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

After this, Absalom got a chariot and horses, and fifty men to run before him.

2 A bsalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate. When any man had a suit which should come to the king for judgment, then Absalom called to him, and said, “What city are you from?” He said, “Your servant is of one of the tribes of Israel.”

And 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.

3 A bsalom said to him, “Behold, your matters are good and right; but there is no man deputized by the king to hear you.”

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

4 A bsalom said moreover, “Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man who has any suit or cause might come to me, and I would do him justice!”

Absalom 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!

5 I t was so, that when any man came near to do him obeisance, he stretched out his hand, and took hold of him, and kissed him.

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

6 A bsalom did this sort of thing to all Israel who came to the king for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

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

7 A t the end of forty years, Absalom said to the king, “Please let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed to Yahweh, in Hebron.

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

8 F or your servant vowed a vow while I stayed at Geshur in Syria, saying, ‘If Yahweh shall indeed bring me again to Jerusalem, then I will serve Yahweh.’”

For 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.

9 T he king said to him, “Go in peace.” So he arose, and went to Hebron.

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

10 B ut Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then you shall say, ‘Absalom is king in Hebron!’”

But 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.

11 T wo hundred men went with Absalom out of Jerusalem, who were invited, and went in their simplicity; and they didn’t know anything.

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

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

And 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.

13 A messenger came to David, saying, “The hearts of the men of Israel are after Absalom.”

And there came a messenger to David, saying, The hearts of the men of Israel have gone 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. Hurry to depart, lest he overtake us quickly, and bring down evil on us, and strike the city with the edge of the sword.”

David 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.

15 T he king’s servants said to the king, “Behold, your servants are ready to do whatever my lord the king chooses.”

And the king’s servants said to the king, Behold, your servants are ready to do whatever my lord the king says.

16 T he king went out, and all his household after him. The king left ten women, who were concubines, to keep the house.

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

17 T he king went out, and all the people after him; and they stayed in Beth Merhak.

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

18 A ll his servants passed on beside him; and all the Cherethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, six hundred men who came after him from Gath, passed on before the king.

All 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.

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

The 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.

20 W hereas you came but yesterday, should I today make you go up and down with us, since I go where I may? Return, and take back your brothers. Mercy and truth be with you.”

Since 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.

21 I ttai answered the king, and said, “As Yahweh lives, and as my lord the king lives, surely in what place my lord the king is, whether for death or for life, your servant will be there also.”

But 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.

22 D avid said to Ittai, “Go and pass over.” Ittai the Gittite passed over, and all his men, and all the little ones who were with him.

So 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.

23 A ll the country wept with a loud voice, and all the people passed over. The king also himself passed over the brook Kidron, and all the people passed over, toward the way of the wilderness.

All 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.

24 B ehold, Zadok also came, and all the Levites with him, bearing the ark of the covenant of God; and they set down God’s ark; and Abiathar went up, until all the people finished passing out of the city.

Abiathar 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.

25 T he king said to Zadok, “Carry God’s ark back into the city. If I find favor in Yahweh’s eyes, he will bring me again, and show me both it, and his habitation;

Then 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.

26 b ut if he says, ‘I have no delight in you;’ behold, here am I. Let him do to me as seems good to him.”

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

27 T he king said also to Zadok the priest, “Aren’t you a seer? Return into the city in peace, and your two sons with you, Ahimaaz your son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar.

The 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.

28 B ehold, I will stay at the fords of the wilderness, until word comes from you to inform me.”

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

29 Z adok therefore and Abiathar carried God’s ark to Jerusalem again; and they stayed there.

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

30 D avid went up by the ascent of the Mount of Olives, and wept as he went up; and he had his head covered, and went barefoot: and all the people who were with him each covered his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up.

And 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.

31 S omeone told David, saying, “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” David said, “Yahweh, please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.”

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

32 W hen David had come to the top, where God was worshiped, behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his coat torn, and earth on his head.

When 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.

33 D avid said to him, “If you pass on with me, then you will be a burden to me;

David said to him, If you go with me, you will be a burden to me.

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

But 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.

35 D on’t you have Zadok and Abiathar the priests there with you? Therefore whatever you hear out of the king’s house, tell it to Zadok and Abiathar the priests.

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

36 B ehold, they have there with them their two sons, Ahimaaz, Zadok’s son, and Jonathan, Abiathar’s son. Send to me everything that you shall hear by them.”

Behold, 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.

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

So Hushai, David’s friend, returned, and Absalom also came into Jerusalem.