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Absalom's
Conspiracy |
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2 Samuel 15:1 |
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Now it came about after this that Absalom provided
for himself a chariot and horses and fifty men as runners before him. |
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2 Samuel 15:2 |
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Absalom used to rise early and stand beside
the way to the gate; and when any man had a suit to come to the king for judgment,
Absalom would call to him and say, "From what city are you?" And he would say,
"Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel." |
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2 Samuel 15:3 |
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Then Absalom would say to him, "See, your claims
are good and right, but no man listens to you on the part of the king." |
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2 Samuel 15:4 |
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Moreover, Absalom would say, "Oh that one would
appoint me judge in the land, then every man who has any suit or cause could come
to me and I would give him justice." |
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2 Samuel 15:5 |
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And when a man came near to prostrate himself
before him, he would put out his hand and take hold of him and kiss him. |
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2 Samuel 15:6 |
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In this manner Absalom dealt with all Israel
who came to the king for judgment; so Absalom stole away the hearts of the men
of Israel. |
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2 Samuel 15:7 |
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Now it came about at the end of forty years
that Absalom said to the king, "Please let me go and pay my vow which I have vowed
to the LORD, in Hebron. |
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2 Samuel 15:8 |
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For your servant vowed a vow while I was living
at Geshur in Aram, saying, 'If the LORD shall indeed bring me back to Jerusalem,
then I will serve the LORD.'" |
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2 Samuel 15:9 |
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The king said to him, "Go in peace." So he
arose and went to Hebron. |
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2 Samuel 15:10 |
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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.'" |
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2 Samuel 15:11 |
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Then two hundred men went with Absalom from
Jerusalem, who were invited and went innocently, and they did not know anything. |
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2 Samuel 15:12 |
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And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite,
David's counselor, from his city Giloh, while he was offering the sacrifices.
And the conspiracy was strong, for the people increased continually with Absalom. |
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David
Flees Jerusalem |
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2 Samuel 15:13 |
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Then a messenger came to David, saying, "The
hearts of the men of Israel are with Absalom." |
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2 Samuel 15:14 |
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David said to all his servants who were with
him at Jerusalem, "Arise and let us flee, for otherwise none of us will escape
from Absalom. Go in haste, or he will overtake us quickly and bring down calamity
on us and strike the city with the edge of the sword." |
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2 Samuel 15:15 |
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Then the king's servants said to the king, "Behold,
your servants are ready to do whatever my lord the king chooses." |
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2 Samuel 15:16 |
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So the king went out and all his household with
him. But the king left ten concubines to keep the house. |
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2 Samuel 15:17 |
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The king went out and all the people with him,
and they stopped at the last house. |
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2 Samuel 15:18 |
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Now all his servants passed on beside him, all
the Cherethites, all the Pelethites and all the Gittites, six hundred men who
had come with him from Gath, passed on before the king. |
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2 Samuel 15:19 |
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Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, "Why
will you also go with us? Return and remain with the king, for you are a foreigner
and also an exile; return to your own place. |
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2 Samuel 15:20 |
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You came only yesterday, and shall I today make
you wander with us, while I go where I will? Return and take back your brothers;
mercy and truth be with you." |
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2 Samuel 15:21 |
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But Ittai answered the king and said, "As the
LORD lives, and as my lord the king lives, surely wherever my lord the king may
be, whether for death or for life, there also your servant will be." |
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2 Samuel 15:22 |
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Therefore David said to Ittai, "Go and pass
over." So Ittai the Gittite passed over with all his men and all the little ones
who were with him. |
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2 Samuel 15:23 |
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While all the country was weeping with a loud
voice, all the people passed over. The king also passed over the brook Kidron,
and all the people passed over toward the way of the wilderness. |
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2 Samuel 15:24 |
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Now behold, Zadok also came, and all the Levites
with him carrying the ark of the covenant of God. And they set down the ark of
God, and Abiathar came up until all the people had finished passing from the city. |
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2 Samuel 15:25 |
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The king said to Zadok, "Return the ark of God
to the city. If I find favor in the sight of the LORD, then He will bring me back
again and show me both it and His habitation. |
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2 Samuel 15:26 |
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But if He should say thus, 'I have no delight
in you,' behold, here I am, let Him do to me as seems good to Him." |
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2 Samuel 15:27 |
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The king said also to Zadok the priest, "Are
you not a seer? Return to the city in peace and your two sons with you, your son
Ahimaaz and Jonathan the son of Abiathar. |
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2 Samuel 15:28 |
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See, I am going to wait at the fords of the
wilderness until word comes from you to inform me." |
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2 Samuel 15:29 |
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Therefore Zadok and Abiathar returned the ark
of God to Jerusalem and remained there. |
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2 Samuel 15:30 |
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And David went up the ascent of the Mount of
Olives, and wept as he went, and his head was covered and he walked barefoot.
Then all the people who were with him each covered his head and went up weeping
as they went. |
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2 Samuel 15:31 |
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Now someone told David, saying, "Ahithophel
is among the conspirators with Absalom." And David said, "O LORD, I pray, make
the counsel of Ahithophel foolishness." |
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2 Samuel 15:32 |
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It happened as David was coming to the summit,
where God was worshiped, that behold, Hushai the Archite met him with his coat
torn and dust on his head. |
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2 Samuel 15:33 |
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David said to him, "If you pass over with me,
then you will be a burden to me. |
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2 Samuel 15:34 |
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But if you return to the city, and say to 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 can thwart the counsel of Ahithophel
for me. |
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2 Samuel 15:35 |
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Are not Zadok and Abiathar the priests with
you there? So it shall be that whatever you hear from the king's house, you shall
report to Zadok and Abiathar the priests. |
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2 Samuel 15:36 |
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Behold their two sons are with them there, Ahimaaz,
Zadok's son and Jonathan, Abiathar's son; and by them you shall send me everything
that you hear." |
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2 Samuel 15:37 |
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So Hushai, David's friend, came into the city,
and Absalom came into Jerusalem. |
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