2 Samuel 15 – New American Standard Bible 2020 (NASB20)

Absalom’s Conspiracy

1 Now it came ^H1961 about ^H1961 after ^H4480 H310 this ^H3651 that Absalom ^H53 provided ^H6213 for himself a chariot ^H4818 and horses ^H5483, and fifty ^H2572 men ^H376 [fn]to run ^H7323 ahead ^H6440 of him.

2 And Absalom ^H53 used to rise ^H7925 early ^H7925 and stand ^H5975 beside ^H5921 H3027 the road ^H1870 to the gate ^H8179; and when any ^H3605 man ^H376 who ^H834 had ^H1961 a lawsuit ^H7379 was to come ^H935 before ^H413 the king ^H4428 for judgment ^H4941, Absalom ^H53 would call ^H7121 out ^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 [fn]claims ^H1697 are good ^H2896 and right ^H5228, but you have no ^H369 one to listen ^H8085 to you on the part ^H4480 H854 of the king ^H4428.” 4 Moreover, Absalom ^H53 would say ^H559, “Oh ^H4310 that someone would appoint ^H7760 me judge ^H8199 in the land ^H776, then every ^H3605 man ^H376 who ^H834 has ^H1961 a lawsuit ^H7379 or claim ^H4941 could come ^H935 to me, and I would give ^H6663 him justice ^H6663!” 5 And whenever a man ^H376 approached ^H7126 to prostrate ^H2331 himself before him, he would put ^H7971 out ^H7971 his hand ^H3027 and take ^H2388 hold ^H2388 of him and kiss ^H5401 him. 6 Absalom ^H53 dealt ^H6213 this ^H2088 way ^H1697 with all ^H3605 Israel ^H3478 who ^H834 came ^H935 to the king ^H4428 for judgment ^H4941; so Absalom ^H53 stole ^H1589 the hearts ^H3820 of the people ^H376 of Israel ^H3478.

7 Now it came ^H1961 about ^H1961 at the end ^H7093 of [fn]four ^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 made ^H5087 to the LORD ^H3068, in Hebron ^H2275. 8 For your servant ^H5650 made ^H5087 a vow ^H5088 while I was living ^H3427 in Geshur ^H1650 in Aram ^H758, saying ^H559, ‘If ^H518 the LORD ^H3068 will indeed ^H7725 bring ^H7725 me back ^H7725 to Jerusalem ^H3389, then I will serve ^H5647 the LORD ^H3068.’” 9 The king ^H4428 said ^H559 to him, “Go ^H1980 in peace ^H7965.” So he got ^H6965 up ^H6965 and went ^H1980 to Hebron ^H2275. 10 But Absalom ^H53 sent ^H7971 spies ^H7270 throughout ^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 Then two hundred ^H3967 men ^H376 went ^H1980 with Absalom ^H53 from Jerusalem ^H3389, who were invited ^H7121 and went ^H1980 [fn]innocently ^H8537, for 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 continually ^H1980 increased ^H7227 with Absalom ^H53.

David Flees Jerusalem

13 Then a messenger ^H5046 came ^H935 to David ^H1732, saying ^H559, “The hearts ^H3820 of the people ^H376 of Israel ^H3478 are [fn]with Absalom ^H53.”

14 So David ^H1732 said ^H559 to all ^H3605 his servants ^H5650 who ^H834 were with him in Jerusalem ^H3389, “Arise ^H6965 and let’s flee ^H1272, for otherwise none ^H3808 of us will escape ^H6413 from Absalom ^H53. Go ^H1980 quickly ^H4116, or ^H6435 he will hurry ^H4116 and overtake ^H5381 us, and bring ^H5080 disaster ^H5080 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 will do whatever ^H3605 H834 my lord ^H113 the king ^H4428 chooses ^H977.” 16 So the king ^H4428 left ^H3318, and all ^H3605 his household ^H1004 [fn]with him; but the king ^H4428 left ^H5800 ten ^H6235 concubines ^H6370 behind ^H5800 to take ^H8104 care ^H8104 of the house ^H1004. 17 The king ^H4428 left ^H3318, and all ^H3605 the people ^H5971 [fn]with him, and they stopped ^H5975 at the last ^H4801 house ^H1004. 18 Now all ^H3605 of his servants ^H5650 passed ^H5674 by ^H5674 beside ^H5921 H3027 him, and 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 by ^H5674 before ^H6440 the king ^H4428.

