Absalom’s Conspiracy 1 UDB Some time later, Absalom acquired a chariot and horses to pull it. He hired fifty men to run in front of him to honor him while he was riding around Jerusalem in the chariot. BSB BSB: Some time later, Absalom provided for himself a chariot with horses and fifty men to run ahead of him.
2 UDB Furthermore, he always rose early each morning and stood by the city gate. Whenever someone came there with a dispute with someone that he wanted the king to decide, Absalom would call out to him, asking, "What city are you from?" The person would tell him, "Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel." BSB BSB: He would get up early and stand beside the road leading to the city gate. Whenever anyone had a grievance to bring before the king for a decision, Absalom would call out and ask, “What city are you from?” And if he replied, “Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel,”
3 UDB Then Absalom would say to him, "Listen, I am sure that what you are saying is right. But there is no one whom the king has appointed to listen to people like you." BSB BSB: Absalom would say, “Look, your claims are good and right, but the king has no deputy to hear you.”
4 UDB Absalom would then add, "I wish that I were a judge in this land. If I were a judge, anyone who had a dispute could come to me, and I would decide it fairly." BSB BSB: And he would add, “If only someone would appoint me judge in the land, then everyone with a grievance or dispute could come to me, and I would give him justice.”
5 UDB And whenever anyone came near to Absalom to bow respectfully in front of him, Absalom would reach out and embrace him and kiss him. BSB BSB: Also, when anyone approached to bow down to him, Absalom would reach out his hand, take hold of him, and kiss him.
6 UDB Absalom did this to everyone in Israel who came to the king with a dispute to be decided. In that way, Absalom persuaded all the Israelite people to be more pleased with him than they were pleased with his father David. BSB BSB: Absalom did this to all the Israelites who came to the king for justice. In this way he stole the hearts of the men of Israel.
7 UDB Four years later, Absalom went to the king and said, "Please allow me to go to the city of Hebron so that I can do what I promised Yahweh that I would do. BSB BSB: After four years had passed, Absalom said to the king, “Please let me go to Hebron to fulfill a vow I have made to the LORD.
8 UDB I, your servant, made a vow when I was living in Geshur, which is in Aram. I promised Yahweh that if he brought me back to Jerusalem, I would worship him in Hebron." BSB BSB: For your servant made a vow while dwelling in Geshur of Aram, saying: ‘If indeed the LORD brings me back to Jerusalem, I will worship the LORD in Hebron.’”
9 UDB The king replied, "I will permit you to go safely." So Absalom went to Hebron. BSB BSB: “Go in peace,” said the king. So Absalom got up and went to Hebron.
10 UDB But while he was there, he secretly sent messengers to all the tribes in Israel to tell them, "When you hear the sound of the trumpets being blown, shout, 'Absalom has become the king at Hebron!'" BSB BSB: Then Absalom sent spies throughout the tribes of Israel with this message: “When you hear the sound of the horn, you are to say, ‘Absalom reigns in Hebron!’”
11 UDB Absalom had taken with him to Hebron two hundred men from Jerusalem, but they did not know what Absalom was planning to do. BSB BSB: Two hundred men from Jerusalem accompanied Absalom. They had been invited as guests and they went along innocently, for they knew nothing about the matter.
12 UDB While Absalom was offering sacrifices at Hebron, he sent a message to Ahithophel from the town of Giloh, requesting him to come. Ahithophel was one of the king's advisors. So the number of people who joined Absalom and who were ready to rebel against David became larger. BSB BSB: While Absalom was offering the sacrifices, he sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, to come from his hometown of Giloh. So the conspiracy gained strength, and Absalom’s following kept increasing.
David Flees Jerusalem (Psalm 3:1–8)
13 UDB Soon a messenger came to David and said to him, "All the Israelite people are joining Absalom to rebel against you!" BSB BSB: Then a messenger came to David and reported, “The hearts of the men of Israel are with Absalom.”
14 UDB So David said to all of his officials, "We must leave immediately if we want to escape from Absalom! We must go quickly, before he and his men arrive. If we do not do that, they will kill us and everyone else in the city!" BSB BSB: And David said to all the servants with him in Jerusalem, “Arise and let us flee, or we will not escape from Absalom! We must leave quickly, or he will soon overtake us, heap disaster on us, and put the city to the sword.”
15 UDB The king's servants said, "Very well, your Majesty, your servants are ready to do whatever you wish." BSB BSB: The king’s servants replied, “Whatever our lord the king decides, we are your servants.”
16 UDB So the king left ten of his slave wives there to take care of the palace, but all the other people in his palace went with him. BSB BSB: Then the king set out, and his entire household followed him. But he left behind ten concubines to take care of the palace.
17 UDB When they all were leaving the city, they stopped at the last house. BSB BSB: So the king set out with all the people following him. He stopped at the last house,
18 UDB The king and his officials stood there while his bodyguards went by in front of him. Six hundred soldiers from the city of Gath also walked by in front of him. BSB BSB: and all his servants marched past him—all the Cherethites and Pelethites, and six hundred Gittites who had followed him from Gath.
19 UDB Then David said to Ittai, the leader of the soldiers from Gath, "Why are you going with us? Go back and stay with Absalom the new king. You are not an Israelite; you are living away from your own land. BSB BSB: Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why should you also go with us? Go back and stay with the new king, since you are both a foreigner and an exile from your homeland.
