| New King James Version | NET Bible |
| 1After this it happened that Absalom provided himself with chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him. | 1Some time later Absalom managed to acquire a chariot and horses, as well as fifty men to serve as his royal guard. |
| 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.” | 2Now Absalom used to get up early and stand beside the road that led to the city gate. Whenever anyone came by who had a complaint to bring to the king for arbitration, Absalom would call out to him, "What city are you from?" The person would answer, "I, your servant, am from one of the tribes of Israel." |
| 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 then say to him, "Look, your claims are legitimate and appropriate. But there is no representative of the king who will listen to you." |
| 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.” | 4Absalom would then say, "If only they would make me a judge in the land! Then everyone who had a judicial complaint could come to me and I would make sure he receives a just settlement." |
| 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. | 5When someone approached to bow before him, Absalom would extend his hand and embrace him and kiss 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. | 6Absalom acted this way toward everyone in Israel who came to the king for justice. In this way Absalom won the loyalty of the citizens 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. | 7After four years Absalom said to the king, "Let me go and repay my vow that I made to the LORD while I was in Hebron. |
| 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.’ ” | 8For I made this vow when I was living in Geshur in Aram: 'If the LORD really does allow me to return to Jerusalem, 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 went to 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!’ ” | 10Then Absalom sent spies through all the tribes of Israel who said, "When you hear the sound of the horn, you may assume that Absalom rules in Hebron." |
| 11And with Absalom went two hundred men invited from Jerusalem, and they went along innocently and did not know anything. | 11Now two hundred men had gone with Absalom from Jerusalem. Since they were invited, they went naively and were unaware of what Absalom was planning. |
| 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. | 12While he was offering sacrifices, Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's adviser, to come from his city, Giloh. The conspiracy was gaining momentum, and the people were starting to side with Absalom. |
| 13Now a messenger came to David, saying, “The hearts of the men of Israel are with Absalom.” | 13Then a messenger came to David and reported, "The men of Israel are loyal 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 said to all his servants who were with him in Jerusalem, "Come on! Let's escape! Otherwise no one will be delivered from Absalom! Go immediately, or else he will quickly overtake us and bring disaster on us and kill the city's residents with the sword." |
| 15And the king’s servants said to the king, “We are your servants, ready to do whatever my lord the king commands.” | 15The king's servants replied to the king, "We will do whatever our lord the king decides." |
| 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 and all the members of his royal court set out on foot, though the king left behind ten concubines to attend to the palace. |
| 17And the king went out with all the people after him, and stopped at the outskirts. | 17The king and all the people set out on foot, pausing at a spot some distance away. |
| 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 his servants were leaving with him, along with all the Kerethites, all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites--some six hundred men who had come on foot from Gath. They were leaving with 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 said to Ittai the Gittite, "Why should you come with us? Go back and stay with the new king, for you are a foreigner and an exile from your own country. |
| 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 like you arrived just yesterday. Today should I make you wander around by going with us? I go where I must go. But as for you, go back and take your men with you. May genuine loyal love protect 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.” | 21But Ittai replied to the king, "As surely as the LORD lives and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king is, whether dead or alive, there I will be as well!" |
| 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 said to Ittai, "Come along then." So Ittai the Gittite went along, accompanied by all his men and all the dependents who were with him. |
| 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. | 23All the land was weeping loudly as all these people were leaving. As the king was crossing over the Kidron Valley, all the people were leaving on the road that leads to the desert. |
| 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. | 24Zadok and all the Levites who were with him were carrying the ark of the covenant of God. When they positioned the ark of God, Abiathar offered sacrifices until all the people had finished leaving 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. | 25Then the king said to Zadok, "Take the ark of God back to the city. If I find favor in the LORD's sight he will bring me back and enable me to see both it and his dwelling place again. |
| 26But if He says thus: ‘I have no delight in you,’ here I am, let Him do to me as seems good to Him.” | 26However, if he should say, 'I do not take pleasure in you,' then he will deal with me in a way that he considers appropriate." |
| 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 said to Zadok the priest, "Are you a seer? Go back to the city in peace! Your son Ahimaaz and Abiathar's son Jonathan may go with you and Abiathar. |
| 28See, I will wait in the plains of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me.” | 28Look, I will be waiting at the fords of the desert until word from you reaches me." |
| 29Therefore Zadok and Abiathar carried the ark of God back to Jerusalem. And they remained there. | 29So Zadok and Abiathar took the ark of God back 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. | 30As David was going up the Mount of Olives, he was weeping as he went; his head was covered and his feet were bare. All the people who were with him also had their heads covered and were weeping as they went up. |
| 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!” | 31Now David had been told, "Ahithophel has sided with the conspirators who are with Absalom. So David prayed, "Make the advice of Ahithophel foolish, O LORD!" |
| 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. | 32When David reached the summit, where he used to worship God, Hushai the Arkite met him with his clothes torn and dirt on his head. |
| 33David said to him, “If you go on with me, then you will become a burden to me. | 33David said to him, "If you leave with me you will 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. | 34But you will be able to counter the advice of Ahithophel if you go back to the city and say to Absalom, 'I will be your servant, O king! Previously I was your father's servant, and now I will be your servant.' |
| 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. | 35Zadok and Abiathar the priests will be there with you. Everything you hear in the king's palace you must tell 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.” | 36Furthermore, their two sons are there with them, Zadok's son Ahimaaz and Abiathar's son Jonathan. You must send them to me with any information you hear." |
| 37So Hushai, David’s friend, went into the city. And Absalom came into Jerusalem. | 37So David's friend Hushai arrived in the city, just as Absalom was entering Jerusalem. |
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