19 Then the king ^H4428 said ^H559 to Ittai ^H863 the Gittite ^H1663, “Why ^H4100 should you go ^H1980 with us too ^H1571? Return ^H7725 and stay ^H3427 with [fn]your king ^H4428, since ^H3588 you are a foreigner ^H5237 and an exile ^H1540 as ^H1571 well ^H1571; return to your own place ^H4725. 20 You came ^H935 only yesterday ^H8543, so should I make you wander ^H5128 with us today ^H3117, while I go ^H1980 wherever ^H5921 H834 I go ^H1980? Return ^H7725 and take ^H7725 your brothers ^H251 back ^H7725; mercy ^H2617 and [fn]truth ^H571 be with you.” 21 But Ittai ^H863 answered ^H6030 the king ^H4428 and said ^H559, “As the LORD ^H3068 lives ^H2416, and as my lord ^H113 the king ^H4428 lives ^H2416, wherever ^{H4725 H834 H8033} my lord ^H113 the king ^H4428 may be, whether ^H518 for death ^H4194 or ^H518 for life ^H2416, there ^H8033 assuredly ^H3588 H518 shall your servant ^H5650 be!” 22 Then David ^H1732 said ^H559 to Ittai ^H863, “Go ^H1980 and cross ^H5674 over ^H5674 the brook Kidron.” So Ittai ^H863 the Gittite ^H1663 crossed ^H5674 over ^H5674 with all ^H3605 his men ^H376 and all ^H3605 the [fn]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 were crossing ^H5674 over ^H5674. The king ^H4428 was also crossing ^H5674 over ^H5674 the brook ^H5158 Kidron ^H6939, and all ^H3605 the people ^H5971 were crossing ^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 ^H3322 down ^H3322 the ark ^H727 of God ^H430, and Abiathar ^H54 came ^H5927 up ^H5927 until ^H5704 all ^H3605 the people ^H5971 had finished ^H8552 crossing ^H5674 over ^H5674 from the city ^H5892. 25 And 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 the LORD ^H3068, then He will bring ^H7725 me back ^H7725 and show ^H7200 me both it and His habitation ^H5116. 26 But if ^H518 He says ^H559 this ^H3541: ‘I have ^H2654 no ^H3808 delight ^H2654 in you,’ then here ^H2009 I am, let Him do ^H6213 to me as seems good ^H2895 [fn]to Him.” 27 The king ^H4428 also said ^H559 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 river ^H5679 crossing ^H5679 places ^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 And David ^H1732 was going ^H5927 up ^H5927 the ascent ^H4608 of the Mount of Olives ^H2132, weeping ^H1058 as he went ^H5927, and his head ^H7218 was covered ^H2645, and he was walking ^H1980 barefoot ^H3182. Then all ^H3605 the people ^H5971 who ^H834 were with him each ^H376 covered ^H2645 his own head ^H7218, and they were going ^H5927 up ^H5927, weeping ^H1058 as they went ^H5927. 31 Now someone informed ^H5046 David ^H1732, saying ^H559, “Ahithophel ^H302 is among the conspirators ^H7194 with Absalom ^H53.” And David ^H1732 said ^H559, “LORD ^H3068, please ^H4994 make ^H5528 the advice ^H6098 of Ahithophel ^H302 foolish ^H5528.”

32 It happened ^H1961 as David ^H1732 was coming ^H935 to the summit ^H7218, where ^H834 H8033 God ^H430 was worshiped ^H2331, 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 go ^H5674 over ^H5674 with me, then you will become ^H1961 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; even as I was your father’s ^H1 servant ^H5650 in time ^H227 past ^H227, so now ^H6258 I will also be your servant ^H5650,’ then you can foil ^H6565 the advice ^H6098 of Ahithophel ^H302 for me. 35 Are Zadok ^H6659 and Abiathar ^H54 the priests ^H3548 not 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 report ^H5046 to Zadok ^H6659 and Abiathar ^H54 the priests ^H3548. 36 Behold ^H2009 their two ^H8147 sons ^H1121 are there ^H8033 with them, Ahimaaz ^H290, Zadok’s ^H6659 son and Jonathan ^H3083, Abiathar’s ^H54 son; and by them 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.