2 Samuel 15 – Legacy Standard Bible (LSB)

Absalom’s Conspiracy

1 Now it happened ^H1961 afterwards ^{H4480 H310 H3651}, that Absalom ^H53 prepared ^H6213 for himself a chariot ^H4818 and horses ^H5483 and fifty ^H2572 men ^H376 as runners ^H7323 before ^H6440 him.

2 And Absalom ^H53 used to rise ^H7925 early ^H7925 and stand ^H5975 beside ^H5921 H3027 the way ^H1870 to the gate ^H8179; and when any ^H3605 man ^H376 had ^H1961 a case ^H7379 to come ^H935 to the king ^H4428 for judgment ^H4941, Absalom ^H53 would call ^H7121 to him and say ^H559, “From what ^H2088 H335 city ^H5892 are you?” And he would say ^H559, “Your servant ^H5650 is from one ^H259 of the tribes ^H7626 of Israel ^H3478.” 3 Then Absalom ^H53 would say ^H559 to him, “See ^H7200, your words ^H1697 are good ^H2896 and right ^H5228, but no ^H369 man listens ^H8085 to you on the part ^H4480 H854 of the king ^H4428.” 4 Then Absalom ^H53 would say ^H559, “Oh ^H4310 that one would appoint ^H7760 me judge ^H8199 in the land ^H776, then every ^H3605 man ^H376 who ^H834 has ^H1961 any case ^H7379 or judgment ^H4941 could come ^H935 to me and I would justify ^H6663 him.” 5 And when a man ^H376 came ^H7126 near ^H7126 to prostrate ^H2331 himself before him, he would send ^H7971 forth ^H7971 his hand ^H3027 and take ^H2388 hold ^H2388 of him and kiss ^H5401 him. 6 In this ^H2088 manner ^H1697 Absalom ^H53 dealt ^H6213 with all ^H3605 Israel ^H3478 who ^H834 came ^H935 to the king ^H4428 for judgment ^H4941; so Absalom ^H53 stole ^H1589 away ^H1589 the hearts ^H3820 of the men ^H376 of Israel ^H3478.

7 Now it happened ^H1961 at the end ^H7093 of [fn]forty ^H705 years ^H8141 that Absalom ^H53 said ^H559 to the king ^H4428, “Please ^H4994 let me go ^H1980 and pay ^H7999 my vow ^H5088 which ^H834 I have vowed ^H5087 to Yahweh ^H3068, in Hebron ^H2275. 8 For your servant ^H5650 vowed ^H5087 a vow ^H5088 while I was living ^H3427 at Geshur ^H1650 in Aram ^H758, saying ^H559, ‘If ^H518 Yahweh ^H3068 shall indeed ^H7725 bring ^H7725 me back ^H7725 to Jerusalem ^H3389, then I will serve ^H5647 Yahweh ^H3068.’” 9 And the king ^H4428 said ^H559 to him, “Go ^H1980 in peace ^H7965.” So he arose ^H6965 and went ^H1980 to Hebron ^H2275. 10 Then Absalom ^H53 sent ^H7971 spies ^H7270 throughout all ^H3605 the tribes ^H7626 of Israel ^H3478, saying ^H559, “As soon as you hear ^H8085 the sound ^H6963 of the trumpet ^H7782, then you shall say ^H559, ‘Absalom ^H53 is ^H4427 king ^H4427 in Hebron ^H2275.’” 11 Now two hundred ^H3967 men ^H376 went ^H1980 with Absalom ^H53 from Jerusalem ^H3389, who were invited ^H7121 and went ^H1980 [fn]innocently ^H8537, and they did not know ^H3045 anything ^H3605 H1697. 12 And Absalom ^H53 sent ^H7971 for Ahithophel ^H302 the Gilonite ^H1526, David’s ^H1732 counselor ^H3289, from his city ^H5892 Giloh ^H1542, while he was offering ^H2076 the sacrifices ^H2077. And the conspiracy ^H7195 was strong ^H533, for the people ^H5971 increased ^H7227 continually ^H1980 with Absalom ^H53.

