(KJV) 2 Samuel 151

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⥃Absalom’s Conspiracy

[1] And it came to pass after this, that Absalom2 prepared him chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him.3 [2] And Absalom rose up4 early, and stood beside the way of the gate: and it was [so], that when any man that had a controversy came5 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 matters6 [are] good and right; but [there is7] no man [deputed] of the king to hear thee. [4] Absalom said moreover, Oh that I8 were made judge in the land, that every man which hath any suit or cause might come unto me, and I would do9 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 him10, and kissed11 him. [6] And on this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the king for judgment: so Absalom stole12 the hearts of the men of Israel.

[7] And it came to pass after forty years13, that Absalom said unto the king, I pray thee, let me go14 and pay15 my vow, which I have vowed unto the Lord, in Hebron.16 [8] For thy servant17 vowed a vow while I abode at Geshur18 in Syria, saying, If the Lord shall bring me again indeed to Jerusalem, then I will serve19 the Lord. [9] And the king said unto him, Go in peace. So he arose, and went to Hebron.

[10] [¶]But Absalom sent spies20 throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, As soon as ye hear the sound of the trumpet, then ye shall say, Absalom reigneth21 in Hebron22. [11] And with Absalom went two hundred men out of Jerusalem, [that were] called23; and they went in their simplicity24, and they knew not any thing. [12] And Absalom sent for Ahithophel25 the Gilonite, David’s26 counsellor, from his city, [even] from Giloh27, while he offered28 sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong; for the people29 increased continually with Absalom.

⥃David Flees Jerusalem [ Psalms 3:1–8 ]

[13] And there came a messenger to David, saying, The hearts30 of the men of Israel are after Absalom. [14] And David said unto all his servants that [were] with him at Jerusalem, Arise31, and let us flee; for we shall not [else] escape from Absalom: make speed to depart, lest he overtake us suddenly, and bring32 evil upon us, and smite33 the city with the edge of the sword. [15] And the king’s servants said unto the king, Behold34, thy servants [are ready to do] whatsoever my lord the king shall appoint35. [16] And the king36 went forth, and all his household after him37. And the king left ten women38, [which were] concubines, to keep the house. [17] And the king went forth39, 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 Cherethites40, and all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites41, six hundred men which came after him from Gath, passed on before the king.

[19] [¶]Then said the king to Ittai42 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 down43 with us? seeing44 I go whither I may, return thou, and take back thy brethren: mercy45 and truth [be] with thee. [21] And Ittai answered the king, and said, [As] the Lord46 liveth, and [as] my lord the king liveth, surely47 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 little48 ones that [were] with him. [23] And all the country49 wept with a loud voice, and all the people passed over: the king also himself passed over the brook50 Kidron51, and all the people passed over, toward the way of the wilderness52.

[24] And lo Zadok53 also, and all the Levites [were] with him, bearing54 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 back55 the ark of God into the city: if I shall find favour in the eyes of the Lord, he will bring56 me again, and shew me [both] it, and his habitation57: [26] But if he thus say, I have no delight in thee; behold, [here am] I, let58 him do to me as seemeth good unto him.59 [27] The king said also unto Zadok the priest, [Art not] thou a seer60? return61 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.62 [29] Zadok therefore and Abiathar carried the ark of God again to Jerusalem: and they tarried there.

⥃David Weeps at the Mount of Olives [ Psalms 63:1–11 ]

[30] [¶]And David went up by the ascent63 of [mount] Olivet64, and wept as he went up65, and had his head covered66, and he went barefoot67: and all the people that [was] with him covered every man his head, and they went up, weeping68 as they went up.

[31] And [one] told David, saying, Ahithophel69 [is] among the conspirators with Absalom. And David said, O Lord70, I pray thee, turn the counsel71 of Ahithophel into foolishness.

