וַֽיְהִי֙ מֵאַ֣חֲרֵי כֵ֔ן וַיַּ֤עַשׂ לוֹ֙ אַבְשָׁל֔וֹם מֶרְכָּבָ֖ה וְסֻסִ֑ים וַחֲמִשִּׁ֥ים אִ֖ישׁ רָצִ֥ים לְפָנָֽיו׃ Sometime afterward, Absalom provided himself with a chariot, horses, and fifty outrunners.
וְהִשְׁכִּים֙ אַבְשָׁל֔וֹם וְעָמַ֕ד עַל־יַ֖ד דֶּ֣רֶךְ הַשָּׁ֑עַר וַיְהִ֡י כׇּל־הָאִ֣ישׁ אֲשֶֽׁר־יִֽהְיֶה־לּוֹ־רִיב֩ לָב֨וֹא אֶל־הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ לַמִּשְׁפָּ֗ט וַיִּקְרָ֨א אַבְשָׁל֤וֹם אֵלָיו֙ וַיֹּ֗אמֶר אֵֽי־מִזֶּ֥ה עִיר֙ אַ֔תָּה וַיֹּ֕אמֶר מֵאַחַ֥ד שִׁבְטֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל עַבְדֶּֽךָ׃ Absalom used to rise early and stand by the road to the city gates; and whenever a man had a case that was to come before the king for judgment, Absalom would call out to him, “What town are you from?” And when he answered, “Your servant is from aLit. “one of the tribes.”such and such a tribe-a in Israel,”
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֵלָיו֙ אַבְשָׁל֔וֹם רְאֵ֥ה דְבָרֶ֖יךָ טוֹבִ֣ים וּנְכֹחִ֑ים וְשֹׁמֵ֥עַ אֵין־לְךָ֖ מֵאֵ֥ת הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ Absalom would say to him, “It is clear that your claim is right and just, but there is no one assigned to you by the king to hear it.”
וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אַבְשָׁל֔וֹם מִֽי־יְשִׂמֵ֥נִי שֹׁפֵ֖ט בָּאָ֑רֶץ וְעָלַ֗י יָב֛וֹא כׇּל־אִ֛ישׁ אֲשֶֽׁר־יִֽהְיֶה־לּוֹ־רִ֥יב וּמִשְׁפָּ֖ט וְהִצְדַּקְתִּֽיו׃ And Absalom went on, “If only I were appointed judge in the land and everyone with a legal dispute came before me, I would see that he got his rights.”
וְהָיָה֙ בִּקְרׇב־אִ֔ישׁ לְהִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֺ֖ת ל֑וֹ וְשָׁלַ֧ח אֶת־יָד֛וֹ וְהֶחֱזִ֥יק ל֖וֹ וְנָ֥שַׁק לֽוֹ׃ And if a man approached to bow to him, [Absalom] would extend his hand and take hold of him and kiss him.
וַיַּ֨עַשׂ אַבְשָׁל֜וֹם כַּדָּבָ֤ר הַזֶּה֙ לְכׇל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֲשֶׁר־יָבֹ֥אוּ לַמִּשְׁפָּ֖ט אֶל־הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וַיְגַנֵּב֙ אַבְשָׁל֔וֹם אֶת־לֵ֖ב אַנְשֵׁ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ {פ}
Absalom did this to every Israelite who came to the king for judgment. Thus Absalom won away the hearts of the men of Israel.
וַיְהִ֕י מִקֵּ֖ץ אַרְבָּעִ֣ים שָׁנָ֑ה וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אַבְשָׁלוֹם֙ אֶל־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ אֵ֣לְכָה נָּ֗א וַאֲשַׁלֵּ֛ם אֶת־נִדְרִ֛י אֲשֶׁר־נָדַ֥רְתִּי לַיהֹוָ֖ה בְּחֶבְרֽוֹן׃ After a period of fortybSome Septuagint mss. and Syriac read “four.” years had gone by, Absalom said to the king, “Let me go to Hebron and fulfill a vow that I made to the LORD.