David Flees Jerusalem

13 Then an informant ^H5046 came ^H935 to David ^H1732, saying ^H559, “The hearts ^H3820 of the men ^H376 of Israel ^H3478 [fn]have followed Absalom ^H53.”

14 So David ^H1732 said ^H559 to all ^H3605 his servants ^H5650 who ^H834 were with him at Jerusalem ^H3389, “Arise ^H6965 and let us flee ^H1272, for otherwise there will be no ^H3808 escape ^H6413 for us from Absalom ^H53. Go ^H1980 in haste ^H4116, lest ^H6435 he overtake ^H5381 us hastily ^H4116 and drive ^H5080 calamity ^H7451 on us and strike ^H5221 the city ^H5892 with the edge ^H6310 of the sword ^H2719.” 15 Then the king’s ^H4428 servants ^H5650 said ^H559 to the king ^H4428, “Behold ^H2009, your servants ^H5650 are ready to do whatever ^H3605 H834 my lord ^H113 the king ^H4428 chooses ^H977.” 16 So the king ^H4428 went ^H3318 out ^H3318 and all ^H3605 his household ^H1004 [fn]with him. But the king ^H4428 left ^H5800 ten ^H6235 concubines ^H6370 to keep ^H8104 the house ^H1004. 17 And the king ^H4428 went ^H3318 out ^H3318 and all ^H3605 the people ^H5971 [fn]with him, and they stopped ^H5975 at the last ^H4801 house ^H1004. 18 Now all ^H3605 his servants ^H5650 passed ^H5674 on ^H5674 beside ^H5921 H3027 him, all ^H3605 the Cherethites ^H3774, all ^H3605 the Pelethites ^H6432, and all ^H3605 the Gittites ^H1663, six ^H8337 hundred ^H3967 men ^H376 who ^H834 had come ^H935 [fn]with him from Gath ^H1661, passed ^H5674 on ^H5674 before ^H6440 the king ^H4428.

19 Then the king ^H4428 said ^H559 to Ittai ^H863 the Gittite ^H1663, “Why ^H4100 will you also ^H1571 go ^H1980 with us? Return ^H7725 and remain ^H3427 with the king ^H4428, for you are a foreigner ^H5237 and also ^H1571 an exile ^H1540; return to your own place ^H4725. 20 You came ^H935 only yesterday ^H8543, and shall I today ^H3117 make you wander ^H5128 with us, going about, while I go ^H1980 where ^H5921 H834 I go ^H1980? Return ^H7725 and cause your brothers ^H251 to return ^H7725; lovingkindness ^H2617 and [fn]truth ^H571 be with you.” 21 But Ittai ^H863 answered ^H6030 the king ^H4428 and said ^H559, “As Yahweh ^H3068 lives ^H2416, and as my lord ^H113 the king ^H4428 lives ^H2416, surely ^H3588 H518 wherever ^{H4725 H834 H8033} my lord ^H113 the king ^H4428 may be, whether ^H518 for death ^H4194 or ^H518 for life ^H2416, there ^H8033 also ^H3588 your servant ^H5650 will be.” 22 So David ^H1732 said ^H559 to Ittai ^H863, “Go ^H1980 and pass ^H5674 over ^H5674.” So Ittai ^H863 the Gittite ^H1663 passed ^H5674 over ^H5674 with all ^H3605 his men ^H376 and all ^H3605 the little ^H2945 ones ^H2945 who ^H834 were with him. 23 While all ^H3605 the country ^H776 was weeping ^H1058 with a loud ^H1419 voice ^H6963, all ^H3605 the people ^H5971 passed ^H5674 over ^H5674. The king ^H4428 also passed ^H5674 over ^H5674 the brook ^H5158 Kidron ^H6939, and all ^H3605 the people ^H5971 passed ^H5674 over ^H5674 toward ^H5921 H6440 the way ^H1870 of the wilderness ^H4057.

