2 Samuel 15:24-34

24 Forsooth and Zadok the priest came, and all the deacons with him, and they bare the ark of [the] bond of peace of God, and they setted down the ark of God; and Abiathar went up, till all the people was passed forth that went out of the city. (And Zadok the priest came, and all the Levites with him, carrying the Ark of the Covenant of God; and they set down the Ark of God beside Abiathar, until all the people who went out of the city had passed by.)
25 And the king said to Zadok, Bear again the ark of God into the city; if I shall find grace in the eyes of the Lord, he shall lead me again, and he shall show to me that ark, and his tabernacle. (And the king said to Zadok, Take the Ark of God back to the city; if I shall find favour before the Lord, he shall bring me back here, and he shall let me see that Ark, and its resting place again.)
26 Soothly if the Lord saith, Thou pleasest not me; I am ready, do he that, that is good before himself. (But if the Lord saith, Thou pleasest me not; I am ready; do he what he desireth with me.)
27 And the king said to Zadok, the priest, O! thou seer, that is, (a) prophet, turn again into the city, with peace; and Ahimaaz, thy son, and Jonathan, the son of Abiathar, your two sons, be with you. (And the king said to Zadok, the priest, O! thou prophet, return to the city in peace; and thy son Ahimaaz, and Jonathan, the son of Abiathar, these two young men, go they with you.)
28 Lo! I shall be hid in [the] field places of the desert, till word come from you, and show to me. (Lo! I shall hide at the Fords, or the river crossings, of the Wilderness, until word come from thee to me.)
29 Therefore Zadok and Abiathar bare again the ark of God into Jerusalem, and they dwelled there (and they stayed there).
30 Forsooth David went up upon the hill of olive trees, going up and weeping, with his head covered, and with bare feet passing forth; but also all the people that was with him, went up with their head(s) covered, and (they also) wept. (And David went up on the Mount of Olives, walking and weeping, with his head covered, and going forth with bare feet; and all the people who were with him also went up weeping, and with their heads covered.)
31 And it was told to David, that Ahithophel was in the swearing together with Absalom; and David said, Lord, I beseech, make thou fond the counsel of Ahithophel. (And it was told to David that Ahithophel was in the conspiracy with Absalom; and David said, Lord, I beseech thee, turn thou Ahithophel's advice into foolishness.)
32 And when David went up into [the] highness of the hill, in which he should worship the Lord, lo! Hushai of Archi, with his cloth rent, and with his head full of earth, came to him. (And when David reached the top of the hill, where he would worship the Lord, lo! Hushai the Archite came to him, with his cloak torn, and with earth, or with dirt, on his head.)
33 And David said to him, If thou comest with me, thou shalt be to me (a) charge (thou shalt be a burden to me);
34 soothly if thou turnest again to the city, and sayest to Absalom, I am thy servant, O king, suffer thou me to live; as I was the servant of thy father, so I shall be thy servant; thou shalt destroy the counsel of Ahithophel (then thou shalt be able to destroy Ahithophel's advice).

2 Samuel 15:24-34 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.

Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.