2 Samuel 15-17

Holman Christian Standard Bible

Absalom’s Revolt

15 After this, Absalom got himself a chariot, horses, and 50 men to run before him.^{(A) 2} He would get up early and stand beside the road leading to the city gate.^(B) 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,” ³ Absalom said to him, “Look, your claims are good and right, but the king does not have anyone to listen to you.” ⁴ He 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.” ⁵ When a person approached to bow down to him, Absalom reached out his hand, took hold of him, and kissed him. ⁶ Absalom did this to all the Israelites who came to the king for a settlement. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

⁷ When four^[a] years had passed, Absalom said to the king, “Please let me go to Hebron to fulfill a vow I made to the Lord. ⁸ For your servant made a vow when I lived in Geshur of Aram,^(C) saying: If the Lord really brings me back to Jerusalem, I will worship the Lord in Hebron.”^[b](D)

⁹ “Go in peace,” the king said to him.^(E) So he went to Hebron.

¹⁰ Then 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!’”^(F)

¹¹ Two hundred men from Jerusalem went with Absalom. They had been invited and were going innocently, for they knew nothing about the whole matter. ¹² While he was offering the sacrifices, Absalom sent for David’s adviser Ahithophel the Gilonite,^(G) from his city of Giloh. So the conspiracy grew strong, and the people supporting Absalom continued to increase.

¹³ Then an informer came to David and reported, “The hearts of the men of Israel are with Absalom.”

¹⁴ David said to all the servants with him in Jerusalem, “Get up. We have to flee, or we will not escape from Absalom!^(H) Leave quickly, or he will soon overtake us, heap disaster on us, and strike the city with the edge of the sword.”

¹⁵ The king’s servants said to him, “Whatever my lord the king decides, we are your servants.” ¹⁶ Then the king set out, and his entire household followed him. But he left behind 10 concubines to take care of the palace. ¹⁷ So the king set out, and all the people followed him. They stopped at the last house ¹⁸ while all his servants marched past him. Then all the Cherethites, the Pelethites, and the Gittites—600 men who came with him from Gath^(I)—marched past the king.

¹⁹ The king said to Ittai the Gittite,^(J) “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. ²⁰ Besides, 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.”

²¹ But 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!”

²² “March on,” David replied to Ittai. So Ittai the Gittite marched past with all his men and the children who were with him. ²³ Everyone 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.

²⁴ Zadok 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^[c] until the people had finished marching past.^{(K) 25} Then the king instructed Zadok, “Return the ark of God to the city.^(L) 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.^{(M) 26} However, if He should say, ‘I do not delight in you,’ then here I am—He can do with me whatever pleases Him.”^[d](N)

²⁷ The king also said to Zadok the priest,^(O) “Look,^[e] return to the city in peace and your two sons with you: your son Ahimaaz and Abiathar’s son Jonathan. ²⁸ Remember, I’ll wait at the fords of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me.” ²⁹ So Zadok and Abiathar returned the ark of God to Jerusalem and stayed there.

³⁰ David was climbing the slope of the Mount of Olives, weeping as he ascended. His head was covered, and he was walking barefoot.^(P) Each of the people with him covered their heads and went up, weeping as they ascended.

³¹ Then someone reported to David: “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.”

“Lord,” David pleaded, “please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness!”^(Q)

³² When David came to the summit where he used to worship God, Hushai the Archite^(R) was there to meet him with his robe torn and dust on his head. ³³ David said to him, “If you go away with me, you’ll be a burden to me, ³⁴ but 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. ³⁵ Won’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. ³⁶ Take note: their two sons, Zadok’s son Ahimaaz and Abiathar’s son Jonathan, are there with them. Send me everything you hear through them.” ³⁷ So Hushai,^(S) David’s personal adviser, entered Jerusalem just as Absalom was entering the city.

