| English Standard Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1After this Absalom got himself a chariot and horses, and fifty men to run before him. | 1After this, Absalom got himself a chariot, horses, and 50 men to run before him. |
| 2And Absalom used to rise early and stand beside the way of the gate. And when any man had a dispute to come before the king for judgment, Absalom would call to him and say, “From what city are you?” And when he said, “Your servant is of such and such a tribe in Israel,” | 2He would get up early and stand beside the road leading to the city gate. Whenever anyone had a grievance to bring before the king for settlement, Absalom called out to him and asked, "What city are you from?" If he replied, "Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel," |
| 3Absalom would say to him, “See, your claims are good and right, but there is no man designated by the king to hear you.” | 3Absalom said to him, "Look, your claims are good and right, but the king does not have anyone to listen to you." |
| 4Then Absalom would say, “Oh that I were judge in the land! Then every man with a dispute or cause might come to me, and I would give him justice.” | 4He added, "If only someone would appoint me judge in the land. Then anyone who had a grievance or dispute could come to me, and I would make sure he received justice." |
| 5And whenever a man came near to pay homage to him, he would put out his hand and take hold of him and kiss him. | 5When a person approached to bow down to him, Absalom reached out his hand, took hold of him, and kissed him. |
| 6Thus Absalom did to all of Israel who came to the king for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel. | 6Absalom did this to all the Israelites who came to the king for a settlement. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel. |
| 7And at the end of four years Absalom said to the king, “Please let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed to the LORD, in Hebron. | 7When four years had passed, Absalom said to the king, "Please let me go to Hebron to fulfill a vow I made to the LORD. |
| 8For your servant vowed a vow while I lived at Geshur in Aram, saying, ‘If the LORD will indeed bring me back to Jerusalem, then I will offer worship to the LORD.’” | 8For your servant made a vow when I lived in Geshur of Aram, saying: If the LORD really brings me back to Jerusalem, I will worship the LORD in Hebron."" |
| 9The king said to him, “Go in peace.” So he arose and went to Hebron. | 9Go in peace," the king said to him. So he went to Hebron. |
| 10But Absalom sent secret messengers throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then say, ‘Absalom is king at Hebron!’” | 10Then Absalom sent messengers throughout the tribes of Israel with this message: "When you hear the sound of the ram's horn, you are to say, 'Absalom has become king in Hebron!'" |
| 11With Absalom went two hundred men from Jerusalem who were invited guests, and they went in their innocence and knew nothing. | 11Two hundred men from Jerusalem went with Absalom. They had been invited and were going innocently, for they knew nothing about the whole matter. |
| 12And while Absalom was offering the sacrifices, he sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, from his city Giloh. And the conspiracy grew strong, and the people with Absalom kept increasing. | 12While he was offering the sacrifices, Absalom sent for David's adviser Ahithophel the Gilonite, from his city of Giloh. So the conspiracy grew strong, and the people supporting Absalom continued to increase. |
| 13And a messenger came to David, saying, “The hearts of the men of Israel have gone after Absalom.” | 13Then an informer came to David and reported, "The hearts of the men of Israel are with Absalom." |
| 14Then David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, “Arise, and let us flee, or else there will be no escape for us from Absalom. Go quickly, lest he overtake us quickly and bring down ruin on us and strike the city with the edge of the sword.” | 14David said to all the servants with him in Jerusalem, "Get up. We have to flee, or we will not escape from Absalom! Leave quickly, or he will soon overtake us, heap disaster on us, and strike the city with the edge of the sword." |
| 15And the king’s servants said to the king, “Behold, your servants are ready to do whatever my lord the king decides.” | 15The king's servants said to him, "Whatever my lord the king decides, we are your servants." |
| 16So the king went out, and all his household after him. And the king left ten concubines to keep the house. | 16Then the king set out, and his entire household followed him. But he left behind 10 concubines to take care of the palace. |
| 17And the king went out, and all the people after him. And they halted at the last house. | 17So the king set out, and all the people followed him. They stopped at the last house |
| 18And all his servants passed by him, and all the Cherethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the six hundred Gittites who had followed him from Gath, passed on before the king. | 18while all his servants marched past him. Then all the Cherethites, the Pelethites, and the Gittites--600 men who came with him from Gath--marched past the king. |
| 19Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why do you also go with us? Go back and stay with the king, for you are a foreigner and also an exile from your home. | 19The king said to Ittai the Gittite, "Why are you also going with us? Go back and stay with the new king since you're both a foreigner and an exile from your homeland. |
