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.
1 And it came to pass after this, H310 that Absalom H53 prepared H6213 him chariots H4818 and horses, H5483 and fifty H2572 men H376 to run H7323 before H6440 him.
2 And Absalom H53 rose up early, H7925 and stood H5975 beside H3027 the way H1870 of the gate: H8179 and it was so, that when any man H376 that had a controversy H7379 came H935 to the king H4428 for judgment, H4941 then Absalom H53 called H7121 unto him, and said, H559 Of what H335 city H5892 art thou? And he said, H559 Thy servant H5650 is of one H259 of the tribes H7626 of Israel. H3478
3 And Absalom H53 said H559 unto him, See, H7200 thy matters H1697 are good H2896 and right; H5228 but there is no man deputed of the king H4428 to hear H8085 thee.
4 Absalom H53 said H559 moreover, Oh that I were made H7760 judge H8199 in the land, H776 that every man H376 which hath any suit H7379 or cause H4941 might come H935 unto me, and I would do him justice! H6663
5 And it was so, that when any man H376 came nigh H7126 to him to do him obeisance, H7812 he put forth H7971 his hand, H3027 and took H2388 him, and kissed H5401 him.
6 And on this manner H1697 did H6213 Absalom H53 to all Israel H3478 that came H935 to the king H4428 for judgment: H4941 so Absalom H53 stole H1589 the hearts H3820 of the men H582 of Israel. H3478
7 And it came to pass after H7093 forty H705 years, H8141 that Absalom H53 said H559 unto the king, H4428 I pray thee, let me go H3212 and pay H7999 my vow, H5088 which I have vowed H5087 unto the LORD, H3068 in Hebron. H2275
8 For thy servant H5650 vowed H5087 a vow H5088 while I abode H3427 at Geshur H1650 in Syria, H758 saying, H559 If the LORD H3068 shall bring me again H7725 H7725 indeed to Jerusalem, H3389 then I will serve H5647 the LORD. H3068
9 And the king H4428 said H559 unto him, Go H3212 in peace. H7965 So he arose, H6965 and went H3212 to Hebron. H2275
10 But Absalom H53 sent H7971 spies H7270 throughout all the tribes H7626 of Israel, H3478 saying, H559 As soon as ye hear H8085 the sound H6963 of the trumpet, H7782 then ye shall say, H559 Absalom H53 reigneth H4427 in Hebron. H2275
11 And with Absalom H53 went H1980 two hundred H3967 men H376 out of Jerusalem, H3389 that were called; H7121 and they went H1980 in their simplicity, H8537 and they knew H3045 not any thing. H1697
12 And Absalom H53 sent H7971 for Ahithophel H302 the Gilonite, H1526 David's H1732 counsellor, H3289 from his city, H5892 even from Giloh, H1542 while he offered H2076 sacrifices. H2077 And the conspiracy H7195 was strong; H533 for the people H5971 increased H7227 continually H1980 with Absalom. H53
13 And there came H935 a messenger H5046 to David, H1732 saying, H559 The hearts H3820 of the men H376 of Israel H3478 are after H310 Absalom. H53
14 And David H1732 said H559 unto all his servants H5650 that were with him at Jerusalem, H3389 Arise, H6965 and let us flee; H1272 for we shall not else escape H6413 from H6440 Absalom: H53 make speed H4116 to depart, H3212 lest he overtake H5381 us suddenly, H4116 and bring H5080 evil H7451 upon us, and smite H5221 the city H5892 with the edge H6310 of the sword. H2719
15 And the king's H4428 servants H5650 said H559 unto the king, H4428 Behold, thy servants H5650 are ready to do whatsoever my lord H113 the king H4428 shall appoint. H977
16 And the king H4428 went forth, H3318 and all his household H1004 after H7272 him. And the king H4428 left H5800 ten H6235 women, H802 which were concubines, H6370 to keep H8104 the house. H1004
17 And the king H4428 went forth, H3318 and all the people H5971 after H7272 him, and tarried H5975 in a place H1004 that was far off. H4801 H1023
18 And all his servants H5650 passed on H5674 beside H3027 him; and all the Cherethites, H3774 and all the Pelethites, H6432 and all the Gittites, H1663 six H8337 hundred H3967 men H376 which came H935 after H7272 him from Gath, H1661 passed on H5674 before H6440 the king. H4428
19 Then said H559 the king H4428 to Ittai H863 the Gittite, H1663 Wherefore goest H3212 thou also with us? return H7725 to thy place, H4725 and abide H3427 with the king: H4428 for thou art a stranger, H5237 and also an exile. H1540
20 Whereas thou camest H935 but yesterday, H8543 should I this day H3117 make thee go H3212 up and down H5128 H5128 with us? seeing I go H1980 whither I may, return H7725 thou, and take back H7725 thy brethren: H251 mercy H2617 and truth H571 be with thee.
21 And Ittai H863 answered H6030 the king, H4428 and said, H559 As the LORD H3068 liveth, H2416 and as my lord H113 the king H4428 liveth, H2416 surely in what place H4725 my lord H113 the king H4428 shall be, whether in death H4194 or life, H2416 even there also will thy servant H5650 be.
22 And David H1732 said H559 to Ittai, H863 Go H3212 and pass over. H5674 And Ittai H863 the Gittite H1663 passed over, H5674 and all his men, H582 and all the little ones H2945 that were with him.
23 And all the country H776 wept H1058 with a loud H1419 voice, H6963 and all the people H5971 passed over: H5674 the king H4428 also himself passed over H5674 the brook H5158 Kidron, H6939 and all the people H5971 passed over, H5674 toward H6440 the way H1870 of the wilderness. H4057
24 And lo Zadok H6659 also, and all the Levites H3881 were with him, bearing H5375 the ark H727 of the covenant H1285 of God: H430 and they set down H3332 the ark H727 of God; H430 and Abiathar H54 went up, H5927 until all the people H5971 had done H8552 passing H5674 out of the city. H5892
25 And the king H4428 said H559 unto Zadok, H6659 Carry back H7725 the ark H727 of God H430 into the city: H5892 if I shall find H4672 favour H2580 in the eyes H5869 of the LORD, H3068 he will bring me again, H7725 and shew H7200 me both it, and his habitation: H5116
26 But if he thus say, H559 I have no delight H2654 in thee; behold, here am I, let him do H6213 to me as seemeth H5869 good H2896 unto him.
