David Escapes from Jerusalem

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

14 So David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, “Arise, and let us (B)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 (C)the king went out with all his household after him. But the king left (D)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 [b]before him; (E)and all the Cherethites, all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, (F)six hundred men who had followed him from Gath, passed before the king.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 15:13 Lit. after
  2. 2 Samuel 15:18 Lit. by his hand

David Flees from Jerusalem

13 Then the messenger came to David, saying, “The hearts[a] of the men of Israel have gone after Absalom.” 14 Then David said to all his servants who were with him in Jerusalem, “Get up and let us flee, for there will be no escape for us from Absalom! Hurry to go, otherwise he will come quickly and overtake us! And he will bring disaster on us and evil! He will attack the city with the edge of the sword!” 15 Then the servants of the king said to the king, “According to all that my lord the king chooses, your servants are ready to act!”[b] 16 The king went out with[c] all his household following him,[d] but the king left behind ten concubines to look after the house. 17 So the king went out with[e] all the people following him,[f] and they stopped at the last house.[g] 18 All his servants were passing by him:[h] all of the Kerethites and all of the Pelethites and all of the Gittites—six hundred men who had followed him[i] from Gath—passing before the king.[j]

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 15:13 Hebrew “heart”
  2. 2 Samuel 15:15 Literally “here are your servants”
  3. 2 Samuel 15:16 Hebrew “and”
  4. 2 Samuel 15:16 Literally “at his feet”
  5. 2 Samuel 15:17 Hebrew “and”
  6. 2 Samuel 15:17 Literally “at his feet”
  7. 2 Samuel 15:17 Literally “at the house of the distance”
  8. 2 Samuel 15:18 Literally “on his hand”
  9. 2 Samuel 15:18 Literally “who had come at his feet”
  10. 2 Samuel 15:18 Literally “on the face of the king”