David Flees Jerusalem

13 Then a messenger came to David, saying, “(A)The hearts of the people of Israel are [a]with Absalom.” 14 So David said to all his servants who were with him in Jerusalem, “(B)Arise and let’s flee, for otherwise none of us will escape from Absalom. Go quickly, or he will hurry and overtake us, and bring disaster on us and strike the city with the edge of the sword.” 15 Then the king’s servants said to the king, “Behold, your servants will do whatever my lord the king chooses.” 16 So the king left, and all his household [b]with him; but (C)the king left ten concubines behind to take care of the house. 17 The king left, and all the people [c]with him, and they stopped at the last house. 18 Now all of his servants passed by beside him, and (D)all the Cherethites, all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, (E)six hundred men who had come [d]with him from Gath, passed by before the king.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 15:13 Lit after
  2. 2 Samuel 15:16 Lit at his feet
  3. 2 Samuel 15:17 Lit at his feet
  4. 2 Samuel 15:18 Lit at his feet

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.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. 15:18 Hebrew the Kerethites and Pelethites.