2 Samuel 15 1-2 Samuel 15 18
Now it came about after this that Absalom provided for himself a chariot and horses, and fifty men to run ahead of him.And Absalom used to rise early and stand beside the road to the gate; and when any man who had a lawsuit was to come before the king for judgment, Absalom would call out to him and say,“ From what city are you?” And he would say,“ Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel.”Then Absalom would say to him,“ See, your claims are good and right, but you have no one to listen to you on the part of the king.”Moreover, Absalom would say,“ Oh that someone would appoint me judge in the land, then every man who has a lawsuit or claim could come to me, and I would give him justice!”And whenever a man approached to prostrate himself before him, he would put out his hand and take hold of him and kiss him.Absalom dealt this way with all Israel who came to the king for judgment; so Absalom stole the hearts of the people of Israel.Now it came about at the end of four years that Absalom said to the king,“ Please let me go and pay my vow which I have made to the Lord, in Hebron.For your servant made a vow while I was living in Geshur in Aram, saying,‘ If the Lord will indeed bring me back to Jerusalem, then I will serve the Lord.’ ”The king said to him,“ Go in peace.” So he got up and went to Hebron.But Absalom sent spies throughout the tribes of Israel, saying,“ As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then you shall say,‘ Absalom is king in Hebron!’ ”Then two hundred men went with Absalom from Jerusalem, who were invited and went innocently, for they did not know anything.And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, from his city Giloh, while he was offering the sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong, for the people continually increased with Absalom.Then a messenger came to David, saying,“ The hearts of the people of Israel are with Absalom.”So David said to all his servants who were with him in Jerusalem,“ Arise and let’s flee, for otherwise none of us will escape from Absalom. Go quickly, or he will hurry and overtake us, and bring disaster on us and strike the city with the edge of the sword.”Then the king’s servants said to the king,“ Behold, your servants will do whatever my lord the king chooses.”So the king left, and all his household with him; but the king left ten concubines behind to take care of the house.The king left, and all the people with him, and they stopped at the last house.Now all of his servants passed by beside him, and all the Cherethites, all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, six hundred men who had come with him from Gath, passed by before the king.
