2. Krallar (2. Samuel) 15

¹Bundan sonra şöyle oldu: Abşalom kendisi için arabalar, atlar ve önünde koşacak elli adam edindi.

²Abşalom sabah erkenden kalkar ve kapı yolunun kenarında dururdu; davası olup da hüküm verilmesi için krala giden her adama seslenir, "Hangi şehirdensin?" diye sorardı. Adam da, "Kulun İsrail oymaklarından birindendir" derdi.

³Abşalom ona şöyle derdi: "Bak, senin davaların iyi ve uygun, ama kral katında seni dinleyecek hiç kimse yok."

⁴Ve Abşalom eklerdi: "Beni bu ülkede kim yargıç tayin edecek ki, davası ya da uyuşmazlığı olan herkes bana gelsin ve ben de ona adalet sağlayayım?"

⁵Biri kendisine önünde yere kapanıp selam vermek için yaklaştığında, Abşalom elini uzatır, onu tutar ve öperdi.

⁶Abşalom, krala dava için gelen bütün İsraillilere bu tarzda davranırdı; böylece Abşalom İsrail halkının yüreğini kendine mal ediyordu.

⁷Kırk yılın sonunda Abşalom babasına şöyle dedi: "İzin ver, Hevron'a gidip Rab'be adadığım adağımı yerine getireyim."

⁸"Çünkü kulun Suriye'deki Geşur'da yaşarken bir adak adamış ve 'Eğer Rab beni gerçekten Yeruşalim'e geri götürürse, Rab'be tapınacağım' demişti."

⁹Kral ona, "Esenlikle git" dedi. O da kalkıp Hevron'a gitti.

¹⁰Ancak Abşalom bütün İsrail oymaklarına casuslar göndererek şöyle dedi: "Boru sesini işitir işitmez, 'Abşalom Hevron'da kral oldu!' diye ilan edin."

¹¹Abşalom'la birlikte Yeruşalim'den davetli iki yüz kişi gitti; bunlar hiçbir şeyden habersiz, kendi safiyetleri içinde gitmişlerdi.

¹²Abşalom kurban sunarken, Davut'un danışmanı Gilonlu Ahitofel'i kendi kenti Gilo'dan çağırttı. Böylece güçlü bir komplo oluştu ve Abşalom'un yanındaki halkın sayısı giderek arttı.

¹³Davut'a bir haberci gelip şöyle dedi: "İsrail halkının yüreği Abşalom'un arkasından gitmektedir."

¹⁴Bunun üzerine Davut, Yeruşalim'de yanında bulunan bütün görevlilerine şöyle dedi: "Kalkın, kaçalım! Yoksa hiçbirimiz Abşalom'un elinden kurtulamayız. Acele edin, yoksa hızla gelip bize yetişir, üzerimize felaket getirir ve şehri kılıçtan geçirir."

¹⁵Kralın görevlileri krala, "Efendimiz kral neyi seçerse, biz kulları hazırız" dediler.

¹⁶Böylece kral ve bütün ev halkı yayan olarak yola çıktı. Kral, sarayı korumaları için on cariyesini geride bıraktı.

¹⁷Kral ve yanındaki bütün görevlileri yayan olarak yola çıkıp uzaktaki bir evde durdular.

¹⁸Bütün görevlileri onun yanından geçiyordu; tüm Keretliler, tüm Peletliler ve çöldeki zeytin ağacının yanında durdular. Onunla birlikte yürüyen tüm halk, tüm saray halkı, tüm yiğitler ve kılıç kuşanmış altı yüz savaşçı onun yanındaydı. Tüm Keretliler, tüm Peletliler ve Gat'tan yayan olarak gelmiş olan altı yüz Gatlı kralın önünden geçip gittiler.

¹⁹Kral, Gatlı İttay'a şöyle dedi: "Sen neden bizimle geliyorsun? Geri dön ve yeni kralla kal; çünkü sen bir yabancısın ve kendi memleketinden sürgün edilmişsin."

²⁰"Daha dün geldin, bugün seni bizimle birlikte göçebe gibi dolaştırayım mı? Ben nereye gideceğimi bilmeden gidiyorum. Sen geri dön, kardeşlerini de yanına al; Rab sana merhamet ve sadakat göstersin."

