Parallel Bible results for "2 samuel 15"

2 Samuel 15

Common English Bible CEB

1 Some time later, Absalom got a chariot and horses for his own use, along with fifty men to run ahead of him.

2 Absalom would get up early and stand by the side of the road that went through the city gate. Whenever anyone had a lawsuit to bring before the king for judgment, Absalom would call to him, "What city are you from?" When the person said, "Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel,"

3 then Absalom would say to him, "No doubt your claims are correct and valid, but the king won't listen to you.

4 If only I were made a judge in the land," Absalom would continue, "then anyone with a lawsuit could come to me, and I would give them justice."

5 Whenever anyone came near to Absalom, bowing low out of respect, he would reach his hand out, grab them, and kiss them.

6 This is how Absalom treated every Israelite who came to the king seeking justice. This is how Absalom stole the hearts of the Israelites.

7 At the end of four years, Absalom said to the king, "Please let me go to Hebron so I can fulfill a promise I made to the LORD.

8 Your servant made this promise when I lived in Geshur, in Aram. I promised that if the LORD would bring me back to Jerusalem, then I would worship the LORD in Hebron."

9 "Go in peace," the king said. So Absalom left and went to Hebron.

10 But Absalom sent secret agents throughout the tribes of Israel with this message: "When you hear the sound of the trumpet, then say, ‘Absalom has become king in Hebron!'"

11 Two hundred invited guests went with Absalom from Jerusalem. They were innocent and knew nothing of this matter when they went.

12 While Absalom was offering the sacrifices, he summoned David's advisor Ahithophel, who was from Giloh, to come from his hometown. So the conspiracy grew stronger, and Absalom's following grew.

13 A messenger came to David, reporting, "The hearts of the Israelites have gone over to Absalom."

14 Then David told all the servants who were with him in Jerusalem, "Come on! We have to run for it, or we won't be able to escape Absalom. Hurry, or he will catch up with us in no time, destroy us, and attack the city with the sword."

15 The king's servants said to him, "Your servants are ready to do whatever our master the king decides."

16 So the king left, with his entire household following him, but he left ten secondary wives behind to take care of the palace.

17 So the king left, with all his people following him, and they stopped at the last house.

18 All the king's servants marched past him, as did all the Cherethites, all the Pelethites, and the six hundred Gittites who had followed him from Gath.

19 The king said to Ittai the Gittite, "Why are you coming with us too? Go back! Stay with King Absalom. You are a foreigner and an exile from your own country.

20 You just got here yesterday. So today should I make you wander around with us while I go wherever I have to go? No. Go back, and take your relatives with you. May the LORD show you loyal love and faithfulness."

21 But Ittai answered the king, "As surely as the LORD lives and as surely as my master the king lives, wherever my master the king may be, facing death or facing life, your servant will be there too."

22 "Okay then," David replied to Ittai. "Keep marching!" So Ittai the Gittite and all of his men and all the little children with him marched past.

23 The whole countryside cried loudly as all the troops marched past. The king crossed the Kidron Valley, and all the troops passed by on the Olive road into the wilderness.

24 Zadok was there too, along with all the Levites carrying the chest containing God's covenant. They set God's chest down, and Abiathar offered sacrifices until all the troops had finished marching out of the city.

25 Then the king said to Zadok, "Carry God's chest back into the city. If the LORD thinks well of me, then he will bring me back and let me see it and its home again.

26 But if God says, ‘I'm not pleased with you,' then I am ready. Let him do to me whatever pleases him."

27 "Do you understand?" the king said to the priest Zadok. "Go back to the city in safety—you and Abiathar with your two sons, your son Ahimaaz and Abiathar's son Jonathan.

28 I will be waiting in the desert plains until you send word telling me what to do."

29 So Zadok and Abiathar took God's chest back to Jerusalem and stayed there.

30 But David, his head covered, walked barefoot up the slope of the Mount of Olives crying. All the people who were with him covered their heads too and cried as they went up.

31 David was told that Ahithophel was also among the conspirators with Absalom, so he prayed, "Please, LORD, make Ahithophel's advice foolish."

32 When David came to the summit where people used to worship God, Hushai from Erek met him. Hushai's clothes were ripped, and dirt was on his head.

33 David said to him, "If you come with me, you will be a burden to me.

34 But if you return to the city and say to Absalom, ‘King, I am your servant! Please spare my life! I was your father's servant in the past, but now I am your servant,' then you can help me by countering Ahithophel's advice.

35 The priests Zadok and Abiathar will be with you there. So report everything you hear in the king's palace to the priests Zadok and Abiathar.

