| New King James Version | Berean Study Bible |
| 1After this it happened that Absalom provided himself with chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him. | 1Some time later, Absalom provided for himself a chariot with horses and fifty men to run ahead of him. |
| 2Now Absalom would rise early and stand beside the way to the gate. So it was, whenever anyone who had a lawsuit came to the king for a decision, that Absalom would call to him and say, “What city are you from?” And he would say, “Your servant is from such and such a tribe of Israel.” | 2He would get up early and stand beside the road leading to the city gate. Whenever anyone had a grievance to bring before the king for a decision, Absalom would call out and ask, “What city are you from?” And if he replied, “Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel,” |
| 3Then Absalom would say to him, “Look, your case is good and right; but there is no deputy of the king to hear you.” | 3Absalom would say, “Look, your claims are good and right, but the king has no deputy to hear you.” |
| 4Moreover Absalom would say, “Oh, that I were made judge in the land, and everyone who has any suit or cause would come to me; then I would give him justice.” | 4And he would add, “If only someone would appoint me judge in the land, then everyone with a grievance or dispute could come to me, and I would give him justice.” |
| 5And so it was, whenever anyone came near to bow down to him, that he would put out his hand and take him and kiss him. | 5Also, when anyone approached to bow down to him, Absalom would reach out his hand, take hold of him, and kiss him. |
| 6In this manner Absalom acted toward all Israel who came to the king for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel. | 6Absalom did this to all the Israelites who came to the king for justice. In this way he stole the hearts of the men of Israel. |
| 7Now it came to pass after forty years that Absalom said to the king, “Please, let me go to Hebron and pay the vow which I made to the LORD. | 7After four years had passed, Absalom said to the king, “Please let me go to Hebron to fulfill a vow I have made to the LORD. |
| 8For your servant took a vow while I dwelt at Geshur in Syria, saying, ‘If the LORD indeed brings me back to Jerusalem, then I will serve the LORD.’ ” | 8For your servant made a vow while dwelling in Geshur of Aram, saying: ‘If indeed the LORD brings me back to Jerusalem, I will worship the LORD in Hebron.’ ” |
| 9And the king said to him, “Go in peace.” So he arose and went to Hebron. | 9“Go in peace,” said the king. So Absalom got up and went to Hebron. |
| 10Then 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 reigns in Hebron!’ ” | 10Then Absalom sent spies throughout the tribes of Israel with this message: “When you hear the sound of the horn, you are to say, ‘Absalom reigns in Hebron!’ ” |
| 11And with Absalom went two hundred men invited from Jerusalem, and they went along innocently and did not know anything. | 11Two hundred men from Jerusalem accompanied Absalom. They had been invited as guests and they went along innocently, for they knew nothing about the matter. |
| 12Then Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, from his city—from Giloh—while he offered sacrifices. And the conspiracy grew strong, for the people with Absalom continually increased in number. | 12While Absalom was offering the sacrifices, he sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, to come from his hometown of Giloh. So the conspiracy gained strength, and Absalom’s following kept increasing. |
| 13Now a messenger came to David, saying, “The hearts of the men of Israel are with Absalom.” | 13Then a messenger came to David and reported, “The hearts of the men of Israel are with Absalom.” |
| 14So David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, “Arise, and let us flee, or we shall not escape from Absalom. Make haste to depart, lest he overtake us suddenly and bring disaster upon us, and strike the city with the edge of the sword.” | 14And David said to all the servants with him in Jerusalem, “Arise and let us flee, or we will not escape from Absalom! We must leave quickly, or he will soon overtake us, heap disaster on us, and put the city to the sword.” |
| 15And the king’s servants said to the king, “We are your servants, ready to do whatever my lord the king commands.” | 15The king’s servants replied, “Whatever our lord the king decides, we are your servants.” |
| 16Then the king went out with all his household after him. But the king left ten women, concubines, to keep the house. | 16Then the king set out, and his entire household followed him. But he left behind ten concubines to take care of the palace. |
| 17And the king went out with all the people after him, and stopped at the outskirts. | 17So the king set out with all the people following him. He stopped at the last house, |
| 18Then all his servants passed before him; and all the Cherethites, all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, six hundred men who had followed him from Gath, passed before the king. | 18and all his servants marched past him—all the Cherethites and Pelethites, and six hundred Gittites who had followed him from Gath. |
| 19Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why are you also going with us? Return and remain with the king. For you are a foreigner and also an exile from your own place. | 19Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why should you also go with us? Go back and stay with the new king, since you are both a foreigner and an exile from your homeland. |