27 The king H4428 said H559 also unto Zadok H6659 the priest, H3548 Art not thou a seer? H7200 return H7725 into the city H5892 in peace, H7965 and your two H8147 sons H1121 with you, Ahimaaz H290 thy son, H1121 and Jonathan H3083 the son H1121 of Abiathar. H54
28 See, H7200 I will tarry H4102 in the plain H6160 H5679 of the wilderness, H4057 until there come H935 word H1697 from you to certify H5046 me.
29 Zadok H6659 therefore and Abiathar H54 carried H7725 the ark H727 of God H430 again H7725 to Jerusalem: H3389 and they tarried H3427 there.
30 And David H1732 went up H5927 by the ascent H4608 of mount Olivet, H2132 and wept H1058 as he went up, H5927 and had his head H7218 covered, H2645 and he went H1980 barefoot: H3182 and all the people H5971 that was with him covered H2645 every man H376 his head, H7218 and they went up, H5927 weeping H1058 as they went up. H5927
31 And one told H5046 David, H1732 saying, H559 Ahithophel H302 is among the conspirators H7194 with Absalom. H53 And David H1732 said, H559 O LORD, H3068 I pray thee, turn the counsel H6098 of Ahithophel H302 into foolishness. H5528
32 And it came to pass, that when David H1732 was come H935 to the top H7218 of the mount, where he worshipped H7812 God, H430 behold, Hushai H2365 the Archite H757 came to meet H7125 him with his coat H3801 rent, H7167 and earth H127 upon his head: H7218
33 Unto whom David H1732 said, H559 If thou passest on H5674 with me, then thou shalt be a burden H4853 unto me:
34 But if thou return H7725 to the city, H5892 and say H559 unto Absalom, H53 I will be thy servant, H5650 O king; H4428 as I have been thy father's H1 servant H5650 hitherto, H227 so will I now also be thy servant: H5650 then mayest thou for me defeat H6565 the counsel H6098 of Ahithophel. H302
35 And hast thou not there with thee Zadok H6659 and Abiathar H54 the priests? H3548 therefore it shall be, that what thing H1697 soever thou shalt hear H8085 out of the king's H4428 house, H1004 thou shalt tell H5046 it to Zadok H6659 and Abiathar H54 the priests. H3548
36 Behold, they have there with them their two H8147 sons, H1121 Ahimaaz H290 Zadok's H6659 son, and Jonathan H3083 Abiathar's H54 son; and by them H3027 ye shall send H7971 unto me every thing H1697 that ye can hear. H8085
37 So Hushai H2365 David's H1732 friend H7463 came H935 into the city, H5892 and Absalom H53 came H935 into Jerusalem. H3389
1 And it came to pass after this, that Absalom prepared him a chariot 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 had a suit which should come 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 who 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 do him obeisance, he put forth his hand, and took hold of 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 at the end of forty years, that Absalom said unto the king, I pray thee, let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed unto Jehovah, in Hebron.
8 For thy servant vowed a vow while I abode at Geshur in Syria, saying, If Jehovah shall indeed bring me again to Jerusalem, then I will serve Jehovah.
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 is king in Hebron.
11 And with Absalom went two hundred men out of Jerusalem, that were invited, and went in their simplicity; and they knew not anything.
12 And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's counsellor, from his city, even from Giloh, while he was offering the 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 else none of us shall escape from Absalom: make speed to depart, lest he overtake us quickly, and bring down 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 choose.
16 And the king went forth, and all his household after him. And the king left ten women, that were concubines, to keep the house.
17 And the king went forth, and all the people after him; and they tarried in Beth-merhak.
18 And all his servants passed on beside him; and all the Cherethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, six hundred men that 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, and abide with the king: for thou art a foreigner, and also an exile; `return' to thine own place.
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 Jehovah liveth, and as my lord the king liveth, surely in what place my lord the king shall be, whether for death or for 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 `came', 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 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 Jehovah, he will bring me again, and show me both it, and his habitation:
26 but if he say thus, 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 thou `not' 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 at the fords 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 abode there.
30 And 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 that were 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 Jehovah, 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 ascent', where God was worshipped, behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his coat rent, and earth upon his head.
33 And David said unto him, If thou passest on with me, then thou wilt 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 in time past, so will I now be thy servant; then wilt thou defeat for me 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 everything that ye shall hear.
37 So Hushai, David's friend, came into the city; and Absalom came into Jerusalem.
1 And it cometh to pass afterwards, that Absalom prepareth for himself a chariot, and horses, and fifty men are running before him;
2 and Absalom hath risen early, and stood by the side of the way of the gate, and it cometh to pass, every man who hath a pleading to come unto the king for judgment, that Absalom calleth unto him, and saith, `Of what city `art' thou?' and he saith, `Of one of the tribes of Israel `is' thy servant.'
3 And Absalom saith unto him, `See, thy matters `are' good and straightforward -- and there is none hearkening to thee from the king.'
4 And Absalom saith, `Who doth make me a judge in the land, that unto me doth come every man who hath a plea and judgment? -- then I have declared him righteous.'
5 And it hath come to pass, in the drawing nearing of any one to bow himself to him, that he hath put forth his hand, and laid hold on him, and given a kiss to him;
6 and Absalom doth according to this thing to all Israel who come in for judgment unto the king, and Absalom stealeth the heart of the men of Israel.
7 And it cometh to pass, at the end of forty years, that Absalom saith unto the king, `Let me go, I pray thee, and I complete my vow, that I vowed to Jehovah in Hebron,
8 for a vow hath thy servant vowed in my dwelling in Geshur, in Aram, saying, If Jehovah doth certainly bring me back to Jerusalem, then I have served Jehovah.'
9 And the king saith to him, `Go in peace;' and he riseth and goeth to Hebron,
10 and Absalom sendeth spies through all the tribes of Israel, saying, `At your hearing the voice of the trumpet, then ye have said, Absalom hath reigned in Hebron.'
11 And with Absalom have gone two hundred men, out of Jerusalem, invited ones, and they are going in their simplicity, and have not known anything;
12 and Absalom sendeth Ahithophel the Gilonite, a counsellor of David, out of his city, out of Gilo, in his sacrificing sacrifices; and the conspiracy is strong, and the people are going and increasing with Absalom.
