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And the woman of Tekoa said to the king, My lord, O king, the iniquity be on me, and on my father's house; and the king and his throne be innocent.

And the woman said, Why then have you devised such a thing against the people of God? for in speaking this word the king is as one that is guilty, in that the king does not fetch home again his banished one.

Now therefore seeing that I have come to speak this word to my lord the king, it is because the people have made me afraid: and your slave said, I will now speak to the king; it may be that the king will perform the request of his slave.

For the king will hear, to deliver his slave out of the hand of the man that would destroy me and my son together out of the inheritance of God.

And Joab fell to the ground on his face, and did obeisance, and blessed the king: and Joab said, Today your slave knows that I have found favor in your sight, my lord, O king, in that the king has performed the request of his slave.

And the king said, Let him turn to his own house, but don't let him see my face. So Absalom turned to his own house, and didn't see the king's face.

Now in all Israel there was none to be so much praised as Absalom for his beauty: from the sole of his foot even to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him.

And when he cut the hair of his head (now it was at every year's end that he cut it; because it was heavy on him, therefore he cut it); he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred shekels, after the king's weight.

Therefore he said to his slaves, See, Joab's field is near mine, and he has barley there; go and set it on fire. And Absalom's slaves set the field on fire.

Then Joab arose, and came to Absalom to his house, and said to him, Why have your slaves set my field on fire?

So Joab came to the king, and told him; and when he had called for Absalom, he came to the king, and bowed himself on his face to the ground before the king: and the king kissed Absalom.

And it was so, that, when any man came near to do him obeisance, he put forth his hand, and took hold of him, and kissed him.

And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's counselor, from his city, even from Giloh, while he was offering the sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong; for the people increased continually with Absalom.

And David said to all his slaves that were with him at Jerusalem, Arise, and let us flee; for else none of us shall escape from Absalom: make speed to depart, or else he will overtake us quickly, and bring down evil on us, and smite the city with the edge of the sword.

And the king went forth, and all his household after him. And the king left ten women, that were concubines, to keep the house.

And all his slaves passed on beside him; and all the Cherethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, six hundred men that came after him from Gath, passed on before the king.

And David said to Ittai, Go and pass over. And Ittai the Gittite passed over, and all his men, and all the little ones that were with him.

And the king said to Zadok, Carry back the ark of God into the city: if I shall find favor in the eyes of Yahweh, he will bring me again, and show me both it, and his habitation:

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.

And David went up by the ascent of the [mount of] Olives, and wept as he went up; and he had his head covered, and went barefoot: and all the people that were with him covered every man his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up.