1And it came to pass after this, that Absalom made for himself a chariot and horses, and fifty men (ish) running before him.
2And Absalom rose early and stood beside the way of the gate; and it was so, that every man (ish) who had a dispute to come to the king for judgment (mishpat), Absalom called to him and said, "From what city are you?" And he said, "Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel."
3And Absalom said to him, "See, your matters are good and right, but there is none to hear you from the king."
4And Absalom said, "Who will set me a judge in the land, that every man (ish) who has a dispute or judgment (mishpat) might come to me, and I would give him right!"
5And it was so, that when a man (ish) came near to bow down to him, he put forth his hand and took hold of him and kissed him.
6And Absalom did in this manner to all Israel who came for judgment (mishpat) to the king; and Absalom stole the heart of the men (ish) of Israel.
7And it came to pass at the end of forty years, that Absalom said to the king, "Let me go, I pray, and pay my vow which I vowed to YHWH in Hebron.
8For your servant vowed a vow while I dwelt in Geshur in Aram, saying, If YHWH will indeed bring me back to Jerusalem, then I will serve (avad) YHWH."
9And the king said to him, "Go in peace." And he arose and went to Hebron.
10And Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, "As soon as you hear the sound of the shofar, then you shall say, Absalom reigns in Hebron."
11And with Absalom went two hundred men (ish) from Jerusalem, called ones, and they went in their innocence, and they did not know anything.
12And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's counselor, from his city, from Giloh, while he offered the sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong, and the people went on and increased with Absalom.
13And the teller came to David, saying, "The heart of the man (ish) of Israel is after Absalom."
14And David said to all his servants who were with him in Jerusalem, "Arise, and let us flee, for there will be no escape for us from before Absalom. Make haste to go, lest he hasten and overtake us, and thrust the evil upon us, and strike the city with the edge of the sword."
15And the king's servants said to the king, "According to all that my lord the king chooses, behold, your servants."
16And the king went forth, and all his house at his feet; and the king left ten women (ishah), concubines, to keep the house.
17And the king went forth, and all the people at his feet; and they stood at the house of distance.
18And all his servants passed on beside him; and all the Cherethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, six hundred men (ish) who came after him from Gath, passed on before the king.
19And the king said to Ittai the Gittite, "Why do you also go with us? Return and abide with the king, for you are a foreigner, and also an exile to your place.
20Yesterday was your coming, and today shall I make you wander to go with us, when I go where I go? Return, and take back your brothers with you, in kindness and truth."
21And Ittai answered the king and said, "As YHWH lives (chai), and as my lord the king lives (chai), surely in the place where my lord the king shall be, whether for death, whether for life (chai), there also will your servant be."
22And David said to Ittai, "Go and pass over." And Ittai the Gittite passed over, and all his men (ish), and all the little ones who were with him.
23And all the land was weeping with a great voice, and all the people passing over; and the king was passing over in the brook Kidron, and all the people passing over toward the face of the way of the wilderness.
24And behold, also Zadok, and all the Levites with him, bearing the ark of the covenant (berit) of God; and they set down the ark of God, and Abiathar went up, until all the people had finished passing over from the city.
25And the king said to Zadok, "Bring back the ark of God to the city. If I find favor in the eyes of YHWH, then He will bring me back and show me it and His habitation.
26But if He says thus, I have no delight in you, behold, here am I, let Him do to me as is good in His eyes."
27And the king said to Zadok the priest, "Are you a seer? Return to the city in peace, and Ahimaaz your son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar, your two sons, with you.
28See, I will tarry at the fords of the wilderness until a word comes from you to tell me."
29And Zadok and Abiathar brought back the ark of God to Jerusalem, and they abode there.
30And David was going up by the ascent of the olives, going up and weeping, and his head covered, and he going barefoot; and all the people who were with him covered each man (ish) his head, and they went up, going up and weeping.
31And it was told David, saying, "Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom." And David said, "Make foolish, I pray, the counsel of Ahithophel, O YHWH."
32And it came to pass, when David came to the top, where he bowed down there to God, that behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him, his tunic torn, and ground (adamah) upon his head.
33And David said to him, "If you pass over with me, then you will be a burden upon me;
34but if you return to the city and say to Absalom, I will be your servant, O king; as I was your father's servant in time past, so now I am your servant; then you will defeat for me the counsel of Ahithophel.
35And are not Zadok and Abiathar the priests there with you? And it shall be, every word that you hear from the king's house, you shall tell to Zadok and Abiathar the priests.
36Behold, there with them are their two sons, Ahimaaz for Zadok, and Jonathan for Abiathar; and by their hand you shall send to me every word that you hear."
37And Hushai, David's friend, came into the city; and Absalom was coming into Jerusalem.