2 Samuel 15:21-37 ▼

21 And Ethi answered the king and said, As the Lord lives and as my lord the king lives, in the place wheresoever my lord shall be, whether it be for death or life, there shall thy servant be.

22 And the king said to Ethi, Come and pass over with me. So Ethi the Gittite and the king passed over, and all his servants, and all the multitude with him.

23 And all the country wept with a loud voice. And all the people passed by over the brook of Kedron; and the king crossed the brook Kedron: and all the people and the king passed on toward the way of the wilderness.

24 And behold also Sadoc, and all the Levites were with him, bearing the ark of the covenant of the Lord from Baethar: and they set down the ark of God; and Abiathar went up, until all the people had passed out of the city.

25 And the king said to Sadoc, Carry back the ark of God into the city: if I should find favour in the eyes of the Lord, then will he bring me back, and he will shew me it and its beauty.

26 But if he should say thus, I have no pleasure in thee; behold, here I am, let him do to me according to that which is good in his eyes.

27 And the king said to Sadoc the priest, Behold, thou shalt return to the city in peace, and Achimaas thy son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar, your two sons with you.

28 Behold, I continue in arms in Araboth of the desert, until there come tidings from you to report to me.

29 So Sadoc and Abiathar brought back the ark of the Lord to Jerusalem, and it continued there.

30 And David went up by the ascent of the mount of Olives, ascending and weeping, and had his head covered, and went barefooted: and all the people that were with him covered every man his head; and they went up, ascending and weeping.

31 And it was reported to David, saying, Achitophel also is among the conspirators with Abessalom. And David said, O Lord my God, disconcert, I pray thee, the counsel of Achitophel.

32 And David came as far as Ros, where he worshipped God: and behold, Chusi the chief friend of David came out to meet him, having rent his garment, and earth was upon his head.

33 And David said to him, If thou shouldest go over with me, then wilt thou be a burden to me;

34 but if thou shall return to the city, and shalt say to Abessalom, Thy brethren are passed over, and the king thy father is passed over after me: and now I am thy servant, O king, suffer me to live: at one time even of late I was the servant of thy father, and now I am thy humble servant - so shalt thou disconcert for me, the counsel of Achitophel.

35 And, behold, there are there with thee Sadoc and Abiathar the priests; and it shall be that every word that thou shalt hear of the house of the king, thou shalt report it to Sadoc and Abiathar the priests.

36 Behold, there are there with them their two sons, Achimaas the son of Sadoc, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar; and by them ye shall report to me every word which ye shall hear.

37 So Chusi the friend of David went into the city, and Abessalom was lately gone into Jerusalem.