Dual Panel1Some time later <03651> <0310> Absalom <053> managed to <01961> acquire <06213> a chariot <04818> and horses <05483>, as well as fifty <02572> men <0376> to serve as his royal guard <07323>.
2Now Absalom <053> used to get up <07925> early and stand <05975> beside <05921> the road <01870> that led to the city gate <08179>. Whenever anyone <0376> <03605> came <01961> by who <0834> had a complaint <07379> to bring <0935> to <0413> the king <04428> for arbitration <04941>, Absalom <053> would call out <07121> to <0413> him, “What <0335> city <05892> are you <0859> from?” The person would answer <0559>, “I, your servant <05650>, am from one <0259> of the tribes <07626> of Israel <03478>.”
3Absalom <053> would then say <0559> to <0413> him, “Look <07200>, your claims <01697> are legitimate <02896> and appropriate <05228>. But there is no <0369> representative of the king <04428> who will listen <08085> to you.”
4Absalom <053> would then say <0559>, “If only <04310> they would make <07760> me a judge <08199> in the land <0776>! Then everyone <0376> <03605> who <0834> had <01961> a judicial <04941> complaint <07379> could come <0935> to <05921> me and I would make sure he receives a just settlement <06663>.”
5When <01961> someone <0376> approached <07126> to bow before <07812> him, Absalom would extend <07971> his hand <03027> and embrace <02388> him and kiss <05401> him.
6Absalom <053> acted <06213> this <02088> way <01697> toward everyone <03605> in Israel <03478> who <0834> came <0935> to <0413> the king <04428> for justice <04941>. In this way Absalom <053> won <01589> the loyalty <03820> of the citizens <0376> of Israel <03478>.
7After <07093> four <0705> years <08141> Absalom <053> said <0559> to <0413> the king <04428>, “Let <04994> me go <01980> and repay <07999> my vow <05088> that <0834> I made <05087> to the Lord <03068> while I was in Hebron <02275>.
8For <03588> I <05650> made <05087> this vow <05088> when I was living <03427> in Geshur <01650> in Aram <0758>: ‘If <0518> the Lord <03068> really <07725> <07725> does allow <07725> <07725> me to return <07725> <07725> to Jerusalem <03389>, I will serve <05647> the Lord <03068>.’”
9The king <04428> replied <0559> to him, “Go <01980> in peace <07965>.” So Absalom got up <06965> and went <01980> to Hebron <02275>.
10Then Absalom <053> sent <07971> spies <07270> through all <03605> the tribes <07626> of Israel <03478> who said <0559>, “When you hear <08085> the sound <06963> of the horn <07782>, you may assume <0559> that Absalom <053> rules <04427> in Hebron <02275>.”
11Now two hundred <03967> men <0376> had gone with <0854> Absalom <053> from Jerusalem <03389>. Since they were invited <07121>, they went <01980> naively <08537> and were unaware <03045> <03808> of what Absalom was planning <01697> <03605>.
12While he was offering <02076> sacrifices <02077>, Absalom <053> sent <07971> for Ahithophel <0302> the Gilonite <01526>, David’s <01732> adviser <03289>, to come <01961> from his city <05892>, Giloh <01542>. The conspiracy <07195> was gaining momentum <0533>, and the people <05971> were starting to side <07227> <01980> with <0854> Absalom <053>.
13Then a messenger came <0935> to <0413> David <01732> and reported <05046>, “The men <0376> of Israel <03478> are loyal <0310> to Absalom <053>!”
14So David <01732> said <0559> to all <03605> his servants <05650> who <0834> were with <0854> him in Jerusalem <03389>, “Come on <06965>! Let’s escape <01272>! Otherwise <03588> no <03808> one will be <01961> delivered <06413> from <06440> Absalom <053>! Go <01980> immediately <04116>, or else <06435> he will quickly <04116> overtake <05381> us and bring <05080> disaster <07451> on <05921> us and kill <05221> the city’s <05892> residents with the sword <02719>.”
15The king’s <04428> servants <05650> replied <0559> to <0413> the king <04428>, “We will do whatever <0834> <03605> our lord <0113> the king <04428> decides <0977>.”
16So the king <04428> and all <03605> the members of his royal court <01004> set out <03318> on foot <07272>, though the king <04428> left <05800> behind ten <06235> concubines <06370> to attend <08104> to the palace <01004>.
17The king <04428> and all <03605> the people <05971> set out <03318> on foot <07272>, pausing <05975> at a spot some distance away.
18All <03605> his servants <05650> were leaving <05674> with him, along <03027> <05921> with all <03605> the Kerethites <03774>, all <03605> the Pelethites <06432>, and all <03605> the Gittites <01663>– some six <08337> hundred <03967> men <0376> who <0834> had come <0935> on foot <07272> from Gath <01661>. They were leaving <05674> with <06440> <05921> the king <04428>.
19Then the king <04428> said <0559> to <0413> Ittai <0863> the Gittite <01663>, “Why <04100> should you <0859> come <01980> with <0854> us? Go back <07725> and stay <03427> with <05973> the new king <04428>, for <03588> you <0859> are a foreigner <05237> and <01571> an exile <01540> from your <0859> own country <04725>.
