2 Samuel · Bible in Basic English
2 Samuel 15 Bible in Basic English
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 Now after this, Absalom got for himself a carriage and horses, and fifty runners to go before him.
1 After this, Absalom prepared a chariot and horses for himself, and fifty men to run before him.
2 And Absalom got up early, morning after morning, and took his place at the side of the public meeting-place: and when any man had a cause which had to come to the king to be judged, then Absalom, crying out to him, said, What is your town? and he would say, Your servant is of one of the tribes of Israel.
2 Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate. When any man had a suit which should come to the king for judgment, then Absalom called to him, and said, “What city are you from?” He said, “Your servant is of one of the tribes of Israel.”
3 And Absalom would say to him, See, your cause is true and right; but no man has been named by the king to give you a hearing.
3 Absalom said to him, “Behold, your matters are good and right; but there is no man deputized by the king to hear you.”
4 And more than this, Absalom said, If only I was made judge in the land, so that every man who has any cause or question might come to me, and I would give a right decision for him!
4 Absalom said moreover, “Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man who has any suit or cause might come to me, and I would do him justice!”
5 And if any man came near to give him honour, he took him by the hand and gave him a kiss.
5 It was so, that when any man came near to bow down to him, he stretched out his hand, took hold of him, and kissed him.
6 And this Absalom did to everyone in Israel who came to the king to have his cause judged: so Absalom, like a thief, took away the hearts of the men of Israel.
6 Absalom did this sort of thing to all Israel who came to the king for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.
7 Now at the end of four years, Absalom said to the king, Let me go to Hebron and give effect to the oath which I made to the Lord:
7 At the end of forty years, Absalom said to the king, “Please let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed to Yahweh, in Hebron.
8 For while I was living in Geshur in Aram, your servant made an oath, saying, If ever the Lord lets me come back to Jerusalem, I will give him worship in Hebron.
8 For your servant vowed a vow while I stayed at Geshur in Syria, saying, ‘If Yahweh shall indeed bring me again to Jerusalem, then I will serve Yahweh.’”
9 And the king said to him, Go in peace. So he got up and went to Hebron.
9 The king said to him, “Go in peace.” So he arose and went to Hebron.
10 But Absalom at the same time sent watchers through all the tribes of Israel to say, At the sound of the horn you are to say, Absalom is king in Hebron.
10 But Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then you shall say, ‘Absalom is king in Hebron!’”
11 And with Absalom, at his request, went two hundred men from Jerusalem, who were completely unconscious of his designs.
11 Two hundred men went with Absalom out of Jerusalem, who were invited, and went in their simplicity; and they didn’t know anything.
12 And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, one of David's helpers, from Giloh his town, while he was making the offerings. And the design against David became strong, for more and more people were joined to Absalom.
12 Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, from his city, even from Giloh, while he was offering the sacrifices. The conspiracy was strong, for the people increased continually with Absalom.
13 And one came to David and said, The hearts of the men of Israel have gone after Absalom.
13 A messenger came to David, saying, “The hearts of the men of Israel are after Absalom.”
14 And David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, Come, let us go in flight, or not one of us will be safe from Absalom: let us go without loss of time, or he will overtake us quickly and send evil on us, and put the town to the sword.
14 David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, “Arise! Let’s flee, or else none of us will escape from Absalom. Hurry to depart, lest he overtake us quickly and bring down evil on us, and strike the city with the edge of the sword.”
15 And the king's servants said to the king, See, your servants are ready to do whatever the king says is to be done.
15 The king’s servants said to the king, “Behold, your servants are ready to do whatever my lord the king chooses.”
16 So the king went out, taking with him all the people of his house, but for ten of his women, who were to take care of the house.
16 The king went out, and all his household after him. The king left ten women, who were concubines, to keep the house.
17 And the king went out, and all his servants went after him, and made a stop at the Far House.
17 The king went out, and all the people after him; and they stayed in Beth Merhak.
18 And all the people went on by his side; and all the Cherethites and all the Pelethites and all the men of Ittai of Gath, six hundred men who came after him from Gath, went on before the king.
18 All his servants passed on beside him; and all the Cherethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, six hundred men who came after him from Gath, passed on before the king.
19 Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, Why are you coming with us? go back and keep with the king: for you are a man of another country, you are far from the land of your birth.
19 Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why do you also go with us? Return, and stay with the king; for you are a foreigner and also an exile. Return to your own place.
20 It was only yesterday you came to us; why then am I to make you go up and down with us? for I have to go where I may; go back then, and take your countrymen with you, and may the Lord's mercy and good faith be with you.
20 Whereas you came but yesterday, should I today make you go up and down with us, since I go where I may? Return, and take back your brothers. Mercy and truth be with you.”
21 And Ittai the Gittite in answer said, By the living Lord, and by the life of my lord the king, in whatever place my lord the king may be, for life or death, there will your servant be.
21 Ittai answered the king and said, “As Yahweh lives, and as my lord the king lives, surely in what place my lord the king is, whether for death or for life, your servant will be there also.”
22 And David said to Ittai, Go forward, then. And Ittai the Gittite went on, with all his men and all the little ones he had with him.
