Absalom’s Conspiracy

1And it will be from after this, and Absalom will make to him chariots and horses, and fifty men running before him. 2And Absalom rose early and stood by the hand of the way of the gate: and it will be every man which shall be to him strife coming to the king for judgment, and Absalom will call to him and say, Where, from what city thou? And he will say, of one of the tribes of Israel is thy servant. 3And Absalom will say to him, See, thy words good and straight, and none to hear to thee from the king. 4And Absalom will say, Who will set me judge in the land? and to me shall every man come which shall be to him strife and judgment, and I did him justice. 5And it was in a man's coming near to worship to him, and he stretched forth his hand and laid hold of him, and kissed him. 6And Absalom will do according to this word to all Israel who will come for judgment to the king: and Absalom will steal the heart of the men of Israel.

7And it will be from the end of forty years, and Absalom will say to the king, I will go now and complete my vow which I vowed to Jehovah in Hebron. 8For thy servant vowed a vow in my dwelling in Geshur in Aram, saying, If turning back, Jehovah shall turn me back to Jerusalem, and I served Jehovah. 9And the king will say to him, Go in peace. And he will rise and go to Hebron. 10And Absalom will send spies in all the tribes of Israel, saying, When ye heard the voice of the trumpet, and ye said, Absalom the king in Hebron. 11And with Absalom went two hundred men from Jerusalem, being called; going uprightly, and they knew not any word. 12And Absalom will send for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's counsellor, from his city, from Giloh, in his sacrificing sacrifices. And the conspiracy will be strong; and the people went and a multitude with Absalom.

David Flees Jerusalem
(Psalm 3:1–8)

13And he announcing, will come to David, saying, The heart of the man Israel was after Absalom. 14And David will say to all his servants which are with him in Jerusalem, Arise, and we will flee, for escape will not be to us from the face of Absalom: hasten to go lest he shall hasten to hedge us in, and thrust evil upon us, and smite the city with the mouth of the sword. 15And the king's servants will say to the king, According to all which my lord the king shall choose, behold thy servants. 16And the king will go forth, and all his house at his feet. And the king will leave ten women, concubines, to watch the house. 17And the king will go forth, and all the people at his feet, and they will stand in a house far off. 18And all his servants passing by upon his hand; and all the Cherethites and all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, six hundred men which came at his foot from Gath, passing by at the face of the king.

19And the king will say to Ittai the Gittite, Wherefore wilt thou go, also thou, with us? turn back and dwell with the king, for thou a stranger and thou an exile to thy place. 20Yesterday thy coming, and this day shall I cause thee to wander about to go with us? and I go where I go, turn back, and turn back thy brethren with thee mercy and truth. 21And Ittai will answer the king, and say, Jehovah lives, and my lord the king lives, for surely in the place where my lord the king shall be, there whether for death, whether for life, for there will thy servant be. 22And David will say to Ittai, Go and pass over. And Ittai the Gittite will pass over, and all his men, and all the little ones that are with him. 23And all the land weeping with a great voice, and all the people passing over: and the king passed over upon the torrent Kidron, and all the people passing over upon the face of the way to the desert.

24And behold, also Zadok, and all the Levites with him, lifting up the ark of the covenant of God; and they placed the ark of God: and Abiathar will go up till all the people finished passing over from the city. 25And the king will say to Zadok, Turn back the ark of God to the city: if I shall find grace in the eyes of Jehovah, and he turned me back, and caused me to see it and its rest. 26And if he say thus, I delighted not in thee; behold me, he will do to me as is good in his eyes. 27And the king will say to Zadok the priest, Thou seest: turn back to the city in peace, and Ahimaaz thy son, and Jonathan son of Abiathar, your two sons with you. 28See me lingering in Araboth of the desert till word come from you to announce to me. 29And Zadok and Abiathar will turn back the ark of God to Jerusalem: and they will sit there.

David Weeps at the Mount of Olives
(Psalm 63:1–11)

30And David went up in the ascent of the olive trees, going up and weeping, and the head to him covered, and he went barefoot: and all the people which were with him covered each his head, and they went up, going up and weeping. 31And it was announced to David, saying, Ahithophel among those conspiring with Absalom. And David will say, Now make foolish the counsel of Ahithophel, O Jehovah.

32And it will be David came even to the head where he will worship there to God, and behold, to his meeting, Hushai the Archite, his tunic rent and earth upon his head. 33And David will say to him, If thou didst pass over with me thou wert for a burden to me. 34And if to the city, thou shalt turn back and say to Absalom, I will be thy servant, O king; thy father's servant from then, and now thy servant: and thou didst frustrate for me the counsel of Ahithophel. 35And is not with thee there Zadok and Abiathar the priests? and it being all the word which thou shalt hear from the king's house, thou shalt announce to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests. 36Behold there with them their two sons, Ahimaaz to Zadok, and Jonathan to Abiathar; and send by their hand to me every word which ye shall hear. 37And Hushai, David's friend, will come to the city, and Absalom will come to Jerusalem.