Liber Secundus Samuelis

II Samuelis, chapter 15, Vulgate and King James Version

Chapter 15 Vulgate

   1 Post haec fecit sibi Absalom currus et equos et quinqua ginta viros, qui praecederent eum.
   2 Et mane consurgens Absalom stabat iuxta viam portae; et omnem virum, qui habebat negotium, ut veniret ad regis iudicium, vocabat Absalom ad se et dicebat: "De qua civitate es tu?". Qui respondens aiebat: "Ex una tribu Israel ego sum servus tuus".
   3 Respondebatque ei Absalom: "Vide, sermones tui sunt boni et iusti, sed non est qui te audiat constitutus a rege". Dicebatque Absalom:
   4" Quis me constituat iudicem in terra, ut ad me veniant omnes, qui habent negotium iudicandum, et iustificem eos?".
   5 Sed et cum accederet ad eum homo, ut se prostraret coram illo, extendebat manum suam et apprehendens osculabatur eum.
   6 Faciebatque hoc omni Israel, qui veniebat ad iudicium, ut audiretur a rege, et sollicitabat corda virorum Israel.
   7 Post quattuor autem annos dixit Absalom ad regem: "Vadam, quaeso, et reddam in Hebron vota mea, quae vovi Domino.
   8 Votum enim vovit servus tuus, cum esset in Gesur Syriae, dicens: Si reduxerit me Dominus in Ierusalem, sacrificabo Domino".
   9 Dixitque ei rex." Vade in pace". Et surrexit et abiit in Hebron.
   10 Misit autem Absalom exploratores in universas tribus Israel dicens: "Statim ut audieritis clangorem bucinae, dicite: "Factus est rex Absalom in Hebron" ".
   11 Porro cum Absalom ierunt ducenti viri de Ierusalem vocati, euntes simplici corde et causam penitus ignorantes.
   12 Accersivit quoque Absalom, cum immolaret victimas, Achitophel Gilonitem consiliarium David de civitate sua Gilo. Et facta est coniuratio valida; populusque concurrens augebatur cum Absalom.
   13 Venit igitur nuntius ad David dicens: "Toto corde universus Israel sequitur Absalom".
   14 Et ait David servis suis, qui erant cum eo in Ierusalem: "Surgite, fugiamus; neque enim erit nobis effugium a facie Absalom. Festinate egredi, ne festinans occupet nos et impellat super nos ruinam et percutiat civitatem in ore gladii".
   15 Dixeruntque servi regis ad eum: "In omnibus, quaecumque elegerit dominus noster rex, ecce servi tui sumus".
   16 Egressus est ergo rex et universa domus eius post eum et dereliquit rex decem mulieres concubinas ad custodiendam domum.
   17 Egressusque rex et omnis populus post eum steterunt ad ultimam domum.
   18 Et universi servi eius transierunt iuxta eum; et omnes Cherethi et Phelethi et omnes Getthaei, sescenti viri, qui secuti eum fuerant de Geth, transierunt coram rege.
   19 Dixit autem rex ad Ethai Getthaeum: "Cur venis etiam tu nobiscum? Revertere et habita cum rege, quia alienigena es, immo et exsul de loco tuo.
   20 Heri venisti, et hodie compellam te vagari nobiscum, cum ego vadam, quo iturus sum? Revertere et reduc tecum fratres tuos, et Dominus faciat tecum misericordiam et veritatem".
   21 Et respondit Ethai regi dicens: "Vivit Dominus et vivit dominus meus rex, in quocumque loco fuerit dominus meus rex, sive ad mortem sive ad vitam, ibi erit servus tuus".
   22 Et ait David Ethai: "Veni et transi". Et transivit Ethai Getthaeus et omnes viri eius et omnes parvuli, qui cum eo erant.
   23 Omnisque terra flebat voce magna, et universus populus transibat. Rex quoque transgrediebatur torrentem Cedron, et cunctus populus incedebat contra viam deserti.
   24 Venit autem et Sadoc et universi Levitae cum eo portantes arcam foederis Dei; et deposuerunt arcam Dei. Et sacrificavit Abiathar, donec omnis populus egressus fuerat de civitate.
   25 Et dixit rex ad Sadoc: "Reporta arcam Dei in urbem. Si invenero gratiam in oculis Domini, reducet me et ostendet mihi eam et habitationem suam.
   26 Si autem dixerit: "Non places mihi", praesto sum: faciat, quod bonum est coram se".
   27 Et dixit rex ad Sadoc sacerdotem: "Videsne? Revertere in civitatem in pace; et Achimaas filius tuus et Ionathan filius Abiathar, duo filii vestri sint vobiscum.
   28 Ecce ego morabor ad vada deserti, donec veniat sermo a vobis indicans mihi".
   29 Reportaverunt igitur Sadoc et Abiathar arcam Dei Ierusalem et manserunt ibi.
   30 Porro David ascendebat clivum Olivarum scandens et flens, operto capite et nudis pedibus incedens; sed et omnis populus, qui erat cum eo, operto capite ascendebat plorans.
   31 Nuntiatum est autem David quod et Achitophel esset in coniuratione cum Absalom; dixitque David: "Infatua, quaeso, Domine, consilium Achitophel".
   32 Cumque ascendisset David summitatem montis, in quo adorabatur Deus, ecce occurrit ei Chusai Arachites, scissa veste et terra pleno capite.
   33 Et dixit ei David: "Si veneris mecum, eris mihi oneri;
   34 Si autem in civitatem revertaris et dixeris Absalom: "Servus tuus ego, rex, ero; servus patris tui ego fui prius, nunc autem ego sum servus tuus", dissipabis mihi consilium Achitophel.
   35 Habes autem tecum Sadoc et Abiathar sacerdotes; et omne verbum, quodcumque audieris de domo regis, indicabis Sadoc et Abiathar sacerdotibus.
   36 Sunt autem cum eis duo filii eorum: Achimaas Sadoc et Ionathan Abiathar; et mittetis per eos ad me omne verbum, quod audieritis".
   37 Veniente ergo Chusai amico David in civitatem, Absalom quoque ingressus est Ierusalem.

