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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width; initial-scale=1.0; maximum-scale=1.0; user-scalable=0;"/><title>2 Samuel 15 ISV</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/2_samuel/15.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="../topmenuchap/2_samuel/15-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="http://biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="../">ISV</a> > 2 Samuel 15</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../2_samuel/14.htm" title="2 Samuel 14">◄</a> 2 Samuel 15 <a href="../2_samuel/16.htm" title="2 Samuel 16">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top">International Standard Version</td><td width="1%" valign="top"><a href="/p/isv/esv/2_samuel/15.shtml" style="color:#001320" title="Parallel Chapters"> Par ▾ </a></tr></table></div><div class="chap"><p class="heading">Absalom Instigates Civil War</p><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/15-1.htm"><b>1</b></a></span>Sometime later, Absalom acquired a chariot equipped with horses and recruited<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="15:1 The Heb. lacks recruited">a</a></span> 50 men to accompany<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="15:1 Lit. to run before">b</a></span> him.<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="15:1 Cf. 1Sam 8:11">c</a></span> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/15-2.htm"><b>2</b></a></span>Then he<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="15:2 Lit. Absalom">d</a></span> would get up early, stand near the passageway to the palace<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="15:2 The Heb. lacks palace">e</a></span> gate, and when anyone arrived to file a legal complaint for a hearing before the king, Absalom would call to him and ask, “You’re from what city?” If<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="15:2 The Heb. lacks If">f</a></span> he replied, “Your servant is from one of Israel’s tribes,” <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/15-3.htm"><b>3</b></a></span>Absalom would respond, “Look, your claims are valid and defensible, but nobody will listen to you on behalf of the king. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/15-4.htm"><b>4</b></a></span>Who will appoint me to be a judge in the land? When anyone arrived to file a legal complaint or other cause, he could approach me for justice and I would settle it!” <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/15-5.htm"><b>5</b></a></span>Furthermore, if a man approached him to bow down in front of him, he would put out his hand, grab him, and embrace him. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/15-6.htm"><b>6</b></a></span>By doing all of this to anyone who came to the king for a hearing, Absalom stole the loyalty<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="15:6 Lit. hearts">g</a></span> of the men of Israel.</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/15-7.htm"><b>7</b></a></span>And so it was that forty<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="15:7 So MT and LXX; Syr Peshitta and Lucian recension of LXX read four">h</a></span> years after Israel had demanded a king,<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="15:7 The Heb. lacks after Israel had demanded a king; i.e. about ten years before David began his reign. Or forty years after David’s anointing at Bethlehem; cf. 1Sam 16:13">i</a></span> Absalom asked the king, “Please let me go to Hebron so I can pay my vow that I made to the LORD, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/15-8.htm"><b>8</b></a></span>because when I was living at Geshur in Aram, your servant made this solemn promise:<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="15:8 Lit. servant vowed a vow">j</a></span> ‘If the LORD ever brings me back to Jerusalem, then I will serve the LORD.’”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/15-9.htm"><b>9</b></a></span>The king replied to him, “Go in peace!” So Absalom<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="15:9 Lit. he">k</a></span> got up and left for Hebron.</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/15-10.htm"><b>10</b></a></span>But Absalom sent agents throughout all of the tribes of Israel, telling them, “When you hear the sound of the battle trumpet, you’re to announce that Absalom is king in Hebron.” <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/15-11.htm"><b>11</b></a></span>Meanwhile, 200 men left Jerusalem with Absalom. They had been invited to go along, but were innocent, not knowing anything about what was happening.<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="15:11 Lit. about the matter">l</a></span> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/15-12.htm"><b>12</b></a></span>Absalom also sent for Ahithophel<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="15:12 Ahithophel was Bathsheba’s grandfather; cf. 2Sam 11:3; 23:34">m</a></span> the Gilonite, David’s counselor, to come<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="15:12 The Heb. lacks to come">n</a></span> from his home town of Giloh while Absalom<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="15:12 Lit. he">o</a></span> was presenting the sacrificial offerings. And so the conspiracy widened, because the common people increasingly sided with Absalom.</p> <p class="heading">David Flees from Jerusalem</p><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/15-13.htm"><b>13</b></a></span>Then a messenger arrived to inform David, “The loyalties of the men<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="15:13 Lit. heart of the man">p</a></span> of Israel have shifted to<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="15:13 Lit. have followed after">q</a></span> Absalom.”