1 And it came to pass after this, that Absalom prepared for himself chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him.
2 And Absalom rose early, and stood beside the way of the gate; and it was so, that when any man who had a controversy had to come to the king for judgment, then Absalom called him, and said, Of what city art thou? And he said, Thy servant is of one of the tribes of Israel.
3 And Absalom said to him, See, thy matters are good and right; but there is no man to hear thee {appointed} by the king.
4 And Absalom said, Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man who has any controversy and cause might come to me, and I would do him justice!
5 And it was so, that when any man came near to do him obeisance, he put forth his hand, and took him, and kissed him.
6 And in this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the king for judgment; and Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.
7 And it came to pass at the end of forty years, that Absalom said to the king, I pray thee, let me go and pay in Hebron my vow which I have vowed to Jehovah.
8 For thy servant vowed a vow while I abode in Geshur in Syria, saying, If Jehovah shall bring me again indeed to Jerusalem, then I will serve Jehovah.
9 And the king said to him, Go in peace. And he rose up and went to Hebron.
10 And Absalom sent emissaries into all the tribes of Israel, saying, When ye hear the sound of the trumpet, ye shall say, Absalom reigns in Hebron.
11 And with Absalom went two hundred men out of Jerusalem, that were invited; and they went in their simplicity, and they knew nothing.
12 And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's counsellor, from his city, from Giloh, while he offered the sacrifices. And the conspiracy gathered strength; and the people increased continually with Absalom.
13 And there came one to David who reported saying, The hearts of the men of Israel are after Absalom.
14 And David said to all his servants that were with him at Jerusalem, Rise up and let us flee; for we shall not {else} escape from Absalom. Be quick to depart, lest he overtake us quickly, and bring evil upon us, and smite the city with the edge of the sword.
15 And the king's servants said to the king, Behold, thy servants {will do} whatever my lord the king shall choose.
16 And the king went forth, and all his household after him, and the king left ten women, concubines, to keep the house.
17 And the king went forth, and all the people after him, and stayed at the remote house.
18 And all his servants passed on beside him; and all the Cherethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, six hundred men that came after him from Gath, passed over before the king.
19 And the king said to Ittai the Gittite, Why dost thou also go with us? return to thy place, and abide with the king; for thou art a foreigner, and besides, thou hast emigrated to the place where thou {dwellest}.
20 Thou didst come yesterday, and should I this day make thee go up and down with us, seeing I go whither I can? Return and take back thy brethren. Mercy and truth be with thee!
21 And Ittai answered the king and said, {As} Jehovah liveth, and {as} my lord the king liveth, surely in what place my lord the king shall be, whether in death or life, even there also will thy servant be.
22 And David said to Ittai, Go and pass over. And Ittai the Gittite passed over, and all his men, and all the little ones that were with him.
23 And all the country wept with a loud voice, and all the people passed over; the king also himself passed over the torrent Kidron, and all the people passed over, towards the way of the wilderness.
24 And behold, Zadok also, and all the Levites with him, bearing the ark of the covenant of God; and they set down the ark of God; and Abiathar went up, until all the people had passed completely out of the city.
25 And the king said to Zadok, Carry back the ark of God into the city. If I shall find favour in the eyes of Jehovah, he will bring me again, and shew me it, and its habitation.
26 But if he thus say, I have no delight in thee; behold, {here am} I, let him do to me as seemeth good to him.
27 And the king said to Zadok the priest, Thou art the seer: return into the city in peace, and your two sons with you, Ahimaaz thy son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar.
28 See, I will stop in the plains of the desert, until there come word from you to inform me.
29 And Zadok and Abiathar carried the ark of God again to Jerusalem; and they abode there.
30 But David went up by the ascent of the Olives, and wept as he went up, and had his head covered, and he went barefoot; and all the people that was with him covered every man his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up.
31 And one told David saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. Then said David, Jehovah, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.
32 And it came to pass, when David had come to the summit, where he worshipped God, that behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his coat rent, and earth upon his head.
33 And David said to him, If thou passest on with me, thou wilt be a burden to me;
34 but if thou return to the city, and say to Absalom, I will be thy servant, O king; as I have been thy father's servant hitherto, so now will I be thy servant; then mayest thou for me defeat the counsel of Ahithophel.
35 And hast thou not there with thee Zadok and Abiathar the priests? and it shall be, {that} whatsoever thing thou shalt hear out of the king's house, thou shalt tell it to Zadok and Abiathar the priests.
36 Behold, they have there with them their two sons, Ahimaaz Zadok's {son}, and Jonathan Abiathar's son; and by them ye shall send to me everything that ye shall hear.
