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2 Samuel 15
New Living Translation

Absalom’s Rebellion

15 After this, Absalom bought a chariot and horses, and he hired fifty bodyguards to run ahead of him. 2 He got up early every morning and went out to the gate of the city. When people brought a case to the king for judgment, Absalom would ask where in Israel they were from, and they would tell him their tribe. 3 Then Absalom would say, “You’ve really got a strong case here! It’s too bad the king doesn’t have anyone to hear it. 4 I wish I were the judge. Then everyone could bring their cases to me for judgment, and I would give them justice!”

5 When people tried to bow before him, Absalom wouldn’t let them. Instead, he took them by the hand and kissed them. 6 Absalom did this with everyone who came to the king for judgment, and so he stole the hearts of all the people of Israel.

7 After four years,[a] Absalom said to the king, “Let me go to Hebron to offer a sacrifice to the Lord and fulfill a vow I made to him. 8 For while your servant was at Geshur in Aram, I promised to sacrifice to the Lord in Hebron[b] if he would bring me back to Jerusalem.”

9 “All right,” the king told him. “Go and fulfill your vow.”

So Absalom went to Hebron. 10 But while he was there, he sent secret messengers to all the tribes of Israel to stir up a rebellion against the king. “As soon as you hear the ram’s horn,” his message read, “you are to say, ‘Absalom has been crowned king in Hebron.’” 11 He took 200 men from Jerusalem with him as guests, but they knew nothing of his intentions. 12 While Absalom was offering the sacrifices, he sent for Ahithophel, one of David’s counselors who lived in Giloh. Soon many others also joined Absalom, and the conspiracy gained momentum.

David Escapes from Jerusalem

13 A messenger soon arrived in Jerusalem to tell David, “All Israel has joined Absalom in a conspiracy against you!”

14 “Then we must flee at once, or it will be too late!” David urged his men. “Hurry! If we get out of the city before Absalom arrives, both we and the city of Jerusalem will be spared from disaster.”

15 “We are with you,” his advisers replied. “Do what you think is best.”

16 So the king and all his household set out at once. He left no one behind except ten of his concubines to look after the palace. 17 The king and all his people set out on foot, pausing at the last house 18 to let all the king’s men move past to lead the way. There were 600 men from Gath who had come with David, along with the king’s bodyguard.[c]

19 Then the king turned and said to Ittai, a leader of the men from Gath, “Why are you coming with us? Go on back to King Absalom, for you are a guest in Israel, a foreigner in exile. 20 You arrived only recently, and should I force you today to wander with us? I don’t even know where we will go. Go on back and take your kinsmen with you, and may the Lord show you his unfailing love and faithfulness.[d]”

21 But Ittai said to the king, “I vow by the Lord and by your own life that I will go wherever my lord the king goes, no matter what happens—whether it means life or death.”

22 David replied, “All right, come with us.” So Ittai and all his men and their families went along.

23 Everyone cried loudly as the king and his followers passed by. They crossed the Kidron Valley and then went out toward the wilderness.

24 Zadok and all the Levites also came along, carrying the Ark of the Covenant of God. They set down the Ark of God, and Abiathar offered sacrifices[e] until everyone had passed out of the city.

25 Then the king instructed Zadok to take the Ark of God back into the city. “If the Lord sees fit,” David said, “he will bring me back to see the Ark and the Tabernacle[f] again. 26 But if he is through with me, then let him do what seems best to him.”

27 The king also told Zadok the priest, “Look,[g] here is my plan. You and Abiathar[h] should return quietly to the city with your son Ahimaaz and Abiathar’s son Jonathan. 28 I will stop at the shallows of the Jordan River[i] and wait there for a report from you.” 29 So Zadok and Abiathar took the Ark of God back to the city and stayed there.

30 David walked up the road to the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went. His head was covered and his feet were bare as a sign of mourning. And the people who were with him covered their heads and wept as they climbed the hill. 31 When someone told David that his adviser Ahithophel was now backing Absalom, David prayed, “O Lord, let Ahithophel give Absalom foolish advice!”

32 When David reached the summit of the Mount of Olives where people worshiped God, Hushai the Arkite was waiting there for him. Hushai had torn his clothing and put dirt on his head as a sign of mourning. 33 But David told him, “If you go with me, you will only be a burden. 34 Return to Jerusalem and tell Absalom, ‘I will now be your adviser, O king, just as I was your father’s adviser in the past.’ Then you can frustrate and counter Ahithophel’s advice. 35 Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, will be there. Tell them about the plans being made in the king’s palace, 36 and they will send their sons Ahimaaz and Jonathan to tell me what is going on.”