13 And he who is declaring tidings cometh in unto David, saying, `The heart of the men of Israel hath been after Absalom.'
14 And David saith to all his servants who `are' with him in Jerusalem, `Rise, and we flee, for we have no escape from the face of Absalom; haste to go, lest he hasten, and have overtaken us, and forced on us evil, and smitten the city by the mouth of the sword.'
15 And the servants of the king say unto the king, `According to all that my lord the king chooseth -- lo, thy servants `do'.'
16 And the king goeth out, and all his household at his feet, and the king leaveth ten women -- concubines -- to keep the house.
17 And the king goeth out, and all the people at his feet, and they stand still at the farthest off house.
18 And all his servants are passing on at his side, and all the Cherethite, and all the Pelethite, and all the Gittites, six hundred men who came at his feet from Gath, are passing on at the front of the king.
19 And the king saith unto Ittai the Gittite, `Why dost thou go -- thou also -- with us? turn back -- and abide with the king, for thou `art' a stranger, and also an exile thou -- to thy place.
20 Yesterday `is' thy coming in, and to-day I move thee to go with us, and I am going on that which I am going! -- turn back, and take back thy brethren with thee, -- kindness and truth.'
21 And Ittai answereth the king and saith, `Jehovah liveth, and my lord the king liveth, surely in the place where my lord the king is -- if for death, if for life, surely there is thy servant.'
22 And David saith unto Ittai, `Go and pass over;' and Ittai the Gittite passeth over, and all his men, and all the infants who `are' with him.
23 And all the land are weeping -- a great voice, and all the people are passing over; and the king is passing over through the brook Kidron, and all the people are passing over on the front of the way of the wilderness;
24 and lo, also Zadok, and all the Levites with him, bearing the ark of the covenant of God, and they make the ark of God firm, and Abiathar goeth up, till the completion of all the people to pass over out of the city.
25 And the king saith to Zadok, `Take back the ark of God to the city; if I find grace in the eyes of Jehovah, then He hath brought me back, and shewn me it and His habitation;
26 and if thus He say, I have not delighted in thee; here `am' I, He doth to me as `is' good in His eyes.'
27 And the king saith unto Zadok the priest, `Art thou a seer? turn back to the city in peace, and Ahimaaz thy son, and Jonathan son of Abiathar, your two sons with you;
28 see ye, I am tarrying in the plains of the wilderness till the coming in of a word from you to declare to me.'
29 And Zadok taketh back -- and Abiathar -- the ark of God to Jerusalem, and they abide there.
30 And David is going up in the ascent of the olives, going up and weeping, and he hath the head covered, and he is going barefooted, and all the people who `are' with him have covered each his head, and have gone up, going up and weeping;
31 and David declared, saying, `Ahithophel `is' among the conspirators with Absalom;' and David saith, `Make foolish, I pray Thee, the counsel of Ahithophel, O Jehovah.'
32 And it cometh to pass, David hath come unto the top, where he boweth himself to God, and lo, to meet him `is' Hushai the Archite, his coat rent, and earth on his head;
33 and David saith to him, `If thou hast passed on with me then thou hast been on me for a burden,
34 and if to the city thou dost turn back, and hast said to Absalom, Thy servant I am, O king; servant of thy father I `am' also hitherto, and now, I `am' also thy servant; then thou hast made void for me the counsel of Ahithophel;
35 and are there not with thee there Zadok and Abiathar the priests? and it hath been, the whole of the matter that thou hearest from the house of the king thou dost declare to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests.
36 Lo, there with them `are' their two sons, Ahimaaz to Zadok, and Jonathan to Abiathar, and ye have sent by their hand unto me anything that ye hear.'
37 And Hushai, David's friend, cometh in to the city, and Absalom cometh in to Jerusalem.
1 And it came to pass after this, that Absalom prepared for himself chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him.
2 And Absalom rose early, and stood beside the way of the gate; and it was so, that when any man who had a controversy had to come to the king for judgment, then Absalom called 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 to him, See, thy matters are good and right; but there is no man to hear thee [appointed] by the king.
4 And Absalom said, Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man who has any controversy and cause might come to me, and I would do him justice!
5 And it was so, that when any man came near to do him obeisance, he put forth his hand, and took him, and kissed him.
6 And in this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the king for judgment; and Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.
7 And it came to pass at the end of forty years, that Absalom said to the king, I pray thee, let me go and pay in Hebron my vow which I have vowed to Jehovah.
8 For thy servant vowed a vow while I abode in Geshur in Syria, saying, If Jehovah shall bring me again indeed to Jerusalem, then I will serve Jehovah.
9 And the king said to him, Go in peace. And he rose up and went to Hebron.
10 And Absalom sent emissaries into all the tribes of Israel, saying, When ye hear the sound of the trumpet, ye shall say, Absalom reigns in Hebron.
11 And with Absalom went two hundred men out of Jerusalem, that were invited; and they went in their simplicity, and they knew nothing.
12 And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's counsellor, from his city, from Giloh, while he offered the sacrifices. And the conspiracy gathered strength; and the people increased continually with Absalom.
13 And there came one to David who reported saying, The hearts of the men of Israel are after Absalom.
14 And David said to all his servants that were with him at Jerusalem, Rise up and let us flee; for we shall not [else] escape from Absalom. Be quick to depart, lest he overtake us quickly, and bring evil upon us, and smite the city with the edge of the sword.
15 And the king's servants said to the king, Behold, thy servants [will do] whatever my lord the king shall choose.
16 And the king went forth, and all his household after him, and the king left ten women, concubines, to keep the house.
17 And the king went forth, and all the people after him, and stayed at the remote house.
18 And all his servants passed on beside him; and all the Cherethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, six hundred men that came after him from Gath, passed over before the king.
19 And the king said to Ittai the Gittite, Why dost thou also go with us? return to thy place, and abide with the king; for thou art a foreigner, and besides, thou hast emigrated to the place where thou [dwellest].
20 Thou didst come yesterday, and should I this day make thee go up and down with us, seeing I go whither I can? Return and take back thy brethren. Mercy and truth be with thee!
21 And Ittai answered the king and said, [As] Jehovah 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 torrent Kidron, and all the people passed over, towards the way of the wilderness.
24 And behold, 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 passed completely out of the city.
25 And the king said to Zadok, Carry back the ark of God into the city. If I shall find favour in the eyes of Jehovah, he will bring me again, and shew me it, and its 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 to him.
