| New American Standard Bible 1995 | New International Version |
| 1Now it came about after this that Absalom provided for himself a chariot and horses and fifty men as runners before him. | 1In the course of time, Absalom provided himself with a chariot and horses and with fifty men to run ahead of him. |
| 2Absalom used to rise early and stand beside the way to the gate; and when any man had a suit to come to the king for judgment, Absalom would call to him and say, "From what city are you?" And he would say, "Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel." | 2He would get up early and stand by the side of the road leading to the city gate. Whenever anyone came with a complaint to be placed before the king for a decision, Absalom would call out to him, "What town are you from?" He would answer, "Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel." |
| 3Then Absalom would say to him, "See, your claims are good and right, but no man listens to you on the part of the king." | 3Then Absalom would say to him, "Look, your claims are valid and proper, but there is no representative of the king to hear you." |
| 4Moreover, Absalom would say, "Oh that one would appoint me judge in the land, then every man who has any suit or cause could come to me and I would give him justice." | 4And Absalom would add, "If only I were appointed judge in the land! Then everyone who has a complaint or case could come to me and I would see that they receive justice." |
| 5And when a man came near to prostrate himself before him, he would put out his hand and take hold of him and kiss him. | 5Also, whenever anyone approached him to bow down before him, Absalom would reach out his hand, take hold of him and kiss him. |
| 6In this manner Absalom dealt with all Israel who came to the king for judgment; so Absalom stole away the hearts of the men of Israel. | 6Absalom behaved in this way toward all the Israelites who came to the king asking for justice, and so he stole the hearts of the people of Israel. |
| 7Now it came about at the end of forty years that Absalom said to the king, "Please let me go and pay my vow which I have vowed to the LORD, in Hebron. | 7At the end of four years, Absalom said to the king, "Let me go to Hebron and fulfill a vow I made to the LORD. |
| 8"For your servant vowed a vow while I was living at Geshur in Aram, saying, 'If the LORD shall indeed bring me back to Jerusalem, then I will serve the LORD.'" | 8While your servant was living at Geshur in Aram, I made this vow: 'If the LORD takes 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. | 9The king said to him, "Go in peace." So he went to Hebron. |
| 10But 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.'" | 10Then Absalom sent secret messengers throughout the tribes of Israel to say, "As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpets, then say, 'Absalom is king in Hebron.'" |
| 11Then two hundred men went with Absalom from Jerusalem, who were invited and went innocently, and they did not know anything. | 11Two hundred men from Jerusalem had accompanied Absalom. They had been invited as guests and went quite innocently, knowing nothing about the matter. |
| 12And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's counselor, from his city Giloh, while he was offering the sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong, for the people increased continually with Absalom. | 12While Absalom was offering sacrifices, he also sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's counselor, to come from Giloh, his hometown. And so the conspiracy gained strength, and Absalom's following kept on increasing. |
| 13Then a messenger came to David, saying, "The hearts of the men of Israel are with Absalom." | 13A messenger came and told David, "The hearts of the people of Israel are with Absalom." |
| 14David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, "Arise and let us flee, for otherwise none of us will escape from Absalom. Go in haste, or he will overtake us quickly and bring down calamity on us and strike the city with the edge of the sword." | 14Then David said to all his officials who were with him in Jerusalem, "Come! We must flee, or none of us will escape from Absalom. We must leave immediately, or he will move quickly to overtake us and bring ruin on us and put the city to the sword." |
| 15Then the king's servants said to the king, "Behold, your servants are ready to do whatever my lord the king chooses." | 15The king's officials answered him, "Your servants are ready to do whatever our lord the king chooses." |
| 16So the king went out and all his household with him. But the king left ten concubines to keep the house. | 16The king set out, with his entire household following him; but he left ten concubines to take care of the palace. |
| 17The king went out and all the people with him, and they stopped at the last house. | 17So the king set out, with all the people following him, and they halted at the edge of the city. |
| 18Now all his servants passed on beside him, all the Cherethites, all the Pelethites and all the Gittites, six hundred men who had come with him from Gath, passed on before the king. | 18All his men marched past him, along with all the Kerethites and Pelethites; and all the six hundred Gittites who had accompanied him from Gath marched before the king. |
| 19Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, "Why will you also go with us? Return and remain with the king, for you are a foreigner and also an exile; return to your own place. | 19The king said to Ittai the Gittite, "Why should you come along with us? Go back and stay with King Absalom. You are a foreigner, an exile from your homeland. |
