| NET Bible | English Standard Version |
| 1Some time later Absalom managed to acquire a chariot and horses, as well as fifty men to serve as his royal guard. | 1After this Absalom got himself a chariot and horses, and fifty men to run before him. |
| 2Now Absalom used to get up early and stand beside the road that led to the city gate. Whenever anyone came by who had a complaint to bring to the king for arbitration, Absalom would call out to him, "What city are you from?" The person would answer, "I, your servant, am from one of the tribes of Israel." | 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,” |
| 3Absalom would then say to him, "Look, your claims are legitimate and appropriate. But there is no representative of the king who will listen to you." | 3Absalom would say to him, “See, your claims are good and right, but there is no man designated by the king to hear you.” |
| 4Absalom would then say, "If only they would make me a judge in the land! Then everyone who had a judicial complaint could come to me and I would make sure he receives a just settlement." | 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.” |
| 5When someone approached to bow before him, Absalom would extend his hand and embrace him and kiss him. | 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. |
| 6Absalom acted this way toward everyone in Israel who came to the king for justice. In this way Absalom won the loyalty of the citizens of Israel. | 6Thus Absalom did to all of Israel who came to the king for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel. |
| 7After four years Absalom said to the king, "Let me go and repay my vow that I made to the LORD while I was in Hebron. | 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. |
| 8For I made this vow when I was living in Geshur in Aram: 'If the LORD really does allow me to return to Jerusalem, I will serve 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.’” |
| 9The king replied to him, "Go in peace." So Absalom got up and went to Hebron. | 9The king said to him, “Go in peace.” So he arose and went to Hebron. |
| 10Then Absalom sent spies through all the tribes of Israel who said, "When you hear the sound of the horn, you may assume that Absalom rules in 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!’” |
| 11Now two hundred men had gone with Absalom from Jerusalem. Since they were invited, they went naively and were unaware of what Absalom was planning. | 11With Absalom went two hundred men from Jerusalem who were invited guests, and they went in their innocence and knew nothing. |
| 12While he was offering sacrifices, Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's adviser, to come from his city, Giloh. The conspiracy was gaining momentum, and the people were starting to side with Absalom. | 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. |
| 13Then a messenger came to David and reported, "The men of Israel are loyal to Absalom!" | 13And a messenger came to David, saying, “The hearts of the men of Israel have gone after Absalom.” |
| 14So David said to all his servants who were with him in Jerusalem, "Come on! Let's escape! Otherwise no one will be delivered from Absalom! Go immediately, or else he will quickly overtake us and bring disaster on us and kill the city's residents with the sword." | 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.” |
| 15The king's servants replied to the king, "We will do whatever our lord the king decides." | 15And the king’s servants said to the king, “Behold, your servants are ready to do whatever my lord the king decides.” |
| 16So the king and all the members of his royal court set out on foot, though the king left behind ten concubines to attend to the palace. | 16So the king went out, and all his household after him. And the king left ten concubines to keep the house. |
| 17The king and all the people set out on foot, pausing at a spot some distance away. | 17And the king went out, and all the people after him. And they halted at the last house. |
| 18All his servants were leaving with him, along with all the Kerethites, all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites--some six hundred men who had come on foot from Gath. They were leaving with the king. | 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. |
| 19Then the 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 an exile from your own country. | 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. |
| 20It seems like you arrived just yesterday. Today should I make you wander around by going with us? I go where I must go. But as for you, go back and take your men with you. May genuine loyal love protect you!" | 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.” |
| 21But Ittai replied to the king, "As surely as the LORD lives and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king is, whether dead or alive, there I will be as well!" | 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.” |
| 22So David said to Ittai, "Come along then." So Ittai the Gittite went along, accompanied by all his men and all the dependents who were with him. | 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. |
| 23All the land was weeping loudly as all these people were leaving. As the king was crossing over the Kidron Valley, all the people were leaving on the road that leads to the desert. | 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. |
| 24Zadok and all the Levites who were with him were carrying the ark of the covenant of God. When they positioned the ark of God, Abiathar offered sacrifices until all the people had finished leaving the city. | 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. |
| 25Then the king said to Zadok, "Take the ark of God back to the city. If I find favor in the LORD's sight he will bring me back and enable me to see both it and his dwelling place again. | 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. |
| 26However, if he should say, 'I do not take pleasure in you,' then he will deal with me in a way that he considers appropriate." | 26But if he says, ‘I have no pleasure in you,’ behold, here I am, let him do to me what seems good to him.” |
| 27The king said to Zadok the priest, "Are you a seer? Go back to the city in peace! Your son Ahimaaz and Abiathar's son Jonathan may go with you and Abiathar. | 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. |
| 28Look, I will be waiting at the fords of the desert until word from you reaches me." | 28See, I will wait at the fords of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me.” |
| 29So Zadok and Abiathar took the ark of God back to Jerusalem and remained there. | 29So Zadok and Abiathar carried the ark of God back to Jerusalem, and they remained there. |
| 30As David was going up the Mount of Olives, he was weeping as he went; his head was covered and his feet were bare. All the people who were with him also had their heads covered and were weeping as they went up. | 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. |
| 31Now David had been told, "Ahithophel has sided with the conspirators who are with Absalom. So David prayed, "Make the advice of Ahithophel foolish, O LORD!" | 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.” |
| 32When David reached the summit, where he used to worship God, Hushai the Arkite met him with his clothes torn and dirt on his head. | 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. |
| 33David said to him, "If you leave with me you will be a burden to me. | 33David said to him, “If you go on with me, you will be a burden to me. |
| 34But you will be able to counter the advice of Ahithophel if you go back to the city and say to Absalom, 'I will be your servant, O king! Previously I was your father's servant, and now I will be your servant.' | 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. |
| 35Zadok and Abiathar the priests will be there with you. Everything you hear in the king's palace you must tell Zadok and Abiathar the priests. | 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. |
| 36Furthermore, their two sons are there with them, Zadok's son Ahimaaz and Abiathar's son Jonathan. You must send them to me with any information you hear." | 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.” |
| 37So David's friend Hushai arrived in the city, just as Absalom was entering Jerusalem. | 37So Hushai, David’s friend, came into the city, just as Absalom was entering Jerusalem. |
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