2 Samuel 15 summary meaning ai explained commentary

2 Samuel 15 meaning explained in AI Summary

This chapter marks a turning point in David's reign as his son, Absalom, initiates a cunning plan to usurp the throne.

Absalom's Conspiracy (1-12):

Gaining Support: Absalom strategically positions himself as a man of the people, publicly questioning judgments and showing concern for those seeking justice. He subtly undermines David's authority and wins over the hearts of many Israelites.
Gathering an Army: Under the guise of fulfilling a vow, Absalom requests permission from David to travel to Hebron. Secretly, he summons supporters and amasses a powerful army.
Ahithophel's Betrayal: Ahithophel, David's trusted advisor, joins Absalom's rebellion, dealing a significant blow to David's position.

David's Flight (13-37):

News of the Rebellion: David receives news of Absalom's treachery and realizes the gravity of the situation. He chooses to flee Jerusalem to avoid bloodshed and buy time.
Loyal Followers: Despite the danger, a number of loyal followers choose to accompany David, including his family, priests, and mighty warriors.
Hushai's Deception: David sends Hushai, another trusted advisor, back to Jerusalem with instructions to infiltrate Absalom's inner circle and sabotage his plans.
Emotional Departure: The chapter ends with a poignant scene of David, barefoot and weeping, ascending the Mount of Olives as he flees his own son.

Key Themes:

Betrayal and Loyalty: The chapter highlights the pain of betrayal, particularly from a trusted advisor and a beloved son. It also showcases the unwavering loyalty of those who choose to stand by David in his hour of need.
Shifting Power Dynamics: Absalom's cunning manipulation and David's vulnerability reveal the fragility of power and the swiftness with which fortunes can change.
The Weight of Leadership: David's decision to flee demonstrates the heavy burden of leadership and the agonizing choices that come with protecting one's people, even at a personal cost.

This chapter sets the stage for a dramatic power struggle between father and son, leaving the reader in suspense about the fate of David and the future of Israel.

2 Samuel 15 bible study ai commentary

This chapter marks the beginning of the tragic fulfillment of Nathan's prophecy against David for his sin with Bathsheba. It details the cunning, patient, and popular rebellion orchestrated by David's son, Absalom. The narrative masterfully contrasts Absalom’s calculated ambition with David’s pained, humble, and submissive flight. It is a story of political intrigue, personal betrayal, and a king reaping the bitter harvest of his own past transgressions, yet doing so with a broken and contrite heart that ultimately keeps him in God's will.

2 Samuel 15 context

The events unfold years after David's sin with Bathsheba and the subsequent family turmoil, including Amnon's rape of Tamar and Absalom's murder of Amnon. The "gate of the city" was the primary location for legal, commercial, and social activity; the king or his appointees would preside as the supreme court. To be seen there was to be at the center of power. Hebron was David’s first capital, a major city in Judah, and thus a strategic and symbolic choice for Absalom to launch his coup, appealing to old regional loyalties. David’s flight demonstrates a desire to spare Jerusalem bloodshed, a characteristic of his shepherd's heart, but also a recognition that this calamity stems from the hand of God as prophesied.

2 Samuel 15:1-6

Sometime later, Absalom provided for himself a chariot and horses, and fifty men to run before him. Absalom used to rise early and stand beside the way of the gate. And when any man had a dispute to come before the king for a judgment, Absalom would call to him and say, “From what city are you?”... Absalom would say to him, “See, your claims are good and right, but there is no man deputized by the king to hear you.” Absalom would add, “Oh that I were judge in the land! Then every man with any dispute or cause might come to me, and I would give him justice.” And whenever a man came near to pay homage to him, he would not allow him, but would put out his hand and take hold of him and kiss him. Thus Absalom did to all of Israel who came to the king for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

In-depth-analysis

v. 1: "Chariot and horses, and fifty men": This is an ostentatious display of royal ambition and status, mirroring the actions of a would-be king. It is a public statement of his perceived importance and a direct challenge to his father's authority.
v. 2: "Rise early and stand beside the way of the gate": Absalom shows feigned diligence and positions himself at the heart of the kingdom's judicial system, intercepting justice-seekers before they can reach the official channels.
v. 3: "no man deputized by the king to hear you": This is a seditious lie. He creates a narrative of royal neglect and administrative failure, poisoning the people's perception of David's reign.
v. 4: "Oh that I were judge": Absalom presents himself as the solution to the problem he invented. He cultivates a popular desire for his leadership by promising the justice he claims David is denying.
v. 5: "take hold of him and kiss him": This act subverts royal protocol. Instead of receiving homage, he offers a gesture of false familiarity and equality. This calculated "humility" was deeply appealing to the common person.
v. 6: "stole the hearts" (wayegannēḇ ’eth-lēḇ): This Hebrew idiom literally means "to steal the heart/mind." It implies a calculated, clandestine act of theft. Absalom did not win their hearts through noble deeds; he stole their loyalty through cunning manipulation and deceit.