20 UDB You have lived here in Israel for only a short time. And we do not even know where we will be going. So it is not right for me to force you to wander around with us. And take your troops with you. And I hope that Yahweh will faithfully love and be loyal to you." BSB BSB: In fact, you arrived only yesterday; should I make you wander around with us today while I do not know where I am going? Go back and take your brothers with you. May the LORD show you loving devotion and faithfulness.”
21 UDB But Ittai replied, "Your Majesty, as surely as you live, wherever you go, your servant will also go. I will stay with you whether they kill me or allow me to live." BSB BSB: But Ittai answered the king, “As surely as the LORD lives, and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king may be, whether it means life or death, there will your servant be!”
22 UDB David replied to Ittai, "Very well, march with us!" So Ittai and all his troops and their families went with David. BSB BSB: “March on then,” said David to Ittai. So Ittai the Gittite marched past with all his men and all the little ones who were with him.
23 UDB All the people along the road cried when they saw them walking by. The king and all the others crossed the Kidron Valley and went up the hill toward the wilderness. BSB BSB: Everyone in the countryside was weeping loudly as all the people passed by. And as the king crossed the Kidron Valley, all the people also passed toward the way of the wilderness.
24 UDB Abiathar and Zadok, the priests, were also walking with them. The descendants of Levi who helped the priests also went with them, carrying the sacred chest that contained the Ten Commandments. But they set it on the ground until all the others had left the city. BSB BSB: Zadok was also there, and all the Levites with him were carrying the ark of the covenant of God. And they set down the ark of God, and Abiathar offered sacrifices until all the people had passed out of the city.
25 UDB But then the king said to Zadok, "You two must take the sacred chest back into the city. If Yahweh is pleased with me, he will allow me to return to see it and the place where it is kept. BSB BSB: Then the king said to Zadok, “Return the ark of God to the city. If I find favor in the eyes of the LORD, He will bring me back and let me see both it and His dwelling place again.
26 UDB But if he says that he is not pleased with me, then I am willing for him to do to me whatever he thinks is good." BSB BSB: But if He should say, ‘I do not delight in you,’ then here I am; let Him do to me whatever seems good to Him.”
27 UDB He also said to Zadok, "Listen to what I suggest! Return to the city peacefully, and take your son Ahimaaz and Abiathar's son Jonathan with you. BSB BSB: The king also said to Zadok the priest, “Are you not a seer? Return to the city in peace—you with your son Ahimaaz, and Abiathar with his son Jonathan.
28 UDB I will wait in the wilderness at the place where people can walk across the river, until you send a message to me." BSB BSB: See, I will wait at the fords of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me.”
29 UDB So Zadok and Abiathar carried the sacred chest back to Jerusalem, and they stayed there. BSB BSB: So Zadok and Abiathar returned the ark of God to Jerusalem and stayed there.
David Weeps at the Mount of Olives (Psalm 63:1–11)
30 UDB David and those with him went up the Mount of Olives. David was crying while he walked. He was walking barefoot and had something covering his head to show that he was sorrowful. All those who were going with him also covered their heads and were crying while they walked. BSB BSB: But David continued up the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went up. His head was covered, and he was walking barefoot. And all the people with him covered their heads and went up, weeping as they went.
31 UDB Someone told David that Ahithophel had joined with those who were rebelling against David. So David prayed, "Yahweh, cause whatever Ahithophel suggests to Absalom that he should do be considered to be foolish!" BSB BSB: Now someone told David: “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” So David pleaded, “O LORD, please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness!”
32 UDB When they arrived at the top of the hill, where there was a place where the people had previously been accustomed to worship God, suddenly Hushai, from the Arki people, met David. He had torn his clothes and put dirt on his head to show that he was very sad. BSB BSB: When David came to the summit, where he used to worship God, Hushai the Archite was there to meet him with his robe torn and dust on his head.
33 UDB David said to him, "If you go with me, you will not be able to help me. BSB BSB: David said to him, “If you go on with me, you will be a burden to me.
34 UDB But if you return to the city, you can help me by saying to Absalom, 'Your Majesty, I will be your servant. I will serve you as faithfully as I served your father.' If you do that and stay near Absalom, you will be able to oppose any advice that Ahithophel gives to Absalom. BSB BSB: But you can thwart the counsel of Ahithophel for me if you return to the city and say to Absalom: ‘I will be your servant, my king; in the past I was your father’s servant, but now I will be your servant.’
35 UDB Zadok and Abiathar the priests are already there. Whatever you hear people say in the king's palace, tell it to Zadok and Abiathar. BSB BSB: Will not Zadok and Abiathar the priests be there with you? Report to them everything you hear from the king’s palace.
36 UDB Keep in mind that Zadok's son Ahimaaz and Abiathar's son Jonathan are also there. You can tell them whatever you find out, and send them to report it to me." BSB BSB: Indeed, their two sons, Ahimaaz son of Zadok and Jonathan son of Abiathar, are there with them. Send them to me with everything you hear.”
37 UDB So David's friend Hushai returned to the city at the same time that Absalom was entering Jerusalem. BSB BSB: So David’s friend Hushai arrived in Jerusalem just as Absalom was entering the city.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.