Absalom's Rebellion

¹Some time later, Absalom prepared chariots and horses for himself, along with fifty men to run ahead of him. ²Absalom would get up early and stand beside the road leading to the city gate. Whenever someone was on their way to bring a dispute before the king for a ruling, Absalom would call out to them and ask, "What city are you from?" The person would answer, "Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel." ³Absalom would tell them, "Look, your case is clearly valid and fair — but the king hasn't appointed anyone to hear it." ⁴Then Absalom would add, "If only someone would make me judge over this land! Then anyone with a complaint or dispute could come to me, and I'd make sure they got justice." ⁵Whenever someone approached and began to bow before him, Absalom would reach out, take hold of them, and kiss them. ⁶Absalom did this with everyone from Israel who came to the king for a ruling. Little by little, he stole the hearts of the people of Israel. ⁷After 40 years, Absalom said to the king, "Please let me go to Hebron to fulfill a vow I made to the LORD." ⁸"While I was living in Geshur in Syria, your servant made a vow: 'If the LORD brings me back to Jerusalem, I will serve the LORD.'" ⁹The king told him, "Go in peace." So Absalom left for Hebron. ¹⁰But Absalom had secretly sent agents throughout all the tribes of Israel with instructions: "The moment you hear the trumpet blast, announce that Absalom has become king in Hebron!" ¹¹200 men from Jerusalem went with Absalom. They had been invited as guests and went innocently, knowing nothing about his plans. ¹²While offering sacrifices, Absalom also sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite — David's own advisor — summoning him from his hometown of Giloh. The conspiracy gained momentum as more and more people rallied to Absalom's side. ¹³A messenger came to David with the news: "The hearts of the people of Israel have turned to Absalom." ¹⁴David immediately told all his officials who were with him in Jerusalem, "Get up — we have to run! If we don't move fast, none of us will escape Absalom. Hurry, before he catches up to us, brings disaster down on us, and puts the whole city to the sword." ¹⁵The king's servants replied, "Whatever our lord the king decides, we're ready to do it." ¹⁶So the king set out on foot with his entire household following him. He left behind 10 concubines to take care of the palace. ¹⁷The king went out with all the people following him, and they paused in a place that was far off. ¹⁸All his servants marched past him, along with all the Cherethites, all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites — 600 men who had followed him from Gath — and they took the lead ahead of the king. ¹⁹The king said to Ittai the Gittite, "Why are you coming with us? Return to your place and remain with the king, for you are a foreigner and an exile." ²⁰You only arrived yesterday—should I make you wander around with us today when I don't even know where I'm going? Go back and take your brothers with you. May mercy and truth be with you. ²¹But Ittai answered the king, "As the LORD lives, and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king is — whether it means life or death — that's where your servant will be." ²²David said to Ittai, "Then come — march on." So Ittai the Gittite crossed over with all his men and all the families who were with him. ²³The whole countryside wept loudly as all the people crossed over. The king himself crossed the Kidron Brook, and everyone headed toward the wilderness. ²⁴Zadok was there too, along with all the Levites, carrying the ark of the covenant of God. They set the ark of God down, and Abiathar went up until everyone had finished leaving the city. ²⁵Then the king said to Zadok, "Take the ark of God back into the city. If the LORD is pleased with me, he'll bring me back and let me see it and his dwelling place again." ²⁶"But if he says, 'I take no pleasure in you' — then here I am. Let him do to me whatever he thinks is right." ²⁷The king also said to Zadok the priest, "Aren't you a seer? Go back to the city in peace, and take your two sons with you—your son Ahimaaz and Jonathan, the son of Abiathar." ²⁸I'll wait in the plain of the wilderness until I hear from you with news. ²⁹So Zadok and Abiathar carried the ark of God back to Jerusalem and stayed there. ³⁰David climbed the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went. His head was covered and his feet were bare. Everyone with him also covered their heads and wept as they climbed. ³¹Then someone told David, "Ahithophel has joined the conspirators with Absalom." David prayed, "LORD, please turn Ahithophel's advice into foolishness." ³²When David reached the summit where people worshiped God, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his tunic torn and dirt on his head. ³³David told him, "If you come with me, you'll only be a burden." ³⁴"But if you go back to the city and tell Absalom, 'I'll be your servant, O king — just as I served your father before, I'll now serve you' — then you can undermine Ahithophel's advice for me." ³⁵"Zadok and Abiathar the priests will be there with you. Whatever you hear in the king's palace, report it to Zadok and Abiathar." ³⁶"Their 2 sons are with them — Zadok's son Ahimaaz and Abiathar's son Jonathan. Send everything you learn to me through them." ³⁷So Hushai, David's friend, headed back into the city just as Absalom was arriving in Jerusalem.