Bible references

1 Kings 1:5: 'Then Adonijah... exalted himself, saying, "I will be king." And he prepared for himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.' (Absalom's actions become a template for future usurpation).
Romans 16:18: '...by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.' (A precise description of Absalom's methodology).
Proverbs 27:2: 'Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips.' (Absalom’s self-promotion stands in direct violation of wisdom).

Cross references

Psalm 12:2 (deceitful lips); Psalm 55:21 (words smoother than oil, yet drawn swords); Proverbs 11:9 (hypocrite destroys his neighbor); Deut 17:15 (God chooses the king).

2 Samuel 15:7-12

And at the end of four 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 lived at Geshur in Aram, saying, ‘If the LORD will indeed bring me back to Jerusalem, then I will serve the LORD.’ ... But Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's counselor, from his city Giloh, while he was offering the sacrifices. And the conspiracy grew strong, and the people with Absalom kept increasing.

In-depth-analysis

"four years": This shows the patience and long-term planning of Absalom’s conspiracy. He slowly built his base of support over a significant period. (Note: Some ancient texts like the Syriac and some Septuagint manuscripts read "forty," which is likely a copyist error; four years from his return makes more narrative sense).
"Pay my vow... in Hebron": Absalom uses a pious reason (a vow to God) as a cover for treason. Hebron was David’s first capital, a place of historical significance and a power base in the southern tribe of Judah, making it the perfect staging ground for a rebellion.
"serve the LORD": The most wicked acts are often cloaked in the language of religious devotion. Absalom uses this sacred language to deceive the ultimate earthly authority, the king.
Ahithophel the Gilonite: The defection of David's most trusted counselor is the most devastating blow. Ahithophel was renowned for his wisdom, considered almost like an oracle from God (2 Sam 16:23). His betrayal gave the conspiracy immense credibility and strategic advantage. Many scholars believe he was Bathsheba's grandfather (based on 2 Sam 11:3 & 23:34, where Bathsheba's father is Eliam, and one of David's mighty men is "Eliam the son of Ahithophel"), meaning his betrayal was deeply personal, rooted in revenge for David's sin against his family.

Bible references

2 Samuel 16:23: 'Now in those days the counsel that Ahithophel gave was as if one consulted the word of God...' (Establishes the weight of this betrayal).
Psalm 41:9: 'Even my close friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me.' (Though fulfilled in Judas Iscariot, David pens this Psalm reflecting on a betrayal like Ahithophel's).
2 Samuel 2:1-4: '...they anointed David king over the house of Judah. (in Hebron)' (Absalom co-opts the location of his father's own rise to power).

Cross references

Judges 9:3 (Abimelech's conspiracy); 1 Sam 23:19-21 (Ziphites betraying David); Psalm 3:1 (David's psalm when fleeing Absalom); Num 30:2 (laws of vows).

2 Samuel 15:13-23

And a messenger came to David, saying, “The hearts of the men of Israel have gone after Absalom.” Then David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, “Arise, and let us flee, or else there will be no escape for us from Absalom..." And all the country wept with a loud voice as all the people passed by... And Ittai the Gittite answered the king, “As the LORD lives, and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king shall be, whether for death or for life, there also will your servant be.”

In-depth-analysis

"Arise, and let us flee": David’s decision is not cowardly but strategic and compassionate. He seeks to avoid a bloody civil war within the holy city of Jerusalem. He also recognizes this event as divine chastisement foretold by Nathan.
The Loyalists: The text makes a point to list those who remain faithful: his own servants, but pointedly the Cherethites and Pelethites, who were his foreign mercenary bodyguard, and the Gittites, Philistines from Gath led by Ittai.
Ittai the Gittite: Ittai's declaration of loyalty is a central moment in the chapter. He is a foreigner, an exile, and has only been with David a short time ("yesterday"), yet his pledge ("whether for death or for life") is absolute. His faithfulness sharply contrasts with the treason of David's own son (Absalom) and his chief counselor (Ahithophel).
Crossing the Kidron Valley: This detail is geographically and theologically significant. It lies between the city and the Mount of Olives and is a path of mourning and departure.

