1Sometime later, Absalom got himself a chariot with horses, and fifty men as bodyguards to run ahead of him.

2He used to get up early and stand by the main road that led to the city gate. When people brought a case to the king for his decision, Absalom would call out and ask them, “What town are you from?” If they replied, “Your servant is from this particular tribe of Israel,”

3Absalom would tell them, “Look, you're in the right and you've got a good case. It's such a shame there's no one from the king to hear you.”

4Then he would say, “If only there was someone to appoint me as judge for the country. Then everyone could come to me with their case or complaint, and I would give them justice.”

5When anyone came to bow down before him, Absalom would stop them by reaching out his hand, taking hold of him, and kissing him.

6This is how Absalom treated all the Israelites who came to the king for his judgment. So he captured the loyalty of the men of Israel.

7Four ³⁷years later Absalom asked the king, “Please let me go to Hebron to fulfill a promise I made to the Lord.

8For I, your servant, made this promise while living at Geshur in Aram, saying: ‘If the Lord does bring me back to Jerusalem, I will worship the Lord in Hebron.’”

9“Go in peace,” said the king. So Absalom went to Hebron.

10Then Absalom sent his accomplices among all the tribes of Israel, saying, “When you hear the sound of the ram's horn, shout, ‘Absalom is king at Hebron!’”

11Two hundred men from Jerusalem went with Absalom. They had been invited and went in all innocence, because they didn't know anything about what was planned.

12While Absalom was offering sacrifices, he sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's advisor, asking him to come from Giloh, the town where he lived. The conspiracy grew stronger, and Absalom's followers went on increasing.

13A messenger came to tell David, “Absalom has the loyalty of the men of Israel.”

14David said to all the officials with him in Jerusalem, “Quick! Let's go! Otherwise we won't be able to get away from Absalom! We must leave immediately, or he will soon catch up with us, attack us, and kill the people here in the city.”

15“Whatever Your Majesty decides, we'll do what you want,” the king's servants replied.

16The king set off with his whole household following him, but he left behind ten concubines to look after the palace.

17The king left with all his soldiers following him. He stopped at the last house,

18and all his men marched past him, including all the Cherethites and Pelethites, and six hundred Gittites who had come with him from Gath.

19The king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why are you coming with us too? Go back and stay with the new king, because you are a foreigner and an exile a long way from home.

20You only just got here, so why should I make you wander around with us now when I don't even know where I am going? Go back and take your men with you. May the Lord show you kindness and faithfulness.”

21But Ittai answered the king, “As the Lord lives, and as Your Majesty lives, wherever Your Majesty may be, whether dead or alive, that's where your servant will be!”

22“Go ahead, march on!” David replied. Ittai the Gittite marched past with all his men and all the families that were with him.

23All the people in the countryside were crying aloud as everyone with David passed by. They crossed the Kidron Valley with the king on the way toward the wilderness.

24Zadok was there too, and all the Levites were with him, carrying the Ark of God's Agreement. They set down the Ark of God, and Abiathar offered sacrifices until everyone had left the city.

25Then the king told Zadok, “Take the Ark of God back to the city. If I find the Lord approves of me, he will bring me back and let me see both the Ark and his Tent again.

26But if he says, ‘I'm not happy with you,’ then here I stand. Let him do to me whatever he thinks best.”

27The king also told Zadok the priest, “You understand the situation, don't you? ³⁸Go back to the city safely with your son Ahimaaz, and also Jonathan, son of Abiathar. You and Abiathar take both of your sons back with you.

28I'll wait at the fords of the wilderness until I hear from you.”

29Zadok and Abiathar took the Ark of God back to Jerusalem and remained there.

30David went on his way up the Mount of Olives, weeping as he did so. He had his head covered, and walked barefoot. All the people with him covered their heads, weeping as they went along.

31David was told, “Ahithophel ³⁹is one of the people conspiring with Absalom.” So David prayed, “Lord, please make Ahithophel's advice worthless.”

32When David arrived at the top of the Mount of Olives, where people worshiped God, there to meet him was Hushai the Archite, with his robe torn and with dust on his head.

33David told him, “If you come with me, you'll only be a burden to me,

34but if you go back to the city and tell Absalom, ‘I will be your servant, Your Majesty! Formerly I worked for your father, but now I'll work for you,’ then you can block Ahithophel's advice for me.

35Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, will be there too. Tell them everything you hear in the king's palace.

36Their two sons, Ahimaaz and Jonathan, are there with them. Send them to me so they can tell me everything you hear.”

37David's friend Hushai arrived back in Jerusalem at the same time Absalom was entering the city.