| Holman Christian Standard Bible | International Standard Version |
| 1After this, Absalom got himself a chariot, horses, and 50 men to run before him. | 1Sometime later, Absalom acquired a chariot equipped with horses and recruited 50 men to accompany him. |
| 2He would get up early and stand beside the road leading to the city gate. Whenever anyone had a grievance to bring before the king for settlement, Absalom called out to him and asked, "What city are you from?" If he replied, "Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel," | 2Then he would get up early, stand near the passageway to the palace 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 he replied, "Your servant is from one of Israel's tribes," |
| 3Absalom said to him, "Look, your claims are good and right, but the king does not have anyone to listen to you." | 3Absalom would respond, "Look, your claims are valid and defensible, but nobody will listen to you on behalf of the king. |
| 4He added, "If only someone would appoint me judge in the land. Then anyone who had a grievance or dispute could come to me, and I would make sure he received justice." | 4Who 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!" |
| 5When a person approached to bow down to him, Absalom reached out his hand, took hold of him, and kissed him. | 5Furthermore, if a man approached him to bow down in front of him, he would put out his hand, grab him, and embrace him. |
| 6Absalom did this to all the Israelites who came to the king for a settlement. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel. | 6By doing all of this to anyone who came to the king for a hearing, Absalom stole the loyalty of the men of Israel. |
| 7When four years had passed, Absalom said to the king, "Please let me go to Hebron to fulfill a vow I made to the LORD. | 7And so it was that forty years after Israel had demanded a king, Absalom asked the king, "Please let me go to Hebron so I can pay my vow that I made to the LORD, |
| 8For your servant made a vow when I lived in Geshur of Aram, saying: If the LORD really brings me back to Jerusalem, I will worship the LORD in Hebron."" | 8because when I was living at Geshur in Aram, your servant made this solemn promise: 'If the LORD ever brings me back to Jerusalem, then I will serve the LORD.'" |
| 9Go in peace," the king said to him. So he went to Hebron. | 9The king replied to him, "Go in peace!" So Absalom got up and left for Hebron. |
| 10Then Absalom sent messengers throughout the tribes of Israel with this message: "When you hear the sound of the ram's horn, you are to say, 'Absalom has become king in Hebron!'" | 10But 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." |
| 11Two hundred men from Jerusalem went with Absalom. They had been invited and were going innocently, for they knew nothing about the whole matter. | 11Meanwhile, 200 men left Jerusalem with Absalom. They had been invited to go along, but were innocent, not knowing anything about what was happening. |
| 12While he was offering the sacrifices, Absalom sent for David's adviser Ahithophel the Gilonite, from his city of Giloh. So the conspiracy grew strong, and the people supporting Absalom continued to increase. | 12Absalom also sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's counselor, to come from his home town of Giloh while Absalom was presenting the sacrificial offerings. And so the conspiracy widened, because the common people increasingly sided with Absalom. |
| 13Then an informer came to David and reported, "The hearts of the men of Israel are with Absalom." | 13Then a messenger arrived to inform David, "The loyalties of the men of Israel have shifted to Absalom." |
| 14David said to all the servants with him in Jerusalem, "Get up. We have to flee, or we will not escape from Absalom! Leave quickly, or he will soon overtake us, heap disaster on us, and strike the city with the edge of the sword." | 14So David told all of his staff who were with him in Jerusalem, "Let's get up and get out of here! Otherwise, none of us will escape from Absalom. Hurry, or he'll overtake us quickly, bring disaster on all of us, and execute the inhabitants of the city!" |
| 15The king's servants said to him, "Whatever my lord the king decides, we are your servants." | 15"Look!" the king's staff replied. "Your servants will do whatever the king chooses." |
| 16Then the king set out, and his entire household followed him. But he left behind 10 concubines to take care of the palace. | 16So the king left, taking his entire household with him except for ten mistresses, who were to keep the palace in order. |
| 17So the king set out, and all the people followed him. They stopped at the last house | 17The king left, along with all of his people with him, and they paused at the last house. |
| 18while all his servants marched past him. Then all the Cherethites, the Pelethites, and the Gittites--600 men who came with him from Gath--marched past the king. | 18All of his staff were going on ahead of him—that is, all of the special forces and mercenaries, all of the Gittites, and 600 men who had come to serve him from Gath, went on ahead of the king. |
| 19The king said to Ittai the Gittite, "Why are you also going with us? Go back and stay with the new king since you're both a foreigner and an exile from your homeland. | 19Then the king suggested to Ittai the Gittite, "Why should you have to go with us? Return and stay with the new king, since you're a foreigner and exile. Stay where you want to stay. |
