For thy servant vowed a vow when I was in Geshur in the land of Syria, saying, "If the LORD shall bring me again to Jerusalem, I will serve the LORD."

And the king said, "Go in peace." And so he arose and went to Hebron.

And with Absalom went two hundred men out of Jerusalem that were called. And they went with pure hearts and knew nothing of the matter.

And Absalom sent also for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's counselor, and fetched him out of his city Giloh, when he sacrificed sacrifices. And there was wrought strong treason. And the people drew to Absalom in great multitude.

And there came a messenger to David and said, "The hearts of the men of Israel are to follow Absalom."

Then said David unto all his servants that were with him at Jerusalem, "Up, and let us flee; for we shall not else escape from Absalom. Make speed to depart; lest he come suddenly and catch us and bring some mischief upon us, and smite the city with the edge of the sword."

And the king's servants said to him, "Behold, thy servants are ready to whatsoever my lord the king shall appoint."

And the king and all his household departed afoot. And he left behind him ten wives that were his concubines, to keep the house.

Then said the king to Ittai the Gittite, "Wherefore shouldest thou go with us also? Return and abide with the king, for thou art a stranger and art removed from thine own place.

Thou camest but yesterday, and should I unquiet thee today to go with us? I will go whither I go. But return thou and carry again thy brethren. Mercy and truth be with thee."

Then said the king to Ittai, "Come and go forward." And Ittai the Gittite went forth - and all his men, and all the children that were with him.

And all the country wept with a loud voice. And all the people went forward the straight way to the wilderness.

But and if the Lord thus say - 'I have no pleasure in thee' - behold, here am I, let him do with me what seemeth best in his eyes."

The king said also unto Zadok the priest, "Thou art a seer; return therefore into the city in peace. And take your two sons with you: Ahimaaz thy son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar.

And see, I will tarry in the fields of the wilderness until there come some word from you to be told me."

And so Zadok and Abiathar carried the Ark of God again to Jerusalem, and they tarried there.

When David was come to the top of the mount and had bowed himself unto God: behold, Hushai the Archite came against him with his coat torn and earth upon his head.

And if thou return to the city: then shalt thou say unto Absalom, 'I will be thy servant O king: thus long have I been thy father's servant, and now I am thine,' and destroy me the counsel of Ahithophel.

And behold, ye have there with you their two sons: Ahimaaz Zadok's son, and Jonathan Abiathar's son, by which ye shall send me all that ye can hear."

And so Hushai, David's friend, gat him to the city. And Absalom also entered into Jerusalem.

And when David was a little past the top of the hill, behold, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth came against him with a couple of asses saddled, and upon them two hundred loaves and one hundred bunches of raisins, and a hundred frayls of dried figs, and a bottle of wine.

Then said the king to Ziba, "What hast thou there?" And Ziba said, "Asses for the king's household to ride on, and bread and fruit for the young men to eat, and wine to drink, if any man faint in the wilderness."

Then said the king, "Where is thy master's son?" and Ziba said unto the king, "Behold, he tarrieth still at Jerusalem. For he said, 'This day shall the house of Israel restore me the kingdom of my father.'"

Then said the king to Ziba, "Behold, thine are all that pertained to Mephibosheth." And Ziba answered, "I beseech thee that I may find grace in thy sight my lord king."

And when king David came to Bahurim, behold, thence came out a man of the kindred of the house of Saul named Shimei, the son of Gera; and he came out cursing.

And the king said, "What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? Let him curse: for the LORD hath bid him curse David. And who dare presume to say wherefore doth he so?"

And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, "Behold, my son which came out of mine own bowels seeketh my life. How much more may this son of Benjamin do it? Suffer him therefore to curse, for the LORD hath bidden him.

Haply, the LORD will look on my wretchedness, and do me good for his cursing this day."

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

And Absalom said again to Hushai, "Is this the kindness thou owest to thy friend? Why wentest thou not with him?"

And furthermore, unto whom shall I do service but even to his son? And as I was servant before with thy father, even so shall I be with thee."

Then spake Absalom to Ahithophel, "Give counsel what is best for us to do."

And Ahithophel said unto Absalom, "Get thee in unto thy father's concubines which he hath left to keep the house. For when all Israel shall hear that thou hast made thy father to stink, then shall the hands of all that are with thee be strong."

and will bring again all the people unto thee. And when all these men which thou seekest are turned to thee, all the people shall have rest."

When Hushai was come to Absalom, Absalom spake unto him saying, "Ahithophel hath given such counsel: whether it be best we do after his saying, or not, tell thou."

Then said Hushai to Absalom, "The counsel that Ahithophel hath given is not good at this time.

Behold, he lurketh now in some cave or in some other place. And thereto, though some of his men be overthrown at the first brunt, yet they that hear it will think the people that followeth Absalom be put to the worse.