27 And the king said to Zadok the priest, Thou art the 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 stop in the plains of the desert, until there come word from you to inform me.
29 And Zadok and Abiathar carried the ark of God again to Jerusalem; and they abode there.
30 But David went up by the ascent of the Olives, 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. Then said David, Jehovah, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.
32 And it came to pass, when David had come to the summit, where he worshipped God, that behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his coat rent, and earth upon his head.
33 And David said to him, If thou passest on with me, thou wilt be a burden to me;
34 but if thou return to the city, and say to Absalom, I will be thy servant, O king; as I have been thy father's servant hitherto, so now will I 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? and it shall be, [that] whatsoever thing 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 to me everything that ye shall hear.
37 And Hushai David's friend came into the city, and Absalom came into Jerusalem.
1 It happened after this, that Absalom prepared him a chariot and horses, and fifty men to run before him.
2 Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate: and it was so, that when any man had a suit which should come to the king for judgment, then Absalom called to him, and said, Of what city are you? He said, Your servant is of one of the tribes of Israel.
3 Absalom said to him, Behold, your matters are good and right; but there is no man deputized of the king to hear you.
4 Absalom said moreover, Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man who has any suit or cause might come to me, and I would do him justice!
5 It was so, that when any man came near to do him obeisance, he put forth his hand, and took hold of him, and kissed him.
6 In this manner Absalom did to all Israel who came to the king for judgment: so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.
7 It happened at the end of forty years, that Absalom said to the king, please let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed to Yahweh, in Hebron.
8 For your servant vowed a vow while I abode at Geshur in Syria, saying, If Yahweh shall indeed bring me again to Jerusalem, then I will serve Yahweh.
9 The king said to 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 you hear the sound of the trumpet, then you shall say, Absalom is king in Hebron.
11 With Absalom went two hundred men out of Jerusalem, who were invited, and went in their simplicity; and they didn't know anything.
12 Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's counselor, from his city, even from Giloh, while he was offering the sacrifices. The conspiracy was strong; for the people increased continually with Absalom.
13 There came a messenger to David, saying, The hearts of the men of Israel are after Absalom.
14 David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, Arise, and let us flee; for else none of us shall escape from Absalom: make speed to depart, lest he overtake us quickly, and bring down evil on us, and strike the city with the edge of the sword.
15 The king's servants said to the king, Behold, your servants are ready to do whatever my lord the king shall choose.
16 The king went forth, and all his household after him. The king left ten women, who were concubines, to keep the house.
17 The king went forth, and all the people after him; and they stayed in Beth Merhak.
18 All his servants passed on beside him; and all the Cherethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, six hundred men who came after him from Gath, passed on before the king.
19 Then said the king to Ittai the Gittite, Why go you also with us? return, and abide with the king: for you are a foreigner, and also an exile; [return] to your own place.
20 Whereas you came but yesterday, should I this day make you go up and down with us, seeing I go where I may? return you, and take back your brothers; mercy and truth be with you.
21 Ittai answered the king, and said, As Yahweh lives, and as my lord the king lives, surely in what place my lord the king shall be, whether for death or for life, even there also will your servant be.
22 David said to Ittai, Go and pass over. Ittai the Gittite passed over, and all his men, and all the little ones who were with him.
23 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 Behold, Zadok also [came], 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 done passing out of the city.
25 The king said to Zadok, Carry back the ark of God into the city: if I shall find favor in the eyes of Yahweh, he will bring me again, and show me both it, and his habitation:
26 but if he say thus, I have no delight in you; behold, here am I, let him do to me as seems good to him.
27 The king said also to Zadok the priest, "Aren't you a seer? Return into the city in peace, and your two sons with you, Ahimaaz your son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar.
28 Behold, I will stay at the fords of the wilderness, until word comes from you to inform me."
29 Zadok therefore and Abiathar carried the ark of God again to Jerusalem: and they abode there.
30 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 every man his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up.
31 One told David, saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. David said, Yahweh, please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.
32 It happened that when David had come to the top [of the ascent], where God was worshiped, behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his coat torn, and earth on his head.
33 David said to him, If you pass on with me, then you will be a burden to me:
34 but if you return to the city, and tell Absalom, I will be your servant, O king; as I have been your father's servant in time past, so will I now be your servant; then will you defeat for me the counsel of Ahithophel.
35 Don't you have Zadok and Abiathar the priests there with you? therefore it shall be, that whatever thing you shall hear out of the king's house, you shall 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 you shall send to me everything that you shall hear.
37 So Hushai, David's friend, came into the city; and Absalom came into Jerusalem.
1 Now after this, Absalom got for himself a carriage and horses, and fifty runners to go before him.
2 And Absalom got up early, morning after morning, and took his place at the side of the public meeting-place: and when any man had a cause which had to come to the king to be judged, then Absalom, crying out to him, said, What is your town? and he would say, Your servant is of one of the tribes of Israel.
3 And Absalom would say to him, See, your cause is true and right; but no man has been named by the king to give you a hearing.
4 And more than this, Absalom said, If only I was made judge in the land, so that every man who has any cause or question might come to me, and I would give a right decision for him!
5 And if any man came near to give him honour, he took him by the hand and gave him a kiss.
6 And this Absalom did to everyone in Israel who came to the king to have his cause judged: so Absalom, like a thief, took away the hearts of the men of Israel.
7 Now at the end of four years, Absalom said to the king, Let me go to Hebron and give effect to the oath which I made to the Lord:
8 For while I was living in Geshur in Aram, your servant made an oath, saying, If ever the Lord lets me come back to Jerusalem, I will give him worship in Hebron.
9 And the king said to him, Go in peace. So he got up and went to Hebron.
10 But Absalom at the same time sent watchers through all the tribes of Israel to say, At the sound of the horn you are to say, Absalom is king in Hebron.
11 And with Absalom, at his request, went two hundred men from Jerusalem, who were completely unconscious of his designs.
12 And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, one of David's helpers, from Giloh his town, while he was making the offerings. And the design against David became strong, for more and more people were joined to Absalom.
13 And one came to David and said, The hearts of the men of Israel have gone after Absalom.
14 And David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, Come, let us go in flight, or not one of us will be safe from Absalom: let us go without loss of time, or he will overtake us quickly and send evil on us, and put the town to the sword.
