<h3>Absalom’s Conspiracy</h3>15 In the course of time, Absalom provided himself with a chariot and horses and with fifty men to run ahead of him. 2 He 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.” 3 Then Absalom would say to him, “Look, your claims are valid and proper, but there is no representative of the king to hear you.” 4 And 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.” 5 Also, whenever anyone approached him to bow down before him, Absalom would reach out his hand, take hold of him and kiss him. 6 Absalom 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. 7 At 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 While 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. ’” 9 The king said to him, “Go in peace.” So he went to Hebron. 10 Then 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.’” 11 Two hundred men from Jerusalem had accompanied Absalom. They had been invited as guests and went quite innocently, knowing nothing about the matter. 12 While 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. <h3>David Flees</h3> 13 A messenger came and told David, “The hearts of the people of Israel are with Absalom.” 14 Then 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.” 15 The king’s officials answered him, “Your servants are ready to do whatever our lord the king chooses.” 16 The king set out, with his entire household following him; but he left ten concubines to take care of the palace. 17 So the king set out, with all the people following him, and they halted at the edge of the city. 18 All 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. 19 The 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 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.” 21 But 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.” 22 David said to Ittai, “Go ahead, march on.” So Ittai the Gittite marched on with all his men and the families that were with him. 23 The 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. 24 Zadok 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. 25 Then 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 says, ‘I am not pleased with you,’ then I am ready; let him do to me whatever seems good to him. ” 27 The 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 I will wait at the fords in the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me.” 29 So Zadok and Abiathar took the ark of God back to Jerusalem and stayed there. 30 But 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. 31 Now David had been told, “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” So David prayed, “Lord, turn Ahithophel’s counsel into foolishness.” 32 When 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. 33 David 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, ‘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 Won’t the priests Zadok and Abiathar be there with you? Tell them anything you hear in the king’s palace. 36 Their two sons, Ahimaaz son of Zadok and Jonathan son of Abiathar, are there with them. Send them to me with anything you hear.” 37 So Hushai, David’s confidant, arrived at Jerusalem as Absalom was entering the city.

2 Samuel 15:1

In the course of time,<cr>1</cr> Absalom provided himself with a chariot<cr>2</cr> and horses and with fifty men to run ahead of him.

He would get up early and stand by the side of the road leading to the city gate.<cr>1</cr> 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.”

2 Samuel 15:2

Then Absalom would say to him, “Look, your claims are valid and proper, but there is no representative of the king to hear you.”<cr>1</cr>

2 Samuel 15:3

And Absalom would add, “If only I were appointed judge in the land!<cr>1</cr> Then everyone who has a complaint or case could come to me and I would see that they receive justice.”

2 Samuel 15:4

Also, whenever anyone approached him to bow down before him, Absalom would reach out his hand, take hold of him and kiss him.

2 Samuel 15:5

Absalom behaved in this way toward all the Israelites who came to the king asking for justice, and so he stole the hearts<cr>1</cr> of the people of Israel.

2 Samuel 15:6

At the end of four<ft>1</ft> years, Absalom said to the king, “Let me go to Hebron and fulfill a vow I made to the Lord.

2 Samuel 15:7

While your servant was living at Geshur<cr>1</cr> in Aram, I made this vow:<cr>2</cr> ‘If the Lord takes me back to Jerusalem, I will worship the Lord in Hebron.<ft>1</ft>’”

2 Samuel 15:8

The king said to him, “Go in peace.” So he went to Hebron.

2 Samuel 15:9

Then Absalom sent secret messengers throughout the tribes of Israel to say, “As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpets,<cr>1</cr> then say, ‘Absalom is king in Hebron.’”

2 Samuel 15:10

Two hundred men from Jerusalem had accompanied Absalom. They had been invited as guests and went quite innocently, knowing nothing about the matter.

2 Samuel 15:11

While Absalom was offering sacrifices, he also sent for Ahithophel<cr>1</cr> the Gilonite, David’s counselor,<cr>2</cr> to come from Giloh,<cr>3</cr> his hometown. And so the conspiracy gained strength, and Absalom’s following kept on increasing.<cr>4</cr>

2 Samuel 15:12

2 Samuel 15:13

A messenger came and told David, “The hearts of the people of Israel are with Absalom.”

Then David said to all his officials who were with him in Jerusalem, “Come! We must flee,<cr>1</cr> or none of us will escape from Absalom.<cr>2</cr> We must leave immediately, or he will move quickly to overtake us and bring ruin on us and put the city to the sword.”

2 Samuel 15:14

The king’s officials answered him, “Your servants are ready to do whatever our lord the king chooses.”

2 Samuel 15:15

The king set out, with his entire household following him; but he left ten concubines<cr>1</cr> to take care of the palace.

2 Samuel 15:16

So the king set out, with all the people following him, and they halted at the edge of the city.

2 Samuel 15:17

All his men marched past him, along with all the Kerethites<cr>1</cr> and Pelethites; and all the six hundred Gittites who had accompanied him from Gath marched before the king.

2 Samuel 15:18

The king said to Ittai<cr>1</cr> the Gittite, “Why should you come along with us? Go back and stay with King Absalom. You are a foreigner,<cr>2</cr> an exile from your homeland.

2 Samuel 15:19

You came only yesterday. And today shall I make you wander<cr>1</cr> 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.”<ft>1</ft><cr>2</cr>

2 Samuel 15:20

But 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.”<cr>1</cr>

2 Samuel 15:21

David said to Ittai, “Go ahead, march on.” So Ittai the Gittite marched on with all his men and the families that were with him.

