David Flees

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,^(A) or none of us will escape from Absalom.^(B) We must leave immediately, or he will move quickly to overtake us and bring ruin on us and put the city to the sword.”

²³ The whole countryside wept aloud^(A) as all the people passed by. The king also crossed the Kidron Valley,^(B) and all the people moved on toward the wilderness.

²⁴ Zadok^(C) was there, too, and all the Levites who were with him were carrying the ark^(D) of the covenant of God. They set down the ark of God, and Abiathar^(E) 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^(F) 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.^(G)”