37 So David’s friend Hushai returned to Jerusalem, getting there just as Absalom arrived.

Footnotes

  1. 15:7 As in Greek and Syriac versions; Hebrew reads forty years.
  2. 15:8 As in some Greek manuscripts; Hebrew lacks in Hebron.
  3. 15:18 Hebrew the Kerethites and Pelethites.
  4. 15:20 As in Greek version; Hebrew reads and may unfailing love and faithfulness go with you.
  5. 15:24 Or Abiathar went up.
  6. 15:25 Hebrew and his dwelling place.
  7. 15:27a As in Greek version; Hebrew reads Are you a seer? or Do you see?
  8. 15:27b Hebrew lacks and Abiathar; compare 15:29.
  9. 15:28 Hebrew at the crossing points of the wilderness.
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2 Samuel 15
New English Translation

Absalom Leads an Insurrection against David

15 Some time later Absalom managed to acquire[a] a chariot and horses, as well as fifty men to serve as his royal guard.[b] 2 Now 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,[c] am from one of the tribes of Israel.” 3 Absalom would then say to him, “Look, your claims are legitimate and appropriate.[d] But there is no representative of the king who will listen to you.” 4 Absalom would then say, “If only they would make me[e] a judge in the land! Then everyone who had a judicial complaint[f] could come to me and I would make sure he receives a just settlement.”

5 When someone approached to bow before him, Absalom[g] would extend his hand and embrace him and kiss him. 6 Absalom acted this way toward everyone in Israel who came to the king for justice. In this way Absalom won the loyalty[h] of the citizens[i] of Israel.

7 After four[j] years Absalom said to the king, “Let me go and repay my vow that I made to the Lord while I was in Hebron. 8 For I made this vow[k] when I was living in Geshur in Aram: ‘If the Lord really does allow me to return to Jerusalem, I will serve the Lord.’” 9 The king replied to him, “Go in peace.” So Absalom[l] got up and went to Hebron.

10 Then Absalom sent spies through all the tribes of Israel who said, “When you hear the sound of the horn, you may assume[m] that Absalom rules in Hebron.” 11 Now 200 men had gone with Absalom from Jerusalem. Since they were invited, they went naively and were unaware of what Absalom was planning.[n] 12 While he was offering sacrifices, Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s adviser,[o] to come from his city, Giloh.[p] The conspiracy was gaining momentum, and the people were starting to side with Absalom.

David Flees from Jerusalem

13 Then a messenger came to David and reported, “The men of Israel are loyal to Absalom!”[q] 14 So David said to all his servants who were with him in Jerusalem, “Come on![r] Let’s escape![s] Otherwise no one will be delivered from Absalom! Go immediately, or else he will quickly overtake us and bring[t] disaster on us and kill the city’s residents with the sword.”[u] 15 The king’s servants replied to the king, “We will do whatever our lord the king decides.”[v]

16 So the king and all the members of his royal court[w] set out on foot, though the king left behind ten concubines[x] to attend to the palace. 17 The king and all the people set out on foot, pausing[y] at a spot[z] some distance away. 18 All his servants were leaving with him,[aa] along with all the Kerethites, all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites—some 600 men who had come on foot from Gath. They were leaving with[ab] the king.

19 Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why should you come with us? Go back and stay with the new[ac] king, for you are a foreigner and an exile from your own country.[ad] 20 It seems as if 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[ae] with you. May genuine loyal love[af] protect[ag] you!”

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 is, whether it means death or life, there I[ah] will be as well!” 22 So David said to Ittai, “Come along then.”[ai] So Ittai the Gittite went along,[aj] accompanied by all his men and all the dependents[ak] who were with him.

23 All the land was weeping loudly[al] as all these people were leaving.[am] As the king was crossing over the Kidron Valley, all the people were leaving[an] on the road that leads to the desert. 24 Zadok 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[ao] the city.

25 Then 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. 26 However, if he should say, ‘I do not take pleasure in you,’ then he will deal with me in a way that he considers appropriate.”[ap]

27 The king said to Zadok the priest, “Are you a seer?[aq] Go back to the city in peace! Your son Ahimaaz and Abiathar’s son Jonathan may go with you and Abiathar.[ar] 28 Look, I will be waiting at the fords of the desert until word from you[as] reaches me.” 29 So Zadok and Abiathar took the ark of God back to Jerusalem and remained there.

30 As 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. 31 Now David[at] had been told, “Ahithophel has sided with the conspirators who are with Absalom.” So David prayed,[au] “Make the advice of Ahithophel foolish, O Lord.”

32 When David reached the summit, where he used to worship God, Hushai the Arkite met him with his clothes torn and dirt on his head. 33 David said to him, “If you leave[av] with me you will be a burden to me. 34 But 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.’ 35 Zadok and Abiathar the priests will be there with you.[aw] Everything you hear in the king’s palace[ax] you must tell Zadok and Abiathar the priests. 36 Furthermore, 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.”[ay]

