2 Samuel 15:24-37

New King James Version

²⁴There was ^(A)Zadok also, and all the Levites with him, bearing the ^(B)ark of the covenant of God. And they set down the ark of God, and ^(C)Abiathar went up until all the people had finished crossing over from the city. ²⁵Then the king said to Zadok, “Carry the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the eyes of the Lord, He ^(D)will bring me back and show me both it and ^(E)His dwelling place. ²⁶But if He says thus: ‘I have no ^(F)delight in you,’ here I am, ^(G)let Him do to me as seems good to Him.” ²⁷The king also said to Zadok the priest, “Are you not a ^(H)seer?^[a] Return to the city in peace, and ^(I)your two sons with you, Ahimaaz your son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar. ²⁸See, ^(J)I will wait in the plains of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me.” ²⁹Therefore Zadok and Abiathar carried the ark of God back to Jerusalem. And they remained there.

³⁰So David went up by the Ascent of the Mount of Olives, and wept as he went up; and he ^(K)had his head covered and went ^(L)barefoot. And all the people who were with him ^(M)covered their heads and went up, ^(N)weeping as they went up. ³¹Then someone told David, saying, ^(O)“Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” And David said, “O Lord, I pray, ^(P)turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness!”

³²Now it happened when David had come to the top of the mountain, where he worshiped God—there was Hushai the ^(Q)Archite coming to meet him ^(R)with his robe torn and dust on his head. ³³David said to him, “If you go on with me, then you will become ^(S)a burden to me. ³⁴But if you return to the city, and say to Absalom, ^(T)‘I will be your servant, O king; as I was your father’s servant previously, so I will now also be your servant,’ then you may defeat the counsel of Ahithophel for me. ³⁵And do you not have Zadok and Abiathar the priests with you there? Therefore it will be that whatever you hear from the king’s house, you shall tell to ^(U)Zadok and Abiathar the priests. ³⁶Indeed they have there ^(V)with them their two sons, Ahimaaz, Zadok’s son, and Jonathan, Abiathar’s son; and by them you shall send me everything you hear.”

³⁷So Hushai, ^(W)David’s friend, went into the city. ^(X)And Absalom came into Jerusalem.

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Footnotes

2 Samuel 15:27 prophet

2 Samuel 15:24-37

New International Version

²⁴Zadok^(A) was there, too, and all the Levites who were with him were carrying the ark^(B) of the covenant of God. They set down the ark of God, and Abiathar^(C) offered sacrifices until all the people had finished leaving the city.

²⁵Then the king said to Zadok, “Take the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the Lord’s eyes, he will bring me back and let me see it and his dwelling place^(D) again. ²⁶But if he says, ‘I am not pleased with you,’ then I am ready; let him do to me whatever seems good to him.^(E)”

²⁷The king also said to Zadok the priest, “Do you understand?^(F) Go back to the city with my blessing. Take your son Ahimaaz with you, and also Abiathar’s son Jonathan.^(G) You and Abiathar return with your two sons. ²⁸I will wait at the fords^(H) in the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me.” ²⁹So Zadok and Abiathar took the ark of God back to Jerusalem and stayed there.

³⁰But David continued up the Mount of Olives, weeping^(I) as he went; his head^(J) was covered and he was barefoot. All the people with him covered their heads too and were weeping as they went up. ³¹Now David had been told, “Ahithophel^(K) is among the conspirators with Absalom.” So David prayed, “Lord, turn Ahithophel’s counsel into foolishness.”

³²When David arrived at the summit, where people used to worship God, Hushai^(L) the Arkite^(M) was there to meet him, his robe torn and dust^(N) on his head. ³³David said to him, “If you go with me, you will be a burden^(O) to me. ³⁴But if you return to the city and say to Absalom, ‘Your Majesty, I will be your servant; I was your father’s servant in the past, but now I will be your servant,’^(P) then you can help me by frustrating^(Q) Ahithophel’s advice. ³⁵Won’t the priests Zadok and Abiathar be there with you? Tell them anything you hear in the king’s palace.^(R) ³⁶Their two sons, Ahimaaz^(S) son of Zadok and Jonathan^(T) son of Abiathar, are there with them. Send them to me with anything you hear.”