2 Samuel 15:13-31

New Catholic Bible

¹³ David Flees from Jerusalem. A messenger came to David with this report: “The men of Israel have transferred their allegiance to Absalom.” ¹⁴ Upon hearing this, David said to all of his officials who were with him in Jerusalem: “Get ready to depart! If we do not flee, then none of us will be able to escape from Absalom. Depart as quickly as you can, or he will soon overtake us and inflict disaster upon us and put the city to the sword.”^[a]

¹⁵ The king’s officials then replied: “Whatever our lord the king decides, we are prepared to follow your commands.” ¹⁶ Then the king set forth, followed by his entire household, aside from ten concubines whom he left behind to take care of the palace.

¹⁷ As the king moved on, followed by all the people, he halted at the last house, with the officials at his side. ¹⁸ As he watched, all the Cherethites and all the Pelethites and all of the six hundred Gittites who had followed him from Gath passed on before him.

¹⁹ David and Ittai. Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite: “Why should you also come with us? Go back and stay with King Absalom. For you are a foreigner, and in addition you are also an exile from your own country. ²⁰ You arrived only yesterday. How can I ask you to wander about with us today when truly I do not know where I am going? Go back home, therefore, and take your countrymen with you, and may the Lord grant you his kindness and his faithful love.”

²¹ However, Ittai replied to the king: “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 your servant will also be.”

²² David then said to Ittai: “Go ahead, then, and march on!” Therefore, Ittai the Gittite marched on with all his men and the families that were with him. ²³ Everyone in the countryside wept aloud as the king and all the people crossed the Wadi Kidron and moved on toward the desert wilderness.^[b]

²⁴ David and the Priests. Zadok was also there, as well as all the Levites with him, as they carried the Ark of the Covenant of God. They set down the Ark of God beside Abiathar until all those who were with them had marched out of 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 permit me to see both the Ark and the place where it dwells. ²⁶ But if he says: ‘I am not pleased with you,’ then here I am. Let him do with me as he sees fit.”

²⁷ The king also said to Zadok the priest: “Aren’t you a seer? You and Abiathar can return safely into the city with your sons, your own son Ahimaaz, and Abiathar’s son Jonathan. ²⁸ I shall wait at the fords of the wilderness until I receive word from you.” ²⁹ Therefore, Zadok and Abiathar took the Ark of God back to Jerusalem and remained there.

³⁰ David then ascended to the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went, with his head covered and walking barefoot. All the people with him also covered their heads and wept as they went. ³¹ When it was revealed to David that Ahithophel was among the conspirators with Absalom, he said: “O Lord, I beg you to turn the counsel of Ahithophel into folly.”