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15 ¶ Apre sa, Absalon achte yon cha lagè ak tout chwal pou tèt pa li. Li pran senkant gason pou mache avèk li.

Chak maten, Absalon leve byen bonè, li al kanpe sou wout la bò pòtay lavil la. Chak fwa yon moun vini ak yon pwoblèm li ta renmen wa a regle pou li, Absalon rele l' sou kote, li mande l' ki bò li moun. Apre moun lan fin di l' moun ki branch fanmi li ye,

Absalon di l' konsa: -Gade! Se ou menm ki gen rezon, lalwa avè ou. Men, p'ap gen yon moun kay wa a k'ap koute ou.

Apre sa, li di ankò: -Ki moun ki va mete m' chèf nan peyi Izrayèl la? Lè sa a, tout moun ki ta gen yon zafè osinon yon plent ta vin jwenn mwen, mwen ta fè l' jistis.

Chak fwa yon moun pwoche bò Absalon pou mete ajenou devan l', Absalon lonje men l', li kenbe l' epi li bo l'.

Se konsa Absalon te fè ak tout moun peyi Izrayèl ki te vin bò kote wa a pou chache jistis. Se konsa li fè yo vin renmen l'.

¶ Apre katran, Absalon di wa David konsa: -Monwa, tanpri! Kite m' ale lavil Ebwon pou m' ka kenbe yon pwomès mwen te fè Seyè a.

Antan mwen te lavil Gechou nan peyi Siri, mwen te pwomèt Seyè a si m' te tounen lavil Jerizalèm, mwen ta fè yon sèvis pou li Ebwon.

Wa a di l': -Ale ak kè poze. Se konsa Absalon ale lavil Ebwon.

10 Menm lè a, li voye mesaje nan tout branch fanmi Izrayèl yo pou di yo: Lè n'a tande twonpèt yo kònen, n'a fè konnen yo fè Absalon wa lavil Ebwon.

11 Te gen desan (200) moun lavil Jerizalèm ki te pati avèk Absalon. Se Absalon ki te envite yo. Yo te byen kontan pati avè l', men yo pa t' konn anyen nan zafè konplo a.

12 Antan Absalon t'ap ofri bèt pou Seyè a, li voye lavil Gilo al chache Achitofèl ki te yonn nan konseye David yo. Konplo a t'ap pran fòs. Patizan Absalon yo t'ap vin pi plis.

13 ¶ Yon mesaje vin di David: -Moun peyi Izrayèl yo ap mache avèk Absalon, yo dakò avè l'.

14 Se konsa David rele moun pa l' yo ki te avè l' lavil Jerizalèm, li di yo: -Se pou n' prese mete deyò si nou vle chape anba men Absalon. Ann fè vit kite lavil la. Si se pa sa, talè l'ap sou nou. L'ap fè nou pase pa nou, l'ap touye dènye moun nan lavil la.

15 Patizan wa yo reponn: -Wi, monwa. Nenpòt kisa ou vle nou fè, n'ap fè l'.

16 Wa a pran tout fanmi l', li pati apye. Li kite dis nan fanm kay li yo pou okipe palè a.

17 Wa a leve pati kite lavil la ansanm ak tout moun pa l' yo. Lè yo rive devan dènye kay la, yo fè yon kanpe.

18 Tout chèf li yo te kanpe bò kote l'. Yo kite tout gad pèsonèl wa a, ki vle di sòlda keretyen yo ak sòlda peletyen yo pase devan. Te gen sisan (600) sòlda moun lavil Gat ki te kite peyi yo vin jwenn David lavil Jerizalèm. Yo vin ap pase devan li tou.

19 Wa a rele Itayi, chèf moun lavil Gat yo, li di l' konsa: -Poukisa ou prale ak nou tou? Tounen non, monchè. Rete ak lòt wa a. Ou pa moun peyi a. Se kouri ou kouri vin kache isit la.

