Absalom

Then Absalom sent for Joab, to send him to the king; but he would not come to him: and he sent again a second time, but he would not come.

Therefore he said to his servants, “Behold, Joab’s field is near mine, and he has barley there. Go and set it on fire.” Absalom’s servants set the field on fire.

Then Joab arose, and came to Absalom to his house, and said to him, “Why have your servants set my field on fire?”

Absalom answered Joab, “Behold, I sent to you, saying, ‘Come here, that I may send you to the king, to say, “Why have I come from Geshur? It would be better for me to be there still. Now therefore let me see the king’s face; and if there is iniquity in me, let him kill me.”’”

So Joab came to the king, and told him; and when he had called for Absalom, he came to the king, and bowed himself on his face to the ground before the king: and the king kissed Absalom.

After this, Absalom prepared him a chariot and horses, and fifty men to run before him.

Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate. It was so, that when any man had a suit which should come to the king for judgment, then Absalom called to him, and said, “What city are you from?” He said, “Your servant is of one of the tribes of Israel.”

Absalom said to him, “Behold, your matters are good and right; but there is no man deputized by the king to hear you.”

Absalom said moreover, “Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man who has any suit or cause might come to me, and I would do him justice!”

Absalom did this sort of thing to all Israel who came to the king for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

At the end of forty years, Absalom said to the king, “Please let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed to the LORD, in Hebron.

But Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “As soon as you hear the sound of the shofar, then you shall say, ‘Absalom is king in Hebron!’”

Two hundred men went with Absalom out of Jerusalem, who were invited, and went in their simplicity; and they didn’t know anything.

Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, from his city, even from Giloh, while he was offering the sacrifices. The conspiracy was strong; for the people increased continually with Absalom.

A messenger came to David, saying, “The hearts of the men of Israel are after Absalom.”

David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, “Arise, and let us flee; for else none of us shall escape from Absalom. Make speed to depart, lest he overtake us quickly, and bring down evil on us, and strike the city with the edge of the sword.”

Someone told David, saying, “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” David said, “LORD, please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.”

but if you return to the city, and tell Absalom, ‘I will be your servant, O king. As I have been your father’s servant in time past, so will I now be your servant; then will you defeat for me the counsel of Ahithophel.’

So Hushai, David’s friend, came into the city; and Absalom came into Jerusalem.

The LORD has returned on you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned! the LORD has delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom your son! Behold, you are caught by your own mischief, because you are a man of blood!”

Absalom, and all the people, the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him.

When Hushai the Archite, David’s friend, had come to Absalom, Hushai said to Absalom, “Long live the king! Long live the king!”

Absalom said to Hushai, “Is this your kindness to your friend? Why didn’t you go with your friend?”

Hushai said to Absalom, “No; but whomever the LORD, and this people, and all the men of Israel have chosen, his will I be, and with him I will stay.

Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give your counsel what we shall do.”