2 Samuel 15
15
Absalom’s Ambition. 1After this, Absalom provided himself with chariots, horses, and a retinue of fifty.#1 Sm 8:11; 1 Kgs 1:5. 2Moreover, Absalom used to rise early and stand alongside the road leading to the gate. If someone had a lawsuit to be decided by the king, Absalom would call to him and say, “From what city are you?” And when he replied, “Your servant is of such and such a tribe of Israel,” 3Absalom would say to him, “Your case is good and just, but there is no one to hear you in the king’s name.” 4And he would continue: “If only I could be appointed judge in the land! Then everyone who has a lawsuit to be decided might come to me and I would render him justice.” 5Whenever a man approached him to show homage, he would extend his hand, hold him, and kiss him. 6By behaving in this way toward all the Israelites who came to the king for judgment, Absalom was stealing the heart of Israel.
Conspiracy in Hebron. 7After a period of four years, Absalom said to the king: “Please let me go to Hebron and fulfill a vow I made to the Lord. 8For while living in Geshur in Aram, your servant made this vow: ‘If the Lord ever brings me back to Jerusalem, I will worship him in Hebron.’”#2 Sm 3:3; 13:37. 9The king said to him, “Go in peace,” and he went off to Hebron. 10Then Absalom sent agents throughout the tribes of Israel to say, “When you hear the sound of the horn, say, ‘Absalom is king in Hebron!’” 11Two hundred men had accompanied Absalom from Jerusalem. They had been invited and went in all innocence, knowing nothing. 12Absalom also sent to Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, an invitation to come from his town, Giloh, for the sacrifices he was about to offer. So the conspiracy gained strength, and the people with Absalom increased in numbers.#2 Sm 16:23.
David Flees Jerusalem. 13An informant came to David with the report, “The Israelites have given their hearts to Absalom,#Ps 3. and they are following him.” 14At this, David said to all his servants who were with him in Jerusalem: “Get up, let us flee, or none of us will escape from Absalom. Leave at once, or he will quickly overtake us, and then bring disaster upon us, and put the city to the sword.” 15The king’s servants answered him, “Whatever our lord the king chooses to do, we are your servants.” 16Then the king set out, accompanied by his entire household, except for ten concubines whom he left behind to care for the palace.#2 Sm 16:21–22; 20:3. 17As the king left the city, with all his officers accompanying him, they halted opposite the ascent of the Mount of Olives, at a distance, 18while the whole army marched past him.
David and Ittai. As all the Cherethites and Pelethites, and the six hundred Gittites who had entered his service from that city, were passing in review before the king,#2 Sm 8:18. 19the king said to Ittai the Gittite: “Why should you also go with us? Go back and stay with the king, for you are a foreigner and you, too, are an exile from your own country. 20You came only yesterday, and today shall I have you wander off with us wherever I have to go? Return and take your brothers with you, and may the Lord show you kindness and fidelity.” 21But Ittai answered the king, “As the Lord lives, and as my lord the king lives, your servant shall be wherever my lord the king is, whether for death or for life.”#Ru 1:16–17. 22So the king said to Ittai, “Go, then, march on.” And Ittai the Gittite, with all his men and all the dependents that were with him, marched on. 23The whole land wept aloud as the last of the soldiers went by, and the king crossed the Wadi Kidron with all the soldiers moving on ahead of him by way of the ascent of the Mount of Olives, toward the wilderness.
David and the Priests. 24Zadok, too, and all the Levites bearing the ark of the covenant of God set down the ark of God until the whole army had finished marching out of the city; and Abiathar came up. 25Then the king said to Zadok: “Take the ark of God back to the city. If I find favor with the Lord, he will bring me back and permit me to see it and its lodging place. 26But if he should say, ‘I am not pleased with you,’ I am ready; let him do to me as he sees fit.”#2 Sm 16:10. 27The king also said to Zadok the priest: “Look, you and Abiathar return to the city in peace, and both your sons with you, your own son Ahimaaz, and Abiathar’s son Jonathan. 28Remember, I shall be waiting at the fords near the wilderness until a report from you comes to me.” 29So Zadok and Abiathar took the ark of God back to Jerusalem and remained there.
30As David went up the ascent of the Mount of Olives, he wept without ceasing. His head was covered, and he was walking barefoot. All those who were with him also had their heads covered and were weeping as they went.#2 Sm 19:5; Mi 1:8. 31When David was told, “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom,” he said, “O Lord, turn the counsel of Ahithophel to folly!”#2 Sm 16:23; 17:14, 23.
David and Hushai. 32When David reached the top, where God was worshiped, Hushai the Archite was there to meet him, with garments torn and dirt upon his head.#2 Sm 16:16. 33David said to him: “If you come with me, you will be a burden to me; 34but if you return to the city and say to Absalom, ‘Let me be your servant, O king; I was formerly your father’s servant, but now I will be yours,’ you will thwart for me the counsel of Ahithophel.#2 Sm 16:19. 35You will have the priests Zadok and Abiathar there with you. If you hear anything from the king’s house, you shall report it to the priests Zadok and Abiathar, 36who have there with them their two sons, Zadok’s son Ahimaaz and Abiathar’s son Jonathan. Through them you shall send on to me whatever you hear.” 37So David’s friend Hushai went into the city, Jerusalem, as Absalom was about to enter it.