Bible references

Ruth 1:16-17: '...For where you go I will go... your people shall be my people, and your God my God. Where you die I will die...' (Ittai's oath of loyalty echoes Ruth's faithful pledge, another foreigner).
Matthew 8:10: '...Jesus marveled and said... "Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith."' (Ittai's loyalty from a gentile prefigures the theme of gentile faith surpassing that of Israel).
John 18:1: 'When Jesus had spoken these words, he went out with his disciples across the Kidron Valley...' (David's path of sorrow out of Jerusalem prefigures Jesus's own journey to Gethsemane and betrayal).

Cross references

2 Sam 8:18 (Cherethites and Pelethites); Exodus 12:38 (mixed multitude follows Moses); Zech 14:4 (future events at Mount of Olives); Phil 2:30 (risk life for gospel work).

2 Samuel 15:24-29

And Abiathar came up, and behold, Zadok also came with all the Levites, bearing the ark of the covenant of God... But 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 let me see both it and his dwelling place. But if he says, ‘I have no pleasure in you,’ behold, here I am, let him do to me what seems good to him.”

In-depth-analysis

"bearing the ark": Zadok and the Levites believe the Ark's presence will secure God’s favor and victory for David, much like the Israelites thought in 1 Samuel 4. They treat it as a symbol of power to be wielded.
"Carry the ark of God back": This is a moment of profound spiritual maturity for David. He refuses to use the Ark as a religious talisman or to force God's hand. He distinguishes between the symbol of God's presence (the Ark) and the sovereign will of God himself.
"If I find favor... But if he says...": David completely submits himself to God’s sovereign will. He acknowledges that his suffering is a just consequence and places his future entirely in God’s hands. This raw statement of faith—"let him do to me what seems good to him"—is the posture of a truly repentant heart, contrasting sharply with King Saul's reactions to God's discipline. He trusts the God of the Ark, not the Ark of God.

Bible references

1 Samuel 4:3-4: '...let us bring the ark... that it may save us from the hand of our enemies.' (The folly David explicitly avoids, as Israel learned this lesson through a devastating defeat).
Job 1:21: 'And he said, “Naked I came... and naked shall I return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.”' (David expresses the same heart of submission to God’s sovereignty as Job).
Hebrews 12:7: 'It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons...' (David understands that his trial is a form of divine discipline, not just political misfortune).

Cross references

Numbers 4:15 (Levites to carry Ark); 1 Chr 15:2 (Only Levites to carry Ark); Lam 3:25-26 (hope in God's will); Matt 26:39 (Christ's prayer: "not as I will, but as you will").

2 Samuel 15:30-37

But David went up the ascent of the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went, barefoot and with his head covered. And all the people who were with him covered their heads, and they went up, weeping as they went. And it was told David, “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” And David said, “O LORD, please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.” ... David said to him [Hushai], “...if you return to the city and say to Absalom, ‘I will be your servant, O king...' then you will defeat for me the counsel of Ahithophel.”

In-depth-analysis

Mount of Olives, weeping, barefoot, head covered: These are all culturally understood signs of intense grief, mourning, and humiliation. David is not hiding his pain or his repentance. This ascent of Olivet is a poignant "anti-triumphal entry."
The Prayer: Upon hearing of Ahithophel's betrayal, David's first instinct is to pray. His prayer is short, direct, and specific: "O LORD, please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness." It is a prayer of desperation but also of faith that God can intervene in the plans of men.
Hushai the Archite: Immediately after praying, David acts. God provides Hushai, a loyal friend. David devises a counter-espionage plan, sending Hushai to pretend to defect, with the specific goal of frustrating Ahithophel's counsel. This demonstrates a mature faith that combines absolute reliance on God (prayer) with wise, Spirit-led human action. He prays for God to do something, then makes himself an instrument in God's hand to bring it about.

Bible references

2 Samuel 17:14: '...Absalom and all the men of Israel said, "The counsel of Hushai... is better than the counsel of Ahithophel." For the LORD had ordained to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel...' (The direct answer to David's prayer in verse 31).
Luke 22:41-44: '...he withdrew from them about a stone's throw, and knelt down and prayed... in anguish...' (Jesus' own agony would take place on the same Mount of Olives, submitting to the Father's will).
Jeremiah 14:3-4: '...they are ashamed and confounded and cover their heads.' (Head covering as a public sign of shame and disaster).