כִּי־נֵ֙דֶר֙ נָדַ֣ר עַבְדְּךָ֔ בְּשִׁבְתִּ֥י בִגְשׁ֛וּר בַּאֲרָ֖ם לֵאמֹ֑ר אִם־[יָשׁ֨וֹב] (ישיב) יְשִׁיבֵ֤נִי יְהֹוָה֙ יְר֣וּשָׁלַ֔͏ִם וְעָבַדְתִּ֖י אֶת־יְהֹוָֽה׃ For your servant made a vow when I lived in Geshur of Aram: If the LORD ever brings me back to Jerusalem, I will worship the LORD.”cSome Septuagint mss. add “in Hebron.”
וַיֹּֽאמֶר־ל֥וֹ הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ לֵ֣ךְ בְּשָׁל֑וֹם וַיָּ֖קׇם וַיֵּ֥לֶךְ חֶבְרֽוֹנָה׃ {פ}
The king said to him, “Go in peace”; and so he set out for Hebron.
וַיִּשְׁלַ֤ח אַבְשָׁלוֹם֙ מְרַגְּלִ֔ים בְּכׇל־שִׁבְטֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לֵאמֹ֑ר כְּשׇׁמְעֲכֶם֙ אֶת־ק֣וֹל הַשֹּׁפָ֔ר וַאֲמַרְתֶּ֕ם מָלַ֥ךְ אַבְשָׁל֖וֹם בְּחֶבְרֽוֹן׃ But Absalom sent agents to all the tribes of Israel to say, “When you hear the blast of the horn, announce that Absalom has become king in Hebron.”
וְאֶת־אַבְשָׁל֗וֹם הָלְכ֞וּ מָאתַ֤יִם אִישׁ֙ מִיר֣וּשָׁלַ֔͏ִם קְרֻאִ֖ים וְהֹלְכִ֣ים לְתֻמָּ֑ם וְלֹ֥א יָדְע֖וּ כׇּל־דָּבָֽר׃ Two hundred men of Jerusalem accompanied Absalom; they were invited and went in good faith, suspecting nothing.
וַיִּשְׁלַ֣ח אַ֠בְשָׁל֠וֹם אֶת־אֲחִיתֹ֨פֶל הַגִּילֹנִ֜י יוֹעֵ֣ץ דָּוִ֗ד מֵֽעִירוֹ֙ מִגִּלֹ֔ה בְּזׇבְח֖וֹ אֶת־הַזְּבָחִ֑ים וַיְהִ֤י הַקֶּ֙שֶׁר֙ אַמִּ֔ץ וְהָעָ֛ם הוֹלֵ֥ךְ וָרָ֖ב אֶת־אַבְשָׁלֽוֹם׃ Absalom also dSome Septuagint mss. and 4QSama read “sent and summoned.”sent [to fetch]-d Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, from his town, Giloh, when the sacrifices were to be offered. The conspiracy gained strength, and the people supported Absalom in increasing numbers.
וַיָּבֹא֙ הַמַּגִּ֔יד אֶל־דָּוִ֖ד לֵאמֹ֑ר הָיָ֛ה לֶב־אִ֥ישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל אַחֲרֵ֥י אַבְשָׁלֽוֹם׃ Someone came and told David, “The loyalty of the men of Israel has veered toward Absalom.”
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר דָּ֠וִ֠ד לְכׇל־עֲבָדָ֨יו אֲשֶׁר־אִתּ֤וֹ בִירוּשָׁלַ֙͏ִם֙ ק֣וּמוּ וְנִבְרָ֔חָה כִּ֛י לֹא־תִֽהְיֶה־לָּ֥נוּ פְלֵיטָ֖ה מִפְּנֵ֣י אַבְשָׁלֹ֑ם מַהֲר֣וּ לָלֶ֗כֶת פֶּן־יְמַהֵ֤ר וְהִשִּׂגָ֙נוּ֙ וְהִדִּ֤יחַ עָלֵ֙ינוּ֙ אֶת־הָ֣רָעָ֔ה וְהִכָּ֥ה הָעִ֖יר לְפִי־חָֽרֶב׃ Whereupon David said to all the courtiers who were with him in Jerusalem, “Let us flee at once, or none of us will escape from Absalom. We must get away quickly, or he will soon overtake us and bring down disaster upon us and put the city to the sword.”
וַיֹּֽאמְר֥וּ עַבְדֵֽי־הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ אֶל־הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ כְּכֹ֧ל אֲשֶׁר־יִבְחַ֛ר אֲדֹנִ֥י הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ הִנֵּ֥ה עֲבָדֶֽיךָ׃ The king’s courtiers said to the king, “Whatever our lord the king decides, your servants are ready.”
