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1 And it came to pass after this, that Avshalom prepared him merkavah and susim, and fifty ish to run before him. 2 And Avshalom rose up early, and stood beside the derech hasha'ar; and it was so, that when any ish that had a riv (lawsuit, complaint) came to HaMelech for mishpat, then Avshalom called unto him, and said, Of what town art thou? And he said, Thy eved is of one of the Shivtei Yisroel. 3 And Avshalom said unto him, See, thy case is tovim and right; but there is no man deputy of HaMelech to hear thee. 4 Avshalom said moreover, Oh that I were made Shofet in the land, that every ish which hath any riv or mishpat might come unto me, and I would bring him justice!
5 And it was so, that when any ish came near to him to prostrate himself before him, he put forth his yad, and took him, and kissed him. 6 And on this manner did Avshalom to kol Yisroel that came to HaMelech for mishpat; so Avshalom stole the lev anshei Yisroel.
7 And it came to pass after arba'im shanah, that Avshalom said unto HaMelech, Now let me go and fulfill my neder, which I have vowed unto Hashem, in Chevron. 8 For thy eved vowed a neder (vow) while I abode at Geshur in Syria, saying, If Hashem shall bring me again indeed to Yerushalayim, then I will serve Hashem. 9 And HaMelech said unto him, Go in shalom. So he arose, and went to Chevron.
10 But Avshalom sent secret messengers throughout kol Shivtei Yisroel, saying, As soon as ye hear the sound of the shofar, then ye shall say, Avshalom reigneth in Chevron.
11 And with Avshalom went two hundred ish out of Yerushalayim, that were invited; and they went innocently, and they had da'as of not anything.
12 And Avshalom sent for Achitophel the Giloni, Dovidʼs yo'etz (counsellor), from his town, even from Giloh, while he offered zivakhim. And the kesher (conspiracy) was strong; for the people increased continually with Avshalom.
13 And there came a maggid to Dovid, saying, Lev Ish Yisroel are with Avshalom. 14 And Dovid said unto all his avadim that were with him at Yerushalayim, Arise, and let us flee; or else we shall not escape from Avshalom; make speed to depart, lest he overtake us suddenly, and bring ra'ah (disaster) upon us, and strike the Ir with the edge of the cherev. 15 And the avadim of HaMelech said unto HaMelech, Hinei, thy avadim are ready to do whatsoever adoni HaMelech commands.
16 And HaMelech went forth, and all his Bais after him. And HaMelech left ten nashim, which were pilagshim (concubines), to be shomer over the Bais (palace). 17 And HaMelech went forth, and kol haAm after him, and tarried in a place that was far off. 18 And all his avadim passed on by his yad; and all the Kereti, and all the Peleti, and all the Gittim, six hundred men which came after him from Gat, passed on before HaMelech.
19 Then said HaMelech to Ittai the Gitti, Why goest thou also with us? Return to thy place, and abide with HaMelech; for thou art a nokhri (foreigner), and also an exile.
20 Whereas thou camest but yesterday, should I this day make thee wander about with us? Seeing I go to where I may, shuv (return thou), and take back thy brethren; chesed and emes be with thee. 21 And Ittai answered HaMelech, and said, As Hashem liveth, and as adoni HaMelech liveth, surely in what makom adoni HaMelech shall be, whether in mavet or chayyim, even there also will thy eved be.* 22 And Dovid said to Ittai, Go and pass over. And Ittai the Gitti passed over, and all his anashim, and all the little ones that were with him.
23 And kol ha'aretz wept with a kol gadol (loud voice), and kol haAm crossed over; HaMelech also himself crossed over the brook Kidron, and kol haAm crossed over, toward the derech of the midbar. 24 And hinei Tzadok also, and all the Levi'im were with him, bearing the Aron Brit HaElohim; and they set down the Aron HaElohim; and Evyatar (Abiathar) went up, until kol HaAm had done passing out of the Ir.
25 And HaMelech said unto Tzadok, Carry back the Aron HaElohim into the Ir; if I shall find chen (grace) in the eyes of Hashem, He will bring me again, and show me both Him, and His habitation; 26 But if He thus say, I have no delight in thee; hinei, here am I, let Him do to me as seemeth tov unto Him.
27 HaMelech said also unto Tzadok HaKohen, Art not thou the Ro'eh (seer)? Return into the Ir in shalom, and your two banim with you, Achima'atz binecha, and Yehonatan Ben Evyatar (Abiathar). 28 See, I will tarry in the fords of the wilderness, until there come davar from you to inform me.
29 Tzadok therefore and Evyatar (Abiathar) carried the Aron HaElohim back to Yerushalayim; and they tarried there. 30 And Dovid went up by the ascent of Ma'aleh HaZeitim (Mount of Olives), and wept as he went up, and had his rosh covered, and he went barefoot; and kol haAm with him covered every ish his rosh, and they went up, weeping as they went up.
31 And one told Dovid, saying, Achitophel is among the conspirators with Avshalom. And Dovid said, Hashem, turn now the etza (counsel) of Achitophel into foolishness.
32 And it came to pass, that when Dovid was come to the top of the mount, where he worshiped Elohim, hinei, Chushai the Arki came to meet him with his kesones torn, and adamah upon his rosh; 33 Unto whom Dovid said, If thou passest on with me, then thou shalt be a massa (burden) unto me; 34 But if thou return to the Ir, and say unto Avshalom, I will be thy eved, O melech; as I have been eved avicha hitherto, so will I now also be thy eved; then mayest thou for me bring to nought the etza (counsel) of Achitophel. 35 And hast thou not there with thee Tzadok and Evyatar (Abiathar) the kohanim? Therefore it shall be, that what thing soever thou shalt hear out of the Bais HaMelech, thou shalt tell it to Tzadok and Evyatar (Abiathar) the kohanim. 36 Hinei, they have there with them their two banim, Achima'atz son of Tzadok, and Yehonatan of Evyatar; by them ye shall send unto me everything that ye can hear.
37 So Chushai the re'eh Dovid came into the Ir, and Avshalom came into Yerushalayim.
* 15:21 Ruth 1:17