1After this, Absalom got himself a chariot, horses, and fifty men to run in front of him.
2Absalom would get up early and stand by the city gate. Whenever someone had a legal case to bring before the king for judgment, Absalom would call out to them and ask, 'Which city are you from?' The person would answer, 'Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel.'
3Absalom would then say to him, 'Look, your case is good and right, but there is no one appointed by the king to hear you.'
4Absalom also said, 'If only I were made judge in this land! Then everyone with a problem or a complaint could come to me, and I would give them justice!'
5And whenever someone came near to bow down to him, Absalom would reach out his hand, take hold of them, and kiss them.
6Absalom did this for all the people of Israel who came to the king for judgment. In this way, Absalom won the loyalty of the people of Israel.
7After forty years, Absalom said to the king, 'Please let me go to Hebron to fulfill a vow I made to Yahweh.
8While I was staying in Geshur in Syria, your servant made a vow: "If Yahweh brings me back to Jerusalem, I will serve Yahweh."'
9The king told him, 'Go in peace.' So Absalom got up and went to Hebron.
10But Absalom sent secret messengers to all the tribes of Israel, telling them, 'As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, you must announce, "Absalom is king in Hebron!"'
11Two hundred invited men from Jerusalem went with Absalom. They went innocently, unaware of Absalom's plan.
12Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, who was David's advisor, from his hometown of Giloh, at the same time he was offering sacrifices. The plot to overthrow David was strong, and more and more people joined Absalom.
13A messenger came to David and reported, "The people of Israel are loyal to Absalom."
14David said to all his servants who were with him in Jerusalem, "Get up, let's run away! Otherwise, none of us will escape Absalom. We must leave quickly, in case he overtakes us and brings disaster upon us, attacking the city with his sword."
15The king's servants replied to the king, "Your servants are ready to do whatever our lord the king chooses."
16So the king left, and his entire household followed him. The king left ten women, who were his concubines, to take care of the palace.
17The king left, and all the people followed him; they stayed in Beth Merhak.
18All his servants marched alongside him. All the Cherethites, Pelethites, and Gittites—six hundred men who had followed him from Gath—marched ahead of the king.
19Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, "Why are you also coming with us? Go back and stay with the king; you are a foreigner and an exile. Return to your own place.
20You just joined us yesterday. Should I make you wander with us today, since I am going wherever I can? Go back, and take your brothers with you. May mercy and truth be with you."
21Ittai answered the king, "As Yahweh lives, and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king is, whether it's for death or for life, your servant will be there too."
22David said to Ittai, "Go on ahead." Ittai the Gittite went ahead with all his men and all the little ones who were with him.
23All the country wept loudly, and all the people crossed over. The king himself also crossed over the Kidron Valley, and all the people crossed over, heading toward the wilderness road.
24Then Zadok arrived, and all the Levites with him, carrying the ark of the covenant of God. They set down God’s ark, and Abiathar went up, until all the people had finished leaving the city.
25The king said to Zadok, "Carry God's ark back into the city. If I find favor in Yahweh's eyes, he will bring me back again and let me see both the ark and his dwelling place.
26But if he says, 'I do not delight in you,' then here I am. Let him do to me whatever seems good to him."
27The king also said to Zadok the priest, "Aren't you a seer? Return to the city in peace, with your two sons, Ahimaaz your son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar.
28Look, I will wait at the shallow crossings of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me."
29So Zadok and Abiathar carried God's ark back to Jerusalem, and they stayed there.
30David went up the ascent of the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went. His head was covered, and he was barefoot. All the people who were with him also covered their heads, and they went up, weeping as they went.
31Someone told David, "Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom." David said, "Yahweh, please turn Ahithophel's advice into foolishness."
32When David reached the top of the mountain, where God was worshipped, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his clothes torn and dirt on his head.
33David said to him, "If you come with me, you will be a burden to me.
34But if you return to the city and tell Absalom, 'I will be your servant, O king. Just as I was your father's servant in the past, so I will now be your servant,' then you can defeat Ahithophel’s advice for me.
35Don't you have Zadok and Abiathar the priests there with you? So, whatever you hear from the king's house, tell it to Zadok and Abiathar the priests.
36They have their two sons with them, Ahimaaz, Zadok's son, and Jonathan, Abiathar's son. Send me everything you hear through them."
37So Hushai, David's friend, went into the city, and Absalom came into Jerusalem.