20 Ou pa gen lontan depi ou rive. Poukisa jòdi a pou m' fè ou ap mache nan bwa tankou vakabon ansanm avèk nou? Mwen pa menm konnen kote mwen prale. Tounen tounen ou ansanm ak tout moun menm peyi avè ou yo. Mwen mande Seyè a pou l' aji byen avè ou, pou l' pa janm lage ou!

21 Men Itayi reponn li: -Monwa, mwen fè sèman devan Seyè a ak devan ou, se ou menm m'ap sèvi. Kote ou prale mwen pral avè ou, menm si mwen gen pou m' mouri.

22 Lè sa a, David di li: -Bon. Ou mèt pran devan nou. Se konsa Itayi, moun lavil Gat la, ale avèk wa a, li menm, tout moun li yo ansanm ak tout fanmi yo.

23 Tout moun nan peyi a t'ap rele byen fò lè yo wè David ak moun pa l' yo ap pase ale. David janbe lòt bò ravin Sedwon an ansanm ak tout moun li yo. Yo pran wout ki mennen nan dezè a.

24 ¶ Zadòk, prèt la, te la tou ansanm ak tout moun fanmi Levi yo ki t'ap pote Bwat Kontra Seyè a. Yo depoze Bwat Kontra a atè. Yo pa leve l' jouk tout rès moun yo fin soti kite lavil la. Abyata, prèt la, te la tou.

25 Apre sa, wa a di Zadòk konsa: -Pote Bwat Kontra a tounen nan lavil la. Si Seyè a pran plezi nan mwen, yon jou l'a kite m' tounen pou m' wè bwat la ansanm ak kote l' rete a.

26 Men, si li pa kontan avè m' anko, enben, lè sa a, l'a fè sa li vle avè m'.

27 Epi wa a di Zadòk ankò: -Gade! Ou menm ak Abyata, tounen tounen nou lavil Jerizalèm ansanm ak Akimaz, pitit gason ou lan, ak Jonatan, pitit gason Abyata a.

28 Mwen menm, mwen pral tann nou bò larivyè a nan dezè a jouk n'a voye nouvèl ban mwen.

29 Se konsa Zadòk ak Abyata pote Bwat Kontra a tounen lavil Jerizalèm, yo rete la.

30 David menm moute sou mòn Pye Oliv yo. Li t'ap kriye, li te pye atè, tèt li te kouvri, paske li te nan gwo lapenn. Tout moun ki t'ap mache deyè l' yo te gen tèt yo kouvri tou, yo t'ap kriye.

31 ¶ Lè David vin konnen Achitofèl te pran pozisyon ak Absalon nan konplo a, li lapriyè, li di: -Tanpri, Seyè! Fè konsèy Achitofèl yo pase pou pawòl moun fou!

32 Lè David rive sou tèt ti mòn lan, kote yo konn fè sèvis pou Bondye a, Ouchayi, moun peyi Ak la, vin kontre l', rad sou li dechire, tèt li kouvri ak pousyè tè.

33 David di l' konsa: -Ou p'ap ka fè anyen pou mwen si ou vin avè m'.

34 Men, ou ka ede m' anpil si ou tounen lavil Jerizalèm. W'a di Absalon ou pral sèvi l' koulye a menm jan ou te sèvi papa l' nan tan lontan. Lè sa a, w'a ede m' pare tout move kou Achitofèl va gen lide pote m'.

35 Zadòk ak Abyata, de prèt yo, va la tou. W'a di yo tou sa w'a tande y'ap di nan palè a.

36 Yo gen Akimaz ak Jonatan, pitit gason yo, ak yo. W'a voye yo vin di m' dènye sa w'a tande nan palè a.

37 Se konsa, Ouchayi, bon zanmi David la, tounen lavil Jerizalèm. Li antre nan lavil la an menm tan ak Absalon.

Absalom’s Treason

15 After this (A)it happened that Absalom (B)provided himself with chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him. Now Absalom would rise early and stand beside the way to the gate. So it was, whenever anyone who had a (C)lawsuit[a] came to the king for a decision, that Absalom would call to him and say, “What city are you from?” And he would say, “Your servant is from such and such a tribe of Israel.” Then Absalom would say to him, “Look, your [b]case is good and right; but there is no [c]deputy of the king to hear you.” Moreover Absalom would say, (D)“Oh, that I were made judge in the land, and everyone who has any suit or cause would come to me; then I would give him justice.” And so it was, whenever anyone came near to bow down to him, that he would put out his hand and take him and (E)kiss him. In this manner Absalom acted toward all Israel who came to the king for judgment. (F)So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