[32] [¶]And it came to pass, that [when] David was come to the top72 [of the mount], where he worshipped73 God, behold, Hushai74 the Archite75 came to meet him with his coat rent76, and earth upon his head: [33] Unto whom David said, If thou passest on with me, then thou77 shalt be a burden unto me: [34] But if thou return78 to the city, and say unto Absalom, I will be thy servant, O king; [as] I [have been79] thy father’s servant hitherto, so [will] I now also [be] thy servant: then mayest80 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 tell81 [it] to Zadok and Abiathar the priests. [36] Behold, [they have] there with them their two sons82, 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 friend83 came into the city, and Absalom84 came into Jerusalem.

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  1. 2Sam 15:1, Absalom, by fair speeches and courtesies, steals the hearts of Israel; 2Sam 15:7, Under pretence of a vow, he obtains leave to go to Hebron; 2Sam 15:10, He makes there a great conspiracy; 2Sam 15:13, David upon the news flees from Jerusalem; 2Sam 15:19, Ittai will not leave him; 2Sam 15:24, Zadok and Abiathar are sent back with the ark; 2Sam 15:30, David and his company go up mount Olivet weeping; 2Sam 15:31, He curses Ahithophel’s counsel; 2Sam 15:32, Hushai is sent back with instructions. ↩

  2. 2Sam 12:11; Deut 17:16; 1Sam 8:11; 1Kgs 1:5, 1Kgs 1:33, 1Kgs 10:26-29; Ps 20:7; Prov 11:2; Prov 16:18, Prov 17:19; Jer 22:14-16 ↩

  3. am 2980, bc 1024 ↩

  4. Job 24:14; Prov 4:16; Matt 27:1 ↩

  5. Heb. to come, Exod 18:14, Exod 18:16, Exod 18:26; 1Kgs 3:16-28 ↩

  6. Num 16:3, Num 16:13-14; Ps 12:2; Dan 11:21; 2Pet 2:10 ↩

  7. etc. or, none will hear thee from the king downward, 2Sam 8:15; Exod 20:12, Exod 21:17; Prov 30:11, Prov 30:17; Ezek 22:7; Matt 15:4; Acts 23:5; 1Pet 2:17 ↩

  8. Judg 9:1-5, Judg 9:29; Prov 25:6; Luke 14:8-11 ↩

  9. Prov 27:2; 2Pet 2:19 ↩

  10. Ps 10:9-10, Ps 55:21; Prov 26:25 ↩

  11. 2Sam 14:33 ↩

  12. Prov 11:9; Rom 16:18; 2Pet 2:3 ↩

  13. As David reigned in the whole only forty years, this reading is evidently corrupt, though supported by the commonly printed Vulgate, LXX, and Chaldee. But the Syriac, Arabic, Josephus, Theodoret, the Sixtine edition of the Vulgate, and several manuscripts of the same version, read four years; and it is highly probable that arbaim, forty, is an error for arba, four, though not supported by any Hebrew manuscript yet discovered. Two of those collated by Dr. Kennicott, however, have yom, "day," instead of shanah, "year," i.e., forty days instead of forty years; but this is not sufficient to outweigh the other authorities. 2Sam 13:38; 1Sam 16:1, 1Sam 16:13 ↩

  14. 2Sam 13:24-27 ↩

  15. 1Sam 16:2; Prov 21:27; Isa 58:4; Matt 2:8, Matt 23:14 ↩

  16. am 2983, bc 1021, An, Ex, Is, 470 ↩

  17. Gen 28:20-21; 1Sam 1:11, 1Sam 16:2; Ps 56:12; Eccl 5:4 ↩

  18. 2Sam 13:37-38, 2Sam 14:23, 2Sam 14:32 ↩

  19. Josh 24:15; Isa 28:15; Jer 9:3-5, Jer 42:20 ↩

  20. 2Sam 13:28, 2Sam 14:30 ↩

  21. 2Sam 19:10; Job 20:5-29; Ps 73:18-19 ↩

  22. 2Sam 2:1, 2Sam 2:11, 2Sam 3:2-3, 2Sam 5:5; 1Chr 11:3, 1Chr 12:23, 1Chr 12:38 ↩

