1
Now it
came about
after * this that
Absalom provided for himself a
chariot and
horses and
fifty men as
runners before him.
h'b'K.r,m ~w{l'v.b;a w{l f;[;Y;w !ek yer]x;aem yih.y;w ? wy'n'p.l ~yic'r vyia ~yiVim]x;w ~yisUs.w
2
Absalom used to
rise early and
stand beside * the
way to the
gate; and when
any man had a
suit to
come to the
king for
judgment,
Absalom would
call to him and
say, "From
what * city are you?" And he would
say, "Your
servant is from
one of the
tribes of
Israel."
r;['V;h .$,r,D d;y -l;[ d;m'[.w ~w{l'v.b;a ~yiK.vih.w ? byir -w{L -h,y.hIy -r,v]a vyia'h -l'K yih.y;w ? ~w{l'v.b;a a'r.qiY;w j'P.viM;l .$,l,M;h -l,a aw{b'l ? r,ma{Y;w h'T;a ryi[ h,Zim -yea r,ma{Y;w wy'lea ? '$,D.b;[ lea'r.fIy -yej.biv d;x;aem
3
Then
Absalom would
say to him,
"See, your
claims are
good and
right, but
no man
listens to you on the
part * of the
king."
~yibw{j '$,r'b.d hea.r ~w{l'v.b;a wy'lea r,ma{Y;w ? .$,l,M;h teaem '$.l -nyea ;[em{v.w ~yix{k.n.W
4
Moreover,
Absalom would
say,
"Oh that one would
appoint me
judge in the
land, then
every man who has any
suit or
cause could
come to me and I would
give him
justice."
#,r'a'B jep{v yinemif.y -yim ~w{l'v.b;a r,ma{Y;w ? byir -w{L -h,y.hIy -r,v]a vyia -l'K aw{b'y y;l'[.w ? wyiT.q;D.cih.w j'P.vim.W
5
And when a
man came near to
prostrate himself before him, he would
put out his
hand and
take hold of him and
kiss him.
x;l'v.w w{l t{w]x;T.vih.l vyia -b'r.qiB h'y'h.w ? w{l q;v'n.w w{l qyiz/x,h.w w{d'y -t,a
6
In
this manner Absalom dealt with
all Israel who came to the
king for
judgment; so
Absalom stole away the
hearts of the
men of
Israel.
lea'r.fIy -l'k.l h,Z;h r'b'D;K ~w{l'v.b;a f;[;Y;w ? beN;g.y;w .$,l,M;h -l,a j'P.viM;l .Wa{b'y -r,v]a ? lea'r.fIy yev.n;a bel -t,a ~w{l'v.b;a
7
Now it
came about at the
end of
forty years that
Absalom said to the
king,
"Please let me
go and
pay my
vow which I have
vowed to the
LORD, in
Hebron.
~w{l'v.b;a r,ma{Y;w h'n'v ~yi['B.r;a #eQim yih.y;w ? yir.din -t,a ~eL;v]a;w a'N h'k]lea .$,l,M;h -l,a ? !w{r.b,x.B h'why;l yiT.r;d'n -r,v]a
8
"For your
servant vowed a
vow while I was
living at
Geshur in
Aram,
saying,
'If the
LORD shall
indeed bring me
back to
Jerusalem, then I will
serve the
LORD.' "
~'r]a;B r.Wv.gib yiT.biv.B '$.D.b;[ r;d'n r,den -yiK ? ~i;l'v.Wr.y h'wh.y yinebyiv.y byiv.y -mia r{mael ? h'wh.y -t,a yiT.d;b'[.w
9
The
king said to him,
"Go in
peace." So he
arose and
went to
Hebron.