Cross references

Ezekiel 24:17 (mourning signs); Esther 6:12 (Haman with covered head); Neh 4:9 ("we prayed to our God and set a guard"); Mark 11:1-11 (Jesus' triumphal entry over the Mount of Olives).

2 Samuel chapter 15 analysis

Fulfillment of Prophecy: The entire chapter is the direct consequence and fulfillment of Nathan's words in 2 Samuel 12:11: "Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house." The chaos is not random; it is the ordained consequence of David's sin.
Typology of Christ: David's experience in this chapter serves as a remarkable type of Christ.
- He is the rightful king, yet rejected by his own people.
- He is betrayed by a close and trusted counselor (Ahithophel/Judas).
- He leaves Jerusalem and crosses the Kidron Valley in sorrow (John 18:1).
- He ascends the Mount of Olives weeping (cf. Luke 19:41).
- His suffering leads to his eventual restoration, prefiguring Christ's path through suffering to glory.
Faithfulness and Unfaithfulness: The chapter is a study in contrasts. The treachery of David's own son and counselor is set against the surprising and staunch loyalty of foreigners like Ittai the Gittite. It demonstrates that relationship to God is a matter of the heart's allegiance, not bloodline or nationality.
Biblical Completion: David’s simple prayer in 15:31, “turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness,” finds its explicit fulfillment in 2 Samuel 17:14. Ahithophel, whose counsel was like God's oracle, gives perfect military advice that would have destroyed David. But Absalom is swayed by Hushai's flawed, flattering counsel "for the LORD had ordained to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel." This leads directly to Ahithophel’s suicide (2 Sam 17:23).

2 Samuel 15 summary

With cunning and calculated deceit, Absalom spends four years stealing the loyalty of Israel from his father, King David. Using a religious vow as a pretext, he goes to the historic city of Hebron and declares himself king, winning over even David’s most trusted advisor, Ahithophel. Recognizing this rebellion as God's judgment, David flees Jerusalem to spare the city. In a profound act of submission, he sends the Ark of the Covenant back, placing his fate entirely in God's hands. While weeping in humiliation on the Mount of Olives, David prays for God to thwart Ahithophel and then sends his loyal friend Hushai back as a counter-spy.

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2 Samuel 15 AI Image Audio and Video