  23. 1Sam 9:13, 1Sam 16:3-5 ↩

  24. Gen 20:5; 1Sam 22:15; Prov 14:15, Prov 22:3; Matt 10:16; Rom 16:18-19 ↩

  25. 2Sam 15:31, 2Sam 16:20-23, 2Sam 17:14, 2Sam 17:23 ↩

  26. Ps 41:9, Ps 55:12-14; Mic 7:5-6; John 13:18 ↩

  27. Josh 15:51 ↩

  28. Num 23:1, Num 23:14, Num 23:30; 1Kgs 21:9, 1Kgs 21:12; Ps 50:16-21; Prov 21:27; Isa 1:10-16; Titus 1:16 ↩

  29. Ps 3:1-2, Ps 43:1-2 ↩

  30. 2Sam 15:6, 2Sam 3:36; Judg 9:3; Ps 62:9; Matt 21:9, Matt 27:22 ↩

  31. 2Sam 19:9; Ps 3:1 *title ↩

  32. Heb. thrust, Ezek 46:18; Matt 11:12 *marg. Luke 10:15 ↩

  33. 2Sam 23:16-17; Ps 51:18, Ps 55:3-11, Ps 137:5-6 ↩

  34. Prov 18:24; Luke 22:28-29; John 6:66-69, John 15:14 ↩

  35. Heb. choose ↩

  36. Ps 3:1 *title ↩

  37. Heb. at his feet, Judg 4:10; 1Sam 25:27, 1Sam 25:42 *marg. ↩

  38. 2Sam 12:11, 2Sam 16:21-22, 2Sam 20:3; Rom 12:2 ↩

  39. Ps 3:1 *title Ps 3:2, Ps 66:12; Eccl 10:7 ↩

  40. 2Sam 8:18, 2Sam 20:7, 2Sam 20:23; 1Sam 30:14; 1Kgs 1:38; 1Chr 18:17 ↩

  41. 2Sam 15:19-22, 2Sam 6:10, 2Sam 18:2; 1Sam 27:3 ↩

  42. 2Sam 18:2; Ruth 1:11-13 ↩

  43. Heb. wander in going, Ps 56:8, Ps 59:15; Amos 8:12; Heb 11:37-38 ↩

  44. 1Sam 23:13 ↩

  45. 2Sam 2:6; Ps 25:10, Ps 57:3, Ps 61:7, Ps 85:10, Ps 89:14; Prov 14:22; John 1:17; 2Tim 1:16-18 ↩

  46. 1Sam 20:3, 1Sam 25:26; 2Kgs 2:2, 2Kgs 2:4, 2Kgs 2:6, 2Kgs 4:30 ↩

  47. Ruth 1:16-17; Prov 17:17, Prov 18:24; Matt 8:19-20; John 6:66-69; Acts 11:23; Acts 21:13; 2Cor 7:3 ↩

  48. Sir John Chardin informs us,in a manuscript note on this place, that it is usual with the greatest part of the eastern people, especially the Arabs, to carry their whole family with them when they go to war. 2Sam 15:22 ↩

  49. Rom 12:15 ↩

  50. The brook Kidron, which is but a few paces broad, runs along the valley of Jehoshaphat, east of Jerusalem, to the south-west corner of the city, and then, turning to the south-east, empties itself into the Dead Sea. Like the Ilissus, it is dry at least nine months in the year, being only furnished with water in the winter, and after heavy rains. Its bed is narrow and deep, which indicates that it must formerly have been the channel for waters which have found some other, and probably subterraneous course. ↩

  51. 1Kgs 2:37; John 18:1, Cedron ↩

  52. 2Sam 16:2; Matt 3:1, Matt 3:3; Luke 1:80 ↩

  53. 2Sam 15:27, 2Sam 15:35, 2Sam 8:17, 2Sam 20:25; 1Kgs 1:8, 1Kgs 2:35, 1Kgs 4:2-4; 1Chr 6:8-12; Ezek 48:11 ↩

  54. 2Sam 6:13; Num 4:15, Num 7:9; Josh 3:3, Josh 3:6, Josh 3:15-17, Josh 4:16-18, Josh 6:4, Josh 6:6; 1Sam 4:3-5, 1Sam 4:11; 1Chr 15:2 ↩