| 20"You came only yesterday, and shall I today make you wander with us, while I go where I will? Return and take back your brothers; mercy and truth be with you." | 20You came only yesterday. And today shall I make you wander about with us, when I do not know where I am going? Go back, and take your people with you. May the LORD show you kindness and faithfulness." |
| 21But Ittai answered the king and said, "As the LORD lives, and as my lord the king lives, surely wherever my lord the king may be, whether for death or for life, there also your servant will be." | 21But Ittai replied to the king, "As surely as the LORD lives, and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king may be, whether it means life or death, there will your servant be." |
| 22Therefore David said to Ittai, "Go and pass over." So Ittai the Gittite passed over with all his men and all the little ones who were with him. | 22David said to Ittai, "Go ahead, march on." So Ittai the Gittite marched on with all his men and the families that were with him. |
| 23While all the country was weeping with a loud voice, all the people passed over. The king also passed over the brook Kidron, and all the people passed over toward the way of the wilderness. | 23The whole countryside wept aloud as all the people passed by. The king also crossed the Kidron Valley, and all the people moved on toward the wilderness. |
| 24Now behold, Zadok also came, and all the Levites with him carrying the ark of the covenant of God. And they set down the ark of God, and Abiathar came up until all the people had finished passing from the city. | 24Zadok was there, too, and all the Levites who were with him were carrying the ark of the covenant of God. They set down the ark of God, and Abiathar offered sacrifices until all the people had finished leaving the city. |
| 25The king said to Zadok, "Return the ark of God to the city. If I find favor in the sight of the LORD, then He will bring me back again and show me both it and His habitation. | 25Then the king said to Zadok, "Take the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the LORD's eyes, he will bring me back and let me see it and his dwelling place again. |
| 26"But if He should say thus, 'I have no delight in you,' behold, here I am, let Him do to me as seems good to Him." | 26But if he says, 'I am not pleased with you,' then I am ready; let him do to me whatever seems good to him." |
| 27The king said also to Zadok the priest, "Are you not a seer? Return to the city in peace and your two sons with you, your son Ahimaaz and Jonathan the son of Abiathar. | 27The king also said to Zadok the priest, "Do you understand? Go back to the city with my blessing. Take your son Ahimaaz with you, and also Abiathar's son Jonathan. You and Abiathar return with your two sons. |
| 28"See, I am going to wait at the fords of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me." | 28I will wait at the fords in the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me." |
| 29Therefore Zadok and Abiathar returned the ark of God to Jerusalem and remained there. | 29So Zadok and Abiathar took the ark of God back to Jerusalem and stayed there. |
| 30And David went up the ascent of the Mount of Olives, and wept as he went, and his head was covered and he walked barefoot. Then all the people who were with him each covered his head and went up weeping as they went. | 30But David continued up the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went; his head was covered and he was barefoot. All the people with him covered their heads too and were weeping as they went up. |
| 31Now someone told David, saying, "Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom." And David said, "O LORD, I pray, make the counsel of Ahithophel foolishness." | 31Now David had been told, "Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom." So David prayed, "LORD, turn Ahithophel's counsel into foolishness." |
| 32It happened as David was coming to the summit, where God was worshiped, that behold, Hushai the Archite met him with his coat torn and dust on his head. | 32When David arrived at the summit, where people used to worship God, Hushai the Arkite was there to meet him, his robe torn and dust on his head. |
| 33David said to him, "If you pass over with me, then you will be a burden to me. | 33David said to him, "If you go with me, you will be a burden to me. |
| 34"But 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 I will now be your servant,' then you can thwart the counsel of Ahithophel for me. | 34But if you return to the city and say to Absalom, 'Your Majesty, I will be your servant; I was your father's servant in the past, but now I will be your servant,' then you can help me by frustrating Ahithophel's advice. |
| 35"Are not Zadok and Abiathar the priests with you there? So it shall be that whatever you hear from the king's house, you shall report to Zadok and Abiathar the priests. | 35Won't the priests Zadok and Abiathar be there with you? Tell them anything you hear in the king's palace. |
| 36"Behold their two sons are with them there, Ahimaaz, Zadok's son and Jonathan, Abiathar's son; and by them you shall send me everything that you hear." | 36Their two sons, Ahimaaz son of Zadok and Jonathan son of Abiathar, are there with them. Send them to me with anything you hear." |
| 37So Hushai, David's friend, came into the city, and Absalom came into Jerusalem. | 37So Hushai, David's confidant, arrived at Jerusalem as Absalom was entering the city. |
| New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org | New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. |
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