37 So David’s friend Hushai arrived in the city, just as Absalom was entering Jerusalem.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 15:1 tn Heb “acquired for himself.”
  2. 2 Samuel 15:1 tn Heb “to run ahead of him.”
  3. 2 Samuel 15:2 tn Heb “your servant.” So also in vv. 8, 15, 21.
  4. 2 Samuel 15:3 tn Heb “good and straight.”
  5. 2 Samuel 15:4 tn Heb “Who will make me?”
  6. 2 Samuel 15:4 tn Heb “a complaint and a judgment.” The expression is a hendiadys.
  7. 2 Samuel 15:5 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Absalom) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  8. 2 Samuel 15:6 tn Heb “stole the heart.”
  9. 2 Samuel 15:6 tn Heb “the men.”
  10. 2 Samuel 15:7 tc The MT has here “forty,” but this is presumably a scribal error for “four.” The context will not tolerate a period of forty years prior to the rebellion of Absalom. The Lucianic Greek recension (τέσσαρα ἔτη, tessara etē), the Syriac Peshitta (ʾarbaʿ sanin), and Vulgate (post quattuor autem annos) in fact have the expected reading “four years.” Most English translations follow the versions in reading “four” here, although some (e.g. KJV, ASV, NASB, NKJV), following the MT, read “forty.”
  11. 2 Samuel 15:8 tn Heb “for your servant vowed a vow.” The formal court style of referring to one’s self in third person (“your servant”) has been translated here as first person for clarity.
  12. 2 Samuel 15:9 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Absalom) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  13. 2 Samuel 15:10 tn Heb “say.”
  14. 2 Samuel 15:11 tn Heb “being invited and going naively and they did not know anything.”
  15. 2 Samuel 15:12 tn Traditionally, “counselor,” but this term is more often associated with psychological counseling today, so “adviser” was used in the translation instead.
  16. 2 Samuel 15:12 tn Heb “Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, the adviser of David, from his city, from Giloh, while he was sacrificing.” It is not entirely clear who (Absalom or Ahithophel) was offering the sacrifices.
  17. 2 Samuel 15:13 tn Heb “the heart of the men of Israel is with Absalom.”
  18. 2 Samuel 15:14 tn Heb “Arise!”
  19. 2 Samuel 15:14 tn Heb “let’s flee.”
  20. 2 Samuel 15:14 tn Heb “thrust.”
  21. 2 Samuel 15:14 tn Heb “and strike the city with the edge of the sword.”
  22. 2 Samuel 15:15 tn Heb “according to all that my lord the king will choose, behold your servants!”
  23. 2 Samuel 15:16 tn Heb “and all his house.”
  24. 2 Samuel 15:16 tn Heb “women, concubines.”
  25. 2 Samuel 15:17 tn Heb “and they stood.”
  26. 2 Samuel 15:17 tn Heb “house.”
  27. 2 Samuel 15:18 tn Heb “crossing over near his hand.”
  28. 2 Samuel 15:18 tn Heb “crossing over near the face of.”
  29. 2 Samuel 15:19 tn The word “new” is not in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation to make it clear that David refers to Absalom, not himself.
  30. 2 Samuel 15:19 tn Heb “place.”
  31. 2 Samuel 15:20 tn Heb “brothers,” but see v. 22.
  32. 2 Samuel 15:20 tn Heb “loyal love and truth.” The expression is a hendiadys.
  33. 2 Samuel 15:20 tn Heb “be with.”
  34. 2 Samuel 15:21 tn Heb “your servant.”
  35. 2 Samuel 15:22 tn Heb “Come and cross over.”
  36. 2 Samuel 15:22 tn Heb “crossed over.”
  37. 2 Samuel 15:22 tn Heb “all the little ones.”
  38. 2 Samuel 15:23 tn Heb “with a great voice.”
  39. 2 Samuel 15:23 tn Heb “crossing over.”
  40. 2 Samuel 15:23 tn Heb “crossing near the face of.”
  41. 2 Samuel 15:24 tn Heb “crossing from.”
  42. 2 Samuel 15:26 tn Heb “as [is] good in his eyes.”
  43. 2 Samuel 15:27 tn The Greek tradition understands the Hebrew word as an imperative (“see”). Most Greek mss have ἴδετε (idete); the Lucianic recension has βλέπε (blepe). It could just as well be taken as a question: “Don’t you see what is happening?” The present translation takes the word as a question, with the implication that Zadok is a priest and not a prophet (i.e., “seer”) and therefore unable to know what the future holds.
  44. 2 Samuel 15:27 tn Heb “And Ahimaaz your son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar, two of your sons, with you.” The pronominal suffix on the last word is plural, referring to Zadok and Abiathar.
  45. 2 Samuel 15:28 tn The pronoun is plural, referring to Zadok and Abiathar.
  46. 2 Samuel 15:31 tc The translation follows 4QSama, part of the Greek tradition, the Syriac Peshitta, Targum, and Vulgate in reading “and to David,” rather than MT וְדָוִד (vedavid, “and David”). As Driver points out, the Hebrew verb הִגִּיד (higgid, “he related”) never uses the accusative for the person to whom something is told (S. R. Driver, Notes on the Hebrew Text and the Topography of the Books of Samuel, 316).
  47. 2 Samuel 15:31 tn Heb “said.”
  48. 2 Samuel 15:33 tn Heb “cross over.”
  49. 2 Samuel 15:35 tn Heb “Will not Zadok and Abiathar the priests be there with you?” The rhetorical question draws attention to the fact that Hushai will not be alone.
  50. 2 Samuel 15:35 tn Heb “from the house of the king.”
  51. 2 Samuel 15:36 tn Heb “and you must send by their hand to me every word which you hear.” Both of the second person verb forms are plural with Zadok, Abiathar, and Hushai being the understood subjects.
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