here I, He doth to me as good in His eyes.'

27 T he 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.

And the king saith unto Zadok the priest, `Art thou a seer? turn back to the city in peace, and Ahimaaz thy son, and Jonathan son of Abiathar, your two sons with you;

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

see ye, I am tarrying in the plains of the wilderness till the coming in of a word from you to declare to me.'

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

And Zadok taketh back -- and Abiathar -- the ark of God to Jerusalem, and they abide there.

30 A nd 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.

And David is going up in the ascent of the olives, going up and weeping, and he hath the head covered, and he is going barefooted, and all the people who with him have covered each his head, and have gone up, going up and weeping;

31 ¶ 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.

and David declared, saying, `Ahithophel among the conspirators with Absalom;' and David saith, `Make foolish, I pray Thee, the counsel of Ahithophel, O Jehovah.'

32 A nd 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,

And it cometh to pass, David hath come unto the top, where he boweth himself to God, and lo, to meet him Hushai the Archite, his coat rent, and earth on his head;

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

and David saith to him, `If thou hast passed on with me then thou hast been on me for a burden,

34 b ut 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.

and if to the city thou dost turn back, and hast said to Absalom, Thy servant I am, O king; servant of thy father I also hitherto, and now, I also thy servant; then thou hast made void for me the counsel of Ahithophel;

35 A re 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.

and are there not with thee there Zadok and Abiathar the priests? and it hath been, the whole of the matter that thou hearest from the house of the king thou dost declare to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests.

36 B ehold, 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.

Lo, there with them their two sons, Ahimaaz to Zadok, and Jonathan to Abiathar, and ye have sent by their hand unto me anything that ye hear.'

37 S o Hushai, David’s special companion came into the city, and Absalom came into Jerusalem.

And Hushai, David's friend, cometh in to the city, and Absalom cometh in to Jerusalem.