LITV(i)
1 And it happened afterward that Absalom prepared a chariot for himself, and horses, and fifty men running before him.
2 And Absalom rose up and stood by the side of the way of the gate And it happened that every man who had a cause to come to the king for judgment, Absalom called to him and said, Of what city are you? And he said, Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel.
3 And Absalom said to him, Behold, your matters are good and right. And there is no listener to you from the king.
4 And Absalom said, Who shall make me a judge in the land, that every man who has a dispute, I will then declare him right, even with justice?
5 And it happened, when a man drew near to bow himself to him, he put out his hand and laid hold on him, and gave him a kiss.
6 And Absalom acted this way to all Israel who came in to the king for judgment. And Absalom stole the heart of the men of Israel.
7 And at the end of forty years, it happened, Absalom said to the king, Please let me go and I shall pay my vow that I have vowed to Jehovah, in Hebron.
8 For your servant has vowed a vow when I lived in Geshur in Syria, saying, If Jehovah shall surely bring me back to Jerusalem, then I shall serve Jehovah.
9 And the king said to him, Go in peace. And he rose up and went to Hebron.
10 And Absalom sent spies among all the tribes of Israel, saying, When you hear the sound of the ram's horn, then you shall say, Absalom is king in Hebron.
11 And two hundred men went out of Jerusalem with Absalom, chosen ones. And they went out in their simplicity and did not know anything.
12 And Absalom sent Ahithophel the Gilonite, a counselor of David, out of his city, out of Giloh, as he offered the sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong. And the people were going on and increasing with Absalom.
13 And a messenger came to David, saying, The hearts of the men of Israel have gone after Absalom.
14 And David said to all his servants who were with him in Jerusalem, Rise up, and we will flee; for we have no escape from the face of Absalom. Hurry to leave, that he not overtake us and bring evil down on us, and strike the city with the mouth of the sword.
15 And the king's servants said to the king, According to all that my lord the king desires, behold, your servants will do .
16 And the king went out, and all his household at his feet. And the king left ten women, concubines, to keep the house.
17 And the king went out, and all the people at his feet. And they stood still at the house farthest away.
18 And all his servants were passing on by his side, and all the Cherethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, six hundred men who came at his feet from Gath. These were passing on before the king.