וַיֵּצֵ֥א הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ וְכׇל־בֵּית֖וֹ בְּרַגְלָ֑יו וַיַּעֲזֹ֣ב הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ אֵ֣ת עֶ֧שֶׂר נָשִׁ֛ים פִּֽלַגְשִׁ֖ים לִשְׁמֹ֥ר הַבָּֽיִת׃ So the king left, followed by his entire household, except for ten concubines whom the king left to mind the palace.
וַיֵּצֵ֥א הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ וְכׇל־הָעָ֖ם בְּרַגְלָ֑יו וַיַּעַמְד֖וּ בֵּ֥ית הַמֶּרְחָֽק׃ The king left, followed by eSeptuagint reads “his courtiers.”all the people,-e and they stopped at fMeaning of Heb. uncertain.the last house.-f
וְכׇל־עֲבָדָיו֙ עֹבְרִ֣ים עַל־יָד֔וֹ וְכׇל־הַכְּרֵתִ֖י וְכׇל־הַפְּלֵתִ֑י וְכׇֽל־הַגִּתִּ֞ים שֵׁשׁ־מֵא֣וֹת אִ֗ישׁ אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֤אוּ בְרַגְלוֹ֙ מִגַּ֔ת עֹבְרִ֖ים עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ {ס} All gSeptuagint reads “the people.”his followers-g marched past him, including all the Cherethites and all the Pelethites; andhEmendation yields “and Ittai and.” all the Gittites, six hundred men who had accompanied him from Gath, also marched by the king.
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ אֶל־אִתַּ֣י הַגִּתִּ֔י לָ֧מָּה תֵלֵ֛ךְ גַּם־אַתָּ֖ה אִתָּ֑נוּ שׁ֣וּב וְשֵׁ֤ב עִם־הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ כִּי־נׇכְרִ֣י אַ֔תָּה וְגַם־גֹּלֶ֥ה אַתָּ֖ה לִמְקוֹמֶֽךָ׃ And the king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why should you too go with us? Go back and stay with the [new] king, for you are a foreigner and you are also an exile fromiSo one Heb. ms. and several ancient versions; most mss. and editions read “to.” your country.
תְּמ֣וֹל ׀ בּוֹאֶ֗ךָ וְהַיּ֞וֹם (אנועך) [אֲנִֽיעֲךָ֤] עִמָּ֙נוּ֙ לָלֶ֔כֶת וַאֲנִ֣י הוֹלֵ֔ךְ עַ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־אֲנִ֖י הוֹלֵ֑ךְ שׁ֣וּב וְהָשֵׁ֧ב אֶת־אַחֶ֛יךָ עִמָּ֖ךְ חֶ֥סֶד וֶאֱמֶֽת׃ You came only yesterday; should I make you wander about with us today, when I myself must go wherever I can? Go back, and take your kinsmen with you, [in]jMeaning of Heb. uncertain. Septuagint reads “and may the Lord show you” (cf., e.g., 2.6). true faithfulness.”
וַיַּ֧עַן אִתַּ֛י אֶת־הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ וַיֹּאמַ֑ר חַי־יְהֹוָ֗ה וְחֵי֙ אֲדֹנִ֣י הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ כִּ֠י (אם) בִּמְק֞וֹם אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִהְיֶה־שָּׁ֣ם ׀ אֲדֹנִ֣י הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ אִם־לְמָ֙וֶת֙ אִם־לְחַיִּ֔ים כִּי־שָׁ֖ם יִהְיֶ֥ה עַבְדֶּֽךָ׃ Ittai replied to the king, “As the LORD lives and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king may be, there your servant will be, whether for death or for life!”
וַיֹּ֧אמֶר דָּוִ֛ד אֶל־אִתַּ֖י לֵ֣ךְ וַעֲבֹ֑ר וַֽיַּעֲבֹ֞ר אִתַּ֤י הַגִּתִּי֙ וְכׇל־אֲנָשָׁ֔יו וְכׇל־הַטַּ֖ף אֲשֶׁ֥ר אִתּֽוֹ׃ And David said to Ittai, “Then march by.” And Ittai the Gittite and all his men and all the children who were with him marched by.
