Absalom Steals the Hearts of Israel
15 1 Later, Absalom got himself a chariot and horses, with fifty men to run ahead of him. 2 Absalom would rise early and stand beside the road to the gate. Whenever someone with a dispute came to the king for judgment, Absalom would call out, "What city are you from?" The man would answer, "Your servant is from one of Israel's tribes."
3 Then Absalom would say, "Look, your claims are good and right, but the king has appointed no one to hear you." 4 Absalom would add, "If only I were judge here! Anyone with a dispute or case could come to me, and I'd give him justice." 5 Whenever anyone approached to bow before him, Absalom reached out, took hold of him, and kissed him. 6 Absalom did this to every Israelite who came to the king for judgment, and so he stole the hearts of Israel.
7 After four years, Absalom said to the king, "Please let me go to Hebron to fulfill a vow I made to our Father." 8 "For while living at Geshur in Aram I vowed: 'If our Father brings me back to Jerusalem, I will worship him.'"
9 The king said to him, "Go in peace." So Absalom got up and went to Hebron.
10 Absalom sent secret messengers through all Israel's tribes: "When you hear the ram's horn, say, 'Absalom reigns in Hebron!'"
11 Two hundred invited men from Jerusalem went with Absalom in all innocence, knowing nothing about the plot. 12 As Absalom offered the sacrifices, he sent to Giloh for David's counselor Ahithophel the Gilonite. The conspiracy grew strong, and Absalom's following kept increasing.
David Flees From His Son Absalom
13 A messenger came to David: "Israel's hearts have turned to Absalom."
14 David told all the servants with him in Jerusalem, "Get up! We must run, or none of us will escape Absalom. Hurry, or he will soon catch us, ruin us, and strike the city with the sword."
15 The king's servants answered him, "Whatever my lord the king decides, your servants are ready."
16 So the king left, his whole household following, but left ten concubines to keep the palace. a a v16 Concubines were secondary wives with fewer legal rights than a primary wife. 17 The king set out with all the people following him, and they stopped at the last house. 18 All his servants passed by beside him; all the Cherethites, Pelethites, and six hundred Gittites who had followed him from Gath marched before the king. b b v18 The Cherethites and Pelethites were David's elite personal bodyguard units.
19 The king said to Ittai the Gittite, "Why come with us too? Go back and stay with the new king; you're a foreigner, an exile far from your homeland." 20 You came only yesterday. Should I make you wander with us today, when I don't even know where I'm going? Go back, take your brothers with you. May our Father show you covenant love and faithfulness.
21 Ittai answered the king, "As surely as our Father lives and my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king is, whether life or death, there your servant will be."
22 David told Ittai, "Go, cross over." So Ittai the Gittite crossed over with all his men and all the little ones with him. 23 The whole land wept loudly as all the people crossed over. The king crossed the Kidron Valley, and all the people crossed toward the wilderness. 24 Zadok was there too, with all the Levites carrying the ark of the covenant of our Father. They set down the ark of our Father, and Abiathar offered sacrifices until all the people had finished leaving the city. 25 The king said to Zadok, "Take the ark of our Father back into the city. If our Father is pleased with me, he will bring me back and let me see it and where he lives again." 26 But if he says, 'I take no delight in you,' here I am — let him do to me as he sees fit. 27 The king also said to Zadok the priest, "Aren't you a seer? Return to the city in peace, with your two sons — Ahimaaz your son and Jonathan son of Abiathar." 28 I will wait at the wilderness crossings until word comes from you to inform me." 29 So Zadok and Abiathar carried the ark of our Father back to Jerusalem and stayed there.
30 David went up the Mount of Olives, weeping as he climbed, his head covered and feet bare. All the people with him covered their heads and climbed, weeping as they went. c c v30 The betrayed king, weeping as he climbs the Mount of Olives, foreshadows Jesus, who long after crossed this same valley and grieved on this same hill the night a trusted friend betrayed him.
31 David was told, "Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom." So David prayed, "our Father, turn Ahithophel's counsel into foolishness."
32 When David reached the summit, where worship was offered to our Father, Hushai the Archite was there to meet him, his robe torn and dust on his head. 33 David said to him, "If you come with me, you'll only be a burden." 34 But go back to the city and tell Absalom, 'I will be your servant, my king; as I served your father before, so now I will serve you,' and you can undo Ahithophel's advice for me. 35 Zadok and Abiathar the priests are there with you. Tell them everything you hear in the king's house. 36 Their two sons are there with them — Zadok's son Ahimaaz and Abiathar's son Jonathan. Send me word through them of all you hear.
37 So Hushai, David's friend, came into the city just as Absalom was entering Jerusalem.
