Absalom Wins the People’s Hearts
1And it happened after this that Absalom got himself a chariot and horses, and fifty men to run ahead of him. 2Absalom would rise early and stand beside the road to the gate, and whenever a man had a dispute and was coming to the king for judgment, Absalom would call out to him and say, “What city are you from?” And he would answer, “Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel.” 3Then Absalom would say to him, “Look, your case is good and right, but the king has appointed no one to hear you.” 4Absalom would add, “If only I were made judge in the land! Then anyone with a dispute or a case could come to me, and I would give him justice.” 5And whenever a man approached to bow down to him, he would reach out his hand, take hold of him, and kiss him. 6Absalom did this to all Israel who came to the king for judgment, and so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel. 7At the end of forty years, Absalom said to the king, “Please let me go and fulfill the vow I made to Yahweh in Hebron. 8For your servant made a vow while I was living in Geshur in Aram: If Yahweh ever brings me back to Jerusalem, I will serve Yahweh.” 9The king said to him, “Go in peace.” So he got up and went to Hebron. 10Then Absalom sent secret messengers throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, say, Absalom has become king in Hebron.” 11Two hundred men from Jerusalem went with Absalom; they had been invited and went in innocence, knowing nothing of the matter. 12While Absalom was offering sacrifices, he sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, from his city of Giloh. The conspiracy grew strong, and the people with Absalom kept increasing.
David Flees Jerusalem
13A messenger came to David and said, “The hearts of the men of Israel have turned after Absalom.” 14David said to all his servants who were with him in Jerusalem, “Get up! Let us flee, or none of us will escape from Absalom. Hurry, or he will overtake us quickly, bring disaster on us, and put the city to the sword.” 15The king’s servants said to the king, “Whatever my lord the king decides, your servants are ready.” 16So the king went out on foot, and his whole household followed him. But the king left behind ten concubines to take care of the house. 17The king went out on foot, and all the people followed him, and they stopped at the last house. 18All his servants passed by him, and all the Cherethites and all the Pelethites; and all the Gittites — six hundred men who had followed him from Gath — passed before the king.
Ittai’s Loyalty
19Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why should you also come with us? Go back and stay with the king, for you are a foreigner, and besides, you are an exile from your own place. 20You came only yesterday — should I make you wander with us today, when I myself do not know where I am going? Go back, and take your countrymen with you. May kindness and faithfulness be with you.” 21But Ittai answered the king, “As Yahweh lives, and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king may be, whether for death or for life, there your servant will be.” 22David said to Ittai, “Go, then, and cross over.” So Ittai the Gittite crossed over with all his men and all the children who were with him. 23The whole countryside wept aloud as all the people passed by. The king crossed the Kidron Valley, and all the people crossed over on the road toward the wilderness.
The Ark Sent Back to the City
24And there was Zadok too, and all the Levites with him, carrying the ark of the covenant of God. They set down the ark of God, and Abiathar went up, until all the people had finished leaving the city. 25The king said to Zadok, “Take the ark of God back to the city. If I find favor in Yahweh’s eyes, he will bring me back and let me see it and its dwelling place again. 26But if he says, I have no delight in you — then here I am, let him do to me whatever seems good to him.” 27The king said also to Zadok the priest, “Are you a seer? Go back to the city in peace, and take your two sons with you — your son Ahimaaz, and Abiathar’s son Jonathan. 28Look, I will wait in the plains of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me.” 29So Zadok and Abiathar carried the ark of God back to Jerusalem, and they stayed there.
Hushai Sent to Absalom
30David went up the ascent of the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went, his head covered, walking barefoot; and all the people with him covered their heads and went up weeping. 31David was told, “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” And David said, “Yahweh, please turn Ahithophel’s counsel into foolishness.” 32When David reached the summit, where he used to bow down to God, Hushai the Archite met him with his robe torn and dust on his head. 33David said to him, “If you go on with me, you will be a burden to me. 34But if you go back to the city and say to Absalom, ‘I will be your servant, O king; I was your father’s servant before, and now I will be your servant’ — then you can undo Ahithophel’s counsel for me. 35Are not Zadok and Abiathar the priests there with you? So whatever you hear from the king’s house, report it to Zadok and Abiathar the priests. 36Look, their two sons are there with them — Ahimaaz, Zadok’s son, and Jonathan, Abiathar’s son. Send me word by them of everything you hear.” 37So Hushai, David’s friend, entered the city just as Absalom was entering Jerusalem.