.$,leY;w ~'q'Y;w ~w{l'v.B .$el .$,l,M;h w{l -r,ma{Y;w ? h'nw{r.b,x
10
But
Absalom sent spies throughout
all the
tribes of
Israel,
saying, "As soon as you
hear the
sound of the
trumpet, then you shall
say, '
Absalom is
king in
Hebron.' "
lea'r.fIy yej.biv -l'k.B ~yil.G;r.m ~w{l'v.b;a x;l.viY;w ? ~,T.r;m]a;w r'p{V;h lw{q -t,a ~,k][.m'v.K r{mael ? !w{r.b,x.B ~w{l'v.b;a .$;l'm
11
Then two
hundred men went with
Absalom from
Jerusalem, who were
invited and
went innocently, and they did not
know anything *.
vyia ~Iy;ta'm .Wk.l'h ~w{l'v.b;a -t,a.w ? r'b'D -l'K .W[.d'y a{l.w ~'MUt.l ~yik.l{h.w ~yiaUr.q ~i;l'v.Wryim
12
And
Absalom sent for
Ahithophel the
Gilonite,
David's counselor, from his
city Giloh, while he was
offering the
sacrifices. And the
conspiracy was
strong, for the
people increased continually with
Absalom.
l,p{tyix]a -t,a ~w{l'v.b;a x;l.viY;w ? -t,a w{x.b'z.B h{liGim w{ryi[em diw'D #e[w{y yin{lyiG;h ? ~w{l'v.b;a -t,a b'r'w .$elw{h ~'['h.w #iM;a r,v,Q;h yih.y;w ~yix'b.Z;h
13
Then a
messenger came to
David,
saying, "The
hearts of the
men of
Israel are with
Absalom."
vyia -b,l h'y'h r{mael diw'D -l,a dyiG;M;h a{b'Y;w ? ~w{l'v.b;a yer]x;a lea'r.fIy
14
David said to
all his
servants who were with him at
Jerusalem,
"Arise and let us
flee, for otherwise
none of us will
escape from
Absalom.
Go in
haste,
or he will
overtake us
quickly and
bring down calamity on us and
strike the
city with the
edge of the
sword."
~i;l'v.Wryib w{Tia -r,v]a wy'd'b][ -l'k.l diw'D r,ma{Y;w ? h'jyel.p .Wn'L -h,y.hit -a{l yiK h'x'r.bin.w .Wm.Wq ? reh;m.y -n,P t,k,l'l .Wr]h;m ~w{l'v.b;a yen.Pim ? h'Kih.w h'['r'h -t,a .Wnyel'[ ;xyiDih.w .Wn'giFih.w ? b,r'x -yip.l ryi['h
15
Then the
king's servants said to the
king,
"Behold, your
servants are ready to do
whatever * my
lord the
king chooses."
l{k.K .$,l,M;h -l,a .$,l,M;h -yed.b;[ .Wr.ma{Y;w ? '$y,d'b][ heNih .$,l,M;h yin{d]a r;x.bIy -r,v]a
16
So the
king went out and
all his
household with him. But the
king left ten concubines to
keep the
house.
b{z][;Y;w wy'l.g;r.B w{tyeB -l'k.w .$,l,M;h aeceY;w ? tIy'B;h r{m.vil ~yiv.g;liP ~yiv'n r,f,[ tea .$,l,M;h
17
The
king went out and
all the
people with him, and they
stopped at the
last house.
.Wd.m;[;Y;w wy'l.g;r.B ~'['h -l'k.w .$,l,M;h aeceY;w ? q'x.r,M;h tyeB
18
Now
all his
servants passed on
beside * him,
all the
Cherethites,
all the
Pelethites and
all the
Gittites,
six hundred men who had
come with him from
Gath,
passed on
before the
king.
yiter.K;h -l'k.w w{d'y -l;[ ~yir.b{[ wy'd'b][ -l'k.w ? tw{aem -vev ~yiTiG;h -l'k.w yitel.P;h -l'k.w ? yen.P -l;[ ~yir.b{[ t;Gim w{l.g;r.b .Wa'B -r,v]a vyia ? .$,l,M;h
19
Then the
king said to
Ittai the
Gittite,
"Why will you
also go with us?
Return and
remain with the
king, for you are a
foreigner and
also an
exile; return to your own
place.