15 And the king's servants said to the king, See, your servants are ready to do whatever the king says is to be done.
16 So the king went out, taking with him all the people of his house, but for ten of his women, who were to take care of the house.
17 And the king went out, and all his servants went after him, and made a stop at the Far House.
18 And all the people went on by his side; and all the Cherethites and all the Pelethites and all the men of Ittai of Gath, six hundred men who came after him from Gath, went on before the king.
19 Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, Why are you coming with us? go back and keep with the king: for you are a man of another country, you are far from the land of your birth.
20 It was only yesterday you came to us; why then am I to make you go up and down with us? for I have to go where I may; go back then, and take your countrymen with you, and may the Lord's mercy and good faith be with you.
21 And Ittai the Gittite in answer said, By the living Lord, and by the life of my lord the king, in whatever place my lord the king may be, for life or death, there will your servant be.
22 And David said to Ittai, Go forward, then. And Ittai the Gittite went on, with all his men and all the little ones he had with him.
23 And there was great weeping in all the country when all the people went through; and the king himself was waiting in the Kidron valley and all the people went by him in the direction of the olive-tree on the edge of the waste land.
24 Then Zadok came, and Abiathar, and with them the ark of God's agreement: and they put down the ark of God, till all the people from the town had gone by.
25 And the king said to Zadok, Take the ark of God back into the town: if I have grace in the eyes of the Lord, he will let me come back and see it and his House again:
26 But if he says, I have no delight in you: then, here I am; let him do to me what seems good to him.
27 The king said further to Zadok the priest, See, you and Abiathar are to go back to the town in peace, with your two sons, Ahimaaz, your son, and Jonathan, the son of Abiathar.
28 See, I will be waiting at the way across the river, in the waste land, till I get news from you.
29 So Zadok and Abiathar took the ark of God back to Jerusalem, and did not go away from there.
30 And David went up the slopes of the Mount of Olives weeping all the way, with his head covered and no shoes on his feet: and all the people who were with him, covering their heads, went up weeping.
31 And word came to David, saying, Ahithophel is among those who are joined to Absalom. And David said, O Lord, let the wisdom of Ahithophel be made foolish.
32 Now when David had come to the top of the slope, where they gave worship to God, Hushai the Archite came to him in great grief with dust on his head:
33 David said to him, If you go on with me, you will be a trouble to me:
34 But if you go back to the town and say to Absalom, I will be your servant, O king; as in the past I have been your father's servant, so now I will be yours: then you will be able to keep Ahithophel's designs against me from being put into effect.
35 And have you not there Zadok and Abiathar the priests? so whatever comes to your ears from the king's house, give word of it to Zadok and Abiathar the priests.
36 See, they have with them their two sons, Ahimaaz, Zadok's son, and Jonathan, the son of Abiathar; by them you may send word to me of everything which comes to your ears.
37 So Hushai, David's friend, went into the town, and Absalom came to Jerusalem.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Keil & Delitzsch Commentary » Commentary on 2 Samuel 15
Commentary on 2 Samuel 15 Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
Absalom's Rebellion and David's Flight - 2 Samuel 15-16:14
After this restoration to favour, Absalom soon began to aspire to the throne, setting up a princely court, and endeavouring to turn the hearts of the people towards himself, by addressing in a friendly manner any who came to seek redress from the king in matters in dispute, and by saying things adapted to throw suspicion upon his father's rule (2 Samuel 15:1-6). When he had succeeded in this, he asked permission from the king to take a journey to Hebron, under the pretence of wanting to fulfil a vow which he had made during his banishment; and when once there, he soon proceeded with his rebellious intentions (2 Samuel 15:7-12). As soon as David heard of it, he determined to fly from Jerusalem, and crossed the Kidron with his faithful adherents. Having sent the priests with the ark of the covenant back to the city, he went up to the Mount of Olives, amidst the loud lamentations of the people. Hushai, who came to meet him, he sent to the city, to frustrate the counsel of Ahithophel, who was one of the conspirators, and to send information to him of what was going forward (vv. 13-37). When he reached the top, Ziba, Mephibosheth's servant, came to meet him with provisions and succour (2 Samuel 16:1-4) whilst Shimei, a relation of the house of Saul, followed him with curses and stones (2 Samuel 16:5-14).
With this rebellion the calamities which Nathan had predicted to David on account of his sin with Bathsheba began to burst upon him in all their fulness. The success of the rebellion itself may be accounted for, from the fact that the consciousness of his own fault not only made David weak towards his sons, but produced a want of firmness in his resolutions; whilst the imperfections and defects in the internal administration of the kingdom, when the time of the brilliant victories was past, became more and more perceptible to the people, and furnished occasion for dissatisfaction with his government, which Absalom was skilful enough to bend to his own purposes. During the time that this rebellion was in progress, David poured out his lamentations to the Lord (in Psalms 41:1-13 and 55) as to the faithlessness of his most confidential councillors, and prayed for the judgment of retribution upon the conduct of this wicked band. After it had broken out, he uttered his longings to return to the sanctuary at Jerusalem, and his firm confidence that he should be delivered out of his distresses and reinstated in his kingdom, first of all in Psalms 3:1-8 and Psalms 63:1-11 during his flight in the desert of Judah, and in Psalms 61:1-8 and Psalms 62:1-12 during his stay in the land to the east of the Jordan.
2 Samuel 15:1-3
Absalom seeks to secure the people's favour. - 2 Samuel 15:1. Soon afterwards (this seems to be the meaning of כּן מאחרי as distinguished from כּן אהרי ; cf. 2 Samuel 3:28) Absalom set up a carriage (i.e., a state-carriage; cf. 1 Samuel 8:11) and horses, and fifty men as runners before him, i.e., to run before him when he drove out, and attract the attention of the people by a display of princely pomp, as Adonijah afterwards did (1 Kings 1:5). He then went early in the morning to the side of the road to the gate of the palace, and called out to every one who was about to go to the king “for judgment,” i.e., seek justice in connection with any matter in dispute, and asked him, “Of what city art thou?” and also, as we may see from the reply in 2 Samuel 15:3, inquired into his feelings towards the king, and then said, “Thy matters are good and right, but there is no hearer for thee with the king.” שׁמע signifies the judicial officer, who heard complainants and examined into their different causes, for the purpose of laying them before the king for settlement. Of course the king himself could not give a hearing to every complainant, and make a personal investigation of his cause; nor could his judges procure justice for every complainant, however justly they might act, though it is possible that they may not always have performed their duty conscientiously.
