1 And it came to pass after this, that Absalom prepared him chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him. 2 And Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate: and it was so , that when any man that had a controversy came to the king for judgment, then Absalom called unto him, and said, Of what city art thou? And he said, Thy servant is of one of the tribes of Israel. 3 And Absalom said unto him, See, thy matters are good and right; but there is no man deputed of the king to hear thee. 4 Absalom said moreover, Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man which hath any suit or cause might come unto me, and I would do him justice! 5 And it was so , that when any man came nigh to him to do him obeisance, he put forth his hand, and took him, and kissed him. 6 And on this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the king for judgment: so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.
7 ¶ And it came to pass after forty years, that Absalom said unto the king, I pray thee, let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed unto the LORD, in Hebron. 8 For thy servant vowed a vow while I abode at Geshur in Syria, saying, If the LORD shall bring me again indeed to Jerusalem, then I will serve the LORD. 9 And the king said unto him, Go in peace. So he arose, and went to Hebron.
10 ¶ But Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, As soon as ye hear the sound of the trumpet, then ye shall say, Absalom reigneth in Hebron. 11 And with Absalom went two hundred men out of Jerusalem, that were called; and they went in their simplicity, and they knew not any thing. 12 And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counsellor, from his city, even from Giloh, while he offered sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong; for the people increased continually with Absalom.
13 ¶ And there came a messenger to David, saying, The hearts of the men of Israel are after Absalom. 14 And David said unto all his servants that were with him at Jerusalem, Arise, and let us flee; for we shall not else escape from Absalom: make speed to depart, lest he overtake us suddenly, and bring evil upon us, and smite the city with the edge of the sword. 15 And the king’s servants said unto the king, Behold, thy servants are ready to do whatsoever my lord the king shall appoint. 16 And the king went forth, and all his household after him. And the king left ten women, which were concubines, to keep the house. 17 And the king went forth, and all the people after him, and tarried in a place that was far off. 18 And all his servants passed on beside him; and all the Cherethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, six hundred men which came after him from Gath, passed on before the king.
19 ¶ Then said the king to Ittai the Gittite, Wherefore goest thou also with us? return to thy place, and abide with the king: for thou art a stranger, and also an exile. 20 Whereas thou camest but yesterday, should I this day make thee go up and down with us? seeing I go whither I may, return thou, and take back thy brethren: mercy and truth be with thee. 21 And Ittai answered the king, and said, As the LORD liveth, and as my lord the king liveth, surely in what place my lord the king shall be, whether in death or life, even there also will thy servant be. 22 And David said to Ittai, Go and pass over. And Ittai the Gittite passed over, and all his men, and all the little ones that were with him. 23 And all the country wept with a loud voice, and all the people passed over: the king also himself passed over the brook Kidron, and all the people passed over, toward the way of the wilderness.
24 ¶ And lo Zadok also, and all the Levites were with him, bearing the ark of the covenant of God: and they set down the ark of God; and Abiathar went up, until all the people had done passing out of the city. 25 And the king said unto Zadok, Carry back the ark of God into the city: if I shall find favour in the eyes of the LORD, he will bring me again, and shew me both it, and his habitation: 26 But if he thus say, I have no delight in thee; behold, here am I, let him do to me as seemeth good unto him. 27 The king said also unto Zadok the priest, Art not thou a seer? return into the city in peace, and your two sons with you, Ahimaaz thy son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar. 28 See, I will tarry in the plain of the wilderness, until there come word from you to certify me. 29 Zadok therefore and Abiathar carried the ark of God again to Jerusalem: and they tarried there.
30 ¶ And David went up by the ascent of mount Olivet, and wept as he went up, and had his head covered, and he went barefoot: and all the people that was with him covered every man his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up.
31 ¶ And one told David, saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. And David said, O LORD, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.
32 ¶ And it came to pass, that when David was come to the top of the mount , where he worshipped God, behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his coat rent, and earth upon his head: 33 Unto whom David said, If thou passest on with me, then thou shalt be a burden unto me: 34 But if thou return to the city, and say unto Absalom, I will be thy servant, O king; as I have been thy father’s servant hitherto, so will I now also be thy servant: then mayest thou for me defeat the counsel of Ahithophel. 35 And hast thou not there with thee Zadok and Abiathar the priests? therefore it shall be, that what thing soever thou shalt hear out of the king’s house, thou shalt tell it to Zadok and Abiathar the priests. 36 Behold, they have there with them their two sons, Ahimaaz Zadok’s son , and Jonathan Abiathar’s son; and by them ye shall send unto me every thing that ye can hear. 37 So Hushai David’s friend came into the city, and Absalom came into Jerusalem.
