2 Samuel 15:1-13 ▼

1 And after this Absalom began to furnish himself with a chariot and horses, and fifty men to run before him.

2 And Absalom used to get up early and stand beside the road. Then when anyone had a dispute which should come to the king for judgment, then Absalom would call out to him and say, |What city are you from?| When he said, |Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel,|

3 then Absalom would say to him, |Look, your matters are good and right; but there is no one from the king to hear you.|

4 And Absalom would say, |Oh that I were made judge in the land, then anyone who had a dispute could come to me, and I would give him justice.|

5 It was so, that when any man came near to do him obeisance, he put forth his hand, and took hold of him, and kissed him.

6 Absalom did this sort of thing to all Israel who came to the king for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

7 It happened at the end of four years, that Absalom said to the king, |Please let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed to the LORD, in Hebron.

8 For your servant vowed a vow while I stayed at Geshur in Aram, saying, 'If the LORD will bring me back to Jerusalem, then I will serve the LORD in Hebron.'|

9 The king said to him, |Go in peace.| So he arose, and went to Hebron.

10 But 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 is king in Hebron.'|

11 Two hundred men went with Absalom out of Jerusalem, who were invited, and went in their simplicity; and they did not know anything.

12 And he sent and invited Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, from his city Giloh, where he was offering sacrifice. The conspiracy was strong, for the people increased continually with Absalom.

13 A messenger came to David, saying, |The hearts of the men of Israel are after Absalom.|