1And after this Absalom began to furnish himself with a chariot and horses, and fifty men to run before him. 2And Absalom used to get up early and stand beside the road. Then when anyone had a dispute which should come to the king for judgment, then Absalom would call out to him and say, "What city are you from?" When he said, "Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel," 3then Absalom would say to him, "Look, your matters are good and right; but there is no one from the king to hear you." 4And Absalom would say, "Oh that I were made judge in the land, then anyone who had a dispute could come to me, and I would give him justice." 5It 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. 6Absalom did this sort of thing to all Israel who came to the king for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

7It happened at the end of four years, that Absalom said to the king, "Please let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed to the LORD, in Hebron. 8For your servant vowed a vow while I stayed at Geshur in Aram, saying, 'If the LORD will bring me back to Jerusalem, then I will serve the LORD in Hebron.'" 9The king said to him, "Go in peace." So he arose, and went to Hebron. 10But 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.'" 11Two hundred men went with Absalom out of Jerusalem, who were invited, and went in their simplicity; and they did not know anything. 12And he sent and invited Ahithophel the Gilonite, David�s counselor, from his city Giloh, where he was offering sacrifice. The conspiracy was strong, for the people increased continually with Absalom.

13A messenger came to David, saying, "The hearts of the men of Israel are after Absalom." 14So David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, "Arise, and let us flee, otherwise none of us shall escape from Absalom. Go immediately, or else he will quickly overtake us and bring down the city on top of us, and strike the city with the edge of the sword." 15Then the king�s servants said to him, "Look, your servants are ready to do whatever the king chooses." 16And the king went out with all his household following him. But the king left ten women, who were secondary wives, to take care of the palace. 17So the king went out with all his servants following him, and they stopped at the last house. 18And all the people passed on before him. And all those with him, all the officers and warriors, were six hundred men, and they passed on before him. And when all the Cherethites and all the Pelethites and all the Gittites who followed him from Gath passed on before the king.

19Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, "Why do you also go with us? Go back and stay with the king, for you are a foreigner and you also are an exile from your place. 20You came only yesterday. Should I today make you wander about with us, since I go I know not where? Go back, and take your brothers with you, and may the LORD show you kindness and truth." 21Ittai answered the king, and said, "As the LORD lives, and as my lord the king lives, surely in what place my lord shall be, whether for death or for life, even there also will your servant be." 22So David said to Ittai, "Go and pass over." Then Ittai passed over, and all his men, and all the little ones who were with him. 23And all the land wept aloud as all the people went by. And the king also passed over the Kidron Valley, and all the people passed by on the Olive road into the wilderness.

24And look, Zadok also came (and all the Levites with him, bearing the ark of the covenant of the LORD) and Abiathar. And they set down the ark of God until all the people finished passing by from the city. 25The king said to Zadok, "Return the ark of God to the city. If I find favor in the eyes of the LORD, he will bring me back and show me both it and his dwelling place; 26but if he should say, 'I have no delight in you;' look, here I am. Let him do to me as seems good to him." 27And the king said also to Zadok the priest, "Look, you return into the city in peace, and your two sons with you, Ahimaaz your son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar. 28Look, I will wait at the fords of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me." 29So Zadok and Abiathar carried the ark to Jerusalem and returned it there.

30And David went up by the Ascent of the Olives, and wept as he went, and he had his head covered and went barefoot. And all the people who were with him covered their heads, and they went up weeping as they went. 31Someone told David, saying, "Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom." David said, "LORD, please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness."

32It happened that when David had come to the top, where God was worshiped, look, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his coat torn, and earth on his head. 33David said to him, "If you pass on with me, then you will be a burden to me; 34but if you return to the city, and tell Absalom, 'Your brothers have left, O king, after your father left, and now I am your servant, O king. Allow me to live. As I have been your father�s servant in the past, so now I am be your servant,' then you will defeat for me the counsel of Ahithophel. 35And look, Zadok and Abiathar the priests will be there with you. So whatever you hear from the king's house you must tell it to Zadok and Abiathar the priests. 36Look, their two sons are with them there, Ahimaaz, Zadok's son, and Jonathan, Abiathar's son. And by them you must send to me everything that you hear." 37So Hushai, David's friend, came into the city; and Absalom came into Jerusalem.