The Second Book of Samuel

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- Kapitel 15 -

It came about after this that Absalom prepared a chariot and horses for himself, with fifty men to run before him.

Absalom would get up early and stand beside the road leading to the city gate. When any man had a dispute to come to the king for judgment, Absalom called to him and said, “From what city have you come?” Then the man would answer, “Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel.”

So Absalom would say to him, “Look, your case is good and right, but there is no one empowered by the king to hear your case.”

Absalom added, “I wish that I were made judge in the land, so that every man who had any dispute or cause might come to me, and I would bring him justice!”

So it came about that when any man came to Absalom to honor him, Absalom would put out his hand and take hold of him and kiss him.

Absalom acted in this way to all Israel who came to the king for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

It came about at the end of four years that Absalom said to the king, “Please let me go and pay a vow that I have made to Yahweh in Hebron.

For your servant made a vow while I was living at Geshur in Aram, saying,’ If Yahweh will indeed bring me again to Jerusalem, then I will worship Yahweh.’”

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

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

With Absalom went two hundred men from Jerusalem, who were invited. They went in their innocence, not knowing anything that Absalom had planned.

While Absalom offered sacrfices, he sent for Ahithophel from his hometown of Giloh. He was David’s counselor. Absalom’s conspiracy was strong, for the people following Absalom were constantly increasing.

David Flees Jerusalem

(Psalm 3:1–8)

A messenger came to David saying, “The hearts of the men of Israel are following after Absalom.”

So David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, “Arise and let us flee, or none of us will escape from Absalom. Prepare to leave immediately, or he will quickly overtake us, and he will bring down disaster on us and attack the city with the edge of the sword.”

The king’s servants said to the king, “Look, your servants are ready to do whatever our master the king decides.”

The king left and all his family after him, but the king left ten women, who were concubines, to keep the palace.

After the king went out and all the people after him, they stopped at the last house.

All his army marched with him, and before him went all the Cherethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites-six hundred men who had followed him from Gath.

Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why did you go with us, too? Return and stay with King Absalom, for you are a foreigner and an exile. Return to your own place.

Since you just left yesterday, why should I make you wander all over with us? I do not even know where I am going. So return and take your fellow countrymen back. May loyalty and faithfulness go with you.”

But Ittai answered the king and said, “As Yahweh lives, and as my master the king lives, surely in whatever place where my master the king goes, there also will your servant go, whether that means living or dying.”

So David said to Ittai, “Go ahead and continue with us.” So Ittai the Gittite marched with the king, along with all his men and all the families who were with him.

All the country wept with a loud voice as all the people passed by over the Kidron Valley, and as the king also himself crossed over. All the people traveled on the road toward the wilderness.

Even Zadok with all the Levites, carrying the ark of the covenant of God, were present. They set the ark of God down, and then Abiathar joined them. They waited until all the people had passed by out of the city.

The king said to Zadok, “Carry the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the eyes of Yahweh, he will bring me back here and show me again the ark and the place where he lives.

But if he says, ‘I am not pleased with you,’ look, here am I, let him do to me whatever seems good to him.”

The king also said to Zadok the priest, “Are you not a seer? Return into the city in peace, and your two sons with you, Ahimaaz your son, and Jonathan son of Abiathar.

See, I will wait at the fords of the Arabah until word comes from you to inform me.”

So Zadok and Abiathar carried the ark of God back into Jerusalem, and they stayed there.

David Weeps at the Mount of Olives

(Psalm 63:1–11)

But David ascended barefoot and weeping up the Mount of Olives, and he had his head covered. Every man of the people who were with him covered his head, and they went up weeping as they walked.

Someone told David saying, “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” So David prayed, “O Yahweh, please turn Ahithophel’s advice into foolishness.”

It came about that when David arrived at the top of the road, where God used to be worshiped, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his coat torn and earth on his head.

David said to him, “If you travel with me, then you will be a burden to me.

But if you return to the city and say to Absalom, ‘I will be your servant, king, as I have been your father’s servant in time past, so will I now be your servant,’ then you will confuse Ahithophel’s advice for me.

