¹³ Then an informer came to David and reported, “The hearts of the men of Israel are with Absalom.”

¹⁴ David said to all the servants with him in Jerusalem, “Get up. We have to flee, or we will not escape from Absalom!^(A) Leave quickly, or he will overtake us quickly, heap disaster on us, and strike the city with the edge of the sword.”

¹⁵ The king’s servants said to the king, “Whatever my lord the king decides, we are your servants.” ¹⁶ Then the king set out, and his entire household followed him. But he left behind ten concubines to take care of the palace. ¹⁷ So the king set out, and all the people followed him. They stopped at the last house ¹⁸ while all his servants marched past him. Then all the Cherethites, the Pelethites, and the people of Gath—six hundred men who came with him from there^(B)—marched past the king.