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But Ittai answered the king and said, "As Yahweh lives and my lord the king lives, surely in the place wherever my lord the king shall be, if for death or if for life, surely there your servant will be."

but if you want to return to the city and say to Absalom, ‘I am your servant, O king. I used to be a servant of your father, but from then and now I will be your servant,' then you can frustrate the counsel of Ahithophel for me.

The king said to Ziba, "What do you want to accomplish by bringing these?" And Ziba said, "The donkeys are for the king's household to ride on; the bread and the summer fruit are for the young men to eat, and the wine is for the faint in the wilderness to drink.

Then the king said, "Where is the son of your lord?" And Ziba said to the king, "He is living in Jerusalem for he said, ‘Today the house of Israel shall return the kingdom of my father to me.'"

Yahweh has returned on you all the blood of the household of Saul whom you have supplanted as king, and Yahweh has given the kingship into the hand of Absalom your son. Look, you are in disaster for you are a man of blood."

David said to Abishai and to all his servants, "Look, my son who came out of my loins is seeking my life. Now as far as this Benjaminite, leave him alone and let him curse, for Yahweh has spoken to him.

Perhaps Yahweh will look in my eye and repay good for me in place of his curse this day.

Furthermore, for whom have I served? Is it not in the presence of his son that I have served before your father? So shall I serve you!"

Then they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, and he went in to the concubines of his father before the eyes of all Israel.

Then Absalom said, "Please call also for Hushai the Arkite, and let us hear what he has to say also."

And he is also a valiant warrior, whose heart is like the heart of the lion. He will certainly melt with fear, for all Israel knows that your father is a mighty warrior and those who are with him are valiant warriors.

I give the advice that all of Israel from Dan to Beersheba should be completely gathered to you, as the sand which is on the seashore for abundance, with you personally going into the battle.

Then Absalom and all the men of Israel said, "The advice of Hushai the Arkite is better than the advice of Ahithophel." (Now Yahweh had ordained to frustrate the good counsel of Ahithophel in order for Yahweh to bring misery upon Absalom).

Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz were staying at En Rogel, so a servant girl used to go and tell them, then they would go and tell King David, for they were not able to be seen coming to the city.

After they left, they came up from the well and went and told King David. They said to David, "Set out and cross over the water quickly, for thus Ahithophel has advised against you."

honey, curds, sheep, cheese, and cattle for David and for the people who were with him to eat. For they had thought, "The troops are hungry and weary and thirsty in the wilderness."

Then the troops said, "You will not go out, for if we must flee, then they will not care about us; even if half of us die, they will not care about us, but now, you are like ten thousand of us. And so then, it is better for us that you be in the city to help."

The king ordered Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, "With respect to the young man Absalom, deal gently for me." And all the troops heard when the king ordered all of the commanders concerning the matter of Absalom.

The man said to Joab, "Even if I felt the weight of a thousand pieces of silver in my palms, I would not have sent my hand against the son of the king, for in our ears the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, ‘Whoever you may be, protect the young man Absalom.'

Then Joab blew on the trumpet and the troops returned from pursuing after Israel, for Joab kept back the troops.