rd

2 Samuel 15

1 After this, Absalóm <sup>*</sup> prepared him charets and horss, and fiftie men to <sup>a</sup> runne before him.
2.And Absalóm rose vp early, and stode hard by the entring in of the gate: & euerie man that had anie * matter, & came to the King for iudgement, him did Absalóm call vnto him, and said, Of what citie art thou? And he answered, Thy seruant is of one of the b tribes of Israél.
3.Then Absalóm said vnto him, Se, thy matters are good & righteous, but there is no man deputed of the King to heare thee.
4.Absalóm said moreouer, Oh c I were made iudge in the land, that euerie man which hathe anie matter or controuersie, might come to me, that I might do him iustice.
5.And when anie man came nere to him, and did him obeisance, he put forthe his hand, and toke him, and kissed him.
6.And on this maner did Absalóm to all Ifraél, tht came to the King for iudgement: so Absalóm d stale the heartes of the men of Ifraél.
7.¶ And after e fortie yeres, Absalóm faid vnto the King, I pray thee, let me go to Hebrón, and rendre my vowe which I haue vowed vnto the Lord.
8.For thy feruant vowed a vowe when I remained in Geshúr, in Arám, faying, If the Lord fhal bring me againe in dede to Ierufalém, I wil f ferue the Lord.
9.And the King faid vnto him, Go in peace. So he arofe, and went to Hebrón.
10.¶ Then Absalóm fent fpies throughout all the tribes of Ifraél, faying, When ye heare the founde of the trumpet, ye fhal fay, Absalóm reigneth in Hebrón.
11.And with Absalóm went two hundreth men out of Ierufalém, that were g called: and they wẽt in their fimplicitie, knowing nothing.
12.Alfo Absalóm fent for Ahithóphel the Gilonite Dauids counfeler, from his citie Gilóh, while he offred facrifices: and the treafon was great: for the people * encreafed ftil with Absalóm.
13.¶ Then came a meffenger to Dauid, faying, The hearts of the men of Ifraél are turned after Absalóm.
14.Then Dauid faid vnto all his feruants that were with him at Ierufalém, Vp, and let vs flee: for we fhal not efcape frõ h Absalóm: make fpede to departe, left he come fodenly and take vs, & bring euil vpõ vs, and fmite the citie with the edge of the fworde.
15.And the Kings feruants faid vnto him, Beholde, thy feruãts are ready to do according to all that my lord the King fhal " appoint.
16.So the King departed and all his houfeholde " after him, and the King left ten concubines to kepe the houfe.
17.And the King went forthe and all the people after him, and taryed in a place * farre of.
18.And all his feruãts went about him, and all the k Cherethites and all the Pelethites and all l Gittites, euen fixe hũdreth men which were come after him frõ Gath, went before the King.
19.¶ Then faid the King to l Ittái the Gittite, Wherefore commest thou alfo with vs? Returne and abide with the King, for thou art a ftranger: departe thou therefore to thy place.
20.Thou cameft yefterday, and fhulde I caufe thee to wander to day and go with vs? I wil go whither I can: therefore returne thou, and cary againe thy m brethren: n mercie and n trueth be with thee.
21.And Ittái answered the King, and faid, As the Lord liueth, & as my lord the King liueth, in what place my lord the King fhalbe, whether in death or life, euen there furely wil thy feruant be.
22.Then Dauid faid to Ittái, Come, & go forwarde. And Ittái the Gittite went, and all his men, and all the children that were with him.
23.And all the countrey wept with a loude voyce, and o all the people went forward, but the King paffed ouer the brooke Kidrón: and all the people wẽt ouer towarde the way of the wildernes.
24.¶ And lo, Zadók alfo was there, and all the Leuites with him, p bearing the Arke of the couenant of God: & they fet downe q the Arke of God, and Abiathár wẽt vp vntil the people were all come out of the citie.
25.Then the King faid vnto Zadók, Carie the Arke of God againe into the citie: if I fhal finde fauour in the eyes of the Lord, he wil bring me againe, & fhewe me bothe it, and the * Tabernacle thereof.
26.But if he thus fay, I haue no delite in thee, beholde, r here am I, let him do to me as femeth good in his eyes.
27.The King faid againe vnto Zadók the Prieft, Art not thou a s Seer? returne into the citie in peace, & your two fonnes with you: to wit, Ahimáaz thy fonne, and Ionathán the fonne of Abiathár.
28.Beholde, I wil tarie in the fieldes of the wildernes, vntil there come fome worde from you to be tolde me.
29.Zadók therefore and Abiathár caryed the Arke of God againe to Ierufalém, and they taried there.
30.¶ And Dauid went vp the mount of oliues and wept as he went vp, and had his head couered, and wẽt barefooted: and all the people that was with him, had euerie man his head couered, and as they went vp, they wept.
31.¶ Then one tolde Dauid, faying, Ahithóphel is one of them that haue confpired with Absalóm: and Dauid faid, ô Lord, I pray thee, turne the u counfel of Ahithóphel into foolifhnes.
32.¶ Then Dauid came to the toppe of the mount where he worfhiped God: and beholde, Hufhái the Archite came againft him with his coate torne, & hauing earth vpon his head.
33.Vnto whome Dauid faid, If thou go with me, thou fhalt be a burthen vnto me.
34.But if thou returne to the citie, and fay vnto Absalóm, I wil be thy v feruant, o King, (as I haue bene in time paft thy fathers feruant, fo wil I now be thy feruant) then thou maieft bring me the counfel of Ahithóphel to noght.
35.And haft thou not there with thee Zadók and Abiathár the Priefts? therefore whatfoeuer whatsoeuer thou shalt heare out of the Kings house, thou shalt shewe to Zadók and Abiathár the Priests.
36.Beholde, there are with them their two sonnes: Ahimáaz Zadoks sonne, and Ionathán Abiathars sonne: by them also shal ye send me euerie thing that ye can heare.
37.So Hushái Dauids friend went into the citie: and Absalóm came into Ierusalém.

