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2 Samuel 15:1-12
New American Standard Bible

Absalom’s Conspiracy

15 Now it came about after this that (A)Absalom provided for himself a chariot and horses, and fifty men [a]to run ahead of him. 2 And Absalom used to rise early and (B)stand beside the road to the gate; and when any man who had a lawsuit was to come before the king for judgment, Absalom would call out to him and say, “From what city are you?” And he would say, “Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel.” 3 Then Absalom would say to him, “See, (C)your [b]claims are good and right, but you have no one to listen to you on the part of the king.” 4 Moreover, Absalom would say, “(D)Oh that someone would appoint me judge in the land, then every man who has a lawsuit or claim could come to me, and I would give him justice!” 5 And whenever a man approached to prostrate himself before him, he would put out his hand and take hold of him and (E)kiss him. 6 Absalom dealt this way with all Israel who came to the king for judgment; (F)so Absalom stole the hearts of the people of Israel.

7 Now it came about at the end of [c]four years that Absalom said to the king, “Please let me go and pay my vow which I have made to the Lord, in (G)Hebron. 8 For your servant (H)made a vow while I was living in Geshur in Aram, saying, ‘(I)If the Lord will indeed bring me back to Jerusalem, then I will serve the Lord.’” 9 The king said to him, “Go in peace.” So he got up and went to Hebron. 10 But Absalom sent spies throughout the tribes of Israel, saying, “As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then you shall say, ‘(J)Absalom is king in Hebron!’” 11 Then two hundred men went with Absalom from Jerusalem, (K)who were invited and (L)went [d]innocently, for they did not know anything. 12 And Absalom sent for (M)Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, from his city (N)Giloh, while he was offering the sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong, for (O)the people continually increased with Absalom.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 15:1 Lit as runners ahead
  2. 2 Samuel 15:3 Lit words
  3. 2 Samuel 15:7 As in some ancient versions; MT forty
  4. 2 Samuel 15:11 Lit in their integrity
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2 Samuel 15:1-12
International Standard Version

Absalom Instigates Civil War

15 Sometime later, Absalom acquired a chariot equipped with horses and recruited[a] 50 men to accompany[b] him.[c] 2 Then he[d] would get up early, stand near the passageway to the palace[e] gate, and when anyone arrived to file a legal complaint for a hearing before the king, Absalom would call to him and ask, “You’re from what city?” If[f] he replied, “Your servant is from one of Israel’s tribes,” 3 Absalom would respond, “Look, your claims are valid and defensible, but nobody will listen to you on behalf of the king. 4 Who will appoint me to be a judge in the land? When anyone arrived to file a legal complaint or other cause, he could approach me for justice and I would settle it!” 5 Furthermore, if a man approached him to bow down in front of him, he would put out his hand, grab him, and embrace him. 6 By doing all of this to anyone who came to the king for a hearing, Absalom stole the loyalty[g] of the men of Israel.

7 And so it was that forty[h] years after Israel had demanded a king,[i] Absalom asked the king, “Please let me go to Hebron so I can pay my vow that I made to the Lord, 8 because when I was living at Geshur in Aram, your servant made this solemn promise:[j] ‘If the Lord ever brings me back to Jerusalem, then I will serve the Lord.’”

9 The king replied to him, “Go in peace!” So Absalom[k] got up and left for Hebron.

10 But Absalom sent agents throughout all of the tribes of Israel, telling them, “When you hear the sound of the battle trumpet, you’re to announce that Absalom is king in Hebron.” 11 Meanwhile, 200 men left Jerusalem with Absalom. They had been invited to go along, but were innocent, not knowing anything about what was happening.[l] 12 Absalom also sent for Ahithophel[m] the Gilonite, David’s counselor, to come[n] from his home town of Giloh while Absalom[o] was presenting the sacrificial offerings. And so the conspiracy widened, because the common people increasingly sided with Absalom.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 15:1 The Heb. lacks recruited
  2. 2 Samuel 15:1 Lit. to run before
  3. 2 Samuel 15:1 Cf. 1Sam 8:11
  4. 2 Samuel 15:2 Lit. Absalom
  5. 2 Samuel 15:2 The Heb. lacks palace
  6. 2 Samuel 15:2 The Heb. lacks If
  7. 2 Samuel 15:6 Lit. hearts
  8. 2 Samuel 15:7 So MT and LXX; Syr Peshitta and Lucian recension of LXX read four
  9. 2 Samuel 15:7 The Heb. lacks after Israel had demanded a king; i.e. about ten years before David began his reign. Or forty years after David’s anointing at Bethlehem; cf. 1Sam 16:13
  10. 2 Samuel 15:8 Lit. servant vowed a vow
  11. 2 Samuel 15:9 Lit. he
  12. 2 Samuel 15:11 Lit. about the matter
  13. 2 Samuel 15:12 Ahithophel was Bathsheba’s grandfather; cf. 2Sam 11:3; 23:34
  14. 2 Samuel 15:12 The Heb. lacks to come
  15. 2 Samuel 15:12 Lit. he
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