²¹İttay krala şöyle yanıt verdi: "Yaşayan Rab'bin adıyla ve efendim kralın hayatı hakkı için derim ki, efendim kral nerede olursa olsun, ister ölümde ister yaşamda, kulun da orada olacaktır."

²²Bunun üzerine kral İttay'a, "Öyleyse geç, önümden yürü" dedi. Böylece Gatlı İttay, yanındaki bütün adamları ve çocuklarıyla birlikte geçip gitti.

²³Bütün ülke yüksek sesle ağlıyordu. Tüm halk Kidron Vadisi'nden geçti; kral da Kidron Vadisi'ni geçti ve tüm halk çöle giden yola doğru ilerledi.

²⁴Sadok da oradaydı; yanındaki bütün Levililerle birlikte Tanrı'nın Antlaşma Sandığı'nı taşıyorlardı. Tanrı'nın Sandığı'nı yere koydular. Bütün halk şehirden çıkıp geçene kadar Aviyatar kurban sundu.

²⁵Kral Sadok'a şöyle dedi: "Tanrı'nın Sandığı'nı şehre geri götür. Eğer Rab'bin gözünde lütuf bulursam, O beni geri getirecek, sandığı da, onun görkemini de bana yeniden gösterecektir."

²⁶"But if he says, 'I have no pleasure in you,' behold, here I am, let him do to me what seems good in his eyes."

²⁷Kral Kâhin Sadok'a şöyle dedi: "Bakın, şehre esenlikle dönün; oğlun Ahimaas ile Aviyatar'ın oğlu Yonatan, iki oğlunuz da sizinle olsun."

²⁸"Bakın, sizden bana haber getirecek bir söz gelene kadar ben çölün geçitlerinde bekleyeceğim."

²⁹Böylece Sadok ile Aviyatar Tanrı'nın Sandığı'nı Yeruşalim'e geri götürdüler ve orada kaldılar.

³⁰Davut ise Zeytinlik Dağı'nın yokuşundan ağlaya ağlaya çıkıyordu; başı örtülüydü ve yalınayak yürüyordu. Yanındaki bütün halk da başlarını örtmüş, ağlaya ağlaya yukarı çıkıyordu.

³¹Davut'a, "Ahitofel de Abşalom'la birlikte komplo kuranların arasındadır" diye bildirildi. Bunun üzerine Davut, "Ey Rab Tanrım, lütfen Ahitofel'in öğüdünü boşa çıkar!" dedi.

³²Davut Tanrı'ya tapındığı tepeye ulaştığında, Davut'un yakın dostu Arkalı Huşay, giysisi yırtılmış ve başı toprak içinde onu karşılamaya geldi.

³³Davut ona şöyle dedi: "Eğer benimle gelirsen, bana yük olursun."

³⁴"Ama şehre döner ve Abşalom'a, 'Kardeşlerin geçti, baban olan kral da arkamdan geçti; şimdi senin kulunum ey kral, yaşamama izin ver; daha önce babanın kuluydum, şimdi ise senin kulunum' dersen, Ahitofel'in öğüdünü benim için boşa çıkarabilirsin."

³⁵"Kâhin Sadok ile Aviyatar da orada seninle olacaklar. Kralın sarayından duyacağın her şeyi kâhin Sadok ile Aviyatar'a bildireceksin."

³⁶"İşte, onların iki oğlu da yanlarındadır: Sadok'un oğlu Ahimaas ve Aviyatar'ın oğlu Yonatan. Duyacağınız her haberi onlar aracılığıyla bana ulaştırırsınız."

³⁷Böylece Davut'un dostu Huşay şehre girdi; Abşalom da tam o sırada Yeruşalim'e girmekteydi.

¹ΚΑΙ ἐγένετο μετὰ ταῦτα καὶ ἐποίησεν ἑαυτῷ ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ ἅρματα καὶ ἵππους καὶ πεντήκοντα ἄνδρας παρατρέχειν ἔμπροσθεν αὐτοῦ.