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/15-14.htm"><b>14</b></a></span>So David told all of his staff who were with him in Jerusalem, “Let’s get up and get out of here! Otherwise, none of us will escape from Absalom. Hurry, or he’ll overtake us quickly, bring disaster on all of us, and execute the inhabitants of the city!”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/15-15.htm"><b>15</b></a></span>“Look!” the king’s staff replied. “Your servants will do whatever the king chooses.” <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/15-16.htm"><b>16</b></a></span>So the king left, taking his entire household with him except for ten mistresses,<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="15:16 Or concubines; i.e. secondary wives">r</a></span> who were to keep the palace in order. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/15-17.htm"><b>17</b></a></span>The king left, along with all of his people with him, and they paused at the last house. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/15-18.htm"><b>18</b></a></span>All of his staff were going on ahead of<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="15:18 Lit. on beside">s</a></span> him—that is, all of the special forces<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="15:18 Lit. Cherethites; i.e. elite body guards">t</a></span> and mercenaries,<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="15:18 Lit. Pelethites; i.e. special couriers">u</a></span> all of the Gittites, and 600 men who had come to serve<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="15:18 Lit. come at his feet">v</a></span> him from Gath, went on ahead of the king.</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/15-19.htm"><b>19</b></a></span>Then the king suggested to Ittai the Gittite, “Why should you have to go with us? Return and stay with the new<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="15:19 The Heb. lacks new">w</a></span> king, since you’re a foreigner and exile. Stay where you want to stay.<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="15:19 Lit. Stay in your own place">x</a></span> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/15-20.htm"><b>20</b></a></span>It seems only yesterday that you arrived, so should I make you wander around with us while I go wherever I can? Go back, and take your brothers with you. May gracious love and truth accompany you!”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/15-21.htm"><b>21</b></a></span>“As the LORD lives,” Ittai answered in reply, “and as your majesty the king lives, wherever your majesty my king may be—whether living or dying—that’s where your servant will be!”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/15-22.htm"><b>22</b></a></span>So David replied, “Come along, then!” So Ittai the Gittite went along also, accompanied by all of his men and all of his little ones. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/15-23.htm"><b>23</b></a></span>With all of the people in<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="15:23 The Heb. lacks of the people in">y</a></span> the territory crying loudly, everybody passed over the Kidron brook, along with the king. Then everyone headed out toward the road that leads to the wilderness.</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/15-24.htm"><b>24</b></a></span>Meanwhile, Zadok showed up also, along with all of the descendants of Levi with him, carrying the Ark of the Covenant of God. They set down the Ark of God and Abiathar approached while all the people finished abandoning the city. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/15-25.htm"><b>25</b></a></span>The king told Zadok, “Take the Ark of God back to the city. If I’m shown favor in the LORD’s sight, then he’ll bring me back again and show me both it and the place where it rests.<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="15:25 Lit. and his habitation">z</a></span> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/15-26.htm"><b>26</b></a></span>But if he should say something like ‘I’m not pleased with you,’ well then, here I am—let him do to me whatever seems right to him.”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/15-27.htm"><b>27</b></a></span>The king also asked Zadok the priest, “Aren’t you a seer, too? Go back to the city in comfort, along with your son Ahimaaz and Abiathar’s son Jonathan. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/15-28.htm"><b>28</b></a></span>Look! I’ll camp at the wilderness fords until you send word to inform me.”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/15-29.htm"><b>29</b></a></span>So Zadok and Abiathar returned the Ark of God to Jerusalem and remained there. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/15-30.htm"><b>30</b></a></span>David then left, going up the Mount of Olives,<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="15:30 Lit. the Olivet">aa</a></span> crying as he went, with his head covered and his feet bare. All of the people who were with him covered their own heads and climbed up the Mount of Olives,<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="15:30 The Heb. lacks the Mount of Olives">bb</a></span> crying as they went along.</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/15-31.htm"><b>31</b></a></span>Just then, someone told David, “Ahithophel is one of Absalom’s conspirators!”</p> <p class="reg">So David prayed, “LORD, please turn Ahithophel’s counsel into foolishness.”