37 And Hushai David's friend came into the city, and Absalom came into Jerusalem.
1 这事以后， 押沙龙为自己预备了一辆战车和一些马匹， 又预备了五十人在他前面奔走开路。
2 押沙龙常常清早起来， 站在通往城门口的路旁。有争讼的案件要进去请王判决的人， 押沙龙就把他叫到跟前来， 问他： "你是从哪一座城来的？"他回答： "仆人是从以色列某一支派来的。"
3 押沙龙就对他说： "你看！ 你的案件有情有理， 但是王并没有委人听你的案子。"
4 押沙龙又说： "但愿有人立我作这地的审判官， 这样， 有案件或诉讼的人， 都可以到我这里来， 我就给他公平的审判。"
5 如果有人走近押沙龙要拜他， 他就伸手拉住他， 并且与他亲嘴。
6 所有来到王面前请求审决的以色列人， 押沙龙都是这样对待他们。因此， 押沙龙暗中迷惑了以色列人的心。
7 过了四年， 押沙龙对王说： "求你准我到希伯仑去， 好向耶和华还我所许的愿。
8 因为仆人住在亚兰的基述的时候， 曾经许了一个愿说： ‘如果耶和华使我再回到耶路撒冷来， 我就要在希伯仑事奉他。’"
9 王对他说： "你平平安安地去吧！ "于是他动身， 往希伯仑去了。
10 押沙龙派遣探子到以色列的各支派中， 说： "你们一听见号角的声音， 就说： ‘押沙龙在希伯仑作王了！ ’"
11 有二百人从耶路撒冷应邀与押沙龙同去。他们都是诚诚实实地去， 对内情一点也不知道。
12 押沙龙献祭的时候， 差派人去把大卫的参谋基罗人亚希多弗从他的本城基罗请来。于是叛乱的势力越来越大， 跟随押沙龙的人民也越来越多。
13 有一个报信的人来见大卫说： "以色列人的心都归向押沙龙了。"
14 大卫就对所有在耶路撒冷与他在一起的臣仆说： "我们要起来逃走， 不然我们就不能逃避押沙龙的面了， 要赶快离开， 恐怕他迅速赶上我们， 使灾难临到我们身上， 用刀击杀全城的人。"
15 王的臣仆对王说： "我主我王决定的一切， 仆人都必遵行。"
16 于是王出走了， 他的全家都跟在他的后头， 却留下十个妃嫔看守王宫。
17 王出发了， 众人都跟在他的脚后； 他们在伯．墨哈停下来。
18 王所有的臣仆都从王的身边走过去， 所有的基利提人、比利提人和迦特人， 就是从迦特来跟从王的六百人， 都从王面前走过去。
19 王对迦特人以太说： "你为什么也与我们一同走呢？回去留在新王那里吧！ 因为你是个外族人， 是个远离自己家乡逃到这里来的人。
20 你昨天才来， 我怎可以今天就让你与我们一同流浪呢？现在我还不知道我要到哪里去。你回去吧！ 带着你的兄弟一同回去吧！ 愿耶和华的慈爱和信实与你同在。"
21 以太回答王说： "我指着永活的耶和华， 在我主我王面前起誓， 无论我主我王在什么地方， 或生或死， 你仆人也必在那里。"
22 大卫对以太说： "你可以去， 向前走吧！ "迦特人以太就带着所有属他的人， 和与他在一起的妇人孩子都向前走。
23 众人向前走的时候， 遍地的人都放声大哭； 王过了汲沦溪， 众人就都走上通往旷野去的路。
24 看哪！ 撒督也来了， 所有抬 神约柜的利未人都与他在一起。他们把 神的约柜放下。亚比亚他上来， 直到从城里出来的众人都走过去了。
25 王对撒督说： "把 神的约柜抬回城里去吧！ 我若是在耶和华眼前蒙恩， 他必使我回来再看到约柜和他安居的地方。
26 他若是说： ‘我不喜悦你。’看哪！ 我就在这里， 他看怎样好， 就怎样对待我吧！ "
27 王又对撒督祭司说： "你不是先见吗？平平安安地回到城里去吧！ 你的儿子亚希玛斯和亚比亚他的儿子约拿单要与你一同回去。
28 我会在旷野的渡口那里等候， 直到我接到从你们那里来的消息。"
29 于是撒督和亚比亚他把 神的约柜抬回耶路撒冷去， 并且住在那里。
30 大卫走上橄榄山； 他蒙着头， 赤着脚， 一边上， 一边哭， 所有与他在一起的人民也都蒙着头， 一边上， 一边哭。
31 有人告诉大卫说： "亚希多弗也在押沙龙的叛党之中。"大卫祷告说： "耶和华啊， 求你使亚希多弗的计谋变为愚拙。"
32 大卫到了山顶， 就是人敬拜 神的地方。看哪！ 有亚基人户筛衣服撕裂， 头蒙灰尘， 在那里迎接他。
33 大卫对他说： "你若是与我同去； 必成为我的累赘。
34 如果你回到城里去， 对押沙龙说： ‘王啊！ 我愿作你的仆人， 以前我作你父亲的仆人， 现在我也照样作你的仆人。’这样， 你就可以为我破坏亚希多弗的计谋。
35 撒督祭司和亚比亚他不是都在那里与你在一起吗？你在王宫里听见的话， 都要告诉撒督祭司和亚比亚他。
36 看哪！ 还有他们的两个儿子在那里， 就是撒督的儿子亚希玛斯和亚比亚他的儿子约拿单。你们听见的一切， 可以托他们来告诉我。"
37 于是大卫的朋友户筛进了城； 押沙龙也进了耶路撒冷。