Absalom Rebels against David
1 Some time later, Absalom got himself a chariot with horses to pull it, and he had 50 men run in front. 2 He would get up early each morning and wait by the side of the road that led to the city gate. Anyone who had a complaint to bring to King David would have to go that way, and Absalom would ask each of them, “Where are you from?”
If they said, “I'm from a tribe in the north,” 3 Absalom would say, “You deserve to win your case. It's too bad the king doesn't have anyone to hear complaints like yours. 4 I wish someone would make me the judge around here! I would be fair to everyone.”
5 Whenever anyone came to Absalom and started bowing down, he would reach out and hug and kiss them. 6 That's how he treated everyone from Israel who brought a complaint to the king. Soon everyone in Israel liked Absalom better than they liked David.
7 Four years later, Absalom said to David, “Please, let me go to Hebron. I have to keep a promise that I made to the Lord, 8 when I was living with the Arameans in Geshur. I promised that if the Lord would bring me back to live in Jerusalem, I would worship him in Hebron.”
9 David gave his permission, and Absalom went to Hebron. 10-12 He took 200 men from Jerusalem with him, but they had no idea what he was going to do. Absalom offered sacrifices in Hebron and sent someone to Gilo to tell David's advisor Ahithophel to come.
More and more people were joining Absalom and supporting his plot. Meanwhile, Absalom had secretly sent some messengers to the northern tribes of Israel. The messengers told everyone, “When you hear the sound of the trumpets, you must shout, ‘Absalom now rules as king in Hebron!’ ”
David Has To Leave Jerusalem
13 A messenger came and told David, “Everyone in Israel is on Absalom's side!”
14 David's officials were in Jerusalem with him, and he told them, “Let's get out of here! We'll have to leave soon, or none of us will escape from Absalom. Hurry! If he moves fast, he could catch us while we're still here. Then he will kill us and everyone else in the city.”
15 The officials said, “Your Majesty, we'll do whatever you say.”
16-17 David left behind ten of his wives to take care of the palace, but the rest of his family and his officials and soldiers went with him.
They stopped at the last house at the edge of the city. 18 Then David stood there and watched while his regular troops and his bodyguards marched past. The last group was the 600 soldiers who had followed him from Gath. Their commander was Ittai.
19 David spoke to Ittai and said, “You're a foreigner from the town of Gath. You don't have to leave with us. Go back and join the new king! 20 You haven't been with me very long, so why should you have to follow me, when I don't even know where I'm going? Take your soldiers and go back. I pray that the Lord will be kind and faithful to you.”
21 Ittai answered, “Your Majesty, just as surely as you and the Lord live, I will go where you go, no matter if it costs me my life.”
22 “Then come on!” David said.
So Ittai and all his men and their families walked on past David.
David Sends the Sacred Chest Back to Jerusalem
23 The people of Jerusalem were crying and moaning as David and everyone with him passed by. He led them across Kidron Valley and along the road toward the desert.
24 Zadok and Abiathar the priests were there along with several men from the tribe of Levi who were carrying the sacred chest. They set the chest down, and left it there until David and his followers had gone out of the city.
25 Then David said:
Zadok, take the sacred chest back to Jerusalem. If the Lord is pleased with me, he will bring me back and let me see it and his tent again. 26 But if he says he isn't pleased with me, then let him do what he knows is best.
27 Zadok, you are a good judge of things, so return to the city and don't cause any trouble. Take your son Ahimaaz with you. Abiathar and his son Jonathan will also go back. 28 I'll wait at the river crossing in the desert until I hear from you.
29 Zadok and Abiathar took the sacred chest back into Jerusalem and stayed there. 30 David went on up the slope of the Mount of Olives. He was barefoot and crying, and he covered his head to show his sorrow. Everyone with him was crying, and they covered their heads too.
31 Someone told David, “Ahithophel is helping Absalom plot against you!”
David said, “Please, Lord, keep Ahithophel's plans from working!”
David Sends Hushai Back as a Spy
32 When David reached the top of the Mount of Olives, he met Hushai the Archite at a place of worship. Hushai's robe was torn, and dust was on his head. 33 David told him:
If you come with me, you might slow us down. 34 Go back into the city and tell Absalom, “Your Majesty, I am your servant. I will serve you now, just as I served your father in the past.”