Now it came to pass (G)after [d]forty years that Absalom said to the king, “Please, let me go to (H)Hebron and pay the vow which I made to the Lord. (I)For your servant (J)took a vow (K)while I dwelt at Geshur in Syria, saying, ‘If the Lord indeed brings me back to Jerusalem, then I will serve the Lord.’ ”

And the king said to him, “Go in peace.” So he arose and went to Hebron.

10 Then Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then you shall say, ‘Absalom (L)reigns in Hebron!’ ” 11 And with Absalom went two hundred men (M)invited from Jerusalem, and they (N)went along innocently and did not know anything. 12 Then Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, (O)David’s counselor, from his city—from (P)Giloh—while he offered sacrifices. And the conspiracy grew strong, for the people with Absalom (Q)continually increased in number.

David Escapes from Jerusalem

13 Now a messenger came to David, saying, (R)“The hearts of the men of Israel are [e]with Absalom.”

14 So David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, “Arise, and let us (S)flee, or we shall not escape from Absalom. Make haste to depart, lest he overtake us suddenly and bring disaster upon us, and strike the city with the edge of the sword.”

15 And the king’s servants said to the king, “We are your servants, ready to do whatever my lord the king commands.” 16 Then (T)the king went out with all his household after him. But the king left (U)ten women, concubines, to keep the house. 17 And the king went out with all the people after him, and stopped at the outskirts. 18 Then all his servants passed [f]before him; (V)and all the Cherethites, all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, (W)six hundred men who had followed him from Gath, passed before the king.

19 Then the king said to (X)Ittai the Gittite, “Why are you also going with us? Return and remain with the king. For you are a foreigner and also an exile from your own place. 20 In fact, you came only yesterday. Should I make you wander up and down with us today, since I go (Y)I know not where? Return, and take your brethren back. Mercy and truth be with you.”

21 But Ittai answered the king and said, (Z)As the Lord lives, and as my lord the king lives, surely in whatever place my lord the king shall be, whether in death or life, even there also your servant will be.”

22 So David said to Ittai, “Go, and cross over.” Then Ittai the Gittite and all his men and all the little ones who were with him crossed over. 23 And all the country wept with a loud voice, and all the people crossed over. The king himself also crossed over the Brook Kidron, and all the people crossed over toward the way of the (AA)wilderness.

24 There was (AB)Zadok also, and all the Levites with him, bearing the (AC)ark of the covenant of God. And they set down the ark of God, and (AD)Abiathar went up until all the people had finished crossing over from the city. 25 Then 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 (AE)will bring me back and show me both it and (AF)His dwelling place. 26 But if He says thus: ‘I have no (AG)delight in you,’ here I am, (AH)let Him do to me as seems good to Him.” 27 The king also said to Zadok the priest, “Are you not a (AI)seer?[g] Return to the city in peace, and (AJ)your two sons with you, Ahimaaz your son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar. 28 See, (AK)I will wait in the plains of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me.” 29 Therefore Zadok and Abiathar carried the ark of God back to Jerusalem. And they remained there.

30 So David went up by the Ascent of the Mount of Olives, and wept as he went up; and he (AL)had his head covered and went (AM)barefoot. And all the people who were with him (AN)covered their heads and went up, (AO)weeping as they went up. 31 Then someone told David, saying, (AP)“Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” And David said, “O Lord, I pray, (AQ)turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness!”