| 20In fact, you came only yesterday. Should I make you wander up and down with us today, since I go I know not where? Return, and take your brethren back. Mercy and truth be with you.” | 20In fact, you arrived only yesterday; should I make you wander around with us today while I do not know where I am going? Go back and take your brothers with you. May the LORD show you loving devotion and faithfulness.” |
| 21But Ittai answered the king and said, “As the LORD lives, and as my lord the king lives, surely in whatever place my lord the king shall be, whether in death or life, even there also your servant will be.” | 21But Ittai answered the king, “As surely as the LORD lives, and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king may be, whether it means life or death, there will your servant be!” |
| 22So David said to Ittai, “Go, and cross over.” Then Ittai the Gittite and all his men and all the little ones who were with him crossed over. | 22“March on then,” said David to Ittai. So Ittai the Gittite marched past with all his men and all the little ones who were with him. |
| 23And all the country wept with a loud voice, and all the people crossed over. The king himself also crossed over the Brook Kidron, and all the people crossed over toward the way of the wilderness. | 23Everyone in the countryside was weeping loudly as all the people passed by. And as the king crossed the Kidron Valley, all the people also passed toward the way of the wilderness. |
| 24There was Zadok also, and all the Levites with him, bearing the ark of the covenant of God. And they set down the ark of God, and Abiathar went up until all the people had finished crossing over from the city. | 24Zadok was also there, and all the Levites with him were carrying the ark of the covenant of God. And they set down the ark of God, and Abiathar offered sacrifices until the people had passed out of the city. |
| 25Then the king said to Zadok, “Carry the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the eyes of the LORD, He will bring me back and show me both it and His dwelling place. | 25Then the king said to Zadok, “Return the ark of God to the city. If I find favor in the eyes of the LORD, He will bring me back and let me see both it and His dwelling place again. |
| 26But if He says thus: ‘I have no delight in you,’ here I am, let Him do to me as seems good to Him.” | 26But if He should say, ‘I do not delight in you,’ then here I am; let Him do to me whatever seems good to Him.” |
| 27The 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 the son of Abiathar. | 27The king also said to Zadok the priest, “Are you not a seer? Return to the city in peace—you with your son Ahimaaz, and Abiathar with his son Jonathan. |
| 28See, I will wait in the plains of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me.” | 28See, I will wait at the fords of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me.” |
| 29Therefore Zadok and Abiathar carried the ark of God back to Jerusalem. And they remained there. | 29So Zadok and Abiathar returned the ark of God to Jerusalem and stayed there. |
| 30So David 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 covered their heads and went up, weeping as they went up. | 30But David continued up the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went up. His head was covered, and he was walking barefoot. And all the people with him covered their heads and went up, weeping as they went. |
| 31Then someone told David, saying, “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” And David said, “O LORD, I pray, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness!” | 31Now someone told David: “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” So David pleaded, “O LORD, please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness!” |
| 32Now it happened when David had come to the top of the mountain, where he worshiped God—there was Hushai the Archite coming to meet him with his robe torn and dust on his head. | 32When David came to the summit, where he used to worship God, Hushai the Archite was there to meet him with his robe torn and dust on his head. |
| 33David said to him, “If you go on with me, then you will become a burden to me. | 33David said to him, “If you go on with me, you will be a burden to me. |
| 34But if you return to the city, and say to Absalom, ‘I will be your servant, O king; as I was your father’s servant previously, so I will now also be your servant,’ then you may defeat the counsel of Ahithophel for me. | 34But you can thwart the counsel of Ahithophel for me if you return to the city and say to Absalom: ‘I will be your servant, my king; in the past I was your father’s servant, but now I will be your servant.’ |
| 35And do you not have Zadok and Abiathar the priests with you there? Therefore it will be that whatever you hear from the king’s house, you shall tell to Zadok and Abiathar the priests. | 35Will not Zadok and Abiathar the priests be there with you? Report to them everything you hear from the king’s palace. |
| 36Indeed they have there with them their two sons, Ahimaaz, Zadok’s son, and Jonathan, Abiathar’s son; and by them you shall send me everything you hear.” | 36Indeed, their two sons, Ahimaaz son of Zadok and Jonathan son of Abiathar, are there with them. Send them to me with everything you hear.” |
| 37So Hushai, David’s friend, went into the city. And Absalom came into Jerusalem. | 37So David’s friend Hushai arrived in Jerusalem just as Absalom was entering the city. |
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