2 Samuel 15:4
Absalom also said, “Oh that I might be judge in the land, and every one who had a cause might come before me; I would procure him justice!” ישׂמני מי is a wish: “who might (i.e., oh that one might) appoint me judge,” an analogous expression to יתּן ot מי (vid., Gesenius, §136, 1, and Ewald, §329, c .). עלי placed before יבא for the sake of emphasis, may be explained from the fact that a judge sat, so that the person who stood before him rose above him (comp. Exodus 18:13 with Genesis 18:8). הצדּיק , to speak justly, or help to justice.
2 Samuel 15:5
And when any one came near to him to prostrate himself before him, he took him by the hand and kissed him. It was by conduct of this kind that Agamemnon is said to have secured the command of the Grecian army (Euripid. Iphig. Aul. v. 337ff.).
2 Samuel 15:6
Thus Absalom stole the heart of the men of Israel. גּנּב לב does not mean to deceive or cheat, like לב גּנּב in the Kal in Genesis 31:20, but to steal the heart, i.e., to bring a person over to his side secretly and by stratagem.
Absalom's rebellion. - 2 Samuel 15:7, 2 Samuel 15:8. After the lapse of forty (?) years Absalom said to the king, “Pray I will go (i.e., pray allow me to go) and perform a vow in Hebron which I vowed to the Lord during my stay at Geshur” ( 2 Samuel 15:8). The number forty is altogether unsuitable, as it cannot possibly be understood either as relating to the age of Absalom or to the year of David's reign: for Absalom was born at Hebron after David had begun to reign, and David only reigned forty years and a half in all, and Absalom's rebellion certainly did not take place in the last few weeks of his reign. It is quite as inappropriate to assume, as the terminus a quo of the forty years, either the commencement of Saul's reign, as several of the Rabbins have done, as well as the author of the marginal note in Cod . 380 of De Rossi ( שאול למלכות ), or the anointing of David at Bethlehem, as Luther (in the marginal note) and Lightfoot do; for the word “after” evidently refers to some event in the life of Absalom, to which allusion has previously been made, namely, either to the time of his reconciliation with David (2 Samuel 14:33), or (what is not so probable) to the period of his return from Geshur to Jerusalem (2 Samuel 14:23). Consequently the reading adopted by the Syriac, Arabic, and Vulgate, also by Theodoret and others, viz., “ four years,” must certainly be the correct one, and not “forty days,” which we find in Codd. 70 and 96 in Kennicott, since forty days would be far too short a time for maturing the rebellion. It is true, that with the reading ארבּע we should expect, as a rule, the plural שׁנים . At the same time, the numbers from two to ten are sometimes construed with a singular noun (e.g., 2 Kings 22:1; cf. Gesenius , §120, 2). The pretended vow was, that if Jehovah would bring him back to Jerusalem, he would serve Jehovah. את־יהוה עבד , “to do a service to Jehovah,” can only mean to offer a sacrifice, which is the explanation given by Josephus. The Chethib ישׁיב is not the infinitive, but the imperfect Hiphil : si reduxerit, reduxerit me , which is employed in an unusual manner instead of the inf. absol. , for the sake of emphasis. The Keri ישׁוּב would have to be taken as an adverb “again;” but this is quite unnecessary.
The king consented, and Absalom went to Hebron. Absalom had selected this city, probably assigning as the reason that he was born there, but really because his father David had been made king there, and also possibly because there may have been many persons there who had been displeased by the removal of the court to Jerusalem.
When Absalom went to Hebron, he sent spies into all the tribes of Israel to say, “When ye hear the sound of the trumpet, say, Absalom has become king in Hebron.” We must suppose the sending the spies to have been contemporaneous with the removal of Absalom to Hebron, so that ויּשׁלח is used quite regularly, and there is no reason for translating it as a pluperfect. The messengers sent out are called “spies,” because they were first of all to ascertain the feelings of the people in the different tribes, and were only to execute their commission in places where they could reckon upon support. The conspiracy had hitherto been kept very secret, as we may see from the statement in 2 Samuel 15:11 : “With Absalom there had gone two hundred men out of Jerusalem, invited (to the sacrificial festival), and going in their simplicity, who knew nothing at all of the affair.” ( כּל־דּבר לא : nothing at all.)
Moreover, Absalom sent for Ahithophel, David's councillor, to come from his own town Giloh, when he offered the sacrifices. The unusual construction of את ישׁלח with מעירו may be explained from the pregnant character of the expression: he sent and bade come, i.e., he summoned Ahithophel out of his city. Giloh , Ahithophel's home, was upon the mountains of Judah, to the south or south-west of Hebron (see at Joshua 15:51). Ahithophel had no doubt been previously initiated into Absalom's plans, and had probably gone to his native city, merely that he might come to him with the greater ease; since his general place of abode, as king's councillor, must have been in Jerusalem. “And the conspiracy became strong; for the people multiplied continually with Absalom” (the latter is a circumstantial clause). These words give a condensed summary of the result of the enterprise.
David's flight from Jerusalem. - 2 Samuel 15:13, 2 Samuel 15:14. When this intelligence reached David, “The heart of the men of Israel is after Absalom” ( אהר היה , as in 2 Samuel 2:10, to be attached to a person as king; see at 1 Samuel 12:14), he said to his servants that were with him in Jerusalem, “Arise, let us flee, for there will be no escape for us from Absalom! Make speed to depart, lest he overtake us suddenly, and drive the calamity (the judgment threatened in 2 Samuel 12:10-11) over us, and smite the city with the edge of the sword.” David was perhaps afraid that Jerusalem might fall into Absalom's power through treachery, and therefore resolved to fly as speedily as possible, not only in order to prevent a terrible massacre, but also to give his own faithful adherents time to assemble.
As his servants declared themselves ready to follow him, the king went out of the city with all his family in his train ( lit . at his feet, as in Judges 4:10, Judges 4:15, etc.), but left ten concubines behind to keep the palace.
When outside the city the king and all the people in his suite (i.e., the royal family and their servants) halted at “the house of the distance.” המּרחק is probably a proper name given to a house in the neighbourhood of the city and on the road to Jericho, which was called “the farthest house,” viz., from the city.
