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David Flees from Jerusalem

13 Then a messenger came to David and reported, “The men of Israel are loyal to Absalom!”[a] 14 So David said to all his servants who were with him in Jerusalem, “Come on![b] Let’s escape![c] Otherwise no one will be delivered from Absalom! Go immediately, or else he will quickly overtake us and bring[d] disaster on us and kill the city’s residents with the sword.”[e] 15 The king’s servants replied to the king, “We will do whatever our lord the king decides.”[f]

16 So the king and all the members of his royal court[g] set out on foot, though the king left behind ten concubines[h] to attend to the palace. 17 The king and all the people set out on foot, pausing[i] at a spot[j] some distance away. 18 All his servants were leaving with him,[k] along with all the Kerethites, all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites—some 600 men who had come on foot from Gath. They were leaving with[l] the king.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 15:13 tn Heb “the heart of the men of Israel is with Absalom.”
  2. 2 Samuel 15:14 tn Heb “Arise!”
  3. 2 Samuel 15:14 tn Heb “let’s flee.”
  4. 2 Samuel 15:14 tn Heb “thrust.”
  5. 2 Samuel 15:14 tn Heb “and strike the city with the edge of the sword.”
  6. 2 Samuel 15:15 tn Heb “according to all that my lord the king will choose, behold your servants!”
  7. 2 Samuel 15:16 tn Heb “and all his house.”
  8. 2 Samuel 15:16 tn Heb “women, concubines.”
  9. 2 Samuel 15:17 tn Heb “and they stood.”
  10. 2 Samuel 15:17 tn Heb “house.”
  11. 2 Samuel 15:18 tn Heb “crossing over near his hand.”
  12. 2 Samuel 15:18 tn Heb “crossing over near the face of.”

13 And there came a messenger to David, saying, The hearts of the men of Israel are after Absalom. 14 And David said unto all his servants that were with him at Jerusalem, Arise, and let us flee; for else none of us shall escape from Absalom: make speed to depart, lest he overtake us quickly, and bring down evil upon us, and smite the city with the edge of the sword. 15 And the king’s servants said unto the king, Behold, thy servants are ready to do whatsoever my lord the king shall choose. 16 And the king went forth, and all his household after him. And the king left ten women, that were concubines, to keep the house. 17 And the king went forth, and all the people after him; and they tarried [a]in Beth-merhak. 18 And all his servants passed on beside him; and all the Cherethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, six hundred men that came after him from Gath, passed on before the king.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 15:17 Or, at the Far House