2 Samuel 15:1-21 ▼

1 And it will be from after this, and Absalom will make to him chariots and horses, and fifty men running before him.

2 And Absalom rose early and stood by the hand of the way of the gate: and it will be every man which shall be to him strife coming to the king for judgment, and Absalom will call to him and say, Where, from what city thou? And he will say, of one of the tribes of Israel is thy servant.

3 And Absalom will say to him, See, thy words good and straight, and none to hear to thee from the king.

4 And Absalom will say, Who will set me judge in the land? and to me shall every man come which shall be to him strife and judgment, and I did him justice.

5 And it was in a man's coming near to worship to him, and he stretched forth his hand and laid hold of him, and kissed him.

6 And Absalom will do according to this word to all Israel who will come for judgment to the king: and Absalom will steal the heart of the men of Israel.

7 And it will be from the end of forty years, and Absalom will say to the king, I will go now and complete my vow which I vowed to Jehovah in Hebron.

8 For thy servant vowed a vow in my dwelling in Geshur in Aram, saying, If turning back, Jehovah shall turn me back to Jerusalem, and I served Jehovah.

9 And the king will say to him, Go in peace. And he will rise and go to Hebron.

10 And Absalom will send spies in all the tribes of Israel, saying, When ye heard the voice of the trumpet, and ye said, Absalom the king in Hebron.

11 And with Absalom went two hundred men from Jerusalem, being called; going uprightly, and they knew not any word.

12 And Absalom will send for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's counsellor, from his city, from Giloh, in his sacrificing sacrifices. And the conspiracy will be strong; and the people went and a multitude with Absalom.

13 And he announcing, will come to David, saying, The heart of the man Israel was after Absalom.

14 And David will say to all his servants which are with him in Jerusalem, Arise, and we will flee, for escape will not be to us from the face of Absalom: hasten to go lest he shall hasten to hedge us in, and thrust evil upon us, and smite the city with the mouth of the sword.

15 And the king's servants will say to the king, According to all which my lord the king shall choose, behold thy servants.

16 And the king will go forth, and all his house at his feet. And the king will leave ten women, concubines, to watch the house.

17 And the king will go forth, and all the people at his feet, and they will stand in a house far off.

18 And all his servants passing by upon his hand; and all the Cherethites and all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, six hundred men which came at his foot from Gath, passing by at the face of the king.

19 And the king will say to Ittai the Gittite, Wherefore wilt thou go, also thou, with us? turn back and dwell with the king, for thou a stranger and thou an exile to thy place.

20 Yesterday thy coming, and this day shall I cause thee to wander about to go with us? and I go where I go, turn back, and turn back thy brethren with thee mercy and truth.

21 And Ittai will answer the king, and say, Jehovah lives, and my lord the king lives, for surely in the place where my lord the king shall be, there whether for death, whether for life, for there will thy servant be.