But my counsel is, that all Israel be gathered unto thee, from Dan to Beersheba, as the sand of the sea in number, and that thou go to battle in thine own person.

And we will come upon him in one place or other, where we shalt find him, and we will pitch a field against him, even as thick as the dew falleth on the ground. And there shall not one of them be left, neither he nor any of all that are with him.

Moreover, if he take a town then shall all the men of Israel bring ropes to that city, and we will draw it into the river, until there be not one stone found upon another."

And Absalom and all the men of Israel said that the counsel of Hushai the Archite was better than the counsel of Ahithophel - For it was even the LORD's determination to destroy the counsel of Ahithophel, which was good, that the LORD might bring evil upon Absalom.

As for Jonathan and Ahimaaz, they stood by the well of Rogel, and a damsel went thither and told them. They went on their way and told King David, for they durst not be seen to come into the city.

Nevertheless there was a lad saw them, which told it to Absalom. But they went both of them away quickly and came to a man's house in Bahurim, which had a well in his yard, into which they went down.

And the wife took and spread a coverlet on the top of the well and strawed thereon steeped barley to dry. And the thing was not spied.

And when Absalom's servants came to the wife to the house and asked where one Ahimaaz and Jonathan were, the wife said unto them, "They be gone over the little brook of water." And when they had sought them and could not find them, then they returned to Jerusalem.

Then David arose and all the people that were with him, and they were come over Jordan by that it was day, that there lacked not one of them that was not come over Jordan.

And when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his ass and arose and gat him home to his own house and to his own city, and put his household in order and hanged himself and died, and was buried in the sepulchre of his father.

Then David came to Mahanaim. And Absalom passed over Jordan, both he and all the men of Israel with him.

And Absalom made Amasa captain of the host in the stead of Joab, which Amasa was a man's son named Ithra a Jezreelite that went into Abigail the daughter of Nahash, sister to Zeruiah, Joab's mother.

And when David was come to Mahanaim, Shobi the son of Nahash out of Rabbah, the city of the children of Ammon, and Machir the son of Ammiel out of Lodebar and Barzillai the Gileadite out of Rogelim,

honey, butter, sheep and cheese of kine - for David, and all the people that were with him, to eat. For they supposed that the people should be hungry, fainty, and thirsty in the wilderness.

And the people answered, "Nay, for if we flee, our adversaries will not care for us: neither, though half of us were slain, shall they regard us. But thou were worth ten thousand of us. And therefore it is better that thou be ready to succor us out of the city."

Then said the king, "What seemeth you best, that will I do." And the king stood up by the Gate's side, and all the people came out by hundreds and by thousands.

where the people of Israel were put to the worse before the servants of David, and there was a great slaughter that day, even of twenty thousand men.

And the field was fought in divers places, all abroad upon the earth. And the woods devoured more people that day than did the sword.

And it chanced Absalom to come before the servants of David riding upon a mule which carried him under the thick boughs of a great oak. And his head caught in the oak, and he was left between heaven and earth, and the mule that was under him went his way.

And Joab said unto him that told him, "Lo, sawest thou him? And why didst thou not there smite him to the ground, that I should have given thee ten sicles of silver and a soldier's girdle?"

And they took Absalom and cast him into a great pit that was in the wood, and cast a mighty great heap of stones upon him. And all Israel fled every man to his tent.

And this Absalom, yet in his lifetime, took and reared up a pillar, which is yet in King's Dale. For he said, "I have no male child. And therefore, to keep my name in remembrance do I it." And he called the pillar after his own name. And it is called unto this day, Absalom's pillar.

And Joab said unto him, "Thou art no man to bear tidings today. Thou shalt bear tidings another time: but today thou shalt bear none, because the king's son is dead.

Then said Joab to Cushi, "Go and tell the king what thou hast seen." And Cushi bowed himself unto Joab and ran.

Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok again to Joab, "Come what will, let me run, I pray thee, after Cushi." And Joab said, "Wherefore shouldest thou run my son? For and thou run thou gettest no reward." He answered, "Well, come what will; let me run."

And David sat between the two gates. And the watchman went up to the roof over the gate unto the wall, and lifted up his eyes and saw: and behold, there came a man running alone.

And Ahimaaz called and said to the king, "Good tidings," and bowed himself to the earth upon his face before the king and said, "Blessed be the LORD thy God which hath shut up all the men that lifted up their hands against my Lord the king."

And behold, Cushi came and said, "Tidings, my lord the king: the LORD hath quite thee this day out of the hands of all that rose against thee."

And the king said to Cushi, "Is the lad Absalom safe?" And Cushi answered, "The enemies of my lord the king and all that rise against thee, to have thee, be as thy lad is."

And the king was moved and went up to a chamber over the gate and wept. And as he went thus he said, "My son Absalom, my son, my son, my son Absalom, would to God I had died for thee Absalom, my son, my son."

