2 Samuel

2 Samuel 15 ©

1 Absalom by fair speeches and courtesies stealeth the hearts of the men of Israel. 7 Under pretence of a vow he obtaineth leave to go to Hebron: 10 where he formeth a dangerous conspiracy. 13 Upon the news David fleeth from Jerusalem: 19 Ittai, though a stranger, will not leave him. 24 Zadok and Abiathar are sent back with the ark. 30 David and his company go up mount Olivet weeping. 31 He prayeth God to defeat Ahithophel's counsel. 32 Hushai is sent back with instructions how to act for David's service.

1

AND it came to pass after this, that aAbsalom prepared him chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him.

a ch. 12.11. 1Ki. 1.5. Pr. 11.2; 16.18; 18.12.
2

And Absalom brose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate: and it was so, that when any man that had a controversy 1came to the king for judgment, then Absalom called unto him, and said, Of what city art thou? And he said, Thy servant is of one of the tribes of Israel.

b Pr. 4.16; 1.16. Mat. 27.1.
3

And Absalom said unto him, See, cthy matters are good and right; but 2there is no man deputed of the king to hear thee.

c Ps. 12.2; 36.1-4. Pr. 12.2,3. 2Pe. 2.10. Re. 13.11.
4

Absalom said moreover, Oh that I were dmade judge in the land, that every man which hath any suit or cause might come unto me, and eI would do him justice!

d Ju. 9.29. Ex. 4.10,13. Pr. 26.25,27.
e Pr. 27.2. 2Pe. 2.19.
5

And it was so, that when any man came nigh to him to do him *obeisance, he put forth his hand, and ftook him, and kissed him.

f Pr. 26.25. Ps. 10.9,10; 12.2; 55.21.
6

And on this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the king for judgment: so gAbsalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

g Ge. 31.20. Pr. 11.9.
7

¶And it came to pass after hforty years, that Absalom said unto the king, I pray thee, let me igo and pay my vow, which I have vowed unto the LORD, in Hebron.

h 1Sa. 16.13.
i Mat. 2.8. 1Th. 2.5. 1Pe. 2.16.
8

For thy servant vowed a vow jwhile I abode at Geshur in Syria, saying, If the LORD shall bring me again indeed to Jerusalem, then I kwill serve the LORD.

j ch. 13.37,38; 14.23.
k Ge. 28.20,21. Je. 9.3,5. Is. 28.15. Mi. 7.5. 2Co. 11.13-15.
9

And the king said unto him, lGo in peace. So he arose, and went to Hebron.

l 1Sa. 1.17.
10

¶But Absalom sent mspies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, As soon as ye hear the sound of the trumpet, then ye shall say, Absalom nreigneth in Hebron.

m ch. 13.28; 14.30. Pr. 29.12.
n ch. 19.10. Job 20.5. Ps. 73.18.
11

And with Absalom went two hundred men out of Jerusalem, that were ocalled; and they went in ptheir simplicity, and they knew not any thing.

o 1Sa. 16.3,5; 9.13.
p Pr. 14.15; 22.3; 27.12. Mat. 10.16.
12

And Absalom sent for qAhithophel the Gilonite, rDavid's counsellor, from his city, even from Giloh, while he soffered sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong; for the people tincreased continually with Absalom.

q v.31. ch. 16.20,23; 17.1,14,23; 11.3; 23.34. Ps. 55.12,14; 41.9. Mi. 7.5. Jos. 15.51.
r Ps. 41.9; 55.12-14.
s Nu. 23.1,14,30. Is. 1.11-15; 66.3.
t Ps. 3.1; 43.1,2; 118.10-12; 2.1-6.
13

¶And there came a messenger to David, saying, uThe hearts of the men of Israel are after Absalom.

u v.6. Ju. 9.3. Ps. 62.9. ch. 12.10.
14

And David said unto all his servants that were with him at Jerusalem, Arise, and let us vflee; for we shall not else escape from Absalom: make speed to depart, lest he overtake us suddenly, and 3bring evil upon us, and smite the city with the edge of the sword.

v Ps. 3, title. Re. 12.6,14. Mat. 10.23. ch. 19.9.
15

And the king's wservants said unto the king, Behold, thy servants are ready to do whatsoever my lord the king shall 4appoint.

w Ex. 23.2. ch. 19.38. Jn. 6.66-69. Pr. 17.17; 18.24; 27.12.
16

And the king went forth, and all his household 5after him. And the king left xten women, which were concubines, to keep the house.

x ch. 12.11; 16.21,22.
17

And the king ywent forth, and all the people after him, and tarried in a place that was far off.

y Ec. 10.7. Ps. 66.12.
18

And all his servants passed on beside him; and all the zCherethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, six hundred men which came after him from aGath, passed on before the king.

a 1Sa. 27.2; 17.4.
z ch. 8.18; 20.7,23. 1Ki. 1.38,44. 1Sa. 27.5,6; 30.14.
19

¶Then said the king to bIttai the Gittite, Wherefore goest thou also with us? return to thy place, and abide with the king: for thou art a stranger, and also an exile.

