2 Samuel 15:1-12

Lexham English Bible

Absalom Leads a Rebellion

15 It happened afterward that Absalom made himself a chariot with horses and fifty men running before him. ² Absalom used to rise early in the morning, and he stood beside^[a] the road at the gate; anyone^[b] who had a legal dispute to bring to the king for judgment Absalom would call to him and say, “Where are you from?”^[c] And he would say, “Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel.” ³ Then Absalom would say to him, “Look, your case is good and right, but for you there is no hearing with the king.” ⁴ Then Absalom would say, “Oh, that someone would^[d] appoint me as judge in the land, that anyone^[e] might come to me who had a legal dispute or a case, and I would give him justice.” ⁵ It happened whenever anyone drew near to do obeisance to him, that he would stretch his hand and take hold of him and kiss him. ⁶ Absalom did like this to all of Israel who came to the king for judgment; so Absalom stole the hearts^[f] of the people of Israel.

⁷ It happened at the end of four^[g] years that Absalom said to the king, “Please let me go and pay my vow which I have made to Yahweh in Hebron, ⁸ for your servant made a vow while I was staying in Geshur in Aram, saying, ‘If Yahweh will indeed let me return^[h] to Jerusalem, then I will worship Yahweh.’” ⁹ Then the king said to him, “Go in peace.” So he got up and went to Hebron. ¹⁰ Then Absalom sent scouts throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “When you hear the sound of the trumpet, you shall shout ‘Absalom has become king in Hebron!’” ¹¹ Two hundred men from Jerusalem went with Absalom as invited guests, going in their innocence as they did not know anything. ¹² Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, the advisor of David, from his city Giloh, while he offered the sacrifices. The conspiracy grew in strength,^[i] and the people were going and increasing^[j] with Absalom.