1AFTER THIS, ABSALOM PROVIDED himself with a chariot and horses and an escort of fifty men. 2He made it a practice to rise early and stand beside the road which runs through the city gate. He would hail every man who had a case to bring before the king for judgement and would ask him what city he came from. When he answered, 'I come, sir, from such and such a tribe of Israel', 3Absalom would say to him, 'I can see that you have a very good case, but you will get no hearing from the king.' 4And he would add, 'If only I were appointed judge in the land, it would be my business to see that everyone who brought a suit or a claim got justice from me.' 5Whenever a man approached to prostrate himself, Absalom would stretch out his hand, take hold of him and kiss him. 6By behaving like this to every Israelite who sought the king's justice, Absalom stole the affections of the Israelites.
7At the end of four years, Absalom said to the king, 'May I have leave now to go to Hebron to fulfil a vow there that I made to the LORD? 8For when I lived in Geshur, in Aram, I made this vow: "If the LORD brings me back to Jerusalem, I will become a worshipper of the LORD in Hebron." ' 9The king answered, 'Certainly you may go'; so he set off for Hebron at once. 10Absalom sent runners through all the tribes of Israel with this message: 'As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then say, "Absalom is king in Hebron." ' 11Two hundred men accompanied Absalom from Jerusalem; they were invited and went in all innocence, knowing nothing of the affair. 12Absalom also sent to summon Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's counsellor, from Giloh his city, where he was offering the customary sacrifices. The conspiracy gathered strength, and Absalom's supporters increased in number.
13When news reached David that the men of Israel had transferred their allegiance to Absalom, 14he said to those who were with him in Jerusalem, 'We must get away at once; or there will be no escape from Absalom for any of us. Make haste, or else he will soon be upon us and bring disaster on us, showing no mercy to anyone in the city.' 15The king's servants said to him, 'As your majesty thinks best; we are ready.'
16When the king departed, all his household followed him except ten concubines, whom he left in charge of the palace. 17At the Far House the king and all the people who were with him halted. 18His own servants then stood beside him, while the Kerethite and Pelethite guards and Ittai with the six hundred Gittites under him marched past the king. 19The king said to Ittai the Gittite, 'Are you here too? Why are you coming with us? Go back and stay with the new king, for you are a foreigner and, what is more, an exile from your own country. 20You came only yesterday, and today must you be compelled to share my wanderings? I do not know where I am going. Go back home and take your countrymen with you; and may the LORD ever be your steadfast friend.' 21Ittai swore to the king, 'As the LORD lives, your life upon it, wherever you may be, in life or in death, I, your servant, will be there.' 22David said to Ittai, 'It is well, march on!' So Ittai the Gittite marched on with his whole company and all the dependants who were with him. 23The whole country-side re-echoed with their weeping. And the king remained standing while all the people crossed the gorge of the Kidron before him, by way of the olive-tree in the wilderness .
24Zadok also was there with all the Levites; they were carrying the Ark of the Covenant of God, which they set down beside Abiathar until all the people had passed out of the city. 25But the king said to Zadok, 'Take the Ark of God back to the city. If I find favour with the LORD, he will bring me back and will let me see the Ark and its dwelling-place again. 26But if he says he does not want me, then here I am; let him do what he pleases with me.' 27The king went on to say to Zadok the priest, 'Can you make good use of your eyes? You may safely 'go back to the city, you and Abiathar , and take with you the two young men, Ahimaaz your son and Abiathar's son Jonathan. 28Do not forget: I will linger at the Fords of the Wilderness until you can send word to me.' 29Then Zadok and Abiathar took the Ark of God back to Jerusalem and stayed there.
30David wept as he went up the slope of the Mount of Olives; he was bare-headed and went bare-foot. The people with him all had their heads uncovered and wept as they went. 31David had been told that Ahithophel was among the conspirators with Absalom, and he prayed, 'Frustrate, O LORD, the counsel of Ahithophel.'
32As David was approaching the top of the ridge where it was the custom to prostrate oneself to God, Hushai the Archite was there to meet him with his tunic rent and earth on his head. 33David said to him, 'If you come with me you will only be a hindrance; 34but you can help me to frustrate Ahithophel's plans if you go back to the city and say to Absalom, "I will be your majesty's servant; up to now I have been your father's servant, and now I will be yours." 35You will have with you, as you know: the Priests Zadok and Abiathar; tell them everything that you hear in the kings household. 36They have with them Zadok's son Ahimaaz and Abiathar's son Jonathan and through them you may pass on to me everything You hear.' 37So Hushai, David's friend, came to the city as Absalom was entering Jerusalem.
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