2 Samuel 15
Absalom’s coup, David’s escape
Absalom plots a coup
1Once Absalom was back on the good side of his father, the king, he got himself a chariot and some horses to pull it. He also arranged for 50 guards to run ahead of him.2Absalom also started getting up early. He’d go just outside the city gate and stand by the road that led into the city. The gate was a popular meeting place. It was also where people brought their complaints and legal disputes to judges appointed by the king. Absalom would get to the people first and say, “Hello. Where are you from?” The person would answer, and that started the conversation.
3Eventually, Absalom would say something like this: “You certainly have a good case. But as you can see, the king hasn’t sent anyone here yet to listen to your complaint. 4It’s too bad I’m not the judge here. Then everyone could come to me. I’d treat each person fairly and rule in favor of justice.”
5Whenever people approached him, they bowed in respect for the king’s son. But he lifted them by the hand and greeted them with the kiss that’s customary among friends. 6He did this to every person who brought a legal case to the king’s judges. That’s how he manipulated people, convincing them he was on their side.
Hebron, the kingmaker city
7Four [1] years later, Absalom told the king, “I’d like to go to Hebron [2] to fulfill a promise I made to the LORD. 8When I was in Geshur, living among the people of Aram in Syria, I told the LORD that if he brought me home to Jerusalem, I would set aside time to worship him in Hebron.”9The king said, “Go. Stay safe.” So, Absalom went to Hebron. 10But Absalom also sent out secret messengers to all the tribal leaders in Israel. Their message: “When you hear the ram’s horn, shout the news: Absalom is now King, crowned in Hebron.”
11Two hundred men followed Absalom to Hebron as his personal guests. They had no idea what he was planning.
12While Absalom was in Hebron, offering sacrifices, he sent for one of David’s advisors, Ahithophel, who lived in the city of Giloh. [3] Absalom’s conspiracy grew quickly.
David escapes from Jerusalem
13A messenger finally came to David with the news: “Israel has chosen Absalom.”14David told his officials in Jerusalem, “Get up and get out of here. If you stay, Absalom won’t let you live. We have to hurry or he’ll catch us, kill us, and kill the people of Jerusalem, as well.” 15David’s officials said, “You are the king. We serve you and we’ll do whatever you want.” 16The king left with his officials and all his servants and family members, except for 10 concubines. He left them to watch over the palace.
17The crowd leaving Jerusalem paused at the last house on the road out of town. 18David stood there while everyone continued on their way. All his officials. Both units of his royal bodyguards, the Cherethites and the Pelethites. [4] And all 600 warriors who had been with him since his days of living in Gath, before he became king.
19David turned to one of the men, Ittai from Gath. He asked him, “Why are you coming with us? You’re an immigrant living in a foreign land, an exile from your own people. Go back to the new king and he’ll welcome you. 20You haven’t been here very long. Why should I make you live a life on the run with the rest of us. I suggest you take your family back. And may the LORD show you the best of his loving kindness.”
21Ittai said, “You are my king. As sure as you’ve got breath in you and the LORD is alive, I’ll follow you to life or death. Where you go is where I want to be.” 22David said, “In that case, get going.” So Ittai walked on, with all his men and with the women and children in their families.
23People staying behind in their Jerusalem homes cried as they watched David and the others walk away. The king walked across the dry stream bed in the Kidron Valley. He headed toward the desert wasteland between Jerusalem and the Jordan River.
24Priest Abiathar came along. So did priest Zadok. They brought the Jerusalem Levites [5] with them, and they carried the box of the Ten Commandments of God. [6] They set the box down and let the people pass.
Priests become David’s spies
25David told Zadok, “Take the box of God back into the city. If God still wants me there, he’ll bring me back and let me see it again. 26But if God says, ‘I’m not happy with you anymore,’ then let him do to me whatever he wants to.”David camps at Jordan River
27The king told Zadok, “I want you and Abiathar to go back to the city and keep an eye on what’s happening. Both of you take your sons, Ahimaaz and Jonathan. 28We’ll camp at the shallow crossing of the Jordan River until we hear from you.” 29Zadok and Abiathar carried the box of God back to Jerusalem. And they stayed there.30David climbed from the Kidron Valley to the top of the Mount of Olives, crying as he walked. He walked barefooted and covered his head in mourning. The people with him covered their heads and cried, too. 31Someone told David that his advisor, Ahithophel, had joined Absalom’s conspiracy to steal Israel’s throne. So David prayed, “Please LORD, make Ahithophel give terrible advice.”
David’s spy in Jerusalem’s palace
32David took time to worship God at the top of the Mount of Olives. While he did, a friend of his named Hushai came to see him. Hushai was from the clan of Arki, an extended family in Benjamin’s tribe. He was in mourning. David could tell because Hushai wore a torn coat and had ashes on his head.33David told him, “If you go with me, you’ll be just another person for me to worry about. 34But if you stay behind you can help me. Tell Absalom, ‘I’ll serve you, my king, just as I served your father.’ If you do this, you can direct the king away from any good advice that Ahithophel might give. 35Both priests, Zadok and Abiathar, will back you. So whenever you hear anything from the king’s palace that might be helpful to me, pass it along to Zadok and Abiathar. 36Their two sons are with them, as well. Zadok’s son is Ahimaaz and Abiathar’s son is Jonathan. You can report to any of them and they’ll get the news back to me.”
37So David’s friend Hushai went back to Jerusalem. He got there the same time Absalom did.
Footnotes
Some manuscripts say 40 years.
Hebron is where Israelites first declared David king of the tribe of Judah. Later, tribal leaders from all over Jerusalem came there to anoint him king over all Israel (2 Samuel 5).
Giloh’s location is unknown. Joshua 15:48, 51 place the city in the hills of Judah’s tribal territory, possibly near Hebron.
Possibly mercenaries. Scholars often link the Cherethites to warriors from Crete and the Pelethites with the Philistines. They show up this way in 2 Samuel 8:18, Ezekiel 25:15, and Zephaniah 2:5.
Levites were descendants of Levi, one of Jacob’s 12 sons. Levi’s descendants, or tribe, became the nation’s priests, Temple workers, and other worship leaders and associates. Bible writers often mention priests and Levites as though Levites were associates of priests. Yet, both were descendants of Levi, which makes them both Levites in one sense of the word. But there was another sense of the word. Historians still debate what the difference was between a priest and a Levite. It seems that priests performed what people considered the more important religious duties. Levites may have been more like associate ministers.
Also known as the Ark of the Covenant. It was a gold-covered wooden chest that held the stone tablets with the Ten Commandments engraved in the time of Moses.
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