2 Samuel 15:13-31

International Standard Version

David Flees from Jerusalem

¹³ Then a messenger arrived to inform David, “The loyalties of the men^[a] of Israel have shifted to^[b] Absalom.”

¹⁴ So David told all of his staff who were with him in Jerusalem, “Let’s get up and get out of here! Otherwise, none of us will escape from Absalom. Hurry, or he’ll overtake us quickly, bring disaster on all of us, and execute the inhabitants of the city!”

¹⁵ “Look!” the king’s staff replied. “Your servants will do whatever the king chooses.” ¹⁶ So the king left, taking his entire household with him except for ten mistresses,^[c] who were to keep the palace in order. ¹⁷ The king left, along with all of his people with him, and they paused at the last house. ¹⁸ All of his staff were going on ahead of^[d] him—that is, all of the special forces^[e] and mercenaries,^[f] all of the Gittites, and 600 men who had come to serve^[g] him from Gath, went on ahead of the king.

¹⁹ Then the king suggested to Ittai the Gittite, “Why should you have to go with us? Return and stay with the new^[h] king, since you’re a foreigner and exile. Stay where you want to stay.^{[i] 20} It seems only yesterday that you arrived, so should I make you wander around with us while I go wherever I can? Go back, and take your brothers with you. May gracious love and truth accompany you!”

²¹ “As the Lord lives,” Ittai answered in reply, “and as your majesty the king lives, wherever your majesty my king may be—whether living or dying—that’s where your servant will be!”

²² So David replied, “Come along, then!” So Ittai the Gittite went along also, accompanied by all of his men and all of his little ones. ²³ With all of the people in^[j] the territory crying loudly, everybody passed over the Kidron brook, along with the king. Then everyone headed out toward the road that leads to the wilderness.

²⁴ Meanwhile, Zadok showed up also, along with all of the descendants of Levi with him, carrying the Ark of the Covenant of God. They set down the Ark of God and Abiathar approached while all the people finished abandoning the city. ²⁵ The king told Zadok, “Take the Ark of God back to the city. If I’m shown favor in the Lord’s sight, then he’ll bring me back again and show me both it and the place where it rests.^{[k] 26} But if he should say something like ‘I’m not pleased with you,’ well then, here I am—let him do to me whatever seems right to him.”

²⁷ The king also asked Zadok the priest, “Aren’t you a seer, too? Go back to the city in comfort, along with your son Ahimaaz and Abiathar’s son Jonathan. ²⁸ Look! I’ll camp at the wilderness fords until you send word to inform me.”

²⁹ So Zadok and Abiathar returned the Ark of God to Jerusalem and remained there. ³⁰ David then left, going up the Mount of Olives,^[l] crying as he went, with his head covered and his feet bare. All of the people who were with him covered their own heads and climbed up the Mount of Olives,^[m] crying as they went along.

³¹ Just then, someone told David, “Ahithophel is one of Absalom’s conspirators!”

So David prayed, “Lord, please turn Ahithophel’s counsel into foolishness.”