  55. 2Sam 12:10-11; 1Sam 4:3-11; Jer 7:4 ↩

  56. Ps 26:8, Ps 27:4-5, Ps 42:1-2, Ps 43:3-4, Ps 63:1-2, Ps 84:1-3, Ps 84:10, Ps 122:1, Ps 122:9; Isa 38:22 ↩

  57. 2Sam 6:17, 2Sam 7:2 ↩

  58. Judg 10:15; 1Sam 3:18; Job 1:20-21; Ps 39:9 ↩

  59. I have not, 2Sam 22:20; Num 14:8; 1Kgs 10:9; 2Chr 9:8; Isa 42:1, Isa 62:4; Jer 22:28, Jer 32:41; Matt 1:10 ↩

  60. 2Sam 24:11; 1Sam 9:9; 1Chr 25:5 ↩

  61. 2Sam 15:34, 2Sam 15:36, 2Sam 17:17 ↩

  62. 2Sam 15:23, 2Sam 16:2, 2Sam 17:1, 2Sam 17:16 ↩

  63. Zech 14:4; Luke 19:29, Luke 19:37, Luke 21:37, Luke 22:39; Acts 1:12 ↩

  64. Mount Olivet, so called from its abounding with olive trees, is situated east of Jerusalem, being separated from it only by the valley of Jehoshaphat and the brook Kidron. Josephus says it is five stadia, i.e., 625 geometrical paces from Jerusalem; and St. Luke (Acts 1:12) says it is a Sabbath day's journey, or about eight stadia distant, i.e., to the summit. It forms part of a ridge of limestone hills, extending from north to south for about a mile; and it is described as having three, or, according to others, four summits; the central and highest of which overlooks the whole of the city, over whose streets and walls the eye roves as if in the survey of a model. ↩

  65. Heb. going up and weeping, Ps 42:3-11, Ps 43:1-2, Ps 43:5; Luke 19:41 ↩

  66. This custom was only practised by persons in great distress, or when convicted of great crimes. Thus Darius, when informed by Tyriotes, the eunuch, that his queen was dead, and that she had suffered no violence from Alexander, covered his head, and wept a long time; then throwing off the garment that covered him, he thanked the gods for Alexander's moderation and justice. 2Sam 19:4; Esth 6:12; Jer 14:3-4 ↩

  67. Isa 20:2, Isa 20:4; Ezek 24:17, Ezek 24:23 ↩

  68. Ps 126:5-6; Matt 5:4; Rom 12:15; 1Cor 12:26 ↩

  69. 2Sam 15:12; Ps 3:1, Ps 41:9, Ps 55:12, Ps 55:14; Matt 26:14-15; John 13:18 ↩

  70. Ps 55:15, Ps 109:3 ↩

  71. 2Sam 16:23, 2Sam 17:14, 2Sam 17:23; Job 5:12, Job 12:16-20; Isa 19:3, Isa 19:11-25; Jer 8:8-9; 1Cor 1:20, 1Cor 3:18-20; Jas 3:15 ↩

  72. 2Sam 15:30; 1Kgs 11:7; Luke 19:29 ↩

  73. 1Kgs 8:44-45; Job 1:20-21; Ps 3:3-5, Ps 3:7, Ps 4:1-3, Ps 50:15, Ps 91:15 ↩

  74. 2Sam 16:16-19 ↩

  75. Josh 16:2 ↩

  76. 2Sam 1:2, 2Sam 13:19 ↩

  77. 2Sam 19:35 ↩

  78. 2Sam 15:20; Josh 8:2; Matt 10:16 ↩

  79. 2Sam 16:16-19 ↩

  80. 2Sam 17:5-14 ↩

  81. 2Sam 17:15-16 ↩

  82. 2Sam 15:27, 2Sam 17:17, 2Sam 18:19-33 ↩

  83. 2Sam 16:16; 1Chr 27:33 ↩

  84. 2Sam 16:15 ↩