| 20Besides, you only arrived yesterday; should I make you wander around with us today while I go wherever I can? Go back and take your brothers with you. May the LORD show you kindness and faithfulness." | 20It seems only yesterday that you arrived, so should I make you wander around with us while I go wherever I can? Go back, and take your brothers with you. May gracious love and truth accompany you!" |
| 21But in response, Ittai vowed to the king, "As the LORD lives and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king is, whether it means life or death, your servant will be there!"" | 21"As the LORD lives," Ittai answered in reply, "and as your majesty the king lives, wherever your majesty my king may be—whether living or dying—that's where your servant will be!" |
| 22March on," David replied to Ittai. So Ittai the Gittite marched past with all his men and the children who were with him. | 22So David replied, "Come along, then!" So Ittai the Gittite went along also, accompanied by all of his men and all of his little ones. |
| 23Everyone in the countryside was weeping loudly while all the people were marching past. As the king was crossing the Kidron Valley, all the people were marching past on the road that leads to the desert. | 23With all of the people in the territory crying loudly, everybody passed over the Kidron brook, along with the king. Then everyone headed out toward the road that leads to the wilderness. |
| 24Zadok was also there, and all the Levites with him were carrying the ark of the covenant of God. They set the ark of God down, and Abiathar offered sacrifices until the people had finished marching past. | 24Meanwhile, Zadok showed up also, along with all of the descendants of Levi with him, carrying the Ark of the Covenant of God. They set down the Ark of God and Abiathar approached while all the people finished abandoning the city. |
| 25Then the king instructed Zadok, "Return the ark of God to the city. If I find favor in the LORD's eyes, He will bring me back and allow me to see both it and its dwelling place. | 25The king told Zadok, "Take the Ark of God back to the city. If I'm shown favor in the LORD's sight, then he'll bring me back again and show me both it and the place where it rests. |
| 26However, if He should say, 'I do not delight in you,' then here I am--He can do with me whatever pleases Him." | 26But if he should say something like 'I'm not pleased with you,' well then, here I am—let him do to me whatever seems right to him." |
| 27The king also said to Zadok the priest, "Look, return to the city in peace and your two sons with you: your son Ahimaaz and Abiathar's son Jonathan. | 27The king also asked Zadok the priest, "Aren't you a seer, too? Go back to the city in comfort, along with your son Ahimaaz and Abiathar's son Jonathan. |
| 28Remember, I'll wait at the fords of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me." | 28Look! I'll camp at the wilderness fords until you send word to inform me." |
| 29So Zadok and Abiathar returned the ark of God to Jerusalem and stayed there. | 29So Zadok and Abiathar returned the Ark of God to Jerusalem and remained there. |
| 30David was climbing the slope of the Mount of Olives, weeping as he ascended. His head was covered, and he was walking barefoot. Each of the people with him covered their heads and went up, weeping as they ascended. | 30David then left, going up the Mount of Olives, crying as he went, with his head covered and his feet bare. All of the people who were with him covered their own heads and climbed up the Mount of Olives, crying as they went along. |
| 31Then someone reported to David: "Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom."" LORD," David pleaded, "please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness!" | 31Just then, someone told David, "Ahithophel is one of Absalom's conspirators!" So David prayed, "LORD, please turn Ahithophel's counsel into foolishness." |
| 32When David came to the summit where he used to worship God, Hushai the Archite was there to meet him with his robe torn and dust on his head. | 32Just as David was coming to the top of the Mount of Olives where God was being worshipped, there was Hushai the Archite to meet him, with his coat ripped and dust all over his head! |
| 33David said to him, "If you go away with me, you'll be a burden to me, | 33David greeted him, "If you come along with me, you'll be a burden to me. |
| 34but if you return to the city and tell Absalom, 'I will be your servant, my king! Previously, I was your father's servant, but now I will be your servant,' then you can counteract Ahithophel's counsel for me. | 34So go back to the city and tell Absalom, 'I'll be your servant, your majesty! Just as I served your father in the past, I can be your servant now.' That way you can manipulate Ahithophel's advice to my benefit. |
| 35Won't Zadok and Abiathar the priests be there with you? Report everything you hear from the king's palace to Zadok and Abiathar the priests. | 35Won't Zadok and Abiathar the priests be there with you? So whatever you hear from the king's palace, you're to report to Zadok and Abiathar the priests. |
| 36Take note: their two sons, Zadok's son Ahimaaz and Abiathar's son Jonathan, are there with them. Send me everything you hear through them." | 36Their two sons—Zadok's son Ahimaaz and Abiathar's son Jonathan—are with them there. You'll be sending me everything that you hear through them." |
| 37So Hushai, David's personal adviser, entered Jerusalem just as Absalom was entering the city. | 37So David's friend Hushai went back to the city just as Absalom was arriving in Jerusalem. |
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