b ch. 8.1; 18.2.
20

Whereas thou camest but yesterday, should I this day 6make thee go up and down with us? seeing I go c*whither I may, return thou, and take back thy brethren: dmercy and truth be with thee.

c 1Sa. 23.13.
d 2Ti. 1.16,18. Ps. 23.6; 103.17.
21

And Ittai answered the king, and said, As ethe LORD liveth, and as my lord the king liveth, fsurely in what place my lord the king shall be, whether in death or life, even there also will thy servant be.

e 2Ki. 2.2,4,6; 4.30. 1Sa. 20.3.
f Ru. 1.16,17; 3.13. Pr. 17.17; 18.24. Ro. 8.39. Jn. 6.66-69.
22

And David said to Ittai, Go and gpass over. And Ittai the Gittite passed over, and all his men, and all the little ones that were with him.

g v.23.
23

And all the country wept with a loud voice, and all the people passed over: the king also himself passed over the hbrook 7Kidron, and all the people passed over, toward the way of ithe wilderness.

h 1Ki. 2.37; 15.13. 2Ki. 23.4,6,12. 2Ch. 15.16; 29.16; 30.14. Jn. 18.1. Je. 31.40.
i ch. 16.2. Mat. 3.1,3. Re. 12.14. v.28.
24

¶And lo jZadok also, and all the Levites were with him, kbearing the ark of the covenant of God: and they set down the ark of God; and lAbiathar went up, until all the people had done passing out of the city.

j ch. 8.17; 20.25. 1Ki. 4.4.
k Nu. 4.4. Jos. 3.3,6. 1Ch. 15.2,15.
l 1Sa. 22.20; 23.6,9.
25

And the king said unto Zadok, mCarry back the ark of God into the city: if I shall find favour in the eyes of the LORD, he nwill bring me again, and shew me both it, and ohis habitation:

m 1Sa. 4-6. Ps. 3.3,8.
n Ps. 43.3.
o Ex. 15.13. Je. 25.30. ch. 6.17; 7.2. Is. 38.22.
26

But if he thus say, I have no pdelight in thee; behold, qhere am I, let him do to me as seemeth good unto him.

p ch. 22.20. 1Ki. 10.9.
q Ju. 10.15. 1Sa. 3.18. Job 1.20. Ps. 39.9. Ac. 21.14.
27

The king said also unto Zadok the priest, Art not thou ra seer? return into the scity in peace, and your two sons with you, Ahimaaz thy son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar.

r 1Sa. 9.9. ch. 24.11.
s ch. 17.17; 18.19,27. v.36.
28

See, I will tarry in the tplain of the wilderness, until there come uword from you to certify me.

t v.23. ch. 2.29; 16.2; 17.16. Mat. 3.1,3. Jos. 5.10. 2Ki. 25.4,5.
u v.35,36. ch. 17.21.
29

Zadok therefore and Abiathar carried the ark of God again to Jerusalem: and they tarried there.

30

¶And David went up by the ascent of vmount Olivet, and 8wept as he went up, and whad his head covered, and he went barefoot: and all the people that was with him covered every man his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up.

v Zec. 14.4. Mat. 21.1; 24.3; 26.30. Lu. 21.37. Ac. 1.12.
w ch. 19.4. Es. 6.12. Je. 14.3,4; 2.25. Is. 20.2-4. Lu. 19.41.
31

¶And one told David, saying, xAhithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. And David said, O LORD, I pray thee, yturn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.

x v.12. Ps. 41.9; 55.12-14. Mat. 26.14,15.
y ch. 16.23; 17.14,23. Job 12.17,20; 5.12,13.
32

¶And it came to pass, that when David was come to the ztop of the mount, where he aworshipped God, behold, bHushai the Archite came to meet him with chis coat rent, and earth upon his head:

a 1Ki. 8.44. Job 1.20. Ps. 3; 50.15; 91.15.
b ch. 16.16-19; 17.6-15. Jos. 16.2.
c ch. 1.2; 13.19. Ge. 37.29,34.
z Lu. 19.29. 1Ki. 11.7. v.30.
33

Unto whom David said, If thou passest on with me, then thou shalt be da burden unto me:

d ch. 19.35.
34

But if thou ereturn to the city, and say unto Absalom, fI will be thy servant, O king; as I have been thy father's servant *hitherto, so will I now also be thy servant: then mayest thou for me defeat the counsel of Ahithophel.

e Ge. 33.8. ch. 14.14. v.31. Mat. 4.7. Ac. 27.31. ch. 17.14,23.
f ch. 16.19.
35

And hast thou not there with thee Zadok and Abiathar the priests? therefore it shall be, that what thing soever gthou shalt hear out of the king's house, thou shalt tell it to Zadok and Abiathar the priests.

g ch. 17.15,16.
36

Behold, they have hthere with them their two sons, Ahimaaz Zadok's son, and Jonathan Abiathar's son; and by them ye shall send unto me every thing that ye can hear.

h v.27. ch. 17.17; 18.19-29.
37

So Hushai David's ifriend came into the city, and Absalom came into Jerusalem.

i Ru. 1.16. Pr. 17.17; 18.24. ch. 16.16,17. 1Ch. 27.33.