Source: Bibliorum Sacrorum Editio, Sacrosanti Oecumenici Concilii Vaticani II, Ratione Habita, Iussu Pauli PP. VI Recognita, Auctoritate Ioannis Pauli PP. II Promulgata, Editio Typica Altera

King James Version

   1 And it came to pass after this, that Absalom prepared him chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him.
   2 And Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate: and it was so, that when any man that had a controversy came to the king for judgment, then Absalom called unto him, and said, Of what city art thou? And he said, Thy servant is of one of the tribes of Israel.
   3 And Absalom said unto him, See, thy matters are good and right; but there is no man deputed of the king to hear thee.
   4 Absalom said moreover, Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man which hath any suit or cause might come unto me, and I would do him justice!
   5 And it was so, that when any man came nigh to him to do him obeisance, he put forth his hand, and took him, and kissed him.
   6 And on this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the king for judgment: so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.
   7 ¶ And it came to pass after forty years, that Absalom said unto the king, I pray thee, let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed unto the LORD, in Hebron.
   8 For thy servant vowed a vow while I abode at Geshur in Syria, saying, If the LORD shall bring me again indeed to Jerusalem, then I will serve the LORD.
   9 And the king said unto him, Go in peace. So he arose, and went to Hebron.
   10 ¶ But Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, As soon as ye hear the sound of the trumpet, then ye shall say, Absalom reigneth in Hebron.
   11 And with Absalom went two hundred men out of Jerusalem, that were called; and they went in their simplicity, and they knew not any thing.
   12 And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's counsellor, from his city, even from Giloh, while he offered sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong; for the people increased continually with Absalom.
   13 ¶ And there came a messenger to David, saying, The hearts of the men of Israel are after Absalom.
   14 And David said unto all his servants that were with him at Jerusalem, Arise, and let us flee; for we shall not else escape from Absalom: make speed to depart, lest he overtake us suddenly, and bring evil upon us, and smite the city with the edge of the sword.
   15 And the king's servants said unto the king, Behold, thy servants are ready to do whatsoever my lord the king shall appoint.
   16 And the king went forth, and all his household after him. And the king left ten women, which were concubines, to keep the house.
   17 And the king went forth, and all the people after him, and tarried in a place that was far off.
   18 And all his servants passed on beside him; and all the Cherethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, six hundred men which came after him from Gath, passed on before the king.
   19 ¶ Then said the king to Ittai the Gittite, Wherefore goest thou also with us? return to thy place, and abide with the king: for thou art a stranger, and also an exile.
   20 Whereas thou camest but yesterday, should I this day make thee go up and down with us? seeing I go whither I may, return thou, and take back thy brethren: mercy and truth be with thee.
   21 And Ittai answered the king, and said, As the LORD liveth, and as my lord the king liveth, surely in what place my lord the king shall be, whether in death or life, even there also will thy servant be.
   22 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.
   23 And all the country wept with a loud voice, and all the people passed over: the king also himself passed over the brook Kidron, and all the people passed over, toward the way of the wilderness.
   24 ¶ And lo Zadok also, and all the Levites were with him, bearing the ark of the covenant of God: and they set down the ark of God; and Abiathar went up, until all the people had done passing out of the city.
   25 And the king said unto Zadok, Carry back the ark of God into the city: if I shall find favour in the eyes of the LORD, he will bring me again, and shew me both it, and his habitation:
   26 But if he thus say, I have no delight in thee; behold, here am I, let him do to me as seemeth good unto him.
   27 The king said also unto Zadok the priest, Art not thou a seer? return into the city in peace, and your two sons with you, Ahimaaz thy son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar.
   28 See, I will tarry in the plain of the wilderness, until there come word from you to certify me.
   29 Zadok therefore and Abiathar carried the ark of God again to Jerusalem: and they tarried there.
   30 ¶ And David went up by the ascent of mount Olivet, and wept as he went up, and had his head covered, and he went barefoot: and all the people that was with him covered every man his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up.
   31 ¶ And one told David, saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. And David said, O LORD, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.
   32 ¶ And it came to pass, that when David was come to the top of the mount, where he worshipped God, behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his coat rent, and earth upon his head:
   33 Unto whom David said, If thou passest on with me, then thou shalt be a burden unto me:
   34 But if thou return to the city, and say unto Absalom, I will be thy servant, O king; as I have been thy father's servant hitherto, so will I now also be thy servant: then mayest thou for me defeat the counsel of Ahithophel.
   35 And hast thou not there with thee Zadok and Abiathar the priests? therefore it shall be, that what thing soever thou shalt hear out of the king's house, thou shalt tell it to Zadok and Abiathar the priests.
   36 Behold, they have there with them their two sons, Ahimaaz Zadok's son, and Jonathan Abiathar's son; and by them ye shall send unto me every thing that ye can hear.
   37 So Hushai David's friend came into the city, and Absalom came into Jerusalem.