22 David said to Ittai, “Go and pass over.” Ittai the Gittite passed over, and all his men, and all the little ones who were with him.
23 And there was great weeping in all the country when all the people went through; and the king himself was waiting in the Kidron valley and all the people went by him in the direction of the olive-tree on the edge of the waste land.
23 All the country wept with a loud voice, and all the people passed over. The king also himself passed over the brook Kidron, and all the people passed over toward the way of the wilderness.
24 Then Zadok came, and Abiathar, and with them the ark of God's agreement: and they put down the ark of God, till all the people from the town had gone by.
24 Behold, Zadok also came, and all the Levites with him, bearing the ark of the covenant of God; and they set down God’s ark; and Abiathar went up until all the people finished passing out of the city.
25 And the king said to Zadok, Take the ark of God back into the town: if I have grace in the eyes of the Lord, he will let me come back and see it and his House again:
25 The king said to Zadok, “Carry God’s ark back into the city. If I find favor in Yahweh’s eyes, he will bring me again, and show me both it and his habitation;
26 But if he says, I have no delight in you: then, here I am; let him do to me what seems good to him.
26 but if he says, ‘I have no delight in you,’ behold, here I am. Let him do to me as seems good to him.”
27 The king said further to Zadok the priest, See, you and Abiathar are to go back to the town in peace, with your two sons, Ahimaaz, your son, and Jonathan, the son of Abiathar.
27 The king said also to Zadok the priest, “Aren’t you a seer? Return into the city in peace, and your two sons with you, Ahimaaz your son and Jonathan the son of Abiathar.
28 See, I will be waiting at the way across the river, in the waste land, till I get news from you.
28 Behold, I will stay at the fords of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me.”
29 So Zadok and Abiathar took the ark of God back to Jerusalem, and did not go away from there.
29 Zadok therefore and Abiathar carried God’s ark to Jerusalem again; and they stayed there.
30 And David went up the slopes of the Mount of Olives weeping all the way, with his head covered and no shoes on his feet: and all the people who were with him, covering their heads, went up weeping.
30 David went up by the ascent of the Mount of Olives, and wept as he went up; and he had his head covered and went barefoot. All the people who were with him each covered his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up.
31 And word came to David, saying, Ahithophel is among those who are joined to Absalom. And David said, O Lord, let the wisdom of Ahithophel be made foolish.
31 Someone told David, saying, “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” David said, “Yahweh, please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.”
32 Now when David had come to the top of the slope, where they gave worship to God, Hushai the Archite came to him in great grief with dust on his head:
32 When David had come to the top, where God was worshiped, behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his tunic torn and earth on his head.
33 David said to him, If you go on with me, you will be a trouble to me:
33 David said to him, “If you pass on with me, then you will be a burden to me;
34 But if you go back to the town and say to Absalom, I will be your servant, O king; as in the past I have been your father's servant, so now I will be yours: then you will be able to keep Ahithophel's designs against me from being put into effect.
34 but if you return to the city, and tell Absalom, ‘I will be your servant, O king. As I have been your father’s servant in time past, so I will now be your servant; then you will defeat for me the counsel of Ahithophel.’
35 And have you not there Zadok and Abiathar the priests? so whatever comes to your ears from the king's house, give word of it to Zadok and Abiathar the priests.
35 Don’t you have Zadok and Abiathar the priests there with you? Therefore whatever you hear out of the king’s house, tell it to Zadok and Abiathar the priests.
36 See, they have with them their two sons, Ahimaaz, Zadok's son, and Jonathan, the son of Abiathar; by them you may send word to me of everything which comes to your ears.
36 Behold, they have there with them their two sons, Ahimaaz, Zadok’s son, and Jonathan, Abiathar’s son. Send to me everything that you shall hear by them.”
37 So Hushai, David's friend, went into the town, and Absalom came to Jerusalem.
37 So Hushai, David’s friend, came into the city; and Absalom came into Jerusalem.
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
Absalom
David's handsome son who avenged Tamar, rebelled against his father, and briefly seized the throne.
Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 3:3; 2 Samuel 15-18
Ahimaaz
Zadok's son, who with Jonathan son of Abiathar secretly carried word to David during Absalom's revolt and outran the Cushite to bring David news of the victory.
Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 15:27; 2 Samuel 15:36; 2 Samuel 17:17
Ahithophel
David's counselor from Giloh, whose advice was regarded like the word of God; he joined Absalom's conspiracy, advised him to take David's concubines and to pursue David at once,…
Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 15:12; 2 Samuel 15:31; 2 Samuel 16:23
David
The shepherd who became Israel's greatest king and a man after God's own heart.
Cited in the guide: 1 Sam. 16 - 1 Kings 2; 2 Sam. 7; 1 Chron. 2:15; Matt. 1:6
Hushai
David's friend, who at David's request returned to Jerusalem as Absalom's servant and defeated Ahithophel's counsel with advice Absalom judged better.
Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 15:32; 2 Samuel 15:37; 2 Samuel 16:16
Ittai
A foreigner from Gath who swore to follow David wherever he went, left Jerusalem with David and his men, and commanded a third of David's army against Absalom.
Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 15:19; 2 Samuel 15:21; 2 Samuel 15:22
Jonathan
Son of the priest Abiathar, who with Ahimaaz carried messages to David during Absalom's revolt and hid in a well at Bahurim.
Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 15:27; 2 Samuel 15:36; 2 Samuel 17:17
Zadok
Son of Ahitub and a priest alongside Abiathar in David's administration, who with the Levites carried the ark when David fled Jerusalem and returned it to the city at David's…
Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 8:17; 2 Samuel 15:24; 2 Samuel 15:25
Cross references (34)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 1 Kings 1:5; 2 Samuel 12:11; Psalm 20:7; 1 Samuel 8:11; Proverbs 11:2
- 2 Ruth 4:1; Matthew 27:1; Exodus 18:16; 2 Samuel 19:8; Exodus 18:14
- 3 2 Peter 2:10; Psalm 12:2; Proverbs 30:11; 1 Peter 2:17; Proverbs 30:17
- 4 Judges 9:29; Luke 14:8–11; 2 Peter 2:19; Proverbs 27:2; Proverbs 25:6
- 5 2 Samuel 14:33; Proverbs 26:25; Psalm 55:21; Psalm 10:9–10
- 6 Romans 16:18; 2 Peter 2:3; Proverbs 11:9
- 7 Isaiah 58:4; 2 Samuel 13:24–27; 1 Samuel 16:1–2; 2 Samuel 13:38; Proverbs 21:27
- 8 2 Samuel 13:37–38; Genesis 28:20–21; Jeremiah 9:3–5; 1 Samuel 1:11; 2 Samuel 14:23
- 10 2 Samuel 14:30; 2 Samuel 5:5; 2 Samuel 3:2–3; 1 Chronicles 12:38; 2 Samuel 19:10
- 11 1 Samuel 9:13; 1 Samuel 22:15; Romans 16:18–19; Genesis 20:5; Matthew 10:16
- 12 2 Samuel 15:31; Psalm 41:9; Joshua 15:51; Titus 1:16; Psalm 55:12–14
- 13 Judges 9:3; 2 Samuel 15:6; Matthew 27:22; Psalm 62:9; 2 Samuel 3:36
- 14 2 Samuel 19:9; Psalm 3:1–8; Psalm 51:18; 2 Samuel 12:11; Matthew 11:12
- 15 Proverbs 18:24; Luke 22:28–29; John 6:66–69; John 15:14
- 16 2 Samuel 16:21–22; 2 Samuel 20:3; Psalm 3:1; Romans 12:2; 1 Samuel 25:27
- 17 Psalm 3:1–2; Psalm 66:12; Ecclesiastes 10:7
- 18 2 Samuel 8:18; 2 Samuel 20:23; 1 Samuel 30:14; 2 Samuel 20:7; 1 Kings 1:38
- 19 2 Samuel 18:2; Ruth 1:11–13
- 20 1 Samuel 23:13; 2 Samuel 2:6; Hebrews 11:37–38; John 1:17; Psalm 57:3
- 21 Ruth 1:16–17; Proverbs 17:17; 2 Kings 4:30; Proverbs 18:24; Acts 11:23
- 23 2 Samuel 16:2; 1 Kings 2:37; John 18:1; Matthew 3:3; 2 Chronicles 29:16
- 24 2 Samuel 8:17; Numbers 4:15; 2 Samuel 20:25; 1 Samuel 22:20; Joshua 3:3
- 25 Jeremiah 25:30; Psalm 26:8; Psalm 84:10; Psalm 43:3–4; Exodus 15:13
- 26 1 Samuel 3:18; 2 Samuel 22:20; 1 Kings 10:9; Numbers 14:8; Isaiah 62:4
- 27 2 Samuel 17:17; 1 Samuel 9:9; 2 Samuel 15:36; 2 Samuel 24:11; 2 Samuel 15:34
- 28 2 Samuel 17:16; 2 Samuel 15:23; 2 Samuel 16:2; 2 Samuel 17:1
- 30 Esther 6:12; 2 Samuel 19:4; Luke 19:41; Ezekiel 24:23; Luke 19:37
- 31 2 Samuel 17:14; 2 Samuel 17:23; Psalm 41:9; James 3:15; Job 5:12
- 32 Joshua 16:2; 2 Samuel 1:2; Psalm 3:3–5; 2 Samuel 16:16–19; Luke 19:29
- 33 2 Samuel 19:35
- 34 2 Samuel 16:16–19; Joshua 8:2; 2 Samuel 15:20; 2 Samuel 17:5–14; Matthew 10:16
- 35 2 Samuel 17:15–16
- 36 2 Samuel 17:17; 2 Samuel 15:27; 2 Samuel 18:19–33
- 37 1 Chronicles 27:33; 2 Samuel 16:15–16
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
Now the story which gave occasion to this prophecy may be easily recognised in the second book of Kings. For there Chusi, the friend of king David, went over to the side of Abessalon, his son, who was carrying on war against his father, for the purpose of discovering and reporting the designs which he was taking against his father, …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 8 (1888)