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Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc
2 Samuel 15
15
Absalom’s Revolt
1After this, Absalom got himself a chariot, horses, and fifty men to run before him.#1Sm 8:11; 1Kg 1:5 2He would get up early and stand beside the road leading to the city gate.#Ru 4:1–11; 2Sm 19:8; Jb 29:7 Whenever anyone had a grievance to bring before the king for settlement, Absalom called out to him and asked, “What city are you from?” If he replied, “Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel,” 3Absalom said to him, “Look, your claims are good and right, but the king does not have anyone to listen to you.” 4He added, “If only someone would appoint me judge in the land. Then anyone who had a grievance or dispute could come to me, and I would make sure he received justice.” 5When a person approached to pay homage to him, Absalom reached out his hand, took hold of him, and kissed him.#Gn 29:13; Ex 18:7; 1Sm 10:1; 2Sm 19:39 6Absalom did this to all the Israelites who came to the king for a settlement. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.
7When four#15:7 Some LXX mss, Syr, Vg; other LXX mss, MT read 40 years had passed, Absalom said to the king, “Please let me go to Hebron to fulfill a vow I made to the Lord. 8For your servant made a vow when I lived in Geshur of Aram,#2Sm 13:37–38 saying, ‘If the Lord really brings me back to Jerusalem, I will worship the Lord in Hebron.’”#15:8 Some LXX mss; MT omits in Hebron#Gn 28:20–21; 1Sm 1:11
9“Go in peace,” the king said to him.#Ex 4:18; Jdg 18:6; 1Sm 1:17; 2Kg 5:19; Lk 7:50; 8:48 So he went to Hebron.
10Then Absalom sent agents throughout the tribes of Israel with this message: “When you hear the sound of the ram’s horn,#2Sm 6:15; 1Kg 1:41; Jr 4:19,21; 6:17; 42:14; Am 2:2 you are to say, ‘Absalom has become king in Hebron!’” #1Kg 1:11,18,33–34; 2Kg 9:13
11Two hundred men from Jerusalem went with Absalom. They had been invited and were going innocently, for they did not know the whole situation. 12While he was offering the sacrifices, Absalom sent for David’s adviser Ahithophel the Gilonite,#1Ch 27:33; Ps 41:9; 55:12–14 from his city of Giloh. So the conspiracy grew strong, and the people supporting Absalom continued to increase.
13Then an informer came to David and reported, “The hearts of the men of Israel are with Absalom.”
14David said to all the servants with him in Jerusalem, “Get up. We have to flee, or we will not escape from Absalom!#Ps 3 Leave quickly, or he will overtake us quickly, heap disaster on us, and strike the city with the edge of the sword.”
15The king’s servants said to the king, “Whatever my lord the king decides, we are your servants.” 16Then the king set out, and his entire household followed him. But he left behind ten concubines to take care of the palace. 17So the king set out, and all the people followed him. They stopped at the last house 18while all his servants marched past him. Then all the Cherethites, the Pelethites, and the people of Gath — six hundred men who came with him from there#1Sm 27:2–7 — marched past the king.
19The king said to Ittai of Gath,#2Sm 18:2 “Why are you also going with us? Go back and stay with the new king since you’re both a foreigner and an exile from your homeland. 20Besides, you only arrived yesterday; should I make you wander around with us today while I go wherever I can? Go back and take your brothers with you. May the Lord show you#15:20 LXX; MT omits Lit May the Lord show you kindness and faithfulness.”
21But in response, Ittai vowed to the king, “As the Lord lives and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king is, whether it means life or death, your servant will be there!” #Ru 1:16
22“March on,” David replied to Ittai. So Ittai of Gath marched past with all his men and the dependents who were with him. 23Everyone in the countryside was weeping loudly while all the people were marching out of the city. As the king was crossing the Kidron Valley, all the people were marching past on the road that leads to the wilderness.
24Zadok was also there, and all the Levites with him were carrying the ark of the covenant of God. They set the ark of God down, and Abiathar offered sacrifices#15:24 Or Abiathar went up until the people had finished marching past.#2Sm 8:17; 20:25 25Then the king instructed Zadok, “Return the ark of God to the city.#1Sm 4:3 If I find favor with the Lord, he will bring me back and allow me to see both it and its#15:25 Or his dwelling place.#Ps 43:3 26However, if he should say, ‘I do not delight in you,’ then here I am — he can do with me whatever pleases him.”#15:26 Lit me what is good in his eyes#1Sm 3:18
27The king also said to the priest Zadok,#2Sm 8:17; 20:25–26; 1Kg 1:7–8 “Look,#15:27 LXX; MT reads “Are you a seer? return to the city in peace and your two sons with you: your son Ahimaaz and Abiathar’s son Jonathan. 28Remember, I’ll wait at the fords#15:28 Alt Hb tradition reads plains of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me.” 29So Zadok and Abiathar returned the ark of God to Jerusalem and stayed there.
30David was climbing the slope of the Mount of Olives,#Zch 14:4; Mt 21:1; 24:3; 26:30; Ac 1:12 weeping as he ascended. His head was covered,#Est 6:12; Jr 14:3–4 and he was walking barefoot.#Jb 12:17,19; Is 20:2–4; Mc 1:8 All of the people with him covered their heads and went up, weeping as they ascended.
31Then someone reported to David, “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.”
“Lord,” David pleaded, “please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness!” #2Sm 16:21; 17:14,23
32When David came to the summit where he used to worship God, Hushai the Archite#Jos 16:2 was there to meet him with his robe torn and dust on his head. 33David said to him, “If you go away with me, you’ll be a burden to me, 34but if you return to the city and tell Absalom, ‘I will be your servant, Your Majesty! Previously, I was your father’s servant, but now I will be your servant,’ then you can counteract Ahithophel’s counsel for me. 35Won’t the priests Zadok and Abiathar be there with you? Report everything you hear from the palace to the priests Zadok and Abiathar. 36Take note: their two sons are there with them—Zadok’s son Ahimaaz and Abiathar’s son Jonathan. Send them to tell me everything you hear.” 37So Hushai,#1Ch 27:33 David’s personal adviser, entered Jerusalem just as Absalom was entering the city.
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