2 Samuel 15 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Absalom’s Revolt

15 Now it came about after this that Absalom provided himself with a chariot, horses and 50 men as runners before him. 2 Absalom used to rise up early and stand beside the road to the city gate. Whenever anyone had a suit to come to the king for justice, then Absalom would call to him and say, “What town are you from?” Should he answer, “Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel,” 3 Absalom would say to him, “See, your claims are good and right, but there is no one assigned to you by the king to hear you.” 4 Moreover, Absalom would say, “If only I were appointed judge in the land, then every man who has any suit or case would come to me, and I would get him justice!” 5 Also, whenever anyone approached to bow to him, he would stretch his hand, take hold of him, and kiss him. 6 So Absalom kept doing this to everyone of Israel who came to the king for judgment. Thus Absalom stole the hearts of the people of Israel.

7 At the end of 40 years Absalom said to the king, “Please let me go to Hebron and pay my vow which I have vowed to Adonai. 8 For your servant vowed a vow while I was still living at Geshur in Aram saying, ‘If Adonai will indeed bring me back to Jerusalem, then I will serve Adonai.’”

9 So the king said to him, “Go in shalom.”

Then he rose and went to Hebron. 10 But Absalom sent spies to all the tribes of Israel to say, “As soon as you hear the sound of the shofar, then you are to say, ‘Absalom has become king in Hebron!’” 11 Now 200 men from Jerusalem went with Absalom, who were invited and were going innocently, knowing nothing of the situation. 12 Also Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor from his town Giloh, while he was offering the sacrifices. So the conspiracy gained momentum for the people following Absalom continued to increase.

13 Then a messenger came to David saying, “The hearts of the men of Israel are following Absalom.”

David’s Exodus from Jerusalem

14 Then David said to all his officials who were with him in Jerusalem, “Arise, and let us flee, or else none of us will escape from Absalom. Leave in haste or else he will overtake us quickly and bring disaster down on us and strike the city with the edge of the sword.”

15 Then the king’s officials said to the king, “Behold, your servants are ready to do whatever our lord the king chooses.” 16 So the king set out, and his entire household followed him. But the king left behind ten concubines to take care of the palace. 17 As the king went out and all the people after him, they paused at the last house. 18 All his servants passed on beside him: all the Cherethites, all the Pelethites and all the Gittites—600 men that had come after him from Gath—passed on before the king. 19 Then the 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 also an exile from your own place. 20 Your arrival was only yesterday—should I make you wander around with us today, to go wherever I may go? Go back and take your kinsmen back with you. Kindness and truth be with you!”

21 But Ittai answered the king and said, “As Adonai lives, and as my lord the king lives, surely in whatever place my lord the king will be, whether for death or for life, there also will your servant be.”[a]

22 So David said to Ittai, “Go on and cross over.” So Ittai the Gittite passed on, with all his men and all the little children who were with him. 23 While all the country was weeping with a loud voice, all the people were crossing over as the king was crossing over Kidron Valley. So all the people crossed over toward the road of the wilderness.

24 Then behold, Zadok also came and all the Levites with him, carrying the ark of the covenant of God. They set down the ark of God, then Abiathar came up, until all the people had passed by, out of the city. 25 But the king said to Zadok, “Return the ark of God to the city. If I find favor in Adonai’s eyes, He will bring me back, and let me see it and His dwelling. 26 But if He says thus, ‘I have no delight in you,’ here I am, let Him do to me as seems good in His eyes.” 27 The king also said to Zadok the priest, “Do you not see? Return to the city in shalom with your two sons with you, Ahimaaz your son and Jonathan son of Abiathar. 28 See, I will wait at the fords of the wilderness, until word comes from you to inform me.” 29 Therefore Zadok and Abiathar carried the ark of God back to Jerusalem, and they remained there.

30 Then David continued to go up the ascent of the Mount of Olives, weeping as he ascended. He had his head covered and was walking barefoot. So all the people with him each covered his head as they went up, weeping as they ascended.

31 Then someone told David saying, “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” So David prayed, “Adonai, please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.”

32 Then David went on until he reached the summit—where God was worshiped—and behold, Hushai the Archite met him with his coat rent and dust on his head. 33 David said to him, “If you pass on with me then you will be a burden to me, 34 but if you return to the city and say to Absalom, ‘I will be your servant, O king—I was your father’s servant from then, but now I will be your servant,’ then you can thwart Ahithophel’s counsel for me. 35 Won’t you have with you Zadok and Abiathar the kohanim there? So whatever you hear from the royal palace, you should report it to Zadok and Abiathar the kohanim. 36 See, they have their two sons with them there, Zadok’s son Ahimaaz, and Abiathar’s son Jonathan—by them you can send to me everything you hear.” 37 So David’s friend Hushai reached the city just as Absalom was entering Jerusalem.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 15:21 cf. John 15:13.