²καὶ ὤρθρισεν ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ καὶ ἔστη ἀνὰ χεῖρας τῆς ὁδοῦ τῆς πύλης καὶ ἐγένετο πᾶς ἀνήρ, ᾧ ἐγένετο κρίσις, ἦλθε πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα εἰς κρίσιν, καὶ ἐβόησε πρὸς αὐτὸν ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ καὶ ἔλεγεν αὐτῷ· ἐκ ποίας πόλεως σὺ εἶ; καὶ εἶπεν· ἐκ μιᾶς φυλῶν ᾿Ισραὴλ ὁ δοῦλός σου.

³καὶ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁ ᾿Αβεσσαλώμ· ἰδοὺ οἱ λόγοι σου ἀγαθοὶ καὶ εὔκολοι, καὶ ὁ ἀκούων οὐκ ἔστι σοι παρὰ τοῦ βασιλέως.

⁴καὶ εἶπεν ᾿Αβεσσαλώμ· τίς με καταστήσει κριτὴν ἐν τῇ γῇ, καὶ ἐπ’ ἐμὲ ἐλεύσεται πᾶς ἀνήρ, ᾧ ἐὰν ᾖ ἀντιλογία καὶ κρίσις, καὶ δικαιώσω αὐτόν;

⁵καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν τῷ ἐγγίζειν ἄνδρα τοῦ προσκυνῆσαι αὐτῷ καὶ ἐξέτεινε τὴν χεῖρα αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐπελαμβάνετο αὐτοῦ καὶ κατεφίλησεν αὐτόν.

⁶καὶ ἐποίησεν ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ κατὰ τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο παντὶ ᾿Ισραὴλ τοῖς παραγινομένοις εἰς κρίσιν πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα, καὶ ἰδιοποιεῖτο ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ τὴν καρδίαν ἀνδρῶν ᾿Ισραήλ.

⁷καὶ ἐγένετο ἀπὸ τέλους τεσσαράκοντα ἐτῶν καὶ εἶπεν ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ πρὸς τὸν πατέρα αὐτοῦ· πορεύσομαι δὴ καὶ ἀποτίσω τὰς εὐχάς μου, ἃς ηὐξάμην τῷ Κυρίῳ ἐν Χεβρών·

⁸ὅτι εὐχὴν ηὔξατο ὁ δοῦλός σου ἐν τῷ οἰκεῖν με ἐν Γεδσοὺρ ἐν Συρίᾳ λέγων· ἐὰν ἐπιστρέφων ἐπιστρέψῃ με Κύριος εἰς ῾Ιερουσαλήμ, καὶ λατρεύσω τῷ Κυρίῳ.

⁹καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ ὁ βασιλεύς· βάδιζε εἰς εἰρήνην· καὶ ἀναστὰς ἐπορεύθη εἰς Χεβρών.

¹⁰καὶ ἀπέστειλεν ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ κατασκόπους ἐν πάσαις φυλαῖς ᾿Ισραὴλ λέγων· ἐν τῷ ἀκοῦσαι ὑμᾶς τὴν φωνὴν τῆς κερατίνης καὶ ἐρεῖτε· βεβασίλευκε βασιλεὺς ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ ἐν Χεβρών.

¹¹καὶ μετὰ ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ ἐπορεύθησαν διακόσιοι ἄνδρες ἐξ ῾Ιερουσαλὴμ κλητοὶ καὶ πορευόμενοι τῇ ἁπλότητι αὐτῶν καὶ οὐκ ἔγνωσαν πᾶν ρῆμα.

¹²καὶ ἀπέστειλεν ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ καὶ ἐκάλεσε τὸν ᾿Αχιτόφελ τὸν Γελμωναῖον τὸν σύμβουλον Δαυὶδ ἐκ τῆς πόλεως αὐτοῦ ἐκ Γωλὰ ἐν τῷ θυσιάζειν αὐτόν. καὶ ἐγένετο σύστρεμμα ἰσχυρόν, καὶ ὁ λαὸς ὁ πορευόμενος καὶ πολὺς μετὰ ᾿Αβεσσαλώμ.

¹³καὶ παρεγένετο ὁ ἀπαγγέλλων πρὸς Δαυὶδ λέγων· ἐγενήθη ἡ καρδία ἀνδρῶν ᾿Ισραὴλ ὀπίσω ᾿Αβεσσαλώμ.