2 Samuel chapter 15 kjv

¹ And it came to pass after this, that Absalom prepared him chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him.
² And Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate: and it was so, that when any man that had a controversy came 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.
³ And Absalom said unto him, See, thy matters are good and right; but there is no man deputed of the king to hear thee.
⁴ Absalom said moreover, Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man which hath any suit or cause might come unto me, and I would do him justice!
⁵ And it was so, that when any man came nigh to him to do him obeisance, he put forth his hand, and took him, and kissed him.
⁶ And on this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the king for judgment: so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.
⁷ And it came to pass after forty years, that Absalom said unto the king, I pray thee, let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed unto the LORD, in Hebron.
⁸ For thy servant vowed a vow while I abode at Geshur in Syria, saying, If the LORD shall bring me again indeed to Jerusalem, then I will serve the LORD.
⁹ And the king said unto him, Go in peace. So he arose, and went to Hebron.
¹⁰ But Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, As soon as ye hear the sound of the trumpet, then ye shall say, Absalom reigneth in Hebron.
¹¹ And with Absalom went two hundred men out of Jerusalem, that were called; and they went in their simplicity, and they knew not any thing.
¹² And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's counselor, from his city, even from Giloh, while he offered sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong; for the people increased continually with Absalom.
¹³ And there came a messenger to David, saying, The hearts of the men of Israel are after Absalom.
¹⁴ And David said unto all his servants that were with him at Jerusalem, Arise, and let us flee; for we shall not else escape from Absalom: make speed to depart, lest he overtake us suddenly, and bring evil upon us, and smite the city with the edge of the sword.
¹⁵ And the king's servants said unto the king, Behold, thy servants are ready to do whatsoever my lord the king shall appoint.
¹⁶ And the king went forth, and all his household after him. And the king left ten women, which were concubines, to keep the house.
¹⁷ And the king went forth, and all the people after him, and tarried in a place that was far off.
¹⁸ And all his servants passed on beside him; and all the Cherethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, six hundred men which came after him from Gath, passed on before the king.
¹⁹ Then said the king to Ittai 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.
²⁰ Whereas thou camest but yesterday, should I this day make thee go up and down with us? seeing I go whither I may, return thou, and take back thy brethren: mercy and truth be with thee.
²¹ And Ittai answered the king, and said, As the LORD liveth, and as my lord the king liveth, surely in what place my lord the king shall be, whether in death or life, even there also will thy servant be.
²² And David said to Ittai, Go and pass over. And Ittai the Gittite passed over, and all his men, and all the little ones that were with him.
²³ And 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.
²⁴ And lo Zadok also, and all the Levites were 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 done passing out of the city.
²⁵ And the king said unto Zadok, Carry back the ark of God into the city: if I shall find favor in the eyes of the LORD, he will bring me again, and show me both it, and his habitation:
²⁶ But if he thus say, I have no delight in thee; behold, here am I, let him do to me as seemeth good unto him.
²⁷ The king said also unto Zadok the priest, Art not thou a seer? return into the city in peace, and your two sons with you, Ahimaaz thy son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar.
²⁸ See, I will tarry in the plain of the wilderness, until there come word from you to certify me.
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 mount Olivet, and wept as he went up, and had 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.
³¹ And one told David, saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. And David said, O LORD, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.
³² And it came to pass, that when David was come to the top of the mount, where he worshipped God, behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his coat rent, and earth upon his head:
³³ Unto whom David said, If thou passest on with me, then thou shalt be a burden unto me:
³⁴ But if thou return to the city, and say unto Absalom, I 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.
³⁵ And hast thou not there with thee Zadok and Abiathar the priests? therefore it shall be, that what thing soever thou shalt hear out of the king's house, thou shalt tell it to Zadok and Abiathar the priests.
³⁶ Behold, they have there 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.
³⁷ So Hushai David's friend came into the city, and Absalom came into Jerusalem.

2 Samuel chapter 15 nkjv

¹ After this it happened that Absalom provided himself with chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him.
² Now 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."
³ Then Absalom would say to him, "Look, your case is good and right; but there is no deputy of the king to hear you."
⁴ Moreover 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."
⁵ And 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.
⁶ In this manner Absalom acted toward all Israel who came to the king for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.
⁷ Now 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.
⁸ For 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.' "
⁹ And the king said to him, "Go in peace." So he arose and went to Hebron.
¹⁰ Then 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!' "
¹¹ And with Absalom went two hundred men invited from Jerusalem, and they went along innocently and did not know anything.
¹² Then 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.
¹³ Now a messenger came to David, saying, "The hearts of the men of Israel are with Absalom."
¹⁴ So 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."
¹⁵ And the king's servants said to the king, "We are your servants, ready to do whatever my lord the king commands."
¹⁶ Then the king went out with all his household after him. But the king left ten women, concubines, to keep the house.
¹⁷ And the king went out with all the people after him, and stopped at the outskirts.
¹⁸ Then 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.
¹⁹ Then 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.
²⁰ In 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."
²¹ But 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."
²² So 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.
²³ And 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.
²⁴ There 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.
²⁵ Then 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.
²⁶ But if He says thus: 'I have no delight in you,' here I am, let Him do to me as seems good to Him."
²⁷ The 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.
²⁸ See, I will wait in the plains of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me."
²⁹ Therefore Zadok and Abiathar carried the ark of God back to Jerusalem. And they remained there.
³⁰ So 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.
³¹ Then 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!"
³² Now 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.
³³ David said to him, "If you go on with me, then you will become a burden to me.
³⁴ But 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.
³⁵ And 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.
³⁶ Indeed 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."
³⁷ So Hushai, David's friend, went into the city. And Absalom came into Jerusalem.

