2 Samuel 15 Parallel Bible Translations

2 Samuel 15 ▼
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1 Soon after this, Absalom acquired a chariot, horses, and 50 men to run ahead of him. After this Absalom got himself a chariot and horses, and fifty men to run before him. In the course of time, Absalom provided himself with a chariot and horses and with fifty men to run ahead of him.
2 Absalom used to get up early and stand by the road leading to the city gate. When anyone had a case to be tried by King David, Absalom would ask, |Which city are you from?| After the person had told him which tribe in Israel he was from, And Absalom used to rise early and stand beside the way of the gate. And when any man had a dispute to come before the king for judgment, Absalom would call to him and say, “From what city are you?” And when he said, “Your servant is of such and such a tribe in Israel,” He would get up early and stand by the side of the road leading to the city gate. Whenever anyone came with a complaint to be placed before the king for a decision, Absalom would call out to him, “What town are you from?” He would answer, “Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel.”
3 Absalom would say, |Your case is good and proper, but the king hasn't appointed anyone to hear it.| Absalom would say to him, “See, your claims are good and right, but there is no man designated by the king to hear you.” Then Absalom would say to him, “Look, your claims are valid and proper, but there is no representative of the king to hear you.”
4 He would add, |I wish someone would make me judge in the land. Then anyone who had a case to be tried could come to me, and I would make sure that he got justice.| Then Absalom would say, “Oh that I were judge in the land! Then every man with a dispute or cause might come to me, and I would give him justice.” And Absalom would add, “If only I were appointed judge in the land! Then everyone who has a complaint or case could come to me and I would see that they receive justice.”
5 When anyone approached him and bowed down, Absalom would reach out, take hold of him, and kiss him. And whenever a man came near to pay homage to him, he would put out his hand and take hold of him and kiss him. Also, whenever anyone approached him to bow down before him, Absalom would reach out his hand, take hold of him and kiss him.
6 This is what he did for all Israelites who came to the king to have him try their case. So Absalom stole the hearts of the people of Israel. Thus Absalom did to all of Israel who came to the king for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel. Absalom behaved in this way toward all the Israelites who came to the king asking for justice, and so he stole the hearts of the people of Israel.
7 Four years later Absalom said to the king, |Let me go to Hebron and keep the vow I made to the LORD. And at the end of four years Absalom said to the king, “Please let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed to the LORD, in Hebron. At the end of four years, Absalom said to the king, “Let me go to Hebron and fulfill a vow I made to the LORD.
8 I made a vow while I was living at Geshur in Aram. I said, 'If the LORD will bring me back to Jerusalem, I will serve the LORD.'| For your servant vowed a vow while I lived at Geshur in Aram, saying, ‘If the LORD will indeed bring me back to Jerusalem, then I will offer worship to the LORD.’” While your servant was living at Geshur in Aram, I made this vow: ‘If the LORD takes me back to Jerusalem, I will worship the LORD in Hebron.’”
9 |Go in peace,| the king told him. So he went to Hebron. The king said to him, “Go in peace.” So he arose and went to Hebron. The king said to him, “Go in peace.” So he went to Hebron.
10 But Absalom sent his loyal supporters to all the tribes of Israel and said, |When you hear the sound of the ram's horn, say, 'Absalom has become king in Hebron.'| But Absalom sent secret messengers throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then say, ‘Absalom is king at Hebron!’” Then Absalom sent secret messengers throughout the tribes of Israel to say, “As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpets, then say, ‘Absalom is king in Hebron.’”
11 Two hundred men invited from Jerusalem went with Absalom. They went innocently, knowing nothing [about Absalom's plans]. With Absalom went two hundred men from Jerusalem who were invited guests, and they went in their innocence and knew nothing. Two hundred men from Jerusalem had accompanied Absalom. They had been invited as guests and went quite innocently, knowing nothing about the matter.
12 While Absalom was offering sacrifices, he sent for Ahithophel, David's adviser, to come from his home in Giloh. Meanwhile, the conspiracy grew stronger, and the number of people siding with Absalom kept getting larger. And while Absalom was offering the sacrifices, he sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, from his city Giloh. And the conspiracy grew strong, and the people with Absalom kept increasing. While Absalom was offering sacrifices, he also sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, to come from Giloh, his hometown. And so the conspiracy gained strength, and Absalom’s following kept on increasing.