וְכׇל־הָאָ֗רֶץ בּוֹכִים֙ ק֣וֹל גָּד֔וֹל וְכׇל־הָעָ֖ם עֹבְרִ֑ים וְהַמֶּ֗לֶךְ עֹבֵר֙ בְּנַ֣חַל קִדְר֔וֹן וְכׇל־הָעָם֙ עֹבְרִ֔ים עַל־פְּנֵי־דֶ֖רֶךְ אֶת־הַמִּדְבָּֽר׃ The whole countryside wept aloud as the troops marched by. The king kMeaning of Heb. uncertain. Emendation yields “stopped in the Kidron Valley, while all the people marched on before him by way of the Mount of Olives to…”crossed the Kidron Valley, and all the troops crossed by the road to-k the wilderness.
וְהִנֵּ֨ה גַם־צָד֜וֹק וְכׇֽל־הַלְוִיִּ֣ם אִתּ֗וֹ נֹֽשְׂאִים֙ אֶת־אֲרוֹן֙ בְּרִ֣ית הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים וַיַּצִּ֙קוּ֙ אֶת־אֲר֣וֹן הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים וַיַּ֖עַל אֶבְיָתָ֑ר עַד־תֹּ֥ם כׇּל־הָעָ֖ם לַעֲב֥וֹר מִן־הָעִֽיר׃ {ס} Then Zadok appeared, with all the Levites carrying the Ark of the Covenant of God; and they set down the Ark of God until all the people had finished marching out of the city. fMeaning of Heb. uncertain.Abiathar also came up.-f
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ לְצָד֔וֹק הָשֵׁ֛ב אֶת־אֲר֥וֹן הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים הָעִ֑יר אִם־אֶמְצָ֥א חֵן֙ בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֔ה וֶהֱשִׁבַ֕נִי וְהִרְאַ֥נִי אֹת֖וֹ וְאֶת־נָוֵֽהוּ׃ But the king said to Zadok, “Take the Ark of God back to the city. If I find favor with the LORD, He will bring me back and let me see it and its abode.
וְאִם֙ כֹּ֣ה יֹאמַ֔ר לֹ֥א חָפַ֖צְתִּי בָּ֑ךְ הִנְנִ֕י יַעֲשֶׂה־לִּ֕י כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר ט֖וֹב בְּעֵינָֽיו׃ {ס} And if He should say, ‘I do not want you,’ I am ready; let Him do with me as He pleases.”
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ אֶל־צָד֣וֹק הַכֹּהֵ֔ן הֲרוֹאֶ֣ה אַתָּ֔ה שֻׁ֥בָה הָעִ֖יר בְּשָׁל֑וֹם וַאֲחִימַ֨עַץ בִּנְךָ֜ וִיהוֹנָתָ֧ן בֶּן־אֶבְיָתָ֛ר שְׁנֵ֥י בְנֵיכֶ֖ם אִתְּכֶֽם׃ And the king said to the priest Zadok, lMeaning of Heb. uncertain. Emendation yields “Look, you and Abiathar return.”“Do you understand? You return-l to the safety of the city with your two sons, your own son Ahimaaz and Abiathar’s son Jonathan.
רְאוּ֙ אָנֹכִ֣י מִתְמַהְמֵ֔הַּ (בעברות) [בְּעַֽרְב֖וֹת] הַמִּדְבָּ֑ר עַ֣ד בּ֥וֹא דָבָ֛ר מֵעִמָּכֶ֖ם לְהַגִּ֥יד לִֽי׃ Look, I shall linger in the steppes of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me.”
וַיָּ֨שֶׁב צָד֧וֹק וְאֶבְיָתָ֛ר אֶת־אֲר֥וֹן הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים יְרוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם וַיֵּשְׁב֖וּ שָֽׁם׃ Zadok and Abiathar brought the Ark of God back to Jerusalem, and they stayed there.