Notes

2:*.
Or, controuersie.
2:b.
That is, noting of what citie or place he was.
4:c.
Thus by slander, flatterie, and faire promises the wicked seeke preferrement.
6:d.
by intising them from his father to him felfe
7:e.
Counting from the time that the Ifraelites had asked a King of Samuél.
8:f.
By offring a peace offring, wch was lawful to do in any place
11:g.
And byd to his feast in Hebrõ.
12:*.
Ebr. went and increased
14:h.
Whofe heart he fawe that Satan had possessed, that he wolde leaue no mischef vnattempted
15:".
Ebr. chuse
16:".
Ebr. at his feete.
17:*.
Or, house
17:i.
To wit, frõ Ierusalem
18:k.
These were as the Kings garde, or as some write, his counselers.
18:l.
Who, as some write, was the Kings sonne of Gath
20:m.
Meaning, them of his familie
20:n.
God requite thee thy friedship and fidelitie.
23:o.
To wit, the six hundreth men.
24:p.
Which was the charge of the Kohathites, Nomb. 4. 4.
24:q.
To stand by the Arke.
25:*.
Or, his tabernacle
26:r.
The faithful in all their afflictions submitteth them selues obedience to Gods wil.
27:s.
1. Sam. 9. 9.
30:t.
With ashes & dust in signe of sorrowe
31:u.
The counsel of the crafty worldelings doeth more harme thẽ the open force of the enemie.
34:v.
Thogh Hushai dissembled here at the Kings requeste, yet may we not vse this exãple to excuse our dissimulation.
*.
1 The practises of Absalom to aspire to the kingdome. 14 Dauid and his flee. 31 Dauids prayer. 34 Hushai is sent to Absalom to discouer his counsel.
*.
Ebr. made him.
a.
Which were as a garde to set forthe his state.