.$elet h'M'l yiTiG;h y;Tia -l,a .$,l,M;h r,ma{Y;w ? yir.k'n -yiK .$,l,M;h -mi[ bev.w b.Wv .Wn'Tia h'T;a -m;G ? '$,mw{q.mil h'T;a h,l{G -m;g.w h'T;a
20
"You
came only
yesterday, and shall I
today make you
wander with us, while I
go where * I will?
Return and
take back your
brothers;
mercy and
truth be with you."
t,k,l'l .Wn'Mi[ '$][w{n]a ~w{Y;h.w '$,aw{B lw{m.T ? b.Wv .$elw{h yin]a -r,v]a l;[ .$elw{h yin]a;w ? t,m/a,w d,s,x .$'Mi[ '$y,x;a -t,a bev'h.w
21
But
Ittai answered the
king and
said, "As the
LORD lives, and as my
lord the
king lives,
surely * wherever * * my
lord the
king may be,
whether for
death or for
life,
there also your
servant will be."
h'wh.y -y;x r;ma{Y;w .$,l,M;h -t,a y;Tia !;[;Y;w ? r,v]a ~w{q.miB -mia yiK .$,l,M;h yin{d]a yex.w ? ~yiY;x.l -mia t,w'm.l -mia .$,l,M;h yin{d]a ~'V -h,y.hIy ? '$,D.b;[ h,y.hIy ~'v -yiK
22
Therefore
David said to
Ittai,
"Go and
pass over." So
Ittai the
Gittite passed over with
all his
men and
all the
little ones who were with him.
r{b][;Y;w r{b][;w .$el y;Tia -l,a diw'D r,ma{Y;w ? r,v]a @;J;h -l'k.w wy'v'n]a -l'k.w yiTiG;h y;Tia ? w{Tia
23
While
all the
country was
weeping with a
loud voice,
all the
people passed over. The
king also
passed over the
brook Kidron, and
all the
people passed over toward * the
way of the
wilderness.
~'['h -l'k.w lw{d'G lw{q ~yikw{B #,r'a'h -l'k.w ? ~'['h -l'k.w !w{r.diq l;x;n.B reb{[ .$,l,M;h.w ~yir.b{[ ? r'B.diM;h -t,a .$,r,d -yen.P -l;[ ~yir.b{[
24
Now
behold,
Zadok also came, and
all the
Levites with him
carrying the
ark of the
covenant of
God. And they
set down the
ark of
God, and
Abiathar came up
until all the
people had
finished passing from the
city.
~yia.f{n w{Tia ~iYiw.l;h -l'k.w qw{d'c -m;g heNih.w ? !w{r]a -t,a .WqiC;Y;w ~yih{l/a'h tyir.B !w{r]a -t,a ? ~'['h -l'K ~{T -d;[ r't'y.b,a l;[;Y;w ~yih{l/a'h ? ryi['h -nim rw{b][;l
25
The
king said to
Zadok,
"Return the
ark of
God to the
city.
If I
find favor in the
sight of the
LORD, then He will
bring me
back again and
show me both it and His
habitation.
~yih{l/a'h !w{r]a -t,a bev'h qw{d'c.l .$,l,M;h r,ma{Y;w ? yin;biv/h,w h'wh.y yenye[.B !ex a'c.m,a -mia ryi['h ? .Whew'n -t,a.w w{t{a yin;a.rih.w
26
"But
if He should
say thus, 'I
have no delight in you,'
behold, here I am, let Him
do to me as seems
good to Him."
yiL -h,f][;y yin.nih .$'B yiT.c;p'x a{l r;ma{y h{K ~ia.w ? wy'nye[.B bw{j r,v]a;K
27
The
king said also to
Zadok the
priest, "Are you not a
seer?
Return to the
city in
peace and your
two sons with you, your
son Ahimaaz and
Jonathan the
son of
Abiathar.
h,aw{r]h !eh{K;h qw{d'c -l,a .$,l,M;h r,ma{Y;w ? '$.niB #;[;myix]a;w ~w{l'v.B ryi['h h'bUv h'T;a ? ~,k.Tia ~,kyen.b yen.v r't'y.b,a -n,B !'t'nw{hyiw
28
"See, I am going to
wait at the
fords of the
wilderness until word comes from you to
inform me."
d;[ r'B.diM;h tw{r.b;[.B ;Hem.h;m.tim yik{n'a .Wa.r ? yil dyiG;h.l ~,k'Mi[em r'b'd aw{B
29
Therefore
Zadok and
Abiathar returned the
ark of
God to
Jerusalem and
remained there.
