rsv 2Samuel:15:1-20 SEEK
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After this Ab '
salom got himself a chariot and horses ,
and fifty men to run before him .
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And Ab '
salom used to rise early and stand beside the way of the gate ;
and when any man had a suit to come before the king for judgment ,
Ab '
salom would call to him ,
and say , "
From what city are you ?"
And when he said , "
Your servant is of such and such a tribe in Israel ,"
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Ab '
salom would say to him , "
See ,
your claims are good and right ;
but there is no man deputed by the king to hear you ."
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Ab '
salom said moreover , "
Oh that I were judge in the land !
Then every man with a suit or cause might come to me ,
and I would give him justice ."
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And whenever a man came near to do obeisance to him ,
he would put out his hand ,
and take hold of him ,
and kiss him .
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Thus Ab '
salom did to all of Israel who came to the king for judgment ;
so Ab '
salom stole the hearts of the men of Israel .
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And at the end of four years Ab '
salom said to the king , "
Pray let me go and pay my vow ,
which I have vowed to the LORD ,
in Hebron .
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For your servant vowed a vow while I dwelt at Geshur in Aram ,
saying , `
If the LORD will indeed bring me back to Jerusalem ,
then I will offer worship to the LORD .'"
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The king said to him , "
Go in peace ."
So he arose ,
and went to Hebron .
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But Ab '
salom sent secret messengers throughout all the tribes of Israel ,
saying , "
As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet ,
then say , `
Ab '
salom is king at Hebron !'"
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With Ab '
salom went two hundred men from Jerusalem who were invited guests ,
and they went in their simplicity ,
and knew nothing .
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And while Ab '
salom was offering the sacrifices ,
he sent for Ahith '
ophel the Gi '
lonite ,
David '
s counselor ,
from his city Giloh .
And the conspiracy grew strong ,
and the people with Ab '
salom kept increasing .
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And a messenger came to David ,
saying , "
The hearts of the men of Israel have gone after Ab '
salom ."
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Then David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem , "
Arise ,
and let us flee ;
or else there will be no escape for us from Ab '
salom ;
go in haste ,
lest he overtake us quickly ,
and bring down evil upon us ,
and smite the city with the edge of the sword ."
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And the king '
s servants said to the king , "
Behold ,
your servants are ready to do whatever my lord the king decides ."
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So the king went forth ,
and all his household after him .
And the king left ten concubines to keep the house .
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And the king went forth ,
and all the people after him ;
and they halted at the last house .
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And all his servants passed by him ;
and all the Cher '
ethites ,
and all the Pel '
ethites ,
and all the six hundred Gittites who had followed him from Gath ,
passed on before the king .
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Then the king said to It '
tai the Gittite , "
Why 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 .
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You came only yesterday ,
and shall I today make you wander about with us ,
seeing I go I know not where ?
Go back ,
and take your brethren with you ;
and may the LORD show steadfast love and faithfulness to you ."