The Bible (Old and New Testaments)

And with Absalom went two hundreth men out of Ierusalem, that were called: and they went in their simplicitie, knowing nothing.

Also Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite Dauids counseller, from his citie Giloh, while he offred sacrifices: and the treason was great: for the people encreased still with Absalom.

Then came a messenger to Dauid, saying, The hearts of the men of Israel are turned after Absalom.

Then Dauid sayd vnto all his seruants that were with him at Ierusalem, Vp, and let vs flee: for we shall not escape from Absalom: make speede to depart, lest he come suddenly and take vs, and bring euill vpon vs, and smite the citie with the edge of the sworde.

And the Kings seruants sayd vnto him, Behold, thy seruants are ready to do according to all that my lord the King shall appoynt.

So the King departed and all his houshold after him, and the King left ten concubines to keepe the house.

And the King went forth and all the people after him, and taried in a place farre off.

And all his seruants went about him, and all the Cherethites and all the Pelethites and all the Gittites, euen sixe hudreth men which were come after him from Gath, went before the King.

Then sayde the King to Ittai the Gittite, Wherefore commest thou also with vs? Returne aud abide with the King, for thou art a stranger: depart thou therefore to thy place.

Thou camest yesterday, and should I cause thee to wander to day and go with vs? I will goe whither I can: therefore returne thou and cary againe thy brethren: mercy and trueth be with thee.

And Ittai answered the King, and sayde, As the Lord liueth, and as my lord the King liueth, in what place my lord the King shalbe, whether in death or life, euen there surely will thy seruant bee.

Then Dauid sayd to Ittai, Come, and go forward. And Ittai the Gittite went, and all his men, and all the children that were with him.

And all the countrey wept with a loude voyce, and all the people went forward, but the King passed ouer the brooke Kidron: and all the people went ouer toward the way of ye wildernes.

And lo, Zadok also was there, and all the Leuites with him, bearing the Arke of the couenant of God: and they set downe the Arke of God, and Abiathar went vp vntill the people were all come out of the citie.

Then the King said vnto Zadok, Carie the Arke of God againe into the citie: if I shall finde fauour in the eyes of the Lord, he will bring me againe, and shewe me both it, and the Tabernacle thereof.

But if he thus say, I haue no delite in thee, behold, here am I, let him doe to me as seemeth good in his eyes.

The King sayde againe vnto Zadok the Priest, Art not thou a Seer? returne into the citie in peace, and your two sonnes with you: to wit, Ahimaaz thy sonne, and Ionathan the sonne of Abiathar.

Behold, I wil tarie in the fieldes of the wildernesse, vntill there come some worde from you to be tolde me.

Zadok therefore and Abiathar caried the Arke of God againe to Ierusalem, and they taried there.

And Dauid went vp the mount of oliues and wept as he went vp, and had his head couered, and went barefooted: and al the people that was with him, had euery man his head couered, and as they went vp, they wept.

Then one tolde Dauid, saying, Ahithophel is one of them that haue cospired with Absalom: and Dauid sayde, O Lord, I pray thee, turne the counsell of Ahithophel into foolishnesse.

Then Dauid came to the toppe of the mount where he worshipped God: and beholde, Hushai the Archite came against him with his coate torne, and hauing earth vpon his head.

Vnto whom Dauid sayd, If thou goe with me, thou shalt be a burthen vnto me.

But if thou returne to the citie, and say vnto Absalom, I wil be thy seruant, O King, (as I haue bene in time past thy fathers seruant, so will I now be thy seruant) then thou mayest bring me the counsell of Ahithophel to nought.

And hast thou not there with thee Zadok and Abiathar the Priests? therefore what so euer thou shalt heare out of the Kings house, thou shalt shew to Zadok and Abiathar the Priests.

Beholde, there are with them their two sonnes: Ahimaaz Zadoks sonne, and Ionathan Abiathars sonne: by them also shall ye send me euery thing that ye can heare.

So Hushai Dauids friend went into the citie: and Absalom came into Ierusalem.

When Dauid was a little past the top of the hill, behold, Ziba the seruant of Mephibosheth mette him with a couple of asses sadled, and vpon them two hundreth cakes of bread, and an hundreth bunches of raisins, and an hundreth of dryed figges, and a bottel of wine.

And the King said vnto Ziba, What meanest thou by these? And Ziba said, They be asses for the kings housholde to ride on, and bread and dryed figges for the yong men to eate, and wine, that the faint may drinke in the wildernesse.

And the king sayde, But where is thy masters sonne? Then Ziba answered the King, Beholde, he remayneth in Ierusalem: for he sayde, This day shall the house of Israel restore me the kingdome of my father.

Then said the King to Ziba, Behold, thine are all that perteined vnto Mephibosheth. And Ziba saide, I beseech thee, let me finde grace in thy sight, my lord, O King.

And when king Dauid came to Bahurim, behold, thence came out a man of the familie of the house of Saul, named Shimei the sonne of Gera: and he came out, and cursed.

And he cast stones at Dauid, and at all the seruants of King Dauid: and all the people, and all the men of warre were on his right hande, and on his left.

