2 Samuel 15

Absalom's Deception 2 Samuel 15:7–12

⁷Verse 7. At the end of forty years, Absalom said to the king, “Please let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed to Yahweh, in Hebron. ⁸Verse 8. For your servant vowed a vow while I stayed at Geshur in Syria, saying, ‘If Yahweh shall indeed bring me again to Jerusalem, then I will serve Yahweh.’” ⁹Verse 9. The king said to him, “Go in peace.” So he arose, and went to Hebron. ¹⁰Verse 10. But Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then you shall say, ‘Absalom is king in Hebron!’”

¹¹Verse 11. Two hundred men went with Absalom out of Jerusalem, who were invited, and went in their simplicity; and they didn’t know anything. ¹²Verse 12. Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, from his city, even from Giloh, while he was offering the sacrifices. The conspiracy was strong; for the people increased continually with Absalom.

David Learns of the Rebellion 2 Samuel 15:13–19

¹³Verse 13. A messenger came to David, saying, “The hearts of the men of Israel are after Absalom.” ¹⁴Verse 14. David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, “Arise, and let us flee; or else none of us will escape from Absalom. Hurry to depart, lest he overtake us quickly, and bring down evil on us, and strike the city with the edge of the sword.” ¹⁵Verse 15. The king’s servants said to the king, “Behold, your servants are ready to do whatever my lord the king chooses.” ¹⁶Verse 16. The king went out, and all his household after him. The king left ten women, who were concubines, to keep the house.

¹⁷Verse 17. The king went out, and all the people after him; and they stayed in Beth Merhak. ¹⁸Verse 18. All his servants passed on beside him; and all the Cherethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, six hundred men who came after him from Gath, passed on before the king. ¹⁹Verse 19. Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why do you also go with us? Return, and stay with the king; for you are a foreigner, and also an exile. Return to your own place.

David's Departure 2 Samuel 15:20–30

²⁰Verse 20. Whereas you came but yesterday, should I today make you go up and down with us, since I go where I may? Return, and take back your brothers. Mercy and truth be with you.” ²¹Verse 21. Ittai answered the king, and said, “As Yahweh lives, and as my lord the king lives, surely in what place my lord the king is, whether for death or for life, your servant will be there also.” ²²Verse 22. David said to Ittai, “Go and pass over.” Ittai the Gittite passed over, and all his men, and all the little ones who were with him. ²³Verse 23. 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.

²⁴Verse 24. Behold, Zadok also came, and all the Levites with him, bearing the ark of the covenant of God; and they set down God’s ark; and Abiathar went up, until all the people finished passing out of the city. ²⁵Verse 25. The king said to Zadok, “Carry God’s ark back into the city. If I find favor in Yahweh’s eyes, he will bring me again, and show me both it, and his habitation; ²⁶Verse 26. but if he says, ‘I have no delight in you;’ behold, here am I. Let him do to me as seems good to him.” ²⁷Verse 27. The king said also to Zadok the priest, “Aren’t you a seer? Return into the city in peace, and your two sons with you, Ahimaaz your son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar.

²⁸Verse 28. Behold, I will stay at the fords of the wilderness, until word comes from you to inform me.” ²⁹Verse 29. Zadok therefore and Abiathar carried God’s ark to Jerusalem again; and they stayed there. ³⁰Verse 30. David went up by the ascent of the Mount of Olives, and wept as he went up; and he had his head covered, and went barefoot: and all the people who were with him each covered his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up.

David's Strategic Moves 2 Samuel 15:31–37

³¹Verse 31. Someone told David, saying, “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” David said, “Yahweh, please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.” ³²Verse 32. When David had come to the top, where God was worshiped, behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his coat torn, and earth on his head. ³³Verse 33. David said to him, “If you pass on with me, then you will be a burden to me; ³⁴Verse 34. but if you return to the city, and tell Absalom, ‘I will be your servant, O king. As I have been your father’s servant in time past, so will I now be your servant; then will you defeat for me the counsel of Ahithophel.’

³⁵Verse 35. Don’t you have Zadok and Abiathar the priests there with you? Therefore whatever you hear out of the king’s house, tell it to Zadok and Abiathar the priests. ³⁶Verse 36. Behold, they have there with them their two sons, Ahimaaz, Zadok’s son, and Jonathan, Abiathar’s son. Send to me everything that you shall hear by them.” ³⁷Verse 37. So Hushai, David’s friend, came into the city; and Absalom came into Jerusalem.