2 Samuel 15 NKJV ISV Parallel

◄ 2 Samuel 15 ►

NKJV Parallel ISV [BSB CSB ESV HCS KJV ISV NAS NET NIV NLT HEB]

New King James Version

International Standard Version

1After this it happened that Absalom provided himself with chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him.

1Sometime later, Absalom acquired a chariot equipped with horses and recruited 50 men to accompany him.

2Now Absalom would rise early and stand beside the way to the gate. So it was, whenever anyone who had a lawsuit came to the king for a decision, that Absalom would call to him and say, “What city are you from?” And he would say, “Your servant is from such and such a tribe 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,"

3Then Absalom would say to him, “Look, your case is good and right; but there is no deputy of the king to hear you.”

3Absalom would respond, "Look, your claims are valid and defensible, but nobody will listen to you on behalf of the king.

4Moreover Absalom would say, “Oh, that I were made judge in the land, and everyone who has any suit or cause would come to me; then I would give him 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!"

5And so it was, whenever anyone came near to bow down to him, that he would put out his hand and take him and kiss 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.

6In this manner Absalom acted toward all Israel who came to the king for judgment. 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.

7Now it came to pass after forty years that Absalom said to the king, “Please, let me go to Hebron and pay the vow which 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 took a vow while I dwelt at Geshur in Syria, saying, ‘If the LORD indeed brings me back to Jerusalem, then I will serve the LORD.’ ”

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.'"

9And the king said to him, “Go in peace.” So he arose and went to Hebron.

9The king replied to him, "Go in peace!" So Absalom got up and left for Hebron.

10Then Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then you shall say, ‘Absalom reigns 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."

11And with Absalom went two hundred men invited from Jerusalem, and they went along innocently and did not know anything.

11Meanwhile, 200 men left Jerusalem with Absalom. They had been invited to go along, but were innocent, not knowing anything about what was happening.

12Then Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, from his city—from Giloh—while he offered sacrifices. And the conspiracy grew strong, for the people with Absalom continually increased in number.

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.

13Now a messenger came to David, saying, “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."

14So David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, “Arise, and let us flee, or we shall not escape from Absalom. Make haste to depart, lest he overtake us suddenly and bring disaster upon 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!"

15And the king’s servants said to the king, “We are your servants, ready to do whatever my lord the king commands.”

15"Look!" the king's staff replied. "Your servants will do whatever the king chooses."

16Then the king went out with all his household after him. But the king left ten women, concubines, to keep the house.

16So the king left, taking his entire household with him except for ten mistresses, who were to keep the palace in order.

17And the king went out with all the people after him, and stopped at the outskirts.

17The king left, along with all of his people with him, and they paused at the last house.

18Then all his servants passed before him; and all the Cherethites, all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, six hundred men who had followed him from Gath, passed before 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.

19Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why are you also going with us? Return and remain with the king. For you are a foreigner and also an exile from your own place.

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.

20In fact, you came only yesterday. Should I make you wander up and down with us today, since I go I know not where? Return, and take your brethren back. Mercy and truth be with you.”

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 Ittai answered the king and said, “As the LORD lives, and as my lord the king lives, surely in whatever place my lord the king shall be, whether in death or life, even there also your servant will be.”

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!"

22So David said to Ittai, “Go, and cross over.” Then Ittai the Gittite and all his men and all the little ones who were with him crossed over.

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.

23And all the country wept with a loud voice, and all the people crossed over. The king himself also crossed over the Brook Kidron, and all the people crossed over toward the way of the wilderness.

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.

24There was Zadok also, and all the Levites with him, bearing the ark of the covenant of God. And they set down the ark of God, and Abiathar went up until all the people had finished crossing over from the city.

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 said to Zadok, “Carry the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the eyes of the LORD, He will bring me back and show me both it and His 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.

26But if He says thus: ‘I have no delight in you,’ here I am, let Him do to me as seems good to 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, “Are you not a seer? Return to the city in peace, and your two sons with you, Ahimaaz your son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar.

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.

28See, I will wait in the plains 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."

29Therefore Zadok and Abiathar carried the ark of God back to Jerusalem. And they remained there.

29So Zadok and Abiathar returned the Ark of God to Jerusalem and remained there.

30So David went up by the Ascent of the Mount of Olives, and wept as he went up; and he had his head covered and went barefoot. And all the people who were with him covered their heads and went up, weeping as they went up.

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 told David, saying, “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” And David said, “O LORD, I pray, 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."

32Now it happened when David had come to the top of the mountain, where he worshiped God—there was Hushai the Archite coming 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 on with me, then you will become 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 say to Absalom, ‘I will be your servant, O king; as I was your father’s servant previously, so I will now also be your servant,’ then you may defeat the counsel of Ahithophel 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.

35And do you not have Zadok and Abiathar the priests with you there? Therefore it will be that whatever you hear from the king’s house, you shall tell 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.

36Indeed they have there with them their two sons, Ahimaaz, Zadok’s son, and Jonathan, Abiathar’s son; and by them you shall send me everything you hear.”

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 friend, went into the city. And Absalom came into Jerusalem.

37So David's friend Hushai went back to the city just as Absalom was arriving in Jerusalem.

Bible Hub