Hushai, if you do that, you can help me ruin Ahithophel's plans. 35 Zadok and Abiathar the priests will be there with you, and you can tell them everything you hear in the palace. 36 Then they can send their sons Ahimaaz and Jonathan to tell me what you've heard.
37 David's advisor Hushai slipped back into Jerusalem, at just about the same time Absalom was coming in.
Ondubo yaAbsalom
1 Ndele konima yoinima ei Absalom e likongela etemba neenghambe novalumenhu omilongo nhano ve mu pitile komesho. 2 Absalom okwa li e nonghedi yokupenduka ongula inene nokukala pondjila oyo tai twala koshivelo shoshilando. Nomunhu keshe ou a li e neendjovo ndele ta i kohamba, Absalom okwe mu ifana ndele ta ti: “Owa dja moshilando shilipipo?” Ou eshi a nyamukula: “Omupiya woye a dja moshilando shonhumba shomoilando yaIsrael.” 3 Opo nee Absalom ta ti kuye: “Tala, oshinima shoye shiwa nosha yuka, ndelenee kombinga yohamba kaku na umwe te ku udu.” 4 Absalom okwa tya vali: “Ngeno ame ndi tulwe po omutokoli moshilongo. Nopo keshe umwe e neendjovo ile oihokolola ote uya kwaame. Ndele ame handi tokola eendjovo daye pauyuki.” 5 Ongeenge pa li pe na ou a ehena kuye te mu linyongamene, ye a nana eke laye, nokwe mu kwata ndele te mu fipi komilungu. 6 Panghedi tuu oyo Absalom okwa ninga Ovaisraeli aveshe ovo ve uya kohamba eendjovo davo di tokolwe, onghee hano Absalom okwa yula omitima dOvaisraeli.
7 Ndele omido nhee eshi da pita, Absalom okwa lombwela ohamba: “Efe nge, ndi ye kuHebron ndi wanife eudaneko lange nde li udanekela Omwene. 8 Aame omupiya woye fimbo nda li muGesur shomuAram, onda udaneka eudaneko eli: ‘Omwene ngeenge ta shunifa nge shili muJerusalem, ame ohandi ka longela Omwene.’ ” 9 Opo nee ohamba tai ti kuye: “Inda nombili!” Nokwa fikama ndele ta i kuHebron. 10 Absalom okwa tuma vali ovahongauli komapata aeshe aIsrael va tye: “Nye ngeenge tamu udu enghuma loluvinga lodi yomhedi, tyeni: ‘Absalom a ninga ohamba muHebron!’ ” 11 Ndele muJerusalem mwa dja ovalumenhu omafele avali pamwe naAbsalom, ava va ifanwa, ndele va ya ko vehe nowino, vehe shi shii osho shi li po. 12 Ndele fimbo Absalom a yamba etomenoyambo okwa ifana yo Ahitofel, Omugiloni, elenga laDavid, li dje moshilando shalo Gilo. Osho ngaha hano ehangakeno la pamekwa novanhu ava va ama kuAbsalom va hapupala.
David novanhu vaye tava i onhapo
13 Opo nee omutumwa e uya kuDavid ndele ta ti: “Omitima dOvaisraeli da ama kuAbsalom.” 14 David okwa lombwela ovapiya vaye aveshe ovo va kala puye muJerusalem ndele ta ti: “Tu fikameni, tu yeni onhapo, osheshi katu nomhito yokuxupifwa momake aAbsalom. Endeleleni mu fikame diva, ehe tu hange ohaluka ndele te tu etele omupya ndele ta dipaa neongamukonda oonakukalamo vomuJerusalem.” 15 Novapiya vohamba tava ti kohamba: “Napa ningwe ngaashi tashi wapalele omwene wetu ohamba. Ovapiya voye ovava!”