You Might Also Like:

2 Samuel 15 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

15 And it cometh to pass afterwards, that Absalom prepareth for himself a chariot, and horses, and fifty men are running before him; 2 and Absalom hath risen early, and stood by the side of the way of the gate, and it cometh to pass, every man who hath a pleading to come unto the king for judgment, ...
Read More

2 Samuel 15 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

15 Therefore after these things, Absalom made a chariot to him, and (had) knights and fifty men, that should go before him. (And so after these things, Absalom got a chariot and horses for himself, and had fifty men who went before him.) 2 And Absalom rose early, and stood beside the entering of the...
Read More

2 Samuel 15 - World English Bible (WEB)

15 After this, Absalom prepared a chariot and horses for himself, and fifty men to run before him. 2 Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate. When any man had a suit which should come to the king for judgment, then Absalom called to him, and said, “What city are you from?”He sai...
Read More

2 Samuel 15 - The Voice (VOICE)

15 After this, Absalom acquired a chariot and horses, and he hired 50 men to run ahead of him. 2 Now Absalom made it a practice to rise early and stand beside the road leading into one of Jerusalem’s gates. When someone came along who wanted to petition the king, he would ask, “What is your city?” ...
Read More

2 Samuel 15 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Absalom’s Revolt15 Now it came about after this that Absalom provided himself with a chariot, horses and 50 men as runners before him. 2 Absalom used to rise up early and stand beside the road to the city gate. Whenever anyone had a suit to come to the king for justice, then Absalom would call to hi...
Read More

2 Samuel 15 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

Absalom Usurps the Throne15 After this Ab′salom got himself a chariot and horses, and fifty men to run before him. 2 And Ab′salom used to rise early and stand beside the way of the gate; and when any man had a suit to come before the king for judgment, Ab′salom would call to him, and say, “From wha...
Read More

2 Samuel 15 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

Absalom Usurps the Throne15 After this Ab′salom got himself a chariot and horses, and fifty men to run before him. 2 And Ab′salom used to rise early and stand beside the way of the gate; and when any man had a suit to come before the king for judgment, Ab′salom would call to him, and say, “From wha...
Read More

2 Samuel 15 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

Absalom Usurps the Throne15 After this Absalom got himself a chariot and horses, and fifty men to run ahead of him. 2 Absalom used to rise early and stand beside the road into the gate; and when anyone brought a suit before the king for judgement, Absalom would call out and say, ‘From what city are...
Read More

2 Samuel 15 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Absalom Usurps the Throne15 After this Absalom provided for himself a chariot and horses and fifty men to run ahead of him.(A)2 Absalom used to rise early and stand beside the road into the gate, and when anyone brought a suit before the king for judgment, Absalom would call out and say, “From what ...
Read More

2 Samuel 15 - New Living Translation (NLT)

Absalom’s Rebellion15 After this, Absalom bought a chariot and horses, and he hired fifty bodyguards to run ahead of him. 2 He got up early every morning and went out to the gate of the city. When people brought a case to the king for judgment, Absalom would ask where in Israel they were from, and t...
Read More

2 Samuel 15 - New Life Version (NLV)

Absalom Becomes Friends with Men Of Israel15 After this, Absalom got a war-wagon and horses, and fifty men to run in front of him. 2 He used to get up early and stand beside the way to the gate. When any man had a problem to be decided upon by the king, Absalom would call to him and say, “What city...
Read More

2 Samuel 15 - New King James Version (NKJV)

Absalom’s Treason15 After this (A)it happened that Absalom (B)provided himself with chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him. 2 Now Absalom would rise early and stand beside the way to the gate. So it was, whenever anyone who had a (C)lawsuit[a] came to the king for a decision, that Abs...
Read More

2 Samuel 15 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

Absalom’s conspiracy15 In the course of time, Absalom provided himself with a chariot and horses and with fifty men to run ahead of him. 2 He would get up early and stand by the side of the road leading to the city gate. Whenever anyone came with a complaint to be placed before the king for a decis...
Read More

2 Samuel 15 - New International Version (NIV)

Absalom’s Conspiracy15 In the course of time,(A) Absalom provided himself with a chariot(B) and horses and with fifty men to run ahead of him. 2 He would get up early and stand by the side of the road leading to the city gate.(C) Whenever anyone came with a complaint to be placed before the king for...
Read More

2 Samuel 15 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

Absalom Makes Secret Plans Against David15 Some time later, Absalom got a chariot and horses for himself. He also got 50 men to run in front of him. 2 He would get up early. He would stand by the side of the road that led to the city gate. Sometimes a person would come with a case for the king to d...
Read More

2 Samuel 15 - New English Translation (NET)

Absalom Leads an Insurrection against David15 Some time later Absalom managed to acquire[a] a chariot and horses, as well as fifty men to serve as his royal guard.[b] 2 Now Absalom used to get up early and stand beside the road that led to the city gate. Whenever anyone came by who had a complaint ...
Read More