Then Absalom sent for Joab, to send him to the king, but he would not come to him. So he sent word again a second time, but he would not come.

Therefore he said to his servants, “See, Joab’s plot is next to mine, and he has barley there; go and set it on fire.” So Absalom’s servants set the plot on fire.

Then Joab got up, came to Absalom at his house, and said to him, “Why have your servants set my plot on fire?”

Absalom answered Joab, “Behold, I sent for you, saying, ‘Come here, so that I may send you to the king, to say, “Why have I come from Geshur? It would be better for me still to be there.”’ Now then, let me see the king’s face, and if there is guilt in me, he can have me executed.”

So when Joab came to the king and told him, he summoned Absalom. Then Absalom came to the king and prostrated himself with his face to the ground before the king; and the king kissed Absalom.

Absalom’s Conspiracy

Now it came about after this that Absalom provided for himself a chariot and horses, and fifty men to run ahead of him.

And Absalom used to rise early and 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.”

Then Absalom would say to him, “See, your claims are good and right, but you have no one to listen to you on the part of the king.”

Moreover, Absalom would say, “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!”

Absalom dealt this way with all Israel who came to the king for judgment; so Absalom stole the hearts of the people of Israel.

Now it came about at the end of four years that Absalom said to the king, “Please let me go and pay my vow which I have made to the Lord, in Hebron.

But Absalom sent spies throughout the tribes of Israel, saying, “As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then you shall say, ‘Absalom is king in Hebron!’”

Then two hundred men went with Absalom from Jerusalem, who were invited and went innocently, for they did not know anything.

And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, from his city Giloh, while he was offering the sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong, for the people continually increased with Absalom.

David Flees Jerusalem

Then a messenger came to David, saying, “The hearts of the people of Israel are with Absalom.”

So David said to all his servants who were with him in Jerusalem, “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.”

Now someone informed David, saying, “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” And David said, “Lord, please make the advice of Ahithophel foolish.”

But if you return to the city and say to Absalom, ‘I will be your servant, O king; even as I was your father’s servant in time past, so now I will also be your servant,’ then you can foil the advice of Ahithophel for me.

So Hushai, David’s friend, came into the city, and Absalom came into Jerusalem.

The Lord has brought back upon you all the bloodshed of the house of Saul, in whose place you have become king; and the Lord has handed the kingdom over to your son Absalom. And behold, you are caught in your own evil, for you are a man of bloodshed!”

Absalom Enters Jerusalem

Then Absalom and all the people, the men of Israel, entered Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him.

Now it came about, when Hushai the Archite, David’s friend, came to Absalom, that Hushai said to Absalom, “Long live the king! Long live the king!”

But Absalom said to Hushai, “Is this your loyalty to your friend? Why did you not go with your friend?”

So Hushai said to Absalom, “No! For whomever the Lord, this people, and all the men of Israel have chosen, his I shall be, and with him I shall remain.

Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give your advice. What should we do?”