2 Samuel chapter 15 niv

¹ In the course of time, Absalom provided himself with a chariot and horses and with fifty men to run ahead of him.
² He would get up early and stand by the side of the road leading to the city gate. Whenever anyone came with a complaint to be placed before the king for a decision, Absalom would call out to him, "What town are you from?" He would answer, "Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel."
³ Then Absalom would say to him, "Look, your claims are valid and proper, but there is no representative of the king to hear you."
⁴ And Absalom would add, "If only I were appointed judge in the land! Then everyone who has a complaint or case could come to me and I would see that they receive justice."
⁵ Also, whenever anyone approached him to bow down before him, Absalom would reach out his hand, take hold of him and kiss him.
⁶ Absalom behaved in this way toward all the Israelites who came to the king asking for justice, and so he stole the hearts of the people of Israel.
⁷ At the end of four years, Absalom said to the king, "Let me go to Hebron and fulfill a vow I made to the LORD.
⁸ While your servant was living at Geshur in Aram, I made this vow: 'If the LORD takes me back to Jerusalem, I will worship the LORD in Hebron.'?"
⁹ The king said to him, "Go in peace." So he went to Hebron.
¹⁰ Then Absalom sent secret messengers throughout the tribes of Israel to say, "As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpets, then say, 'Absalom is king in Hebron.'?"
¹¹ Two hundred men from Jerusalem had accompanied Absalom. They had been invited as guests and went quite innocently, knowing nothing about the matter.
¹² While Absalom was offering sacrifices, he also sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's counselor, to come from Giloh, his hometown. And so the conspiracy gained strength, and Absalom's following kept on increasing.
¹³ A messenger came and told David, "The hearts of the people of Israel are with Absalom."
¹⁴ Then David said to all his officials who were with him in Jerusalem, "Come! We must flee, or none of us will escape from Absalom. We must leave immediately, or he will move quickly to overtake us and bring ruin on us and put the city to the sword."
¹⁵ The king's officials answered him, "Your servants are ready to do whatever our lord the king chooses."
¹⁶ The king set out, with his entire household following him; but he left ten concubines to take care of the palace.
¹⁷ So the king set out, with all the people following him, and they halted at the edge of the city.
¹⁸ All his men marched past him, along with all the Kerethites and Pelethites; and all the six hundred Gittites who had accompanied him from Gath marched before the king.
¹⁹ The king said to Ittai the Gittite, "Why should you come along with us? Go back and stay with King Absalom. You are a foreigner, an exile from your homeland.
²⁰ You came only yesterday. And today shall I make you wander about with us, when I do not know where I am going? Go back, and take your people with you. May the LORD show you kindness and faithfulness."
²¹ But Ittai replied to the king, "As surely as the LORD lives, and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king may be, whether it means life or death, there will your servant be."
²² David said to Ittai, "Go ahead, march on." So Ittai the Gittite marched on with all his men and the families that were with him.
²³ The whole countryside wept aloud as all the people passed by. The king also crossed the Kidron Valley, and all the people moved on toward the wilderness.
²⁴ Zadok was there, too, and all the Levites who were with him were carrying the ark of the covenant of God. They set down the ark of God, and Abiathar offered sacrifices until all the people had finished leaving the city.
²⁵ Then the king said to Zadok, "Take the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the LORD's eyes, he will bring me back and let me see it and his dwelling place again.
²⁶ But if he says, 'I am not pleased with you,' then I am ready; let him do to me whatever seems good to him."
²⁷ The king also said to Zadok the priest, "Do you understand? Go back to the city with my blessing. Take your son Ahimaaz with you, and also Abiathar's son Jonathan. You and Abiathar return with your two sons.
²⁸ I will wait at the fords in the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me."
²⁹ So Zadok and Abiathar took the ark of God back to Jerusalem and stayed there.
³⁰ But David continued up the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went; his head was covered and he was barefoot. All the people with him covered their heads too and were weeping as they went up.
³¹ Now David had been told, "Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom." So David prayed, "LORD, turn Ahithophel's counsel into foolishness."
³² When David arrived at the summit, where people used to worship God, Hushai the Arkite was there to meet him, his robe torn and dust on his head.
³³ David said to him, "If you go with me, you will be a burden to me.
³⁴ But if you return to the city and say to Absalom, 'Your Majesty, I will be your servant; I was your father's servant in the past, but now I will be your servant,' then you can help me by frustrating Ahithophel's advice.
³⁵ Won't the priests Zadok and Abiathar be there with you? Tell them anything you hear in the king's palace.
³⁶ Their two sons, Ahimaaz son of Zadok and Jonathan son of Abiathar, are there with them. Send them to me with anything you hear."
³⁷ So Hushai, David's confidant, arrived at Jerusalem as Absalom was entering the city.