36 Their two sons, Zadok's son Ahimaaz and Abiathar's son Jonathan, are also there. Use them to report to me everything you hear."

37 So David's friend Hushai went into Jerusalem, just as Absalom was entering the city.

The Message Bible MSG

1 As time went on, Absalom took to riding in a horse-drawn chariot, with fifty men running in front of him.

2 Early each morning he would take up his post beside the road at the city gate. When anyone showed up with a case to bring to the king for a decision, Absalom would call him over and say, "Where do you hail from?" And the answer would come, "Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel."

3 Then Absalom would say, "Look, you've got a strong case; but the king isn't going to listen to you."

4 Then he'd say, "Why doesn't someone make me a judge for this country? Anybody with a case could bring it to me and I'd settle things fair and square."

5 Whenever someone would treat him with special honor, he'd shrug it off and treat him like an equal, making him feel important.

6 Absalom did this to everyone who came to do business with the king and stole the hearts of everyone in Israel.

7 After four years of this, Absalom spoke to the king, "Let me go to Hebron to pay a vow that I made to God.

8 Your servant made a vow when I was living in Geshur in Aram saying, 'If God will bring me back to Jerusalem, I'll serve him with my life.'"

9 The king said, "Go with my blessing." And he got up and set off for Hebron.

10 Then Absalom sent undercover agents to all the tribes of Israel with the message, "When you hear the blast of the ram's horn trumpet, that's your signal: Shout, 'Absalom is king in Hebron!'"

11 Two hundred men went with Absalom from Jerusalem. But they had been called together knowing nothing of the plot and made the trip innocently.

12 While Absalom was offering sacrifices, he managed also to involve Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's advisor, calling him away from his hometown of Giloh. The conspiracy grew powerful and Absalom's supporters multiplied.

13 Someone came to David with the report, "The whole country has taken up with Absalom!"

14 "Up and out of here!" called David to all his servants who were with him in Jerusalem. "We've got to run for our lives or none of us will escape Absalom! Hurry, he's about to pull the city down around our ears and slaughter us all!"

15 The king's servants said, "Whatever our master, the king, says, we'll do; we're with you all the way!"

16 So the king and his entire household escaped on foot. The king left ten concubines behind to tend to the palace.

17 And so they left, step by step by step, and then paused at the last house

18 as the whole army passed by him - all the Kerethites, all the Pelethites, and the six hundred Gittites who had marched with him from Gath, went past.

19 The king called out to Ittai the Gittite, "What are you doing here? Go back with King Absalom. You're a stranger here and freshly uprooted from your own country.

20 You arrived only yesterday, and am I going to let you take your chances with us as I live on the road like a gypsy? Go back, and take your family with you. And God's grace and truth go with you!"

21 But Ittai answered, "As God lives and my master the king lives, where my master is, that's where I'll be - whether it means life or death."

22 "All right," said David, "go ahead." And they went on, Ittai the Gittite with all his men and all the children he had with him.

23 The whole country was weeping in loud lament as all the people passed by. As the king crossed the Brook Kidron, the army headed for the road to the wilderness.

24 Zadok was also there, the Levites with him, carrying God's Chest of the Covenant. They set the Chest of God down, Abiathar standing by, until all the people had evacuated the city.

25 Then the king ordered Zadok, "Take the Chest back to the city. If I get back in God's good graces, he'll bring me back and show me where the Chest has been set down.

26 But if he says, 'I'm not pleased with you' - well, he can then do with me whatever he pleases."

27 The king directed Zadok the priest, "Here's the plan: Return to the city peacefully, with Ahimaaz your son and Jonathan, Abiathar's son, with you.

28 I'll wait at a spot in the wilderness across the river, until I get word from you telling us what's up."

29 So Zadok and Abiathar took the Chest of God back to Jerusalem and placed it there,

30 while David went up the Mount of Olives weeping, head covered but barefooted, and the whole army was with him, heads covered and weeping as they ascended.

31 David was told, "Ahithophel has joined the conspirators with Absalom." He prayed, "Oh, God - turn Ahithophel's counsel to foolishness."

32 As David approached the top of the hill where God was worshiped, Hushai the Arkite, clothes ripped to shreds and dirt on his head, was there waiting for him.

33 David said, "If you come with me, you'll be just one more piece of luggage.

34 Go back to the city and say to Absalom, 'I'm ready to be your servant, O King; I used to be your father's servant, now I'm your servant.' Do that and you'll be able to confuse Ahithophel's counsel for me.

35 The priests Zadok and Abiathar are already there; whatever information you pick up in the palace, tell them.

36 Their two sons - Zadok's son Ahimaaz and Abiathar's son Jonathan - are there with them - anything you pick up can be sent to me by them."

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