And thus sayde Shimei when hee cursed, Come forth, come foorth thou murtherer, and wicked man.

The Lord hath brought vpon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned: and the Lord hath deliuered thy kingdome into the hand of Absalom thy sonne: and beholde, thou art taken in thy wickednesse, because thou art a murtherer.

Then saide Abishai the sonne of Zeruiah vnto the King, Why doeth this dead dog curse my lord the King? let me goe, I pray thee, and take away his head.

But the King saide, What haue I to doe with you, ye sonnes of Zeruiah? for he curseth, eue because the Lord hath bidden him curse Dauid: who dare then say, Wherfore hast thou done so?

And Dauid sayd to Abishai, and to all his seruants, Beholde, my sonne which came out of mine owne bowels, seeketh my life: then howe much more now may this sonne of Iemini? Suffer him to curse: for the Lord hath bidden him.

It may be that the Lord will looke on mine affliction, and doe me good for his cursing this day.

And as Dauid and his men went by the way, Shimei went by the side of the mountaine ouer against him, and cursed as he went, and threw stones against him, and cast dust.

Then came the King and all the people that were with him wearie, and refreshed them selues there.

And Absalom, and all the people, the men of Israel, came to Ierusalem, and Ahithophel with him.

And when Hushai the Archite Dauids friend was come vnto Absalom, Hushai said vnto Absalom, God saue the King, God saue the King.

Then Absalom sayd to Hushai, Is this thy kindenes to thy friend? Why wentest thou not with thy friend?

Hushai then answered vnto Absalom, Nay, but whome the Lord, and this people, and all the men of Israel chuse, his will I be, and with him will I dwell.

And moreouer vnto whome shall I doe seruice? not to his sonne? as I serued before thy father, so will I before thee.

Then spake Absalom to Ahithophel, Giue counsell what we shall doe.

And Ahithophel said vnto Absalom, Goe in to thy fathers concubines, which he hath left to keepe the house: and when all Israel shall heare, that thou art abhorred of thy father, the hands of all that are with thee, shall be strong.

So they spread Absalom a tent vpon the top of the house, and Absalom went in to his fathers concubines in the sight of all Israel.

And the counsell of Ahithophel which he counseled in those dayes, was like as one had asked counsell at the oracle of God: so was all the counsel of Ahithophel both with Dauid and with Absalom.

Moreouer Ahithophel said to Absalom, Let me chuse out now twelue thousand men, and I will vp and follow after Dauid this night,

And I will come vpon him: for he is wearie, and weake handed: so I will feare him, and all the people that are with him, shall flee, and I will smite the King onely,

And I will bring againe all the people vnto thee, and when all shall returne, (the man whome thou seekest being slaine) all the people shalbe in peace.

And the saying pleased Absalom well, and all the Elders of Israel.

Then said Absalom, Call now Hushai the Archite also, and let vs heare likewise what he sayth.

So when Hushai came to Absalom, Absalom spake vnto him, saying, Ahithophel hath spoken thus: shall we doe after his saying, or no? tell thou.

Hushai then answered vnto Absalom, The counsel that Ahithophel hath giuen, is not good at this time.

For, said Hushai, thou knowest thy father, and his men, that they be strong men, and are chafed in minde as a beare robbed of her whelps in the fielde: also thy father is a valiant warrier, and will not lodge with the people.

Behold, he is hid now in some caue, or in some place: and though some of them be ouerthrowen at the first, yet the people shall heare, and say, The people that follow Absalom, be ouerthrowen.

Then he also that is valiant whose heart is as the heart of a lion, shall shrinke and faint: for all Israel knoweth, that thy father is valiant, and they which be with him, stout men.

Therefore my counsell is, that all Israel be gathered vnto thee, from Dan euen to Beer-sheba as the sand of the sea in nomber, and that thou goe to battell in thine owne person.

So shall we come vpon him in some place, where we shall finde him, and we will vpon him as the dewe falleth on the ground: and of all the men that are with him, wee will not leaue him one.

Moreouer if he be gotten into a citie, then shall all the men of Israel bring ropes to that citie, and we will draw it into the riuer, vntill there be not one small stone founde there.

Then Absalom and all the men of Israel sayde, The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better, then the counsell of Ahithophel: for the Lord had determined to destroy the good counsell of Ahithophel, that the Lord might bring euill vpon Absalom.

Then said Hushai vnto Zadok and to Abiathar the Priests, Of this and that maner did Ahithophel and the Elders of Israel counsell Absalom: and thus and thus haue I counseled.

Now therefore sende quickely, and shewe Dauid, saying, Tarie not this night in the fieldes of the wildernesse, but rather get thee ouer, lest the King be deuoured and all the people that are with him.

Now Ionathan and Ahimaaz abode by En-rogel: (for they might not be seene to come into the citie) and a maid went, and tolde them, and they went and shewed King Dauid.

Neuerthelesse a yong man sawe them, and tolde it to Absalom. therefore they both departed quickely, and came to a mans house in Bahurim, who had a well in his court, into the which they went downe.

