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b'2 Samuel 15 (ESV)
\\n15\\xa0After this Absalom got himself a chariot and horses, and fifty men to run before him. 2\\xa0And Absalom used to rise early and stand beside the way of the gate. And when any man had a dispute to come before the king for judgment, Absalom would call to him and say, \\u201cFrom what city are you?\\u201d And when he said, \\u201cYour servant is of such and such a tribe in Israel,\\u201d 3\\xa0Absalom would say to him, \\u201cSee, your claims are good and right, but there is no man designated by the king to hear you.\\u201d 4\\xa0Then Absalom would say, \\u201cOh that I were judge in the land! Then every man with a dispute or cause might come to me, and I would give him justice.\\u201d 5\\xa0And whenever a man came near to pay homage to him, he would put out his hand and take hold of him and kiss him. 6\\xa0Thus Absalom did to all of Israel who came to the king for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.
\\n7\\xa0And at the end of four years Absalom said to the king, \\u201cPlease let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed to the Lord, in Hebron. 8\\xa0For your servant vowed a vow while I lived at Geshur in Aram, saying, \\u2018If the Lord will indeed bring me back to Jerusalem, then I will offer worship to the Lord.\\u2019\\xa0\\u201d 9\\xa0The king said to him, \\u201cGo in peace.\\u201d So he arose and went to Hebron. 10\\xa0But Absalom sent secret messengers throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, \\u201cAs soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then say, \\u2018Absalom is king at Hebron!\\u2019\\xa0\\u201d 11\\xa0With Absalom went two hundred men from Jerusalem who were invited guests, and they went in their innocence and knew nothing. 12\\xa0And while Absalom was offering the sacrifices, he sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David\\u2019s counselor, from his city Giloh. And the conspiracy grew strong, and the people with Absalom kept increasing.
\\n13\\xa0And a messenger came to David, saying, \\u201cThe hearts of the men of Israel have gone after Absalom.\\u201d 14\\xa0Then David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, \\u201cArise, and let us flee, or else there will be no escape for us from Absalom. Go quickly, lest he overtake us quickly and bring down ruin on us and strike the city with the edge of the sword.\\u201d 15\\xa0And the king\\u2019s servants said to the king, \\u201cBehold, your servants are ready to do whatever my lord the king decides.\\u201d 16\\xa0So the king went out, and all his household after him. And the king left ten concubines to keep the house. 17\\xa0And the king went out, and all the people after him. And they halted at the last house.
\\n18\\xa0And all his servants passed by him, and all the Cherethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the six hundred Gittites who had followed him from Gath, passed on before the king. 19\\xa0Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, \\u201cWhy do you also go with us? Go back and stay with the king, for you are a foreigner and also an exile from your home. 20\\xa0You came only yesterday, and shall I today make you wander about with us, since I go I know not where? Go back and take your brothers with you, and may the Lord show steadfast love and faithfulness to you.\\u201d 21\\xa0But Ittai answered the king, \\u201cAs the Lord lives, and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king shall be, whether for death or for life, there also will your servant be.\\u201d 22\\xa0And David said to Ittai, \\u201cGo then, pass on.\\u201d So Ittai the Gittite passed on with all his men and all the little ones who were with him. 23\\xa0And all the land wept aloud as all the people passed by, and the king crossed the brook Kidron, and all the people passed on toward the wilderness.
\\n24\\xa0And Abiathar came up, and behold, Zadok came also with all the Levites, bearing the ark of the covenant of God. And they set down the ark of God until the people had all passed out of the city. 25\\xa0Then the king said to Zadok, \\u201cCarry the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the eyes of the Lord, he will bring me back and let me see both it and his dwelling pla...'