2 Samuel chapter 15 esv

¹ After this Absalom got himself a chariot and horses, and fifty men to run before him.
² And Absalom used to rise early and stand beside the way of the gate. And when any man had a dispute to come before the king for judgment, Absalom would call to him and say, "From what city are you?" And when he said, "Your servant is of such and such a tribe in Israel,"
³ Absalom would say to him, "See, your claims are good and right, but there is no man designated by the king to hear you."
⁴ Then Absalom would say, "Oh that I were judge in the land! Then every man with a dispute or cause might come to me, and I would give him justice."
⁵ And whenever a man came near to pay homage to him, he would put out his hand and take hold of him and kiss him.
⁶ Thus Absalom did to all of Israel who came to the king for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.
⁷ And at the end of four years Absalom said to the king, "Please let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed to the LORD, in Hebron.
⁸ For your servant vowed a vow while I lived at Geshur in Aram, saying, 'If the LORD will indeed bring me back to Jerusalem, then I will offer worship to the LORD.'"
⁹ The king said to him, "Go in peace." So he arose and went to Hebron.
¹⁰ But Absalom sent secret messengers throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, "As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then say, 'Absalom is king at Hebron!'"
¹¹ With Absalom went two hundred men from Jerusalem who were invited guests, and they went in their innocence and knew nothing.
¹² And while Absalom was offering the sacrifices, he sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's counselor, from his city Giloh. And the conspiracy grew strong, and the people with Absalom kept increasing.
¹³ And a messenger came to David, saying, "The hearts of the men of Israel have gone after Absalom."
¹⁴ Then David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, "Arise, and let us flee, or else there will be no escape for us from Absalom. Go quickly, lest he overtake us quickly and bring down ruin on us and strike the city with the edge of the sword."
¹⁵ And the king's servants said to the king, "Behold, your servants are ready to do whatever my lord the king decides."
¹⁶ So the king went out, and all his household after him. And the king left ten concubines to keep the house.
¹⁷ And the king went out, and all the people after him. And they halted at the last house.
¹⁸ And all his servants passed by him, and all the Cherethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the six hundred Gittites who had followed him from Gath, passed on before the king.
¹⁹ Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, "Why do you also go with us? Go back and stay with the king, for you are a foreigner and also an exile from your home.
²⁰ You came only yesterday, and shall I today make you wander about with us, since I go I know not where? Go back and take your brothers with you, and may the LORD show steadfast love and faithfulness to you."
²¹ But Ittai answered the king, "As the LORD lives, and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king shall be, whether for death or for life, there also will your servant be."
²² And David said to Ittai, "Go then, pass on." So Ittai the Gittite passed on with all his men and all the little ones who were with him.
²³ And all the land wept aloud as all the people passed by, and the king crossed the brook Kidron, and all the people passed on toward the wilderness.
²⁴ And Abiathar came up, and behold, Zadok came also with all the Levites, bearing the ark of the covenant of God. And they set down the ark of God until the people had all passed out of the city.
²⁵ Then 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 let me see both it and his dwelling place.
²⁶ But if he says, 'I have no pleasure in you,' behold, here I am, let him do to me what seems good to him."
²⁷ The king also said to Zadok the priest, "Are you not a seer? Go back to the city in peace, with your two sons, Ahimaaz your son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar.
²⁸ See, I will wait at the fords of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me."
²⁹ So Zadok and Abiathar carried the ark of God back to Jerusalem, and they remained there.
³⁰ But David went up the ascent of the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went, barefoot and with his head covered. And all the people who were with him covered their heads, and they went up, weeping as they went.
³¹ And it was told David, "Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom." And David said, "O LORD, please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness."
³² While David was coming to the summit, where God was worshiped, behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his coat torn and dirt on his head.
³³ David said to him, "If you go on with me, you will be a burden to me.
³⁴ But if you return to the city and say to Absalom, 'I will be your servant, O king; as I have been your father's servant in time past, so now I will be your servant,' then you will defeat for me the counsel of Ahithophel.
³⁵ Are not Zadok and Abiathar the priests with you there? So whatever you hear from the king's house, tell it to Zadok and Abiathar the priests.
³⁶ Behold, their two sons are with them there, Ahimaaz, Zadok's son, and Jonathan, Abiathar's son, and by them you shall send to me everything you hear."
³⁷ So Hushai, David's friend, came into the city, just as Absalom was entering Jerusalem.

