2 Samuel 15:7-37 ▼

7 After four [forty] years had passed, Absalom (my father is peace) said to the king, “Please let me go to Hebron (association) to fulfill a vow I have made to the LORD {YHWH}.

8 For your servant made a vow while dwelling in Geshur (proud beholder) of Aram (exalted), saying: ‘If indeed the LORD {YHWH} brings me back to Jerusalem (city of peace), I will worship the LORD in Hebron.’

9 “Go in peace,” said the king. So Absalom got up and went to Hebron (association).

10 Then Absalom (my father is peace) sent spies throughout the tribes of Israel (he wrestles with God) with this message: “When you⁺ hear the sound of the horn, you⁺ are to say, ‘Absalom reigns in Hebron (association)!’”

11 Two hundred men from Jerusalem (city of peace) accompanied Absalom (my father is peace). They had been invited as guests and they went along innocently, for they knew nothing about the matter.

12 While Absalom was offering the sacrifices, he (my father is peace) sent for Ahithophel (my brother is folly) the Gilonite (gentilic of preceding), David’s (beloved) counselor, to come from his hometown of Giloh (exile). So the conspiracy gained strength, and Absalom’s following kept increasing.

13 Then a messenger came to David (beloved) and reported, “The hearts of the men of Israel (he wrestles with God) are with Absalom (my father is peace).”

14 And David (beloved) said to all the servants with him in Jerusalem (city of peace), “Arise and let us flee, or we will not escape from Absalom (my father is peace)! We must leave quickly, or he will soon overtake us, heap disaster on us, and put the city to the sword.”

15 The king’s servants replied, “Whatever our lord the king decides, we are your servants.”

16 Then the king set out, and his entire household followed him. But he left behind ten concubines to take care of the palace.

17 So the king set out with all the people following him. He stopped at the last house,

18 and all his servants marched past him—all the Cherethites (executioners) and Pelethites (couriers), and six hundred Gittites (belonging to Gath) who had followed him from Gath (winepress).

19 Then the king said to Ittai (with me) the Gittite (belonging to Gath), “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.

20 In 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.

21 But Ittai (with me) answered the king, “As surely as the LORD {YHWH} 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 “March on then,” said David (beloved) to Ittai (with me). So Ittai the Gittite (belonging to Gath) marched past with all his men and all the little ones who were with him.

23 Everyone in the countryside was weeping loudly as all the people passed by. And as the king crossed the Kidron (dark) Valley, all the people also passed toward the way of the wilderness.

24 Zadok (righteous) was also there, and all the Levites with him were carrying the ark of the covenant of God {Elohim}. And they set down the ark of God, and Abiathar (my father is great) offered sacrifices (Abiathar went up) until all the people had passed out of the city.

25 Then the king said to Zadok (righteous), “Return the ark of God {Elohim} to the city. If I find favor in the eyes of the LORD {YHWH}, He will bring me back and let me see both it and His dwelling place again.

26 But if He should say, ‘I do not delight in you,’ then here I am; let Him do to me whatever seems good to Him.”

27 The king also said to Zadok (righteous) the priest, “Are you not a seer [Behold,]? Return to the city in peace—you with your son Ahimaaz (my brother is wrath), and Abiathar (my father is great) with his son Jonathan (YHWH has given) \your son Ahimaaz and Jonathan son of Abiathar, your⁺ two sons with you⁺/.

28 See, I will wait at the fords of the wilderness until word comes from you⁺ to inform me.”

29 So Zadok (righteous) and Abiathar (my father is great) returned the ark of God {Elohim} to Jerusalem (city of peace) and stayed there.

30 But David (beloved) 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.

31 Now someone told David (beloved): “Ahithophel is (my brother is folly) among the conspirators with Absalom (my father is peace).” So David pleaded, “O LORD {YHWH}, please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness!”

32 When David (beloved) came to the summit, where he used to worship God {Elohim}, Hushai (hastening) the Archite (lengthy) was there to meet him with his robe torn and dust on his head.

33 David (beloved) said to him, “If you go on with me, you will be a burden (burden) to me.

34 But you can thwart the counsel of Ahithophel (my brother is folly) for me if you return to the city and say to Absalom (my father is peace): ‘I will be your servant, my king; in the past I was your father’s servant, but now I will be your servant.’

35 Will not Zadok (righteous) and Abiathar (my father is great) the priests be there with you? Report to them everything you hear from the king’s palace.

36 Indeed, their two sons, Ahimaaz (my brother is wrath) son of Zadok (righteous) and Jonathan (YHWH has given) son of Abiathar (my father is great), are there with them. Send them to me with everything you⁺ hear.”

37 So David’s (beloved) friend Hushai (hastening) arrived in Jerusalem (city of peace) just as Absalom (my father is peace) was entering the city.