13 Someone came to tell David, |The hearts of the people of Israel are with Absalom.| And a messenger came to David, saying, “The hearts of the men of Israel have gone after Absalom.” A messenger came and told David, “The hearts of the people of Israel are with Absalom.”
14 David told all his men who were with him in Jerusalem, |Let's flee immediately, or none of us will escape from Absalom. Let's leave right away, or he'll catch up to us and bring disaster on us when he massacres the city.| Then David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, “Arise, and let us flee, or else there will be no escape for us from Absalom. Go quickly, lest he overtake us quickly and bring down ruin on us and strike the city with the edge of the sword.” Then David said to all his officials who were with him in Jerusalem, “Come! We must flee, or none of us will escape from Absalom. We must leave immediately, or he will move quickly to overtake us and bring ruin on us and put the city to the sword.”
15 The king's servants told him, |No matter what happens, we are Your Majesty's servants.| And the king’s servants said to the king, “Behold, your servants are ready to do whatever my lord the king decides.” The king’s officials answered him, “Your servants are ready to do whatever our lord the king chooses.”
16 The king left on foot, and his whole household followed him except ten concubines whom the king left behind to take care of the palace. So the king went out, and all his household after him. And the king left ten concubines to keep the house. The king set out, with his entire household following him; but he left ten concubines to take care of the palace.
17 As the king and his troops were leaving the city on foot, they stopped at the last house. And the king went out, and all the people after him. And they halted at the last house. So the king set out, with all the people following him, and they halted at the edge of the city.
18 All his mercenaries passed by him; all the Cherethites, all the Pelethites, Ittai, and all 600 men who had followed him from Gath were marching past the king. And all his servants passed by him, and all the Cherethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the six hundred Gittites who had followed him from Gath, passed on before the king. All his men marched past him, along with all the Kerethites and Pelethites; and all the six hundred Gittites who had accompanied him from Gath marched before the king.
19 The king asked Ittai from Gath, |Why should you go with us? Go back, and stay with King Absalom. You are a foreigner, an exile from your homeland. Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why do you also go with us? Go back and stay with the king, for you are a foreigner and also an exile from your home. The king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why should you come along with us? Go back and stay with King Absalom. You are a foreigner, an exile from your homeland.
20 You came to us just yesterday. Should I make you wander around with me when I don't even know where I'm going? Go back, and take your countrymen with you. [May the LORD] always show you kindness.| You came only yesterday, and shall I today make you wander about with us, since I go I know not where? Go back and take your brothers with you, and may the LORD show steadfast love and faithfulness to you.” You came only yesterday. And today shall I make you wander about with us, when I do not know where I am going? Go back, and take your people with you. May the LORD show you kindness and faithfulness.”
21 But Ittai answered the king, |I solemnly swear, as the LORD and the king live: Wherever you are, whether you're dead or alive, I'll be there.| But Ittai answered the king, “As the LORD lives, and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king shall be, whether for death or for life, there also will your servant be.” But Ittai replied to 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.”
22 So David told Ittai, |Go ahead and keep marching.| So Ittai from Gath marched on with all his men and all the families who were with him. And David said to Ittai, “Go then, pass on.” So Ittai the Gittite passed on with all his men and all the little ones who were with him. David said to Ittai, “Go ahead, march on.” So Ittai the Gittite marched on with all his men and the families that were with him.
23 The whole country was crying loudly as all the troops were passing by. The king was crossing the Kidron Valley, and all the people were moving down the road toward the desert. And all the land wept aloud as all the people passed by, and the king crossed the brook Kidron, and all the people passed on toward the wilderness. The whole countryside wept aloud as all the people passed by. The king also crossed the Kidron Valley, and all the people moved on toward the wilderness.
24 Zadok and all the Levites with him were carrying the ark of God's promise. They set down the ark of God beside Abiathar until all the troops had withdrawn from the city. And Abiathar came up, and behold, Zadok came also with all the Levites, bearing the ark of the covenant of God. And they set down the ark of God until the people had all passed out of the city. Zadok was there, too, and all the Levites who were with him were carrying the ark of the covenant of God. They set down the ark of God, and Abiathar offered sacrifices until all the people had finished leaving the city.