And the wife tooke and spred a couering ouer the welles mouth, and spred ground corne thereon, that the thing should not be knowen.

And when Absaloms seruants came to the wife into the house, they said, Where is Ahimaaz and Ionathan? And the woman answered them, They be gone ouer the brooke of water. And when they had sought them, and could not finde them, they returned to Ierusalem.

And assoone as they were departed, the other came out of the well, and went and tolde King Dauid, and sayde vnto him, Vp, and get you quickely ouer the water: for such counsell hath Ahithophel giuen against you.

Then Dauid arose, and all the people that were with him, and they went ouer Iorden vntil the dawning of the day, so that there lacked not one of them, that was not come ouer Iorden.

Nowe when Ahithophel sawe that his counsell was not followed, he sadled his asse, and arose, and he went home vnto his citie, and put his houshold in order, and hanged him selfe, and dyed, and was buryed in his fathers graue.

Then Dauid came to Mahanaim. And Absalom passed ouer Iorden, he, and all the men of Israel with him.

And Absalom made Amasa captaine of the hoste in the stead of Ioab: which Amasa was a mans sonne named Ithra an Israelite, that went in to Abigail the daughter of Nahash, sister to Zeruiah Ioabs mother.

So Israel and Absalom pitched in the land of Gilead.

And when Dauid was come to Mahanaim, Shobi the sonne of Nahash out of Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and Machir the sonne of Ammiel out of Lo-debar, and Barzelai the Gileadite out of Rogel

Brought beds, and basens, and earthen vessels, and wheat, and barley, and floure, and parched corne, and beanes, and lentiles, and parched corne.

And they brought hony, and butter, and sheepe, and cheese of kine for Dauid and for the people that were with him, to eate: for they said, The people is hungry, and wearie, and thirstie in the wildernesse.

Then Dauid numbred the people that were with him, and set ouer them captaines of thousands and captaines of hundreths.

And Dauid sent foorth the third part of the people vnder the hand of Ioab, and the thirde part vnder the hand of Abishai Ioabs brother the sonne of Zeruiah: and the other third part vnder the hand of Ittai the Gittite. and the King said vnto the people, I will go with you my selfe also.

But the people answered, Thou shalt not goe foorth: for if we flee away, they will not regarde vs, neither will they passe for vs, though halfe of vs were slaine: but thou art now worth ten thousande of vs: therefore nowe it is better that thou succour vs out of the citie.

Then the King said vnto them, What seemeth you best, that I will doe. So the King stood by the gate side, and all the people came out by hundreths and by thousands.

And the King commanded Ioab and Abishai, and Ittai, saying, Entreate the yong man Absalom gently for my sake. and all the people heard whe the King gaue al the captaines charge concerning Absalom.

So the people went out into the fielde to meete Israel, and the battell was in the wood of Ephraim:

Where the people of Israel were slaine before the seruants of Dauid: so there was a great slaughter that day, euen of twentie thousande.

For the battel was skattered ouer all the countrey: and the wood deuoured much more people that day, then did the sworde.

Nowe Absalom met the seruants of Dauid, and Absalom rode vpon a mule, and the mule came vnder a great thicke oke: and his head caught holde of the oke, and he was taken vp betweene the heauen and the earth: and the mule that was vnder him went away.

And one that sawe it, tolde Ioab, saying, Beholde, I sawe Absalom hanged in an oke.

Then Ioab saide vnto the man that tolde him, And hast thou in deede seene? why then diddest thou not there smite him to the grounde, and I woulde haue giuen thee ten shekels of siluer, and a girdle?

Then the man saide vnto Ioab, Though I should receiue a thousande shekels of siluer in mine hande, yet woulde I not lay mine hande vpon the Kings sonne: for in our hearing the King charged thee, and Abishai, and Ittai, saying, Beware, least any touche the yong man Absalom.

If I had done it, it had bene the danger of my life: for nothing can be hid from the King: yea, thou thy selfe wouldest haue bin against me.

Then saide Ioab, I will not thus tary with thee. And he tooke three dartes in his hande, and thrust them through Absalom, while he was yet aliue in the middes of the oke.

And tenne seruants that bare Ioabs armour, compassed about and smote Absalom, and slewe him.

Then Ioab blewe the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel: for Ioab helde backe the people.

And they tooke Absalom, and cast him into a great pit in the wood, and layed a mightie great heape of stones vpon him: and all Israel fled euery one to his tent.

Nowe Absalom in his life time had taken and reared him vp a pillar, which is in the kings dale: for he saide, I haue no sonne to keepe my name in remembrance. and he called the pillar after his owne name, and it is called vnto this day, Absaloms place.

Then said Ahimaaz the sonne of Zadok, I pray thee, let me runne, and beare the King tidings that the Lord hath deliuered him out of the hande of his enemies.

And Ioab said vnto him, Thou shalt not be the messenger to day, but thou shalt beare tidings another time, but to day thou shalt beare none: for the Kings sonne is dead.

Then said Ioab to Cushi, Goe, tel the king, what thou hast seene. And Cushi bowed himselfe vnto Ioab, and ran.