And Absalomrose up early, and stoodbeside the way of the gate: and it was so, thatwhen any man that had a controversycame to the king for judgment, thenAbsalomcalledunto him, and said, Of whatcity art thou? And he said, Thy servant is of one of the tribes of Israel.
But Absalomsentspiesthroughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, As soon as ye hear the sound of the trumpet, then ye shall say, Absalomreigneth in Hebron.
And Absalomsent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’scounsellor, from his city, evenfromGiloh, while he offeredsacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong; for the peopleincreasedcontinuallywithAbsalom.
And Davidsaidunto all his servantsthatwerewith him at Jerusalem, Arise, and let us flee; for we shall not elseescapefromAbsalom: makespeed to depart, lest he overtake us suddenly, and bringevilupon us, and smite the citywith the edge of the sword.
And all his servantspassed on beside him; and all the Cherethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, six hundred men whichcameafter him fromGath, passed on before the king.
Thensaid the king to Ittai the Gittite, Whereforegoestthoualsowith us? return to thy place, and abidewith the king: for thou art a stranger, and also an exile.
Whereasthoucamest but yesterday, should I this day makethee go up and downwith us? seeing I go whither I may, returnthou, and takeback thy brethren: mercy and truth be withthee.
And Ittaianswered the king, and said, As the LORDliveth, and as my lord the kingliveth, surely in whatplace my lord the kingshall be, whether in death or life, eventherealsowill thy servant be.
And all the countryweptwith a loudvoice, and all the peoplepassedover: the kingalsohimselfpassedover the brookKidron, and all the peoplepassedover, toward the way of the wilderness.
And lo Zadokalso, and all the Leviteswerewith him, bearing the ark of the covenant of God: and they set down the ark of God; and Abiatharwent up, until all the people had donepassing out of the city.
And the kingsaiduntoZadok, Carryback the ark of God into the city: if I shallfindfavour in the eyes of the LORD, he willbring me again, and shew me both it, and his habitation:
The kingsaidalsountoZadok the priest, Art not thou a seer? returninto the city in peace, and your two sonswith you, Ahimaaz thy son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar.
And Davidwent up by the ascent of mountOlivet, and wept as he went up, and had his headcovered, and he wentbarefoot: and all the peoplethat was with him coveredevery man his head, and theywent up, weeping as theywent up.
And one toldDavid, saying, Ahithophel is among the conspiratorswithAbsalom. And Davidsaid, O LORD, I praythee, turn the counsel of Ahithophelintofoolishness.
And it came to pass, thatwhenDavid was come to the top of the mount, where he worshipped God, behold, Hushai the Architecame to meet him with his coatrent, and earthupon his head:
But if thoureturn to the city, and say untoAbsalom, I will be thy servant, O king; as I havebeen thy father’sservanthitherto, so will I now also be thy servant: thenmayestthou for me defeat the counsel of Ahithophel.
And hastthou not therewiththeeZadok and Abiathar the priests? therefore it shall be, thatwhatthingsoeverthoushalthear out of the king’shouse, thoushalttell it to Zadok and Abiathar the priests.
Behold, theyhavetherewiththemtheir two sons, AhimaazZadok’s son, and JonathanAbiathar’s son; and by them ye shallsendunto me everythingthat ye can hear.