2 Samuel 15
He Crossed the Kidron Weeping, Barefoot and Betrayed
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Absalom Steals the Hearts of Israel
15:1After this, Absalom provided himself with chariots, horses, and fifty men to run ahead of him.
15:2Absalom would rise early and stand beside the road to the gate. Whenever a man with a case came before the king for judgment, Absalom called to him, “What city are you from?” The man would answer, “Your servant is from one of Israel’s tribes.”
15:3Absalom would say to him, “Your claims are good and straightforward, but no one from the king is here to hear you.”
15:4Absalom would say, “Who will appoint me judge in the land, so that every man with a dispute or case will come to me and I will give him justice?”
15:5Whenever a man approached to bow down to him, Absalom would stretch out his hand, take hold of him, and kiss him warmly.
15:6Absalom did this to all Israel who came to the king for judgment. Absalom made the hearts of the men of Israel his own.
The Conspiracy at Hebron
15:7At the end of forty years, Absalom said to his father, “Please let me go to Hebron and fulfill the vows I made to the Lord.
15:8Your servant made a vow while I was living at Geshur in Syria: ‘If the Lord indeed brings me back to Jerusalem, I will worship the Lord.’”
15:9The king said to him, “Go in peace.” He rose and went to Hebron.
15:10Absalom sent spies throughout all Israel’s tribes, saying, “When you hear the horn’s sound, say, ‘King Absalom has begun to reign in Hebron!’”
15:11Two hundred invited men went with Absalom from Jerusalem. They went in their simplicity and knew nothing of the matter.
15:12While sacrificing, Absalom sent and summoned Ahithophel the Gelmonite, David’s counselor, from his city Gola. The conspiracy grew strong, and the people with Absalom kept increasing.
David Flees from Jerusalem
15:13A messenger came to David, saying, “The hearts of the men of Israel have gone after Absalom.”
15:14David said to all his servants with him in Jerusalem, “Rise, let us flee, for we have no deliverance from Absalom. Hurry to leave, lest he hurry and overtake us, thrust calamity upon us, and strike the city with the sword’s edge.”
15:15The king’s servants said to the king, “Whatever our lord the king chooses—here are your servants.”
15:16The king went out, with all his household on foot. The king left ten of his concubines to guard the house.
15:17The king went out, with all his servants on foot, and they stopped at the house far away.
15:18All his servants passed beside him, with all the Chetti and all the Pelethites, and they stood at the olive tree in the wilderness. All the people passed close beside him, all those around him, all the strong men and all the warriors—six hundred men—and they were at his side. All the Cherethites, all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites—six hundred men who had come on foot from Gath—passed before the king.
Ittai the Gittite
15:19The king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why should you also go with us? Return and stay with the king, for you are a stranger and have migrated from your own place.
15:20If you arrived yesterday, shall I move you with us today, and must you also change your place? Yesterday was your departure; shall I move you with us today to go along? I myself will go wherever I may go. Return, and take your brothers back with you, and the Lord will show you mercy and truth.”
15:21Ittai answered the king, “As the Lord lives, and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord may be, whether in death or in life, there your servant will be.”
15:22The king said to Ittai, “Come and cross over with me.” Ittai the Gittite passed on with all his servants and the whole crowd with him.
15:23All the land wept aloud. All the people passed through the Kidron torrent, and the king crossed the Kidron torrent. All the people and the king passed toward the road to the wilderness.
The Ark Sent Back to the City
15:24Zadok was also there, with all the Levites carrying the ark of the Lord’s covenant from Baithar. They set down God’s ark, and Abiathar went up until all the people had finished passing out of the city.
15:25The king said to Zadok, “Take God’s ark back to the city. If I find favor in the Lord’s eyes, He will bring me back and show me the ark and its beauty.
15:26But if He says, ‘I have not taken pleasure in you,’ here I am. Let Him do to me what is good in His eyes.”
15:27The king said to Zadok the priest, “Look, you are returning to the city in peace, with your two sons—Ahimaaz your son and Jonathan son of Abiathar—with you.
15:28Look, I am encamped at Araboth in the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me.”
15:29Zadok and Abiathar took the ark back to Jerusalem, and it stayed there.
The Ascent of the Olives
15:30David went up the ascent of the Olives, weeping as he went. His head was covered, and he walked barefoot. All the people with him covered their heads, each one, and went up weeping as they went.
15:31David was told, “Ahithophel too is among the conspirators with Absalom.” David said, “Lord my God, please scatter Ahithophel’s counsel.”
Hushai Sent Back to Absalom
15:32As David came to Roos, where he bowed down to God, Hushai the Archite, David’s companion, came to meet him, his tunic torn and earth on his head.
15:33David said to him, “If you cross over with me, you will be a burden to me.
15:34But if you return to the city and say to Absalom, ‘Your brothers have passed on, and the king, your father, has passed on behind me. Now I am your servant, O king; let me live. I was your father’s servant then and just now, and now I am your servant,’ you can scatter Ahithophel’s counsel for me.
15:35Look, Zadok and Abiathar the priests are there with you. Whatever you hear from the king’s house, tell Zadok and Abiathar the priests.
15:36Their two sons are there with them: Ahimaaz, Zadok’s son, and Jonathan, Abiathar’s son. Send me through them everything you hear.”
15:37Hushai, David’s companion, entered the city, while Absalom was coming into Jerusalem.
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Saints Translation · Liturgical reading edition · V2 · working draft awaiting specialist review.