2 Samuel 15:22

The whole countryside wept aloud<cr>1</cr> as all the people passed by. The king also crossed the Kidron Valley,<cr>2</cr> and all the people moved on toward the wilderness.

2 Samuel 15:23

Zadok<cr>1</cr> was there, too, and all the Levites who were with him were carrying the ark<cr>2</cr> of the covenant of God. They set down the ark of God, and Abiathar<cr>3</cr> offered sacrifices until all the people had finished leaving the city.

2 Samuel 15:24

Then 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<cr>1</cr> again.

2 Samuel 15:25

But if he says, ‘I am not pleased with you,’ then I am ready; let him do to me whatever seems good to him.<cr>1</cr> ”

2 Samuel 15:26

The king also said to Zadok the priest, “Do you understand?<cr>1</cr> Go back to the city with my blessing. Take your son Ahimaaz with you, and also Abiathar’s son Jonathan.<cr>2</cr> You and Abiathar return with your two sons.

2 Samuel 15:27

I will wait at the fords<cr>1</cr> in the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me.”

2 Samuel 15:28

So Zadok and Abiathar took the ark of God back to Jerusalem and stayed there.

2 Samuel 15:29

But David continued up the Mount of Olives, weeping<cr>1</cr> as he went; his head<cr>2</cr> was covered and he was barefoot. All the people with him covered their heads too and were weeping as they went up.

2 Samuel 15:30

Now David had been told, “Ahithophel<cr>1</cr> is among the conspirators with Absalom.” So David prayed, “Lord, turn Ahithophel’s counsel into foolishness.”

2 Samuel 15:31

When David arrived at the summit, where people used to worship God, Hushai<cr>1</cr> the Arkite<cr>2</cr> was there to meet him, his robe torn and dust<cr>3</cr> on his head.

2 Samuel 15:32

David said to him, “If you go with me, you will be a burden<cr>1</cr> to me.

2 Samuel 15:33

But 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,’<cr>1</cr> then you can help me by frustrating<cr>2</cr> Ahithophel’s advice.

2 Samuel 15:34

Won’t the priests Zadok and Abiathar be there with you? Tell them anything you hear in the king’s palace.<cr>1</cr>

2 Samuel 15:35

Their two sons, Ahimaaz<cr>1</cr> son of Zadok and Jonathan<cr>2</cr> son of Abiathar, are there with them. Send them to me with anything you hear.”

2 Samuel 15:36

So Hushai,<cr>1</cr> David’s confidant, arrived at Jerusalem as Absalom<cr>2</cr> was entering the city.

2 Samuel 15:37

 1 In the course of time,   Absalom provided himself with a chariot   and horses and with fifty men to run ahead of him. 2 He 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.” 3 Then Absalom would say to him, “Look, your claims are valid and proper, but there is no representative of the king to hear you.”   4 And 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.” 5 Also, whenever anyone approached him to bow down before him, Absalom would reach out his hand, take hold of him and kiss him. 6 Absalom 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. 7 At 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 While 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. ’” 9 The king said to him, “Go in peace.” So he went to Hebron. 10 Then 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.’” 11 Two hundred men from Jerusalem had accompanied Absalom. They had been invited as guests and went quite innocently, knowing nothing about the matter. 12 While 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.   13 A messenger came and told David, “The hearts of the people of Israel are with Absalom.” 14 Then 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.” 15 The king’s officials answered him, “Your servants are ready to do whatever our lord the king chooses.” 16 The king set out, with his entire household following him; but he left ten concubines   to take care of the palace. 17 So the king set out, with all the people following him, and they halted at the edge of the city. 18 All 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. 19 The 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 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.”    21 But 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.”   22 David said to Ittai, “Go ahead, march on.” So Ittai the Gittite marched on with all his men and the families that were with him. 23 The 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. 24 Zadok   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. 25 Then 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 says, ‘I am not pleased with you,’ then I am ready; let him do to me whatever seems good to him.  ” 27 The 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 I will wait at the fords   in the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me.” 29 So Zadok and Abiathar took the ark of God back to Jerusalem and stayed there. 30 But 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. 31 Now David had been told, “Ahithophel   is among the conspirators with Absalom.” So David prayed, “Lord, turn Ahithophel’s counsel into foolishness.” 32 When 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. 33 David 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, ‘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 Won’t the priests Zadok and Abiathar be there with you? Tell them anything you hear in the king’s palace.   36 Their two sons, Ahimaaz   son of Zadok and Jonathan   son of Abiathar, are there with them. Send them to me with anything you hear.” 37 So Hushai,   David’s confidant, arrived at Jerusalem as Absalom   was entering the city.

From Wikipedia: 

The New International Version (NIV) is an English translation of the Bible first published in 1978 by Biblica (formerly the International Bible Society). The NIV was published to meet the need for a modern translation done by Bible scholars using the earliest, highest quality manuscripts available. Of equal importance was that the Bible be expressed in broadly understood modern English.

The NIV is published by Zondervan in the United States and Hodder & Stoughton in the UK. The NIV was updated in 1984 and 2011 and has become one of the most popular and best-selling modern translations.

OT: Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia; additional sources;
NT: UBS Greek New Testament; Novum Testamentum Graece; additional sources;

2 samuel15 - NIV

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