32 Now it happened when David had come to the top of the mountain, where he worshiped God—there was Hushai the (AR)Archite coming to meet him (AS)with his robe torn and dust on his head. 33 David said to him, “If you go on with me, then you will become (AT)a burden to me. 34 But if you return to the city, and say to Absalom, (AU)‘I will be your servant, O king; as I was your father’s servant previously, so I will now also be your servant,’ then you may defeat the counsel of Ahithophel for me. 35 And do you not have Zadok and Abiathar the priests with you there? Therefore it will be that whatever you hear from the king’s house, you shall tell to (AV)Zadok and Abiathar the priests. 36 Indeed they have there (AW)with them their two sons, Ahimaaz, Zadok’s son, and Jonathan, Abiathar’s son; and by them you shall send me everything you hear.”

37 So Hushai, (AX)David’s friend, went into the city. (AY)And Absalom came into Jerusalem.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 15:2 Lit. controversy
  2. 2 Samuel 15:3 Lit. words
  3. 2 Samuel 15:3 Lit. listener
  4. 2 Samuel 15:7 LXX mss., Syr., Josephus four
  5. 2 Samuel 15:13 Lit. after
  6. 2 Samuel 15:18 Lit. by his hand
  7. 2 Samuel 15:27 prophet

Absalom’s Conspiracy

15 In the course of time,(A) Absalom provided himself with a chariot(B) 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.(C) 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.” Then Absalom would say to him, “Look, your claims are valid and proper, but there is no representative of the king to hear you.”(D) And Absalom would add, “If only I were appointed judge in the land!(E) Then everyone who has a complaint or case could come to me and I would see that they receive justice.”

Also, whenever anyone approached him to bow down before him, Absalom would reach out his hand, take hold of him and kiss him. Absalom behaved in this way toward all the Israelites who came to the king asking for justice, and so he stole the hearts(F) of the people of Israel.

At the end of four[a] years, Absalom said to the king, “Let me go to Hebron and fulfill a vow I made to the Lord. While your servant was living at Geshur(G) in Aram, I made this vow:(H) ‘If the Lord takes me back to Jerusalem, I will worship the Lord in Hebron.[b]’”

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,(I) 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(J) the Gilonite, David’s counselor,(K) to come from Giloh,(L) his hometown. And so the conspiracy gained strength, and Absalom’s following kept on increasing.(M)

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,(N) or none of us will escape from Absalom.(O) 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(P) 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(Q) and Pelethites; and all the six hundred Gittites who had accompanied him from Gath marched before the king.

19 The king said to Ittai(R) the Gittite, “Why should you come along with us? Go back and stay with King Absalom. You are a foreigner,(S) an exile from your homeland. 20 You came only yesterday. And today shall I make you wander(T) 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.”[c](U)

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.”(V)

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(W) as all the people passed by. The king also crossed the Kidron Valley,(X) and all the people moved on toward the wilderness.

24 Zadok(Y) was there, too, and all the Levites who were with him were carrying the ark(Z) of the covenant of God. They set down the ark of God, and Abiathar(AA) 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(AB) 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.(AC)

27 The king also said to Zadok the priest, “Do you understand?(AD) Go back to the city with my blessing. Take your son Ahimaaz with you, and also Abiathar’s son Jonathan.(AE) You and Abiathar return with your two sons. 28 I will wait at the fords(AF) 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(AG) as he went; his head(AH) 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(AI) 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(AJ) the Arkite(AK) was there to meet him, his robe torn and dust(AL) on his head. 33 David said to him, “If you go with me, you will be a burden(AM) 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,’(AN) then you can help me by frustrating(AO) 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.(AP) 36 Their two sons, Ahimaaz(AQ) son of Zadok and Jonathan(AR) son of Abiathar, are there with them. Send them to me with anything you hear.”

37 So Hushai,(AS) David’s confidant, arrived at Jerusalem as Absalom(AT) was entering the city.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 15:7 Some Septuagint manuscripts, Syriac and Josephus; Hebrew forty
  2. 2 Samuel 15:8 Some Septuagint manuscripts; Hebrew does not have in Hebron.
  3. 2 Samuel 15:20 Septuagint; Hebrew May kindness and faithfulness be with you