20It seems like you arrived <0935> just yesterday <08543>. Today <03117> should I make you wander around <05128> by going <01980> with <05973> us? I <0589> go <01980> where <0834> I <0589> must go <01980>. But as for you, go back <07725> and take <07725> your men <0251> with <05973> you. May genuine loyal love <0571> <02617> protect you!”
21But Ittai <0863> replied <06030> to the king <04428>, “As surely <0518> <03588> as the Lord <03068> lives <02416> and as my lord <0113> the king <04428> lives <02416>, wherever <08033> <0834> <04725> my lord <0113> the king <04428> is <01961>, whether <0518> dead <04194> or <0518> alive <02416>, there <08033> I <05650> will be <01961> as well!”
22So David <01732> said <0559> to <0413> Ittai <0863>, “Come along <01980> then.” So Ittai <0863> the Gittite <01663> went along <05674>, accompanied <05674> by all <03605> his men <0376> and all <03605> the dependents <02945> who <0834> were with <0854> him.
23All <03605> the land <0776> was weeping <01058> loudly <01419> <06963> as all <03605> these people <05971> were leaving <05674>. As the king <04428> was crossing over <05674> the Kidron <06939> Valley <05158>, all <03605> the people <05971> were leaving <05674> on <05921> the road <01870> that leads <06440> to the desert <04057>.
24Zadok <06659> and all <03605> the Levites <03881> who were with <0854> him were carrying <05375> the ark <0727> of the covenant <01285> of God <0430>. When they positioned <03332> the ark <0727> of God <0430>, Abiathar <054> offered <05927> sacrifices until <05704> all <03605> the people <05971> had finished <08552> leaving <05674> the city <05892>.
25Then the king <04428> said <0559> to Zadok <06659>, “Take <07725> the ark <0727> of God <0430> back <07725> to the city <05892>. If <0518> I find <04672> favor <02580> in the Lord’s <03068> sight <05869> he will bring <07725> me back <07725> and enable me to see <07200> both it and his dwelling place <05116> again.
26However <03541>, if <0518> he should say <0559>, ‘I do not <03808> take pleasure <02654> in you,’ then <02005> he will deal <06213> with me in a way that <0834> he considers appropriate <05869> <02896>.”
27The king <04428> said <0559> to <0413> Zadok <06659> the priest <03548>, “Are you <0859> a seer <07200>? Go back <07725> to the city <05892> in peace <07965>! Your son <01121> Ahimaaz <0290> and Abiathar’s son <01121> <01121> Jonathan <03083> may go with <0854> you and Abiathar <08147> <054>.
28Look <07200>, I <0595> will be waiting <04102> at the fords <05679> of the desert <04057> until <05704> word <01697> from <05973> you reaches <05046> me.”
29So Zadok <06659> and Abiathar <054> took <07725> the ark <0727> of God <0430> back to Jerusalem <03389> and remained <03427> there <08033>.
30As David <01732> was going up <05927> the Mount <04608> of Olives <02132>, he was weeping <01058> as he went <05927>; his head <07218> was covered <02645> and his feet were bare <03182>. All <03605> the people <05971> who <0834> were with <0854> him also had their heads <07218> covered <02645> and were weeping <01058> as they went <05927> up <05927>.
31Now David <01732> had been told <05046>, “Ahithophel <0302> has sided with the conspirators <07194> who are with <05973> Absalom <053>. So David <01732> prayed <04994>, “Make <05528> the advice <06098> of Ahithophel <0302> foolish <05528>, O Lord <03068>!”
32When <01961> David <01732> reached <0935> the summit <07218>, where <0834> he used to worship <07812> God <0430>, Hushai <02365> the Arkite <0757> met <07125> him with his clothes <03801> torn <07167> and dirt <0127> on <05921> his head <07218>.
33David <01732> said <0559> to him, “If <0518> you leave <05674> with <0854> me you will be <01961> a burden <04853> to <05921> me.
34But you will be able to counter <06565> the advice <06098> of Ahithophel <0302> if <0518> you go back <07725> to the city <05892> and say <0559> to Absalom <053>, ‘I <0589> will be your servant <05650>, O king <04428>! Previously <0227> I <0589> was your father’s <01> servant <05650>, and now <06258> I <0589> will be your servant <05650>.’
35Zadok <06659> and Abiathar <054> the priests <03548> will be <01961> there <08033> with <05973> you. Everything <0834> <01697> <03605> you hear <08085> in the king’s <04428> palace <01004> you must tell <05046> Zadok <06659> and Abiathar <054> the priests <03548>.
36Furthermore <02009>, their two <08147> sons <01121> are there <08033> with <05973> them, Zadok’s <06659> son Ahimaaz <0290> and Abiathar’s <054> son Jonathan <03083>. You must send <07971> them to <0413> me with any <03605> information <01697> you hear <08085>.”
37So David’s <01732> friend <07463> Hushai <02365> arrived <0935> in the city <05892>, just as Absalom <053> was entering <0935> Jerusalem <03389>.