וְדָוִ֡ד עֹלֶה֩ בְמַעֲלֵ֨ה הַזֵּיתִ֜ים עֹלֶ֣ה ׀ וּבוֹכֶ֗ה וְרֹ֥אשׁ לוֹ֙ חָפ֔וּי וְה֖וּא הֹלֵ֣ךְ יָחֵ֑ף וְכׇל־הָעָ֣ם אֲשֶׁר־אִתּ֗וֹ חָפוּ֙ אִ֣ישׁ רֹאשׁ֔וֹ וְעָל֥וּ עָלֹ֖ה וּבָכֹֽה׃ David meanwhile went up the slope of the [Mount of] Olives, weeping as he went; his head was covered and he walked barefoot. And all the people who were with him covered their heads and wept as they went up.
וְדָוִד֙ הִגִּ֣יד לֵאמֹ֔ר אֲחִיתֹ֥פֶל בַּקֹּשְׁרִ֖ים עִם־אַבְשָׁל֑וֹם וַיֹּ֣אמֶר דָּוִ֔ד סַכֶּל־נָ֛א אֶת־עֲצַ֥ת אֲחִיתֹ֖פֶל יְהֹוָֽה׃ David [was] told that Ahithophel was among the conspirators with Absalom, and he prayed, “Please, O LORD, frustrate Ahithophel’s counsel!”
וַיְהִ֤י דָוִד֙ בָּ֣א עַד־הָרֹ֔אשׁ אֲשֶֽׁר־יִשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֥ה שָׁ֖ם לֵאלֹהִ֑ים וְהִנֵּ֤ה לִקְרָאתוֹ֙ חוּשַׁ֣י הָאַרְכִּ֔י קָר֙וּעַ֙ כֻּתׇּנְתּ֔וֹ וַאֲדָמָ֖ה עַל־רֹאשֽׁוֹ׃ When David reached the top, where people would prostrate themselves to God, Hushai the Archite was there to meet him, with his robe torn and with earth on his head.
וַיֹּ֥אמֶר ל֖וֹ דָּוִ֑ד אִ֚ם עָבַ֣רְתָּ אִתִּ֔י וְהָיִ֥תָ עָלַ֖י לְמַשָּֽׂא׃ David said to him, “If you march on with me, you will be a burden to me.
וְאִם־הָעִ֣יר תָּשׁ֗וּב וְאָמַרְתָּ֤ לְאַבְשָׁלוֹם֙ עַבְדְּךָ֨ אֲנִ֤י הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ אֶֽהְיֶ֔ה עֶ֣בֶד אָבִ֤יךָ וַֽאֲנִי֙ מֵאָ֔ז וְעַתָּ֖ה וַאֲנִ֣י עַבְדֶּ֑ךָ וְהֵפַרְתָּ֣ה לִ֔י אֵ֖ת עֲצַ֥ת אֲחִיתֹֽפֶל׃ But if you go back to the city and say to Absalom, ‘I will be your servant, O king; I was your father’s servant formerly, and now I will be yours,’ then you can nullify Ahithophel’s counsel for me.
וַהֲל֤וֹא עִמְּךָ֙ שָׁ֔ם צָד֥וֹק וְאֶבְיָתָ֖ר הַכֹּהֲנִ֑ים וְהָיָ֗ה כׇּל־הַדָּבָר֙ אֲשֶׁ֤ר תִּשְׁמַע֙ מִבֵּ֣ית הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ תַּגִּ֕יד לְצָד֥וֹק וּלְאֶבְיָתָ֖ר הַכֹּהֲנִֽים׃ You will have the priests Zadok and Abiathar there, and you can report everything that you hear in the king’s palace to the priests Zadok and Abiathar.
הִנֵּה־שָׁ֤ם עִמָּם֙ שְׁנֵ֣י בְנֵיהֶ֔ם אֲחִימַ֣עַץ לְצָד֔וֹק וִיהוֹנָתָ֖ן לְאֶבְיָתָ֑ר וּשְׁלַחְתֶּ֤ם בְּיָדָם֙ אֵלַ֔י כׇּל־דָּבָ֖ר אֲשֶׁ֥ר תִּשְׁמָֽעוּ׃ Also, their two sons are there with them, Zadok’s son Ahimaaz and Abiathar’s son Jonathan; and through them you can report to me everything you hear.”
וַיָּבֹ֥א חוּשַׁ֛י רֵעֶ֥ה דָוִ֖ד הָעִ֑יר וְאַ֨בְשָׁל֔וֹם יָב֖וֹא יְרֽוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃ {ס} And so Hushai, the friend of David, reached the city as Absalom was entering Jerusalem.