~yih{l/a'h !w{r]a -t,a r't'y.b,a.w qw{d'c b,v'Y;w ? ~'v .Wb.veY;w ~i'l'v.Wr.y
30
And
David went up the
ascent of the Mount of
Olives, and
wept as he
went, and his
head was
covered and he
walked barefoot. Then
all the
people who were with him
each covered his
head and
went up
weeping as they
went.
h,kw{b.W h,l{[ ~yityeZ;h hel][;m.b h,l{[ diw'd.w ? ~'['h -l'k.w @ex'y .$el{h a.Wh.w y.Wp'x w{l va{r.w ? h{l'[ .Wl'[.w w{va{r vyia .Wp'x w{Tia -r,v]a ? h{k'b.W
31
Now someone
told David,
saying,
"Ahithophel is among the
conspirators with
Absalom." And
David said, "O
LORD, I
pray,
make the
counsel of
Ahithophel foolishness."
~w{l'v.b;a -mi[ ~yir.v{Q;B l,p{tyix]a r{mael dyiGih diw'd.w ? l,p{tyix]a t;c][ -t,a a'n -l,K;s diw'D r,ma{Y;w ? h'wh.y
32
It
happened as
David was
coming to the
summit,
where * God was
worshiped, that
behold,
Hushai the
Archite met him with his
coat torn and
dust on his
head.
h,w]x;T.vIy -r,v]a va{r'h -d;[ a'B diw'd yih.y;w ? yiK.r;a'h y;v.Wx w{ta'r.qil heNih.w ~yih{lael ~'v ? w{va{r -l;[ h'm'd]a;w w{T.n'TUK ;[.Wr'q
33
David said to him,
"If you
pass over with me, then you will be a
burden to me.
y;l'[ 'tIy'h.w yiTia 'T.r;b'[ ~ia diw'D w{l r,ma{Y;w ? a'F;m.l
34
"But
if you
return to the
city, and
say to
Absalom, 'I will be your
servant, O
king; as I have
been your
father's servant in
time past, so I will
now be your
servant,' then you can
thwart the
counsel of
Ahithophel for me.
'$.D.b;[ ~w{l'v.b;a.l 'T.r;m'a.w b.Wv'T ryi['h -mia.w ? z'aem yin]a;w '$yib'a d,b,[ h,y.h,a .$,l,M;h yin]a ? t;c][ tea yil h'T.r;peh.w '$,D.b;[ yin]a;w h'T;[.w ? l,p{tyix]a
35
"Are not
Zadok and
Abiathar the
priests with you
there? So it shall be that
whatever * * you
hear from the
king's house, you shall
report to
Zadok and
Abiathar the
priests.
~yin]h{K;h r't'y.b,a.w qw{d'c ~'v '$.Mi[ aw{l]h;w ? .$,l,M;h tyeBim [;m.viT r,v]a r'b'D;h -l'K h'y'h.w ? ~yin]h{K;h r't'y.b,a.l.W qw{d'c.l dyiG;T
36
"Behold their
two sons are with them
there,
Ahimaaz,
Zadok's son and
Jonathan,
Abiathar's son; and by them you shall
send me
everything that you
hear."
qw{d'c.l #;[;myix]a ~,hyen.b yen.v ~'Mi[ ~'v -heNih ? y;lea ~'d'y.B ~,T.x;l.v.W r't'y.b,a.l !'t'nw{hyiw ? .W['m.viT r,v]a r'b'D -l'K
37
So
Hushai,
David's friend,
came into the
city, and
Absalom came into
Jerusalem.
a{b'y ~{l'v.b;a.w ryi['h diw'd h,[er y;v.Wx a{b'Y;w ? ~i'l'v.Wr.y