| 20You came only yesterday, and shall I today make you wander about with us, since I go I know not where? Go back and take your brothers with you, and may the LORD show steadfast love and faithfulness to you.” | 20Besides, you only arrived yesterday; should I make you wander around with us today while I go wherever I can? Go back and take your brothers with you. May the LORD show you kindness and faithfulness." |
| 21But Ittai answered the king, “As the LORD lives, and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king shall be, whether for death or for life, there also will your servant be.” | 21But in response, Ittai vowed to the king, "As the LORD lives and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king is, whether it means life or death, your servant will be there!"" |
| 22And David said to Ittai, “Go then, pass on.” So Ittai the Gittite passed on with all his men and all the little ones who were with him. | 22March on," David replied to Ittai. So Ittai the Gittite marched past with all his men and the children who were with him. |
| 23And all the land wept aloud as all the people passed by, and the king crossed the brook Kidron, and all the people passed on toward the wilderness. | 23Everyone in the countryside was weeping loudly while all the people were marching past. As the king was crossing the Kidron Valley, all the people were marching past on the road that leads to the desert. |
| 24And Abiathar came up, and behold, Zadok came also with all the Levites, bearing the ark of the covenant of God. And they set down the ark of God until the people had all passed out of the city. | 24Zadok was also there, and all the Levites with him were carrying the ark of the covenant of God. They set the ark of God down, and Abiathar offered sacrifices until the people had finished marching past. |
| 25Then the king said to Zadok, “Carry the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the eyes of the LORD, he will bring me back and let me see both it and his dwelling place. | 25Then the king instructed Zadok, "Return the ark of God to the city. If I find favor in the LORD's eyes, He will bring me back and allow me to see both it and its dwelling place. |
| 26But if he says, ‘I have no pleasure in you,’ behold, here I am, let him do to me what seems good to him.” | 26However, if He should say, 'I do not delight in you,' then here I am--He can do with me whatever pleases Him." |
| 27The king also said to Zadok the priest, “Are you not a seer? Go back to the city in peace, with your two sons, Ahimaaz your son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar. | 27The king also said to Zadok the priest, "Look, return to the city in peace and your two sons with you: your son Ahimaaz and Abiathar's son Jonathan. |
| 28See, I will wait at the fords of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me.” | 28Remember, I'll wait at the fords of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me." |
| 29So Zadok and Abiathar carried the ark of God back to Jerusalem, and they remained there. | 29So Zadok and Abiathar returned the ark of God to Jerusalem and stayed there. |
| 30But David went up the ascent of the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went, barefoot and with his head covered. And all the people who were with him covered their heads, and they went up, weeping as they went. | 30David was climbing the slope of the Mount of Olives, weeping as he ascended. His head was covered, and he was walking barefoot. Each of the people with him covered their heads and went up, weeping as they ascended. |
| 31And it was told David, “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” And David said, “O LORD, please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.” | 31Then someone reported to David: "Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom."" LORD," David pleaded, "please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness!" |
| 32While David was coming to the summit, where God was worshiped, behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his coat torn and dirt on his head. | 32When David came to the summit where he used to worship God, Hushai the Archite was there to meet him with his robe torn and dust on his head. |
| 33David said to him, “If you go on with me, you will be a burden to me. | 33David said to him, "If you go away with me, you'll be a burden to me, |
| 34But if you return to the city and say to Absalom, ‘I will be your servant, O king; as I have been your father’s servant in time past, so now I will be your servant,’ then you will defeat for me the counsel of Ahithophel. | 34but if you return to the city and tell Absalom, 'I will be your servant, my king! Previously, I was your father's servant, but now I will be your servant,' then you can counteract Ahithophel's counsel for me. |
| 35Are not Zadok and Abiathar the priests with you there? So whatever you hear from the king’s house, tell it to Zadok and Abiathar the priests. | 35Won't Zadok and Abiathar the priests be there with you? Report everything you hear from the king's palace to Zadok and Abiathar the priests. |
| 36Behold, their two sons are with them there, Ahimaaz, Zadok’s son, and Jonathan, Abiathar’s son, and by them you shall send to me everything you hear.” | 36Take note: their two sons, Zadok's son Ahimaaz and Abiathar's son Jonathan, are there with them. Send me everything you hear through them." |
| 37So Hushai, David’s friend, came into the city, just as Absalom was entering Jerusalem. | 37So Hushai, David's personal adviser, entered Jerusalem just as Absalom was entering the city. |
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