25 The king told Zadok, |Take God's ark back to the city. If the LORD looks favorably on me, he will allow me to come back and see both it and its dwelling place again. Then 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 let me see both it and his dwelling place. Then the king said to Zadok, “Take the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the LORD’s eyes, he will bring me back and let me see it and his dwelling place again.
26 But if he says, 'I'm not pleased with you,' let him do to me what he considers right.| But if he says, ‘I have no pleasure in you,’ behold, here I am, let him do to me what seems good to him.” But if he says, ‘I am not pleased with you,’ then I am ready; let him do to me whatever seems good to him.”
27 |Aren't you a seer?| the king asked Zadok the priest. |Go back to the city peacefully, and take your son Ahimaaz and Abiathar's son Jonathan with you. The king also said to Zadok the priest, “Are you not a seer? Go back to the city in peace, with your two sons, Ahimaaz your son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar. The king also said to Zadok the priest, “Do you understand? Go back to the city with my blessing. Take your son Ahimaaz with you, and also Abiathar’s son Jonathan. You and Abiathar return with your two sons.
28 I'll wait at the river crossings in the desert until I receive a message from you.| See, I will wait at the fords of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me.” I will wait at the fords in the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me.”
29 So Zadok and Abiathar took the ark of God back to Jerusalem and stayed there. So Zadok and Abiathar carried the ark of God back to Jerusalem, and they remained there. So Zadok and Abiathar took the ark of God back to Jerusalem and stayed there.
30 David cried as he went up the Mount of Olives. He covered his head and walked barefoot. And all of the troops with him covered their heads and cried as they went. But David went up the ascent of the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went, barefoot and with his head covered. And all the people who were with him covered their heads, and they went up, weeping as they went. But David continued up the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went; his head was covered and he was barefoot. All the people with him covered their heads too and were weeping as they went up.
31 Then David was told, |Ahithophel is among those conspiring with Absalom.| So David prayed, |LORD, make Ahithophel's advice foolish.| And it was told David, “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” And David said, “O LORD, please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.” Now David had been told, “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” So David prayed, “LORD, turn Ahithophel’s counsel into foolishness.”
32 When David came to the top [of the Mount of Olives] where people worshiped God, Hushai from Archi's family was there to meet him. His clothes were torn, and he had dirt on his head. While David was coming to the summit, where God was worshiped, behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his coat torn and dirt on his head. When David arrived at the summit, where people used to worship God, Hushai the Arkite was there to meet him, his robe torn and dust on his head.
33 David told him, |If you go with me, you will only be a burden to me. David said to him, “If you go on with me, you will be a burden to me. David said to him, “If you go with me, you will be a burden to me.
34 But if you go back to the city and say to Absalom, 'Your Majesty, I'll be your servant. I was your father's servant in the past, but now I'll be your servant,' then you'll [help me by] undoing Ahithophel's advice. But if you return to the city and say to Absalom, ‘I will be your servant, O king; as I have been your father’s servant in time past, so now I will be your servant,’ then you will defeat for me the counsel of Ahithophel. But if you return to the city and say to Absalom, ‘Your Majesty, I will be your servant; I was your father’s servant in the past, but now I will be your servant,’ then you can help me by frustrating Ahithophel’s advice.
35 The priests Zadok and Abiathar will be with you there. When you hear anything from the royal palace, tell it to the priests Zadok and Abiathar. Are not Zadok and Abiathar the priests with you there? So whatever you hear from the king’s house, tell it to Zadok and Abiathar the priests. Won’t the priests Zadok and Abiathar be there with you? Tell them anything you hear in the king’s palace.
36 They have two sons with them: Zadok has Ahimaaz, and Abiathar has Jonathan. Send them to report to me anything you hear.| Behold, their two sons are with them there, Ahimaaz, Zadok’s son, and Jonathan, Abiathar’s son, and by them you shall send to me everything you hear.” Their two sons, Ahimaaz son of Zadok and Jonathan son of Abiathar, are there with them. Send them to me with anything you hear.”
37 So Hushai, David's friend, went to the city as Absalom was entering Jerusalem. So Hushai, David’s friend, came into the city, just as Absalom was entering Jerusalem. So Hushai, David’s confidant, arrived at Jerusalem as Absalom was entering the city.
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