Dual PanelAbsalom's rebellion
1AFTER this Absalom provided himself with a chariot and horses and fifty outrunners.
2He made it a practice to rise early and stand by the road leading through the city gate, and would hail everyone who had a case to bring before the king for judgement and ask him which town he came from. When he answered, “I come, sir, from such and such a tribe of Israel,”
3Absalom would say to him, “I can see that you have a very good case, but you will get no hearing from the king.”
4He would add, “If only I were appointed judge in the land, it would be my business to see that everyone with a lawsuit or a claim got justice from me.”
5Whenever a man approached to prostrate himself, Absalom would stretch out his hand, take hold of him, and kiss him.
6By behaving like this to every Israelite who sought justice from the king, Absalom stole the affections of the people.
7At the end of four years, Absalom said to the king, “Give me leave to go to Hebron to fulfil a vow there that I made to the LORD.
8When I lived at Geshur in Aram, I vowed, ‘If the LORD brings me back to Jerusalem, I shall worship the LORD in Hebron.’”
9The king answered, “You may go”; so he set off and went to Hebron.
10Absalom sent runners through all the tribes of Israel with this message: “As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then say, ‘Absalom has become king in Hebron.’”
11Two hundred men accompanied Absalom from Jerusalem; they were invited as guests and went in all innocence, knowing nothing of the affair.
12Absalom also sent to summon Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's counsellor, from Giloh his town, where he was offering the customary sacrifices. The conspiracy gathered strength, and Absalom's supporters increased in number.
13A messenger brought the news to David that the men of Israel had transferred their allegiance to Absalom.
14The king said to those who were with him in Jerusalem, “We must get away at once, or there will be no escape from Absalom for any of us. Make haste, or else he will soon be upon us, bringing disaster and putting the city to the sword.”
15The king's servants said to him, “Whatever your majesty thinks best; we are ready.”
16The king set out, and all his household followed him except ten concubines whom he left in charge of the palace.
17At the Far House the king and all the people who were with him halted.
18His own servants then stood at his side, while the Kerethite and Pelethite guards and Ittai with the six hundred Gittites under him marched past the king.
19The king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why should you come with us? Go back and stay with the new king, for you are a foreigner and, what is more, an exile from your own country.
20You came only yesterday, and must you today be compelled to share my wanderings when I do not know where I am going? Go back home and take your countrymen with you; and may the LORD ever be your steadfast friend.”
21Ittai answered, “As the LORD lives, your life upon it, wherever you may be whether for life or death, I, your servant, shall be there.”
22David said to Ittai, “It is well, march on!” And Ittai the Gittite marched on with his whole company and all the dependants who were with him.
23The whole countryside resounded with their weeping. The king remained standing while all the people crossed the wadi of the Kidron before him, by way of the olive tree in the wilderness.
24Zadok also was there and all the Levites with him, carrying the Ark of the Covenant of God. They set it down beside Abiathar until all the army had passed out of the city.
25The king said to Zadok, “Take the Ark of God back into the city. If I find favour with the LORD, he will bring me back and let me see the Ark and its dwelling-place again.
26But if he says he does not want me, then here I am; let him do what he pleases with me.”
27The king went on to say to Zadok the priest, “Are you not a seer? You may safely go back to the city, you and Abiathar, and take with you the two young men, Ahimaaz your son and Abiathar's son Jonathan.
28I shall wait at the Fords of the Wilderness until you can send word to me.”
29Then Zadok and Abiathar took the Ark of God back to Jerusalem and remained there.
30David wept as he went up the slope of the mount of Olives; he was bareheaded and went barefoot. The people with him all had their heads uncovered and wept as they went.
31David had been told that Ahithophel was among the conspirators with Absalom, and he prayed, “LORD, frustrate the counsel of Ahithophel.”
32As David was approaching the top of the ridge where it was the custom to prostrate oneself to God, Hushai the Archite was there to meet him with his tunic torn and dust on his head.
33David said to him, “If you come with me you will only be a hindrance;
34but you can help me to frustrate Ahithophel's plans if you go back to the city and say to Absalom, ‘I shall be your majesty's servant. In the past I was your father's servant; now I shall be yours.’
35You will have with you, as you know, the priests Zadok and Abiathar; report to them everything that you hear in the royal palace.
36They have with them Zadok's son Ahimaaz and Abiathar's son Jonathan, and through them you may pass on to me everything you hear.”
37So Hushai, David's Friend, came to the city as Absalom was entering Jerusalem.