¹⁴καὶ εἶπε Δαυὶδ πᾶσι τοῖς παισὶν αὐτοῦ τοῖς μετ’ αὐτοῦ τοῖς ἐν ῾Ιερουσαλήμ· ἀνάστητε καὶ φύγωμεν, ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν ἡμῖν σωτηρία ἀπὸ προσώπου ᾿Αβεσσαλώμ· ταχύνατε τοῦ πορευθῆναι, ἵνα μὴ ταχύνῃ καὶ καταλάβῃ ἡμᾶς καὶ ἐξώσῃ ἐφ’ ἡμᾶς τὴν κακίαν καὶ πατάξῃ τὴν πόλιν ἐν στόματι μαχαίρας.

¹⁵καὶ εἶπον οἱ παῖδες τοῦ βασιλέως πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα· κατὰ πάντα, ὅσα αἱρεῖται ὁ κύριος ἡμῶν ὁ βασιλεύς, ἰδοὺ οἱ παῖδές σου.

¹⁶καὶ ἐξῆλθεν ὁ βασιλεὺς καὶ πᾶς ὁ οἶκος αὐτοῦ τοῖς ποσὶν αὐτῶν· καὶ ἀφῆκεν ὁ βασιλεὺς δέκα γυναῖκας τῶν παλλακῶν αὐτοῦ φυλάσσειν τὸν οἶκον.

¹⁷καὶ ἐξῆλθεν ὁ βασιλεὺς καὶ πάντες οἱ παῖδες αὐτοῦ πεζῇ καὶ ἔστησαν ἐν οἴκῳ τῷ μακράν.

¹⁸καὶ πάντες οἱ παῖδες αὐτοῦ ἀνὰ χεῖρα αὐτοῦ παρῆγον καὶ πᾶς Χελεθὶ καὶ πᾶς ὁ Φελεθὶ καὶ ἔστησαν ἐπὶ τῆς ἐλαίας ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ· καὶ πᾶς ὁ λαὸς παρεπορεύετο ἐχόμενος αὐτοῦ καὶ πάντες οἱ περὶ αὐτὸν καὶ πάντες οἱ ἁδροὶ καὶ πάντες οἱ μαχηταὶ ἑξακόσιοι ἄνδρες, καὶ παρῆσαν ἐπὶ χεῖρα αὐτοῦ· καὶ πᾶς ὁ Χελεθὶ καὶ πᾶς ὁ Φελεθὶ καὶ πάντες οἱ Γεθθαῖοι, οἱ ἑξακόσιοι ἄνδρες οἱ ἐλθόντες τοῖς ποσὶν αὐτῶν ἐκ Γέθ, πορευόμενοι ἐπὶ πρόσωπον τοῦ βασιλέως.

¹⁹καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεὺς πρὸς ᾿Εθὶ τὸν Γεθθαῖον· ἱνατί πορεύῃ καὶ σὺ μεθ’ ἡμῶν; ἐπίστρεφε καὶ οἴκει μετὰ τοῦ βασιλέως, ὅτι ξένος εἶ σὺ καὶ ὅτι μετῴκησας σὺ ἐκ τοῦ τόπου σου.

²⁰εἰ ἐχθὲς παραγέγονας, καὶ σήμερον κινήσω σε μεθ’ ἡμῶν; καί γε μεταναστήσεις τὸν τόπον σου; ἐχθὲς ἡ ἐξέλευσίς σου, καὶ σήμερον μετακινήσω σε μεθ’ ἡμῶν τοῦ πορευθῆναι; καὶ ἐγὼ πορεύσομαι οὗ ἐὰν ἐγὼ πορευθῶ. ἐπιστρέφου καὶ ἐπίστρεψον τοὺς ἀδελφούς σου μετὰ σοῦ, καὶ Κύριος ποιήσει μετὰ σοῦ ἔλεος καὶ ἀλήθειαν.

²¹καὶ ἀπεκρίθη ᾿Εθθὶ τῷ βασιλεῖ καὶ εἶπε· ζῇ Κύριος καὶ ζῇ ὁ κύριός μου ὁ βασιλεύς, ὅτι εἰς τὸν τόπον, οὗ ἐὰν ᾖ ὁ κύριός μου, καὶ ἐὰν εἰς θάνατον καὶ ἐὰν εἰς ζωήν, ὅτι ἐκεῖ ἔσται ὁ δοῦλός σου.