And all his servants, i.e., his state officers and attendants, went along by his side, and the whole body-guard (the Crethi and Plethi : see at 2 Samuel 8:18); and all the Gathites, namely the six hundred men who had come in his train from Gath, went along in front of the king. David directed the fugitives to all into rank, the servants going by his side, and the body-guard and the six hundred old companions in arms, who probably also formed a kind of body-guard, marching in front. The verb עבר (passed on) cannot be understood as signifying to file past on account of its connection with על־ידו (beside him, or by his side). The expression Gittim is strange, as we cannot possibly think of actual Gathites or Philistines from Gath. The apposition (the six hundred men, etc.) shows clearly enough that the six hundred old companions in arms are intended, the men who gathered round David on his flight from Saul and emigrated with him to Gath (1 Samuel 27:2-3), who afterwards lived with him in Ziklag (1 Samuel 27:8; 1 Samuel 29:2; 1 Samuel 30:1, 1 Samuel 30:9), and eventually followed him to Hebron and Jerusalem (2 Samuel 2:3; 2 Samuel 5:6). In all probability they formed a separate company of well-tried veterans or a kind of body-guard in Jerusalem, and were commonly known as Gathites .
(Note: The Septuagint also has πάντες οἱ Γεθαῖοι , and has generally rendered the Masoretic text correctly. But כּל־עבדיו has been translated incorrectly, or at all events in a manner likely to mislead, viz., πάντες οἱ παῖδες αὐτοῦ . But in the Septuagint text, as it has come down to us, another paraphrase has been interpolated into the literal translation, which Thenius would adopt as an emendation of the Hebrew text, notwithstanding the fact that the critical corruptness of the Alexandrian text must be obvious to every one.)
A military commander named Ittai , who had emigrated from Gath and come over to David not long before, also accompanied the king from the city. It is evident from 2 Samuel 18:2, where Ittai is said to have commanded a third part of the army sent against Absalom, and to have been placed on an equality with Joab and Abishai the most experienced generals, that Ittai was a Philistian general who had entered David's service. The reason for his going over to David is not known. According to 2 Samuel 15:22 of this chapter, Ittai did not come alone, but brought all his family with him ( taph : the little ones). The opinion expressed by Thenius, that he had come to Jerusalem as a hostage, is merely founded upon a false interpretation of the last two clauses of the verse before us. David said to Ittai, “Wherefore goest thou also with us? return and stay with the king; for thou art a stranger, and also emigrating to thy place.” There is no irony in the words “stay with the king,” as Thenius and Clericus suppose (viz., “with the man who behaves as if he were king”); nor is there an acknowledgment of Absalom as king, which certainly could never have emanated from David. The words contain nothing more than the simple though: Do you remain with whoever is or shall be king, since there is no necessity for you as a stranger to take sides at all. This is the explanation given by Seb. Schmidt: “It is not your place to decide this context as to who ought to be king; but you may remain quiet and see whom God shall appoint as king, and whether it be I or Absalom, you can serve the one that God shall choose.” This is the only way in which we can explain the reason assigned for the admonition, viz., “Thou art a stranger,” and not an Israelite. There is some difficulty connected with the following words (rendered in the Eng. version “and also an exile”). In the Septuagint and Vulgate they are rendered καὶ ὅτι μετώκησας σὺ ἐκ τοῦ τόπου σου , et egressus es de loco tuo (and thou hast gone out from thine own place); but in adopting this rendering the translators have not only passed over the גּם (also), but have taken למקומך for ממּקומך . Nevertheless Thenius proposes to bring the text into harmony with these versions for the purpose of bringing out the meaning, “and moreover thou art one carried away from his own home.” But this is decidedly a mistake; for David would never have made a Philistine - who had just before been carried away from his own home, or, as Thenius understands it, who had been brought to Jerusalem as a hostage - the commander of a third of his army. The meaning is rather the following: “And thou hast still no fatherland,” i.e., thou art still wandering about through the earth like an exile from his country: wherever thou findest a place, and art allowed to settle, there only canst thou dwell.
“Thy coming is yesterday (from yesterday), and should I disturb thee to-day to go with us, when I am going just where I go?” i.e., wherever my way may lie (I go I know not whither; Chald.: cf. 1 Samuel 23:13). The Chethib אנוּעך is a copyist's error. The thought requires the Hiphil אניעך ( Keri ), as נוּע in the Kal has the intransitive meaning, to totter, sway about, or move hither and thither. “Return and take thy brethren back; grace and truth be with thee.” It is evidently more in accordance with the train of thought to separate עמּך from the previous clause and connect it with ואמת חסד , though this is opposed to the accents, than to adopt the adverbial interpretation, “take back thy brethren with thee in grace and truth,” as Maurer proposes. (For the thought itself, see Proverbs 3:3). The reference is to the grace and truth (faithfulness) of God, which David desired that Ittai should receive upon his way. In the Septuagint and Vulgate the passage is paraphrased thus: “Jehovah show thee grace and truth,” after 2 Samuel 2:6; but it by no means follows from this that עמּך ועשׂה והוה has fallen out of the Hebrew text.
But Ittai replied with a solemn oath, “Assuredly at the place where my lord the king shall be (stay), whether for death or life, there will thy servant be.” אם כּי means “only,” as in Genesis 40:14, Job 42:8; here, in a declaration on oath, it is equivalent to assuredly (vid., Ewald, §356, b .). The Chethib is therefore correct, and the erasure of אם in the Keri is a bad emendation. The כּי in the apodosis is either an emphatic declaration, yea , or like ὅτι merely introduces a distinct assertion.
After this assurance of his devotedness, David let Ittai do as he pleased. ועבר לך , “go and pass on.” עבר does not mean to pass by, but to go forward. Thus Ittai and his men and all his family that was with him went forward with the king. By “the little ones” ( taph ) we are to understand a man's whole family, as in many other instances (see at Exodus 12:37).