24 Now behold ^H2009, Zadok ^H6659 also ^H1571 came, and all ^H3605 the Levites ^H3881 with him carrying ^H5375 the ark ^H727 of the covenant ^H1285 of God ^H430. And they set ^H3332 down ^H3332 the ark ^H727 of God ^H430, and Abiathar ^H54 came ^H5927 up ^H5927 until ^H5704 all ^H3605 the people ^H5971 had finished ^H8552 passing ^H5674 from the city ^H5892. 25 Then the king ^H4428 said ^H559 to Zadok ^H6659, “Return ^H7725 the ark ^H727 of God ^H430 to the city ^H5892. If ^H518 I find ^H4672 favor ^H2580 in the sight ^H5869 of Yahweh ^H3068, then He will cause ^H7725 me to return ^H7725 and show ^H7200 me both it and His habitation ^H5116. 26 But if ^H518 He should say ^H559 thus ^H3541, ‘I have ^H2654 no ^H3808 delight ^H2654 in you,’ behold ^H2009, here I am, let Him do ^H6213 to me as seems good ^H2895 in His sight ^H5869.” 27 The king ^H4428 said ^H559 also to Zadok ^H6659 the priest ^H3548, “Are you not a seer ^H7203? Return ^H7725 to the city ^H5892 in peace ^H7965 and your two ^H8147 sons ^H1121 with you, your son ^H1121 Ahimaaz ^H290 and Jonathan ^H3083 the son ^H1121 of Abiathar ^H54. 28 See ^H7200, I am going to wait ^H4102 at the fords ^H5679 of the wilderness ^H4057 until ^H5704 word ^H1697 comes ^H935 from you to inform ^H5046 me.” 29 So Zadok ^H6659 and Abiathar ^H54 returned ^H7725 the ark ^H727 of God ^H430 to Jerusalem ^H3389 and remained ^H3427 there ^H8033.

30 But David ^H1732 went ^H5927 up ^H5927 the ascent ^H4608 of the Mount of Olives ^H2132, and wept ^H1058 as he went ^H5927, and his head ^H7218 was covered ^H2645 and he was walking ^H1980 barefoot ^H3182. And all ^H3605 the people ^H5971 who ^H834 were with him each ^H376 covered ^H2645 his head ^H7218 and went ^H5927 up ^H5927 weeping ^H1058 as they went ^H5927. 31 Now David ^H1732 informed ^H5046 them, saying ^H559, “Ahithophel ^H302 is among the conspirators ^H7194 with Absalom ^H53.” And David ^H1732 said ^H559, “O Yahweh ^H3068, I pray ^H4994, make ^H5528 the counsel ^H6098 of Ahithophel ^H302 foolishness ^H5528.”

32 Then it happened ^H1961 that as David ^H1732 was coming ^H935 to the summit ^H7218, where ^H834 H8033 he used to worship ^H2331 God ^H430, that behold ^H2009, Hushai ^H2365 the Archite ^H757 met ^H7122 him with his [fn]coat ^H3801 torn ^H7167 and [fn]dust ^H127 on his head ^H7218. 33 And David ^H1732 said ^H559 to him, “If ^H518 you pass ^H5674 over ^H5674 with me, then you will be a burden ^H4853 to me. 34 But if ^H518 you return ^H7725 to the city ^H5892, and say ^H559 to Absalom ^H53, ‘I will be your servant ^H5650, O king ^H4428; as I have been ^H1961 your father’s ^H1 servant ^H5650 in time ^H227 past ^H227, so I will now ^H6258 be your servant ^H5650,’ then you can thwart ^H6565 the counsel ^H6098 of Ahithophel ^H302 for me. 35 Are not Zadok ^H6659 and Abiathar ^H54 the priests ^H3548 with you there ^H8033? So it shall be that whatever ^{H3605 H1697 H834} you hear ^H8085 from the king’s ^H4428 house ^H1004, you shall inform ^H5046 Zadok ^H6659 and Abiathar ^H54 the priests ^H3548. 36 Behold ^H2009, their two ^H8147 sons ^H1121 are with them there ^H8033, Ahimaaz ^H290, Zadok’s ^H6659 son and Jonathan ^H3083, Abiathar’s ^H54 son; and by their hand ^H3027 you shall send ^H7971 me everything ^H3605 that you hear ^H8085.” 37 So Hushai ^H2365, David’s ^H1732 friend ^H7463, came ^H935 into the city ^H5892, and Absalom ^H53 came ^H935 into Jerusalem ^H3389.