Ziba Helps David

16 When David had gone a little beyond the summit,^[f] Ziba, Mephibosheth’s servant,^(T) was right there to meet him. He had a pair of saddled donkeys loaded with 200 loaves of bread, 100 clusters of raisins, 100 bunches of summer fruit, and a skin of wine. ² The king said to Ziba, “Why do you have these?”

Ziba answered, “The donkeys are for the king’s household to ride, the bread and summer fruit are for the young men to eat, and the wine is for those to drink who become exhausted in the desert.”

³ “Where is your master’s grandson?” the king asked.

“Why, he’s staying in Jerusalem,” Ziba replied to the king, “for he said, ‘Today, the house of Israel will restore my grandfather’s kingdom to me.’”

⁴ The king said to Ziba, “All that belongs to Mephibosheth is now yours!”^(U)

“I bow before you,” Ziba said. “May you look favorably on me, my lord the king!”

Shimei Curses David

⁵ When King David got to Bahurim, a man belonging to the family of the house of Saul was just coming out. His name was Shimei son of Gera,^(V) and he was yelling curses as he approached. ⁶ He threw stones at David and at all the royal^[g] servants, the people and the warriors on David’s right and left. ⁷ Shimei said as he cursed: “Get out, get out, you worthless murderer! ⁸ The Lord has paid you back for all the blood of the house of Saul in whose place you became king, and the Lord has handed the kingdom over to your son Absalom. Look, you are in trouble because you’re a murderer!”

⁹ Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog^(W) curse my lord the king?^(X) Let me go over and cut his head off!”

¹⁰ The king replied, “Sons of Zeruiah, do we agree on anything?^(Y) He curses^(Z) me this way because the Lord^[h] told him, ‘Curse David!’ Therefore, who can say, ‘Why did you do that?’” ¹¹ Then David said to Abishai and all his servants, “Look, my own son, my own flesh and blood,^[i] intends to take my life^(AA)—how much more now this Benjaminite! Leave him alone and let him curse me; the Lord has told him to. ¹² Perhaps the Lord will see my affliction^[j] and restore goodness to me instead of Shimei’s curses today.” ¹³ So David and his men proceeded along the road as Shimei was going along the ridge of the hill opposite him. As Shimei went, he cursed David, and threw stones and dirt at him. ¹⁴ Finally, the king and all the people with him arrived^[k] exhausted, so they rested there.

Absalom’s Advisers

¹⁵ Now Absalom and all the Israelites came to Jerusalem. Ahithophel was also with him. ¹⁶ When David’s friend Hushai the Archite came to Absalom, Hushai said to Absalom, “Long live the king! Long live the king!”^(AB)

¹⁷ “Is this your loyalty to your friend?” Absalom asked Hushai. “Why didn’t you go with your friend?”

¹⁸ “Not at all,” Hushai answered Absalom. “I am on the side of the one that the Lord, the people, and all the men of Israel have chosen. I will stay with him. ¹⁹ Furthermore, whom will I serve if not his son? As I served in your father’s presence, I will also serve in yours.”^(AC)

²⁰ Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give me your advice. What should we do?”

²¹ Ahithophel replied to Absalom, “Sleep with your father’s concubines he left to take care of the palace.^(AD) When all Israel hears that you have become repulsive to your father, everyone with you will be encouraged.” ²² So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, and he slept with his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.^(AE)

²³ Now the advice Ahithophel gave in those days was like someone asking about a word from God^(AF)—such was the regard that both David and Absalom had for Ahithophel’s advice. 17 ¹ Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Let me choose 12,000 men, and I will set out in pursuit of David tonight. ² I will attack him while he is weak and weary, throw him into a panic, and all the people with him will scatter. I will strike down only the king ³ and bring all the people back to you. When everyone returns except the man you’re seeking, all^[l] the people will be at peace.” ⁴ This proposal seemed good to Absalom and all the elders of Israel.

⁵ Then Absalom said, “Summon Hushai the Archite also. Let’s hear what he has to say as well.”