And the victory was turned that day into mourning unto all the people. For the people heard say that day, how the king sorrowed for his son,

And Joab went into the house to the king and said, "Thou hast shamed this day the faces of all thy servants, which this day have saved thy life and the lives of thy sons and daughters, and the lives of thy wives and concubines:

in that thou lovest thine enemies and hatest thy friends. Thou hast declared this day that thou carest neither for thy lords nor servants. For this day I do perceive, if Absalom had lived, and all we died this day, that then it had pleased thee well.

Then the king arose and sat down in the Gate. And it was told unto all the people, how the king sat in the Gate. And then all the people came before the king. But Israel fled every man to his tent.

And king David sent to Zadok and Abiathar the priests, saying, "Speak unto the elders of Judah and say, 'Why should ye be the last that should bring again the king to his house, seeing that such tidings is come from all Israel unto the king, even to his house?

Ye are my brethren, my bones and my flesh: wherefore then should ye be the last that should come to bring the king home again?'

And say to Amasa, 'Art thou not my bone and my flesh? And God do so to me and so thereto: except thou be captain of the host to me forever in the room of Joab.'"

And he bowed the hearts of all the men of Judah, as a man would bow the heart of one man: so that they sent word to the king, that he should return with all his servants.

And the king returned and came to Jordan. And Judah came to Gilgal for to go against the king to convey him over Jordan.

And there went over a boat to carry over the king's household and to do him pleasure. And Shimei the son of Gera fell before the king, as he was come over Jordan,

and said unto him, "Let not my lord impute wickedness unto me, nor let him not remember the wickedness that thy servant did, when my lord the king departed out of Jerusalem that the king should take it to heart.

For thy servant doth know how that I have done amiss. And therefore behold, I am the first this day of all the house of Joseph that am come to meet my lord the king."

But Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered and said, "Shall Shimei not die for that cause: which cursed the LORD's anointed?"

And the king said, "What matter is between you and me ye sons of Zeruiah, that ye should this day be adversaries unto me? There shall no man die this day in Israel: for I know that I am this day king over Israel."

And the king said unto Shimei, "Thou shalt not die," and sware unto him.

And Mephibosheth the son of Saul came to meet the king, and had neither dressed his feet nor shaved his beard nor washed his clothes from the time the king departed, until he came again in peace.

And when he was come to Jerusalem toward the king, the king said unto him, "Wherefore went not thou with me Mephibosheth?"

And he said, "My lord king, my servant deceived me. For thy servant said: that I would have mine ass saddled to ride thereon, for to go to the king, because thy servant is lame.

And he hath thereto complained on thy servant unto my lord the king. But my lord the king is as an Angel of God: do therefore what seemeth best in thine eyes.

For all my father's house were but dead men unto my lord the king: and yet didst thou put me among them that eat at thine own table. What right therefore have I yet, to cry any more unto the king?"

And the king said, "It needeth thee not to speak any more, for I have said that thou and Ziba shall divide the lands between you."

And Barzillai the Gileadite came from Rogelim and went over Jordan with the king, to accompany him over Jordan:

I am this day four score year old: and therefore can not discern savoury from unsavoury, neither hath thy servant pleasure in that he eateth or drinketh: nor yet delectation in the songs of men or women. It is no need that thy servant be a burden unto my lord the king:

But let thy servant turn back again, that I may die in mine own city, by the grave of my father and mother. But lo here is thy servant Chimham: let him go with my lord the king, and do to him, what shall please thee."

And the king answered, "Chimham shall go with me. And I will do to him that thou shalt be content with. And thereto whatsoever thou shalt require of me, that same will I do for thee."

And then the king went to Gilgal, and Chimham went with him. Now all the men of Judah were at the bringing over of the king, and but half the men of Israel.

Wherefore all the men of Israel came to the king and said unto him, "Why have our brethren the men of Judah stolen thee away, and have brought the king and his household and all David's men with him over Jordan?"

And all the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, "For the king is near of kin to us: wherefore be ye angry for that matter? Think ye that we eat of the king's cost, or that the king giveth us any gifts?"

And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah and said, "We have ten parts in the king, and have thereto more right to David than ye. Why then did ye despise us, that our advice had not been first had in restoring our king again?" And the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel.

And there happened to be an unthrifty fellow named Sheba, the son of Bichri a man of Benjamin which blew a trumpet and said, "We have no part in David, nor inheritance in the son of Jesse, O Israel.

Let us depart therefore every man to his tent." And all Israel went from David and followed Sheba the son of Bichri. But the men of Judah clave fast unto the king, from Jordan to Jerusalem.

And when David was come to his house to Jerusalem, he took the ten wives his concubines that he had left behind him to keep the house, and put them in ward and ministered all things unto them: but lay no more with them. And so they were enclosed unto the day of the death of them, and lived a widow's life.

Then said the king to Amasa, "Call me the men of Judah together within three days and present thyself here."