16 Nohamba ya pita mo neumbo layo alishe tali i shikula, ndelenee ohamba ya fiya po ovalikadi omulongo vopomunghulo va kale okudiinina eumbo. 17 Osho ngaha hano ohamba ya dja mo novanhu aveshe ve mu shikula. Ova kanghama pongulu yaxuuninwa, 18 fimbo ovapiya aveshe vayo va enda po ve i koya. Nosho yo Ovakereti aveshe nOvapleti aveshe. Nosho yo Ovagati omafele ahamano ve mu shikula va dja kuGat, ove mu koya po. 19 Nohamba tai lombwele Ittai, Omugat: “Omolwashike naave yo to ende pamwe nafye? Piluka u shune u kale pohamba, osheshi ove omunailongo ndele wa tewa mo moshilongo sheni. 20 Ove we uya onghela, ame ndi ku efe ngeno nena u elaele pamwe nafye, fimbo ame ihandi shiiva apa handi i! Piluka! U shunife yo vakweni. Onghenda noudiinini nai kale naave!” 21 Ndelenee Ittai okwa nyamukula ohamba ndele ta ti: “Oshili, ngaashi Omwene e nomwenyo nomwene wange ohamba i nomwenyo. Oshili, ponhele tuu oyo omwene wange ohamba tai ka kala, nande pa kale efyo ile omwenyo, oshili, oko omupiya woye ta ka kala yo.” 22 Opo nee David ta ti kuIttai: “Hano, inda u ende po!” Ndele Ittai Omugat a enda po pamwe novakwaita vaye aveshe novana aveshe ava va kala puye. 23 Noshilongo ashishe sha lila pombada eshi ovanhu aveshe va enda po. Nohamba ya taulula okamulonga Kidron novanhu aveshe va tauluka mokweenda nondjila yokombuwa.
24 Ndele tala, Abjatar okwe uya naSadok yo oko a li napamwe naye Ovalevi aveshe ava hava humbata oshikefa shaKalunga, ndele va tula poshi oshikefa shaKalunga naAbjatar yo e uya fiyo ovanhu aveshe vomoshilando va enda po. 25 Opo nee ohamba tai ti kuSadok: “Shunifa oshikefa shaKalunga moshilando. Ame ngeenge handi filwa onghenda momesho Omwene, Ye ota ka alula nge ndele ta itavele nge ndi mu mone neumbo laye yo. 26 Ndelenee ngeenge Ye ta ti: ‘Ame inandi ku hokwa aame ou!’ Na ningile nge osho she mu wapalela.” 27 Nohamba tai ti vali komupristeli Sadok: “Oove omumonikokule ndishi! Shuna nombili koshilando novana voye ovamati vavali Ahimas, omumwoye naJonatan yaAbjatar pamwe naave. 28 Tala, ame ohandi kala peeshau domombuwa fiyo tamu tumu kwaame ondaka.” 29 Ndele Sadok naAbjatar va shunifa oshikefa shaKalunga muJerusalem ndele vo va kala mo. 30 Ndele David okwa londa kOmhunda yEemono fimbo ta ende nokulila efimbo alishe. Nomutwe waye wa uvikwa ndele a enda ehe neenghaku. Novanhu aveshe ovo va kale puye, keshe umwe, a uvika omutwe waye tava londo komhunda ndele tava lili efimbo alishe. 31 David eshi a hepaululilwa nokutya, Ahitofel oku li yo mehangakeno pamwe naAbsalom, David ta ti: “Akutu Omwene, omapukululo aAhitofel a alula ongaho.”
32 Ndele David eshi e uya koxulo yomhunda oko va ilikana Kalunga, Husai, Omuarki, e mu shakeneka, okwa li e noshikutu sha pombaulwa nondwi kombada yomutwe. 33 Ndele David ta ti kuye: “Ove ngeenge to ende naame, oto ka ninga omutengi wange. 34 Ndelenee ngeenge to shuna koshilando ndele to ti kuAbsalom: ‘Akutu ohamba, ame nda hala okuninga omupiya woye. Shito nda li omupiya waxo, ndelenee paife ame nda ninga omupiya woye.’ Opo nee to dulu okukwafa nge nokuhanauna po epukululo laAhitofel. 35 Ndele pamwe naave oko oku na ovapristeli Sadok naAbjatar. Keshe osho to udu tashi di mouhamba, u noku shi shiivifila Sadok naAbjatar. 36 Tala, ovana vavo ovamati vavali Ahimas yaSadok naJonatan yaAbjatar oko ve li puvo, moku va yakulifa otamu dulu okushiivifila nge osho ashishe mwe shi uda.” 37 Opo nee Husai, kaume kaDavid e uya moshilando fimbo Absalom e uya kuJerusalem.