⁶ So Hushai came to Absalom, and Absalom told him: “Ahithophel offered this proposal. Should we carry out his proposal? If not, what do you say?”

⁷ Hushai replied to Absalom, “The advice Ahithophel has given this time is not good.” ⁸ Hushai continued, “You know your father and his men. They are warriors and are desperate like a wild bear robbed of her cubs. Your father is an experienced soldier who won’t spend the night with the people. ⁹ He’s probably already hiding in one of the caves^[m] or some other place. If some of our troops fall^[n] first, someone is sure to hear and say, ‘There’s been a slaughter among the people who follow Absalom.’ ¹⁰ Then, even a brave man with the heart of a lion^(AG) will melt because all Israel knows that your father and the valiant men with him are warriors. ¹¹ Instead, I advise that all Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba—as numerous as the sand by the sea—be gathered to you and that you personally go into battle. ¹² Then we will attack David wherever we find him, and we will descend on him like dew on the ground. Not even one will be left of all the men with him. ¹³ If he retreats to some city, all Israel will bring ropes to that city, and we will drag its stones into the valley until not even a pebble can be found there.” ¹⁴ Since the Lord had decreed^(AH) that Ahithophel’s good advice be undermined^(AI) in order to bring about Absalom’s ruin, Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The advice of Hushai the Archite is better than Ahithophel’s advice.”

David Informed of Absalom’s Plans

¹⁵ Hushai then told the priests Zadok and Abiathar, “This is what^[o] Ahithophel advised Absalom and the elders of Israel, and this is what^[p] I advised. ¹⁶ Now send someone quickly and tell David, ‘Don’t spend the night at the wilderness ford of the Jordan,^(AJ) but be sure to cross over, or the king and all the people with him will be destroyed.’”

¹⁷ Jonathan and Ahimaaz were staying at En-rogel, where a servant girl would come and pass along information to them. They in turn would go and inform King David, because they dared not be seen entering the city. ¹⁸ However, a young man did see them and informed Absalom. So the two left quickly and came to the house of a man in Bahurim. He had a well in his courtyard, and they climbed down into it. ¹⁹ Then his wife took the cover, placed it over the mouth of the well, and scattered grain on it so nobody would know anything.

²⁰ Absalom’s servants came to the woman at the house and asked, “Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?”

“They passed by toward the water,”^[q] the woman replied to them. The men searched but did not find them, so they returned to Jerusalem.

²¹ After they had gone, Ahimaaz and Jonathan climbed out of the well and went and informed King David. They told him, “Get up and immediately ford the river, for Ahithophel has given this advice against you.” ²² So David and all the people with him got up and crossed the Jordan. By daybreak, there was no one who had not crossed the Jordan. ²³ When Ahithophel realized that his advice had not been followed, he saddled his donkey and set out for his house in his hometown. He set his affairs in order^[r] and hanged himself. So he died and was buried in his father’s tomb.

²⁴ David had arrived at Mahanaim by the time Absalom crossed the Jordan with all the men of Israel. ²⁵ Now Absalom had appointed Amasa^(AK) over the army in Joab’s place. Amasa was the son of a man named Ithra^[s] the Israelite;^[t](AL) Ithra had married Abigail daughter of Nahash.^[u] Abigail was a sister to Zeruiah, Joab’s mother. ²⁶ And Israel and Absalom camped in the land of Gilead. ²⁷ When David came to Mahanaim, Shobi son of Nahash^(AM) from Rabbah^(AN) of the Ammonites, Machir son of Ammiel from Lo-debar,^(AO) and Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim^{(AP) 28} brought beds, basins,^[v] and pottery items. They also brought wheat, barley, flour, roasted grain, beans, lentils,^{[w] 29} honey, curds, sheep, and cheese^[x] from the herd for David and the people with him to eat. They had reasoned, “The people must be hungry, exhausted, and thirsty in the desert.”