²²καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεὺς πρὸς ᾿Εθθί· δεῦρο καὶ διάβαινε μετ’ ἐμοῦ· καὶ παρῆλθεν ᾿Εθθὶ ὁ Γεθθαῖος καὶ ὁ βασιλεὺς καὶ πάντες οἱ παῖδες αὐτοῦ καὶ πᾶς ὁ ὄχλος ὁ μετ’ αὐτοῦ.

²³καὶ πᾶσα ἡ γῆ ἔκλαιε φωνῇ μεγάλῃ. καὶ πᾶς ὁ λαὸς παρεπορεύοντο ἐν τῷ χειμάρρῳ τῶν Κέδρων, καὶ ὁ βασιλεὺς διέβη τὸν χειμάρρουν Κέδρων καὶ πᾶς ὁ λαὸς καὶ ὁ βασιλεὺς παρεπορεύοντο ἐπὶ πρόσωπον ὁδοῦ τὴν ἔρημον.

²⁴καὶ ἰδοὺ καί γε Σαδὼκ καὶ πάντες οἱ Λευῖται μετ’ αὐτοῦ αἴροντες τὴν κιβωτὸν διαθήκης Κυρίου ἀπὸ Βαιθὰρ καὶ ἔστησαν τὴν κιβωτὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ. καὶ ἀνέβη ᾿Αβιάθαρ, ἕως ἐπαύσατο πᾶς ὁ λαὸς παρελθεῖν ἐκ τῆς πόλεως.

²⁵καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεὺς πρὸς τὸν Σαδώκ· ἀπόστρεψον τὴν κιβωτὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ εἰς τὴν πόλιν· ἐὰν εὕρω χάριν ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς Κυρίου, καὶ ἐπιστρέψει με καὶ δείξει μοι αὐτήν καὶ τὴν εὐπρέπειαν αὐτῆς.

²⁶καὶ ἐὰν εἴπῃ οὕτως· οὐκ ἠθέληκα ἐν σοί, ἰδοὺ ἐγώ εἰμι, ποιείτω μοι κατὰ τὸ ἀγαθὸν ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς αὐτοῦ.

²⁷καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεὺς τῷ Σαδὼκ τῷ ἱερεῖ· ἴδετε, σὺ ἐπιστρέφεις εἰς τὴν πόλιν ἐν εἰρήνῃ, καὶ ᾿Αχιμάας ὁ υἱός σου καὶ ᾿Ιωνάθαν ὁ υἱὸς ᾿Αβιάθαρ οἱ δύο υἱοὶ ὑμῶν μεθ’ ὑμῶν·

²⁸ἴδετε, ἐγώ εἰμι στρατεύομαι ἐν ᾿Αραβὼθ τῆς ἐρήμου ἕως τοῦ ἐλθεῖν ρῆμα παρ’ ὑμῶν τοῦ ἀπαγγεῖλαί μοι.

²⁹καὶ ἀπέστρεψε Σαδὼκ καὶ ᾿Αβιάθαρ τὴν κιβωτὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ εἰς ῾Ιερουσαλὴμ καὶ ἐκάθισεν ἐκεῖ.

³⁰καὶ Δαυὶδ ἀνέβαινεν ἐν τῇ ἀναβάσει τῶν ἐλαιῶν ἀναβαίνων καὶ κλαίων καὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν ἐπικεκαλυμμένος, καὶ αὐτὸς ἐπορεύετο ἀνυπόδετος, καὶ πᾶς ὁ λαὸς ὁ μετ’ αὐτοῦ ἐπεκάλυψεν ἀνὴρ τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀνέβαινον ἀναβαίνοντες καὶ κλαίοντες.

³¹καὶ ἀνηγγέλη Δαυὶδ λέγοντες· καὶ ᾿Αχιτόφελ ἐν τοῖς συστρεφομένοις μετὰ ᾿Αβεσσαλώμ· καὶ εἶπε Δαυίδ· διασκέδασον δὴ τὴν βουλὴν ᾿Αχιτόφελ, Κύριε ὁ Θεός μου.