2 Samuel 15:22-23
The king crosses the Kidron, and sends the priests back with the ark to Jerusalem. - 2 Samuel 15:23. All the land (as in 1 Samuel 14:25) wept aloud when all the people went forward; and the king went over the brook Kidron, and all the people went over in the direction of ( lit . in the face of) the way to the desert. The brook Kidron is a winter torrent, i.e., a mountain torrent which only flows during the heavy rains of winter ( χείμαῤῥος τοῦ Κεδρών , John 18:1). It is on the eastern side of Jerusalem, between the city and the Mount of Olives, and derives its name from the appearance of the water when rendered muddy through the melting of the snow (cf. Job 6:16). In summer it is nothing more than a dry channel in the valley of Jehoshaphat (see Robinson, Pal . i. 396, and v. Raumer, Pal. p. 309, note 81). “The wilderness” ( midbar ) is the northern part of the desert of Judah, through which the road to Jericho and the Jordan lay.
2 Samuel 15:24
Zadok the priest and all the Levites (who were in Jerusalem) left the city with the fugitive king, bearing the ark of the covenant: “And they set down the ark of God, and Abiathar came up, till all the people had come completely over from the city.” ויּעל , ἀνέβη , ascendit (lxx, Vulg . ), may probably be accounted for from the fact that Abiathar did not come to join the fugitives till the procession halted at the Mount of Olives; so that עלה , like ἀναβαίνειν , merely refers to his actually going up, and ויּעל affirms that Abiathar joined them until all the people from the city had arrived. The rendering proposed by Michaelis and Böttcher (“he offered sacrifices”) is precluded by the fact that עלה never means to sacrifice when written without עולה , or unless the context points distinctly to sacrifices, as in 2 Samuel 24:22; 1 Samuel 2:28. The ark of the covenant was put down, because those who went out with the king made a halt, to give the people who were still coming time to join the procession.
2 Samuel 15:25-26
Then the king said to Zadok, “Take back the ark of God into the city! If I find favour in the eyes of Jehovah, He will bring me back and let me see Him (i.e., himself: the reference is to God) and His dwelling (i.e., the ark of the covenant as the throne of the divine glory in the tent that had been set up for it). But if He thus say, I have not delight in thee; behold, here am I, let Him do to me as seemeth good to Him.” Thus David put his fate in believing confidence into the hand of the Lord, because he felt that it was the Lord who was chastising him for his sons through this rebellion.
2 Samuel 15:27-28
He also said still further to Zadok, “Thou seer! return into the city in peace.” אתּה הרואה , with ה interrog ., does not yield any appropriate sense, as ה cannot stand for הלוא here, simply because it does not relate to a thing which the person addressed could not deny. Consequently the word must be pointed thus, הראה (with the article), and rendered as a vocative, as it has been by Jerome and Luther. ראה , seer, is equivalent to prophet. He applies this epithet to Zadok, as the high priest who received divine revelations by means of the Urim. The meaning is, Thou Zadok art equal to a prophet; therefore thy proper place is in Jerusalem (O. v. Gerlach). Zadok was to stand as it were upon the watch there with Abiathar, and the sons of both to observe the events that occurred, and send him word through their sons into the plain of the Jordan. “Behold, I will tarry by the ferries of the desert, till a word comes from you to show me,” sc., what has taken place, or how the things shape themselves in Jerusalem. Instead of בּעברות , the earlier translators as well as the Masoretes adopted the reading בּערבות , “in the steppes of the desert.” The allusion in this case would be to the steppes of Jericho (2 Kings 25:5). But Böttcher has very properly defended the Chethib on the strength of 2 Samuel 17:16, where the Keri has ערבות again, though עברות is the true reading (cf. 2 Samuel 19:19). The “ferries of the desert” are the places where the Jordan could be crossed, the fords of the Jordan (Joshua 2:7; Judges 3:28).
2 Samuel 15:29
Zadok and Abiathar then returned to the city with the ark of God.
Ahithophel and Hushai. - 2 Samuel 15:30, 2 Samuel 15:31. When David was going by the height of the olive-trees, i.e., the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went, with his head covered, and barefooted, as a sign of grief and mourning (see Esther 6:12; Ezekiel 24:17), and with the people who accompanied him also mourning, he received intelligence that Ahithophel (see at 2 Samuel 15:12) was with Absalom, and among the conspirators. הגּיד ודוד gives no sense; for David cannot be the subject, because the next clause, “and David said,” etc., contains most distinctly an expression of David's on receiving some information. Thenius would therefore alter הגּיד into the Hophal הגּד , whilst Ewald (§131, a ) would change it into הגּיד , an unusual form of the Hophal , “David was informed,” according to the construction of the Hiphil with the accusative. But although this construction of the Hiphil is placed beyond all doubt by Job 31:37; Job 26:4, and Ezekiel 43:10, the Hiphil is construed as a rule, as the Hophal always is, with ל of the person who receives information. Consequently דּוד must be altered into לדוד , and הגּיד taken as impersonal, “they announced to David.” Upon receipt of this intelligence David prayed to the Lord, that He would “turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness,” make it appear as folly, i.e., frustrate it, - a prayer which God answered (vid., 2 Samuel 17:1.).
On David's arrival at the height where people were accustomed to worship, i.e., upon the top of the Mount of Olives, the Archite Hushai came to meet him with his clothes rent and earth upon his head, that is to say, in the deepest mourning (see 1 Samuel 4:12). It is evident from the words וגו אשׁר־ישׁתּחוה that there was a place of worship upon the top of the Mount of Olives, probably a bamah , such as continued to exist in different places throughout the land, even after the building of the temple. According to 2 Samuel 15:37; 2 Samuel 16:16, and 1 Chronicles 27:33, Hushai was רעה , a friend of David, i.e., one of his privy councillors. הארכּי (the Archite), if we may judge from Joshua 16:2, was the name of a family whose possessions were upon the southern boundary of the tribe of Ephraim, between Bethel and Ataroth. Hushai was probably a very old man, as David said to him (2 Samuel 15:33, 2 Samuel 15:34), “If thou goest with me, thou wilt be a burden to me. But if thou returnest to the city and offerest Absalom thy services, thou canst bring for me the counsel of Ahithophel to nought. If thou sayest to Absalom, I will be thy servant, O king; servant of thy father (i.e., as regards this) I was that of old, but now I am thy servant.” The ו before אני introduces the apodosis both times (vid., Ewald, §348, a .).
David then commissioned him to communicate to the priests Zadok and Abiathar all that he should hear of the king's house, and send word to him through their sons.
So Hushai went into the city when Absalom came to Jerusalem. The w| before the second clause, followed by the imperfect יבוא , indicates contemporaneous occurrence (vid., Ewald, §346, b .).