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Now the reason I came to speak about this matter to my lord the king is that the people were intimidating me; so your servant said, ‘I will speak now to the king; maybe the king will do what his servant is asking.

For the king will listen and rescue his servant from the hands of those who would destroy me and my son together from our share of God's inheritance.'

Yo'av fell to the ground on his face, prostrating himself, and blessed the king; Yo'av said, "Today your servant knows that I have won your favor, my lord, king, because the king has done what your servant requested."

However, the king said, "Let him return to his own house, but he is not to appear in my presence." So Avshalom returned to his own house and did not appear before the king.

Now in all Isra'el there was no one more praised for his beauty than Avshalom — there was no defect on him from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head.

He would cut his hair only once a year, at the end of the year; and the only reason he cut it then was because it weighed him down. He weighed the hair from his head at 200 shekels (using the royal weight) [about five pounds].

So he said to his servants, "See, Yo'av's field is close to mine, and he has barley there; go, and set it on fire." Avshalom's servants set the field on fire.

Then Yo'av got up, went to Avshalom at his house and asked him, "Why did your servants set my field on fire?"

Yo'av went to the king and told him; and when he had called for Avshalom, he went to the king and prostrated himself with his face to the ground before the king. Then the king kissed Avshalom.

Moreover, whenever any man came close to prostrate himself before him, he would put out his hand, take hold of him and kiss him.

Avshalom sent for Achitofel the Giloni, David's counselor, to come from his town Giloh and be with him while offering the sacrifices. The conspiracy grew strong, because the number of people favoring Avshalom kept increasing.

David said to all his servants with him in Yerushalayim, "Get up! We must flee! Otherwise none of us will escape from Avshalom. Hurry, and leave; or he will soon overtake us, attack us and put the city to the sword."

So the king set out, and all his household after him. The king left ten women who were concubines to care for the palace.

for all his servants to pass by him in review; all the K'reti and P'leti and all the Gittim (600 men who had accompanied him from Gat) passed in review before the king.

"Go, move along," said David to Ittai; and Ittai the Gitti moved on, accompanied by all his men and the little ones with him.

When David reached the top of the ascent, where it was customary to worship God, Hushai the Arki came to meet him with his tunic torn and earth on his head.

and throwing stones at David and all King David's servants; even though all the people, including his bodyguard, surrounded him right and left.

Adonai has brought back on you all the blood of the house of Sha'ul. You usurped his kingship, but Adonai has handed over the kingdom to Avshalom your son. Now your own evil has overtaken you, because you are a man of blood!"

Avishai the son of Tz'ruyah said to the king, "Why allow this dead dog to curse my lord the king? Just let me go over and remove his head!"

David then said to Avishai and all his servants, "Look, my own son, who came from my own body, seeks my life. So how much more now this Binyamini! Let him alone; and let him curse, if Adonai told him to.