Will you not have the priests Zadok and Abiathar with you? So whatever you hear in the king’s palace, you must tell it to Zadok and Abiathar the priests.

See that they have there with them their two sons, Ahimaaz, Zadok’s son, and Jonathan, Abiathar’s son. You must send to me by their hand everything that you hear.”

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

After this, Absalom prepared a chariot and horses for himself, and fifty men to run before him.

Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate. When any man had a suit which should come to the king for judgment, then Absalom called to him, and said, “What city are you from?” He said, “Your servant is of one of the tribes of Israel.”

Absalom said to him, “Behold, your matters are good and right; but there is no man deputized by the king to hear you.”

Absalom said moreover, “Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man who has any suit or cause might come to me, and I would do him justice!”

It was so, that when any man came near to bow down to him, he stretched out his hand, took hold of him, and kissed him.

Absalom did this sort of thing to all Israel who came to the king for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

At the end of forty years, Absalom said to the king, “Please let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed to the LORD, in Hebron.

For your servant vowed a vow while I stayed at Geshur in Syria, saying, ‘If the LORD shall indeed bring me again to Jerusalem, then I will serve the LORD.’”

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

But 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 is king in Hebron!’”

Two hundred men went with Absalom out of Jerusalem, who were invited, and went in their simplicity; and they didn’t know anything.

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

David Flees Jerusalem

(Psalm 3:1–8)

A messenger came to David, saying, “The hearts of the men of Israel are after Absalom.”

David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, “Arise! Let’s flee, or else none of us will escape from Absalom. Hurry to depart, lest he overtake us quickly and bring down evil on us, and strike the city with the edge of the sword.”

The king’s servants said to the king, “Behold, your servants are ready to do whatever my lord the king chooses.”

The king went out, and all his household after him. The king left ten women, who were concubines, to keep the house.

The king went out, and all the people after him; and they stayed in Beth Merhak.

All his servants passed on beside him; and all the Cherethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, six hundred men who came after him from Gath, passed on before the king.

Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why do you also go with us? Return, and stay with the king; for you are a foreigner and also an exile. Return to your own place.

Whereas you came but yesterday, should I today make you go up and down with us, since I go where I may? Return, and take back your brothers. Mercy and truth be with you.”

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

David said to Ittai, “Go and pass over.” Ittai the Gittite passed over, and all his men, and all the little ones who were with him.

All the country wept with a loud voice, and all the people passed over. The king also himself passed over the brook Kidron, and all the people passed over toward the way of the wilderness.

Behold, Zadok also came, and all the Levites with him, bearing the ark of the covenant of God; and they set down God’s ark; and Abiathar went up until all the people finished passing out of the city.

The king said to Zadok, “Carry God’s ark back into the city. If I find favor in the LORD’s eyes, he will bring me again, and show me both it and his habitation;

but if he says, ‘I have no delight in you,’ behold, here I am. Let him do to me as seems good to him.”

The king said also to Zadok the priest, “Aren’t you a seer? Return into the city in peace, and your two sons with you, Ahimaaz your son and Jonathan the son of Abiathar.

Behold, I will stay at the fords of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me.”

Zadok therefore and Abiathar carried God’s ark to Jerusalem again; and they stayed there.

David Weeps at the Mount of Olives

(Psalm 63:1–11)

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. All the people who were with him each covered his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up.

Someone told David, saying, “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” David said, “LORD, please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.”

When David had come to the top, where God was worshiped, behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his tunic torn and earth on his head.

David said to him, “If you pass on with me, then you will be a burden to me;

but if you return to the city, and tell Absalom, ‘I will be your servant, O king. As I have been your father’s servant in time past, so I will now be your servant; then will you defeat for me the counsel of Ahithophel.’

Don’t you have Zadok and Abiathar the priests there with you? Therefore whatever you hear out of the king’s house, tell it to Zadok and Abiathar the priests.

Behold, they have there with them their two sons, Ahimaaz, Zadok’s son, and Jonathan, Abiathar’s son. Send to me everything that you shall hear by them.”

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