2 Samuel 15:1-12

Absalom's Conspiracy

1 After this Absalom ¹got himself a chariot and horses, and fifty men to run before him.

2 And Absalom used to rise early and stand beside ²the way of the gate. And when any man had a dispute to come before the king for judgment, Absalom would call to him and say, "From what city are you?" And when he said, "Your servant is of such and such a tribe in Israel,"

3 Absalom would say to him, "See, your claims are good and right, but there is no man designated by the king to hear you."

4 Then Absalom would say, ³"Oh that I were judge in the land! Then every man with a dispute or cause might come to me, and I would give him justice."

5 And whenever a man came near to pay homage to him, he would put out his hand and take hold of him and kiss him.

6 Thus Absalom did to all of Israel who came to the king for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

7 And at the end of four^[a] years Absalom said to the king, "Please let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed to the LORD, in Hebron.

8 For your servant ⁴vowed a vow ⁵while I lived at Geshur in Aram, saying, 'If the LORD will indeed bring me back to Jerusalem, then I will offer worship to^[b] the LORD.'"

9 The king said to him, ⁶"Go in peace." So he arose and went to Hebron.

10 But Absalom sent secret messengers throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, "As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then say, 'Absalom is king at Hebron!'"

11 With Absalom went two hundred men from Jerusalem ⁷who were invited guests, and they went in their innocence and knew nothing.

12 And while Absalom was offering the sacrifices, he sent for^[c]8Ahithophel the Gilonite, ⁹David's counselor, from his city ¹⁰Giloh. And the conspiracy grew strong, and the people with Absalom ¹¹kept increasing.

2 Samuel 15:1-12 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO SECOND SAMUEL 15

This chapter relates how that Absalom by various artful methods stole away the hearts of the people of Israel, 2Sa 15:1-6; that pretending a vow he had made, he got leave of the king to go to Hebron to perform it, 2Sa 15:7-9; where he formed a considerable conspiracy, 2Sa 15:10-12; of which David having information, thought it advisable to depart from Jerusalem, both for his own safety, and the good of the city, which he did with his family, and guards, and much people, 2Sa 15:13-18; though he would have persuaded Ittai the Gittite to have returned, but could not prevail upon him, 2Sa 15:19-23; however, he sent back the priests and the Levites with the ark, lest any harm should come to that, 2Sa 15:24-29; and as he and the people went up the mount of Olives weeping, it was told him that Ahithophel was among the conspirators, on which he put up a prayer that his counsel might be infatuated, 2Sa 15:30,31; and Hushai the Archite coming to him at that juncture, he sent him back to Jerusalem to defeat the counsel of Ahithophel, and to send him word by the priests what he should hear there from time to time, 2Sa 15:32-37.

Cross References

• 1. 1 Kings 1:5
• 2. See Ruth 4:1
• 3. Judges 9:29
• 4. Genesis 28:20, 21; 1 Samuel 1:11
• 5. 2 Samuel 13:38
• 6. 1 Samuel 1:17
• 7. [1 Samuel 9:13; 1 Samuel 16:3, 5]
• 8. ver. 31; 2 Samuel 16:20; 2 Samuel 17:1, 14, 23
• 9. 1 Chronicles 27:33; [Psalms 41:9; Psalms 55:12-14]
• 10. Joshua 15:51
• 11. Psalms 3:1

Footnotes

• [a]. Septuagint, Syriac; Hebrew forty
• [b]. Or will serve
• [c]. Or sent