³²καὶ ἦν Δαυὶδ ἐρχόμενος ἕως τοῦ Ῥοώς, οὗ προσεκύνησεν ἐκεῖ τῷ Θεῷ, καὶ ἰδοὺ εἰς ἀπαντὴν αὐτῷ Χουσὶ ὁ ἀρχιεταῖρος Δαυὶδ διερρηχὼς τὸν χιτῶνα αὐτοῦ καὶ γῆ ἐπὶ τῆς κεφαλῆς αὐτοῦ.

³³καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Δαυίδ· ἐὰν μὲν διαβῇς μετ’ ἐμοῦ, καὶ ἔσῃ ἐπ’ ἐμὲ εἰς βάσταγμα·

³⁴καὶ ἐὰν ἐπιστρέψῃς ἐπὶ τὴν πόλιν, καὶ ἐρεῖς τῷ ᾿Αβεσσαλώμ· διεληλύθασιν οἱ ἀδελφοί σου, καὶ ὁ βασιλεὺς κατόπισθέν μου διελήλυθεν ὁ πατήρ σου, καὶ νῦν παῖς σού εἰμι, βασιλεῦ, ἔασόν με ζῆσαι, παῖς τοῦ πατρός σου ἤμην τότε καὶ ἀρτίως, καὶ νῦν ἐγὼ δοῦλος σός· καὶ διασκεδάσεις μοι τὴν βουλὴν ᾿Αχιτόφελ.

³⁵καὶ ἰδοὺ ἐκεῖ μετὰ σοῦ Σαδὼκ καὶ ᾿Αβιάθαρ οἱ ἱερεῖς, καὶ ἔσται πᾶν ρῆμα, ὃ ἐὰν ἀκούσῃς ἐξ οἴκου τοῦ βασιλέως, καὶ ἀπαγγελεῖς τῷ Σαδὼκ καὶ τῷ ᾿Αβιάθαρ τοῖς ἱερεῦσιν.

³⁶ἰδοὺ ἐκεῖ μετ’ αὐτῶν δύο υἱοὶ αὐτῶν, ᾿Αχιμάας υἱὸς τῷ Σαδὼκ καὶ ᾿Ιωνάθαν υἱὸς τῷ ᾿Αβιάθαρ, καὶ ἀποστελεῖτε ἐν χειρὶ αὐτῶν πρός με πᾶν ρῆμα, ὃ ἐὰν ἀκούσητε.

³⁷καὶ εἰσῆλθε Χουσὶ ὁ ἑταῖρος Δαυὶδ εἰς τὴν πόλιν, καὶ ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ ἄρτι εἰσεπορεύετο εἰς ῾Ιερουσαλήμ. * Brenton: τῷ Θεκωνὶ

¹And it came to pass after this that Abessalom prepared for himself chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him.

²And Abessalom rose early, and stood by the side of the way of the gate: and it came to pass that every man who had a cause, came to the king for judgment, and Abessalom cried to him, and said to him, Of what city art thou? And he said, Thy servant [is] of one of the tribes of Israel.

³And Abessalom said to him, See, thy affairs [are] right and clear, yet thou hast no one [appointed] of the king to hear thee.

⁴And Abessalom said, O that one would make me a judge in the land; then every man who had a dispute or a cause would come to me, and I would judge him!

⁵And it came to pass when a man came near to do him obeisance, that he stretched out his hand, and took hold of him, and kissed him.

⁶And Abessalom did after this manner to all Israel that came to the king for judgment; and Abessalom gained the hearts of the men of Israel.

⁷And it came to pass after forty years, that Abessalom said to his father, I will go now, and pay my vows, which I vowed to the Lord in Chebron.

⁸For thy servant vowed a vow when I dwelt at Gedsur in Syria, saying, If the Lord should indeed restore me to Jerusalem, then will I serve the Lord.

⁹And the king said to him, Go in peace. And he arose and went to Chebron.

¹⁰And Abessalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, When ye hear the sound of the trumpet, then shall ye say, Abessalom is become king in Chebron.

¹¹And there went with Abessalom two hundred chosen men from Jerusalem; and they went in their simplicity, and knew not anything.

¹²And Abessalom sent to Achitophel the Theconite,* the counsellor of David, from his city, from Gola, where he was sacrificing: and there was a strong conspiracy; and the people with Abessalom were increasingly numerous.