</p> <p class="heading">Hushai Serves as a Spy</p><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/15-32.htm"><b>32</b></a></span>Just as David was coming to the top of the Mount of Olives where God was being worshipped, there was Hushai the Archite to meet him, with his coat ripped and dust all over his head! <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/15-33.htm"><b>33</b></a></span>David greeted him, “If you come along with me, you’ll be a burden to me. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/15-34.htm"><b>34</b></a></span>So go back to the city and tell Absalom, ‘I’ll be your servant, your majesty! Just as I served your father in the past, I can be your servant now.’ That way you can manipulate Ahithophel’s advice to my benefit. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/15-35.htm"><b>35</b></a></span>Won’t Zadok and Abiathar the priests be there with you? So whatever you hear from the king’s palace, you’re to report to Zadok and Abiathar the priests. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/15-36.htm"><b>36</b></a></span>Their two sons—Zadok’s son Ahimaaz and Abiathar’s son Jonathan—are with them there. You’ll be sending me everything that you hear through them.” <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/15-37.htm"><b>37</b></a></span>So David’s friend Hushai went back to the city just as Absalom was arriving in Jerusalem.</p><hr size="1" color="DDEEFF"><span class="mainfootnotes"><A name="ftn"></a><span class="mainfootnoteshdg">Footnotes:</span><br><span class="fn1"><span class="fnb">a</span> 15:1 The Heb. lacks <i>recruited</i><br /><span class="fnb">b</span> 15:1 Lit. <i>to run before</i><br /><span class="fnb">c</span> 15:1 Cf. 1Sam 8:11<br /><span class="fnb">d</span> 15:2 Lit. <i>Absalom</i><br /><span class="fnb">e</span> 15:2 The Heb. lacks <i>palace</i><br /><span class="fnb">f</span> 15:2 The Heb. lacks <i>If</i><br /><span class="fnb">g</span> 15:6 Lit. <i>hearts</i><br /><span class="fnb">h</span> 15:7 So MT and LXX; Syr Peshitta and Lucian recension of LXX read <i>four</i><br /><span class="fnb">i</span> 15:7 The Heb. lacks <i>after Israel had demanded a king</i>; i.e. about ten years before David began his reign. Or <i>forty years after David’s anointing at Bethlehem</i>; cf. 1Sam 16:13<br /><span class="fnb">j</span> 15:8 Lit. <i>servant vowed a vow</i><br /><span class="fnb">k</span> 15:9 Lit. <i>he</i><br /><span class="fnb">l</span> 15:11 Lit. <i>about the matter</i><br /><span class="fnb">m</span> 15:12 Ahithophel was Bathsheba’s grandfather; cf. 2Sam 11:3; 23:34<br /><span class="fnb">n</span> 15:12 The Heb. lacks <i>to come</i><br /><span class="fnb">o</span> 15:12 Lit. <i>he</i><br /><span class="fnb">p</span> 15:13 Lit. <i>heart of the man</i><br /><span class="fnb">q</span> 15:13 Lit. <i>have followed after</i><br /><span class="fnb">r</span> 15:16 Or <i>concubines</i>; i.e. secondary wives<br /><span class="fnb">s</span> 15:18 Lit. <i>on beside</i><br /><span class="fnb">t</span> 15:18 Lit. <i>Cherethites</i>; i.e. elite body guards<br /><span class="fnb">u</span> 15:18 Lit. <i>Pelethites</i>; i.e. special couriers<br /><span class="fnb">v</span> 15:18 Lit. <i>come at his feet</i><br /><span class="fnb">w</span> 15:19 The Heb. lacks <i>new</i><br /><span class="fnb">x</span> 15:19 Lit. <i>Stay in your own place</i><br /><span class="fnb">y</span> 15:23 The Heb. lacks <i>of the people in</i><br /><span class="fnb">z</span> 15:25 Lit. <i>and his habitation</i><br /><span class="fnb">aa</span> 15:30 Lit. <i>the Olivet</i><br /><span class="fnb">bb</span> 15:30 The Heb. lacks <i>the Mount of Olives</i><br /></span><br><br><hr size="1" color="DDEEFF"><div align="center"><div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center">The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1<br />Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation<br />ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/">Bible Hub</a></div></div></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="left"><a href="../2_samuel/14.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="2 Samuel 14"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="2 Samuel 14" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="../2_samuel/16.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="2 Samuel 16"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="2 Samuel 16" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="rightbox"><div class="padright"><div id="pic"><iframe width="100%" height="860" scrolling="no" src="//biblescan.com/mpc/2_samuel/15-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></div></div><div id="rightbox4"><div class="padright2"><div id="spons1"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tr><td class="sp1"><iframe width="122" height="860" scrolling="no" src="../sidemenu.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></div><div id="bot"><div align="center" style="background-color:#F2FAFF"><br /><br /><div class="bot2"><table align="center" width="100%"><tr><td><script async src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script>  <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-3753401421161123" data-ad-slot="6710025936" data-ad-format="auto"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script></td></tr></table><br /><br /><table align="center" width="100%"><tr><td><script async src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script>  <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-3753401421161123" data-ad-slot="6710025936" data-ad-format="auto"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script></td></tr></table></div><br /><br /> </div><iframe width="100%" height="1500" scrolling="no" src="//biblehu.com/botmenubhnm2.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe><div align="center"><span class="p"><br /><br /><br /></span></div></div></td></tr></table></div></body></html>