1 igitur post haec fecit sibi Absalom currum et equites
et quinquaginta viros qui praecederent eum
2 et mane consurgens Absalom stabat iuxta introitum portae
et omnem virum qui habebat negotium ut veniret ad regis iudicium
vocabat Absalom ad se et dicebat de qua civitate es tu
qui respondens aiebat ex una tribu Israhel ego sum
servus tuus
3 respondebatque ei Absalom
videntur mihi sermones tui boni et iusti
sed non est qui te audiat constitutus a rege
dicebatque Absalom
4 quis me constituat iudicem super terram
ut ad me veniant omnes qui habent negotium et iuste iudicem
5 sed et cum accederet ad eum homo ut salutaret illum
extendebat manum suam et adprehendens osculabatur eum
6 faciebatque hoc omni Israhel
qui veniebat ad iudicium ut audiretur a rege
et sollicitabat corda virorum Israhel
7 post quattuor autem annos dixit Absalom ad regem
vadam et reddam vota mea quae vovi Domino in Hebron
8 vovens enim vovit servus tuus cum esset in Gessur Syriae dicens
si reduxerit me Dominus in Hierusalem sacrificabo Domino
9 dixitque ei rex vade in pace
et surrexit et abiit in Hebron
10 misit autem Absalom exploratores in universas tribus Israhel dicens
statim ut audieritis clangorem bucinae
dicite regnavit Absalom in Hebron
11 porro cum Absalom ierunt ducenti viri de Hierusalem vocati
euntes simplici corde et causam penitus ignorantes
12 accersivit quoque Absalom Ahitofel Gilonitem consiliarium David
de civitate sua Gilo
cum immolaret victimas et facta est coniuratio
valida
populusque concurrens augebatur cum Absalom
13 venit igitur nuntius ad David dicens
toto corde universus Israhel sequitur Absalom
14 et ait David servis suis qui erant cum eo in Hierusalem
surgite fugiamus neque enim erit nobis effugium a facie Absalom
festinate egredi ne forte veniens occupet nos
et inpellat super nos ruinam et percutiat civitatem in ore gladii
15 dixeruntque servi regis ad eum
omnia quaecumque praeceperit dominus noster rex
libenter exsequimur servi tui
16 egressus est ergo rex et universa domus eius pedibus suis
et dereliquit rex decem mulieres concubinas ad custodiendam domum
17 egressusque rex et omnis Israhel pedibus suis stetit procul a domo
18 et universi servi eius ambulabant iuxta eum
et legiones Cherethi et Felethi
et omnes Getthei
sescenti viri qui secuti eum fuerant de Geth
praecedebant regem
19 dixit autem rex ad Ethai Gettheum
cur venis nobiscum revertere et habita cum rege
quia peregrinus es et egressus de loco tuo
20 heri venisti et hodie inpelleris nobiscum egredi
ego autem vadam quo iturus sum
revertere et reduc tecum fratres tuos
ostendisti gratiam et fidem
21 et respondit Ethai regi dicens
vivit Dominus et vivit dominus meus rex
quoniam in quocumque loco fueris domine mi rex
sive in morte sive in vita
ibi erit servus tuus
22 et ait David Ethai veni et transi
et transivit Ethai Gettheus
et omnes viri qui cum eo erant et reliqua multitudo
23 omnesque flebant voce magna
et universus populus transiebat
rex quoque transgrediebatur torrentem Cedron
et cunctus populus incedebat contra viam quae respicit ad desertum
24 venit autem et Sadoc et universi Levitae cum eo
portantes arcam foederis Dei
et deposuerunt arcam Dei
et ascendit Abiathar
donec expletus est omnis populus qui egressus fuerat de
civitate
25 et dixit rex ad Sadoc reporta arcam Dei in urbem
si invenero gratiam in oculis Domini
reducet me et ostendet mihi eam et tabernaculum suum
26 si autem dixerit non places
praesto sum faciat quod bonum est coram se
27 et dixit rex ad Sadoc sacerdotem
o videns revertere in civitatem in pace
et Achimaas filius tuus et Ionathan filius Abiathar
duo filii vestri sint vobiscum
28 ecce ego abscondar in campestribus deserti
donec veniat sermo a vobis indicans mihi
29 reportaverunt igitur Sadoc et Abiathar arcam Dei
Hierusalem
et manserunt ibi
30 porro David ascendebat clivum Olivarum scandens et flens
operto capite et nudis pedibus incedens
sed et omnis populus qui erat cum eo
operto capite ascendebat plorans
31 nuntiatum est autem David
quod et Ahitofel esset in coniuratione cum Absalom
dixitque David infatua quaeso consilium Ahitofel Domine
32 cumque ascenderet David summitatem montis
in quo adoraturus erat Dominum
ecce occurrit ei Husai Arachites scissa veste et terra pleno capite
33 et dixit ei David si veneris mecum eris mihi oneri
34 si autem in civitatem revertaris
et dixeris Absalom servus tuus sum rex
sicut fui servus patris tui sic ero servus tuus
dissipabis consilium Ahitofel
35 habes autem tecum Sadoc et Abiathar sacerdotes
et omne verbum quodcumque audieris de domo regis
indicabis Sadoc et Abiathar sacerdotibus
36 sunt autem cum eis duo filii eorum
Achimaas Sadoc et Ionathan Abiathar
et mittetis per eos ad me omne verbum quod audieritis
37 veniente ergo Husai amico David in civitatem
Absalom quoque ingressus est Hierusalem