¹³And there came a messenger to David, saying, the heart of the men of Israel is gone after Abessalom.

¹⁴And David said to all his servants who were with him in Jerusalem, Rise, and let us flee, for we have no refuge from Abessalom: make haste and go, lest he overtake us speedily, and bring evil upon us, and smite the city with the edge of the sword.

¹⁵And the king’s servants said to the king, In all things which our lord the king chooses, behold [we are] thy servants.

¹⁶And the king and all his house went out on foot: and the king left ten women of his concubines to keep the house.

¹⁷And the king and all his servants went out on foot; and abode in a distant house.

¹⁸And all his servants passed on by his side, and every Chelethite, and every Phelethite, and they stood by the olive tree in the wilderness: and all the people marched near him, and all his court, and all the men of might, and all the men of war, six hundred: and they were present at his side: and every Chelethite, and every Phelethite, and all the six hundred Gittites that came on foot out of Geth, and they went on before the king.

¹⁹And the king said to Ethi, the Gittite, Why dost thou also go with us? return, and dwell with the king, for thou art a stranger, and thou hast come forth as a sojourner out of thy place.

²⁰Whereas thou camest yesterday, shall I to-day cause thee to travel with us, and shalt thou [thus] change thy place? thou didst come forth yesterday, and to-day shall I set thee in motion to go along with us? I indeed will go whithersoever I may go: return then, and cause thy brethren to return with thee, and may the Lord deal mercifully and truly with thee.

²¹And Ethi answered the king and said, [As] the Lord lives and as my lord the king lives, in the place wheresoever my lord shall be, whether it be for death or life, there shall thy servant be.

²²And the king said to Ethi, Come and pass over with me. So Ethi the Gittite and the king passed over, and all his servants, and all the multitude with him.

²³And all the country wept with a loud voice. And all the people passed by over the brook of Kedron; and the king crossed the brook Kedron: and all the people and the king passed on toward the way of the wilderness.

²⁴And behold also Sadoc, and all the Levites were with him, bearing the ark of the covenant of the Lord from Baethar: and they set down the ark of God; and Abiathar went up, until all the people had passed out of the city.

²⁵And the king said to Sadoc, Carry back the ark of God into the city: if I should find favour in the eyes of the Lord, then will he bring me back, and he will shew me it and its beauty.

²⁶But if he should say thus, I have no pleasure in thee; behold, [here] I am, let him do to me according to that which is good in his eyes.

²⁷And the king said to Sadoc the priest, Behold, thou shalt return to the city in peace, and Achimaas thy son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar, your two sons with you.

²⁸Behold, I continue in arms in Araboth of the desert, until there come tidings from you to report to me.

²⁹So Sadoc and Abiathar brought back the ark of the Lord to Jerusalem, and it continued there.

³⁰And David went up by the ascent of [the mount of] Olives, ascending and weeping, and had his head covered, and went barefooted: and all the people that were with him covered [every] man his head; and they went up, ascending and weeping.

³¹And it was reported to David, saying, Achitophel also [is] among the conspirators with Abessalom. And David said, O Lord my God, disconcert, I pray thee, the counsel of Achitophel.

³²And David came as far as Ros, where he worshipped God: and behold, Chusi the chief friend of David came out to meet him, having rent his garment, and earth [was] upon his head.

³³And David said to him, If thou shouldest go over with me, then wilt thou be a burden to me;

³⁴but if thou shall return to the city, and shalt say to Abessalom, Thy brethren are passed over, and the king thy father is passed over after me: and now I am thy servant, O king, suffer me to live: at one time even of late I was the servant of thy father, and now I [am] thy humble servant-- so shalt thou disconcert for me, the counsel of Achitophel.

³⁵And, behold, [there are] there with thee Sadoc and Abiathar the priests; and it shall be that every word that thou shalt hear of the house of the king, thou shalt report it to Sadoc and Abiathar the priests.

³⁶Behold, [there are] there with them their two sons, Achimaas the son of Sadoc, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar; and by them ye shall report to me every word which ye shall hear.

³⁷So Chusi the friend of David went into the city, and Abessalom was lately gone into Jerusalem.