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And Absalom said to him, See, your matters are good and right; but there is no man deputed of the king to hear you.

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.

Whereas you came but yesterday, should I this day make you go up and down with us, seeing I go where I may? return, and take back your brothers with you; and may Yahweh show you mercy and truth.

but if he says thus, I have no delight in you; look, here I am, let him do to me as is good in his eyes.

but if you return to the city, and say to Absalom, I will be your slave, O king; as I have been your father's slave in time past, so I will now be your slave; then you will defeat for me the counsel of Ahithophel.

And Hushai said to Absalom, No; but whom Yahweh, and this people, and all the men of Israel have chosen, I will be his, and I will abide with him.

But I counsel that all Israel be gathered together to you, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, as the sand that is by the sea for multitude; and that you go to battle in your own person.

Now therefore send quickly, and tell David, saying, Don't lodge this night at the fords of the wilderness, but by all means pass over; or else the king will be swallowed up, and all the people that are with him.

But a lad saw them, and told Absalom: and they went both of them away quickly, and came to the house of a man in Bahurim, who had a well in his court; and they went down there.

But the people said, You shall not go forth: for if we flee away, they will not care for us; neither if half of us die, will they care for us: but you are worth ten thousand of us; therefore now it is better that you are ready to succor us out of the city.

And Joab said to him, You shall not be the bearer of tidings this day, but you shall bear tidings another day; but this day you shall bear no tidings, because the king's son is dead.

Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said yet again to Joab, But come what may, let me, I pray you, also run after the Cushite. And Joab said, Why will you run, my son, seeing that you will have no reward for the tidings?

But come what may, [he said], I will run. And he said to him, Run. Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the Plain, and outran the Cushite.

And the king said, Is it well with the young man Absalom? And Ahimaaz answered, When Joab sent the king's slave and your slave, I saw a great tumult, but I didn't know what it was.

But Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered and said, Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed Yahweh's anointed?

And he has slandered your slave to my lord the king; but my lord the king is as an angel of God: do therefore what is good in your eyes.

For all my father's house were but dead men before my lord the king; yet you set your slave among those that ate at your own table. What right therefore have I yet that I should cry anymore to the king?

Your slave would but just go over the Jordan with the king: and why should the king recompense me with such a reward?

Let your slave, I pray you, turn back again, that I may die in my own city, by the grave of my father and my mother. But look, your slave Chimham; let him go over with my lord the king; and do to him what shall seem good to you.

So all the men of Israel went up from following David, and followed Sheba the son of Bichri; but the men of Judah cleaved to their king, from the Jordan even to Jerusalem.