2 Samuel 15:31-37

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).

35 And thou hast with thee Zadok and Abiathar, the priests; and whatever word thou shalt hear in the house of the king, thou shalt show it to the priests, Zadok and Abiathar. (And thou shalt have with thee Zadok and Abiathar, the priests; and whatever thing that thou shalt hear in the king's house, thou shalt tell it to those priests, Zadok and Abiathar.)

36 And their two sons be with them, Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok, and Jonathan, the son of Abiathar; and ye shall send by them to me each word that ye shall hear (and ye shall send them to me with all that ye hear).

37 Therefore when Hushai, friend of David, came into the city, also Absalom entered into Jerusalem. (And so David's friend Hushai came into the city, just as Absalom was entering Jerusalem.)

2 Samuel 15:31-37 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.