2 Samuel chapter 15 nlt

¹ After this, Absalom bought a chariot and horses, and he hired fifty bodyguards to run ahead of him.
² He got up early every morning and went out to the gate of the city. When people brought a case to the king for judgment, Absalom would ask where in Israel they were from, and they would tell him their tribe.
³ Then Absalom would say, "You've really got a strong case here! It's too bad the king doesn't have anyone to hear it.
⁴ I wish I were the judge. Then everyone could bring their cases to me for judgment, and I would give them justice!"
⁵ When people tried to bow before him, Absalom wouldn't let them. Instead, he took them by the hand and kissed them.
⁶ Absalom did this with everyone who came to the king for judgment, and so he stole the hearts of all the people of Israel.
⁷ After four years, Absalom said to the king, "Let me go to Hebron to offer a sacrifice to the LORD and fulfill a vow I made to him.
⁸ For while your servant was at Geshur in Aram, I promised to sacrifice to the LORD in Hebron if he would bring me back to Jerusalem."
⁹ "All right," the king told him. "Go and fulfill your vow." So Absalom went to Hebron.
¹⁰ But while he was there, he sent secret messengers to all the tribes of Israel to stir up a rebellion against the king. "As soon as you hear the ram's horn," his message read, "you are to say, 'Absalom has been crowned king in Hebron.'"
¹¹ He took 200 men from Jerusalem with him as guests, but they knew nothing of his intentions.
¹² While Absalom was offering the sacrifices, he sent for Ahithophel, one of David's counselors who lived in Giloh. Soon many others also joined Absalom, and the conspiracy gained momentum.
¹³ A messenger soon arrived in Jerusalem to tell David, "All Israel has joined Absalom in a conspiracy against you!"
¹⁴ "Then we must flee at once, or it will be too late!" David urged his men. "Hurry! If we get out of the city before Absalom arrives, both we and the city of Jerusalem will be spared from disaster."
¹⁵ "We are with you," his advisers replied. "Do what you think is best."
¹⁶ So the king and all his household set out at once. He left no one behind except ten of his concubines to look after the palace.
¹⁷ The king and all his people set out on foot, pausing at the last house
¹⁸ to let all the king's men move past to lead the way. There were 600 men from Gath who had come with David, along with the king's bodyguard.
¹⁹ Then the king turned and said to Ittai, a leader of the men from Gath, "Why are you coming with us? Go on back to King Absalom, for you are a guest in Israel, a foreigner in exile.
²⁰ You arrived only recently, and should I force you today to wander with us? I don't even know where we will go. Go on back and take your kinsmen with you, and may the LORD show you his unfailing love and faithfulness. "
²¹ But Ittai said to the king, "I vow by the LORD and by your own life that I will go wherever my lord the king goes, no matter what happens ? whether it means life or death."
²² David replied, "All right, come with us." So Ittai and all his men and their families went along.
²³ Everyone cried loudly as the king and his followers passed by. They crossed the Kidron Valley and then went out toward the wilderness.
²⁴ Zadok and all the Levites also came along, carrying the Ark of the Covenant of God. They set down the Ark of God, and Abiathar offered sacrifices until everyone had passed out of the city.
²⁵ Then the king instructed Zadok to take the Ark of God back into the city. "If the LORD sees fit," David said, "he will bring me back to see the Ark and the Tabernacle again.
²⁶ But if he is through with me, then let him do what seems best to him."
²⁷ The king also told Zadok the priest, "Look, here is my plan. You and Abiathar should return quietly to the city with your son Ahimaaz and Abiathar's son Jonathan.
²⁸ I will stop at the shallows of the Jordan River and wait there for a report from you."
²⁹ So Zadok and Abiathar took the Ark of God back to the city and stayed there.
³⁰ David walked up the road to the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went. His head was covered and his feet were bare as a sign of mourning. And the people who were with him covered their heads and wept as they climbed the hill.
³¹ When someone told David that his adviser Ahithophel was now backing Absalom, David prayed, "O LORD, let Ahithophel give Absalom foolish advice!"
³² When David reached the summit of the Mount of Olives where people worshiped God, Hushai the Arkite was waiting there for him. Hushai had torn his clothing and put dirt on his head as a sign of mourning.
³³ But David told him, "If you go with me, you will only be a burden.
³⁴ Return to Jerusalem and tell Absalom, 'I will now be your adviser, O king, just as I was your father's adviser in the past.' Then you can frustrate and counter Ahithophel's advice.
³⁵ Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, will be there. Tell them about the plans being made in the king's palace,
³⁶ and they will send their sons Ahimaaz and Jonathan to tell me what is going on."
³⁷ So David's friend Hushai returned to Jerusalem, getting there just as Absalom arrived.