¹In the beginning was the  ²Word, and the Word was  ³with God, and the  ⁴Word was  ⁵God.

 ¹He was  ²in the beginning with God.

All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him not one thing came into being which has come into being.

In Him was  ¹life, and the life was the  ²light of men.

And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.

There came a man  ¹sent from God, whose name was John.

 ¹He came for a testimony that he might testify concerning the light, that all might believe through him.

He was not the light, but came that he might testify concerning the light.

This was the true light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man.

He was in the world, and the world came into being through Him, yet the world did not know Him.

He came to His own, yet those who were His own did not receive Him.

But as many as  ¹received Him, to them He gave the authority to become  ²children of God, to those who  ¹believe into His name,

Who were begotten not  ¹of  ²blood, nor  ¹of the  ²will of the flesh, nor  ¹of the will of man, but  ¹of God.

And the  ¹Word became  ²flesh and  ³tabernacled among us (and  ⁴we beheld His glory, glory as of the only Begotten  ⁵from the Father), full of  ⁶grace and reality.

John testified concerning Him and cried out, saying, This was He of whom I said, He who is coming after me has become ahead of me, because He was before me.

For  ¹of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace.

For the law was given through Moses;  ¹grace and reality  ²came through Jesus Christ.

No one has ever seen God; the  ¹only begotten Son, who is  ²in the bosom of the Father, He has  ³declared Him.

And after this Absalom prepared for himself a chariot and horses and fifty men to run before him.

And Absalom would rise up early and stand beside the way into the gate; and when any man who had a cause that should have come to the king for judgment came, Absalom would call to him and say, What city are you from? And he would say, Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel.

Then Absalom would say to him, See, your matters are good and right, but there is no one appointed by the king to hear you.

And Absalom would say, Oh that I were made a judge in the land, that every man who had a cause or a matter to be judged would come to me, and I would do him justice!

And so when any man came near to pay him homage, he would put forth his hand and take hold of him and kiss him.

And Absalom acted in this way to all the Israelites who came to the king for judgment. And Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

And at the end of forty years Absalom said to the king, Let me go now and repay my vow, which I vowed to Jehovah in Hebron.

For your servant vowed a vow while I was dwelling in Geshur in Syria, saying, If Jehovah will indeed bring me back to Jerusalem, I will  ¹worship Jehovah.

And the king said to him, Go in peace. So he rose up and went to Hebron.

But Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, When you hear the sound of the trumpet, you shall say, Absalom is king in Hebron.

And with Absalom there went two hundred men from Jerusalem, who had been called and went innocently; they did not know anything.

And while he was offering the sacrifices, Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, a counselor of David, from his city Giloh. And the conspiracy gained strength, and the people with Absalom increased continually.

Then a messenger came to David, saying, The hearts of the men of Israel have gone after Absalom.

And David said to all his servants who were with him in Jerusalem, Rise up, and let us flee; for none of us will escape from Absalom otherwise. Hurry and go, lest he quickly overtake us and bring harm down upon us and strike the city with the edge of the sword.

And the king's servants said to the king, In all that my lord the king chooses, here we are, your servants.

So the king went forth, and all his house after him. But the king left ten concubines to keep the house.

And the king went forth, and all the people after him; and they stopped at the last house.

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

Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, Why are you also going with us? Return and abide with the king, for you are a foreigner as well as an exile from your place.

You came just recently, so should I today make you wander with us, while I go about wherever I can? Return and take your brothers back; lovingkindness and truth be with you.

But Ittai answered the king and said, As Jehovah lives and as my lord the king lives, in whatever place my lord the king will be, whether for death or for life, there shall your servant most certainly be.

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

And all the land wept with a loud voice, and all the people passed over. And the king passed over the brook Kidron, and all the people passed over toward the way of the wilderness.

And there came Zadok also and all the Levites with him, bearing the Ark of the Covenant of God; and they set the Ark of God down, and Abiathar went up until all the people had finished passing over from the city.

Then the king said to Zadok, Take the Ark of God back into the city. If I should find favor in the sight of Jehovah, He will bring me back and show me it and His habitation.

But if He should say thus, I am not pleased with you, let Him then do with me as it seems good in His sight.

And the king said to Zadok the priest, You are a seer; return to the city in peace with Ahimaaz your son and Jonathan the son of Abiathar, your two sons with you.

See, I will wait at the fords of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me.

So Zadok and Abiathar brought the Ark of God back to Jerusalem, and they remained there.

And David went up the ascent to the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went up, and he had his head covered and he went barefoot. And all the people who were with him each covered his own head; and they went up, weeping as they went up.

Then someone told David, saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. And David said, Turn, I pray, the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness, O Jehovah.

Then when David came to the summit, where God was worshipped, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his coat torn and with earth on his head.

And David said to him, If you pass over with me, you will be a burden to me.

But if you return to the city and say to Absalom, I am your servant, O king; as I was your father's servant in the past, so will I be your servant now; then you will defeat the counsel of Ahithophel for me.

And will not Zadok and Abiathar the priests be with you there? Therefore whatever you hear from the king's house you shall tell Zadok and Abiathar the priests.

And there with them will be their two sons, Ahimaaz the son of Zadok and Jonathan the son of Abiathar; and through them you shall send to me whatever you hear.

So Hushai, David's friend, came to the city; and Absalom came to Jerusalem.

And when David was a little past the summit, Ziba, Mephibosheth's attendant, came to meet him with a pair of saddled asses and upon them two hundred loaves of bread and a hundred clusters of raisins and a hundred summer fruit and a skin of wine.

And the king said to Ziba, Why do you have these? And Ziba said, The asses are for the king's household to ride on, and the bread and the summer fruit are for the young men to eat, and the wine is for those who faint in the wilderness to drink.

And the king said, And where is your master's son? And Ziba said to the king, He is now dwelling in Jerusalem, for he said,  ¹Today the house of Israel will restore to me the kingdom of my father.

And the king said to Ziba, Now all that belongs to Mephibosheth is yours. And Ziba said, I bow myself to you. May I find favor in your sight, O my lord the king.

And when King David came to Bahurim, a man of the family of the house of Saul came forth from there, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera; he came forth, cursing as he came forth.

And he threw stones at David and at all the servants of King David, and all the people and all the mighty men were on his right and on his left.

And Shimei spoke thus in his cursing, Go away, go away, you man of bloodshed and worthless fellow.

Jehovah has returned upon you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned; and Jehovah has delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom your son; and now you have been taken in your own mischief, for you are a man of bloodshed.

Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and take off his head.

But the king said, What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? If he curses, and if Jehovah has told him to curse David, who then can say, Why have you done so?

And David said to Abishai and all his servants, Now my son, who came forth from my body, seeks my life; how much more then this Benjaminite will do so. Leave him alone and let him curse, for Jehovah has told him to do so.

It may be that Jehovah will look on the wrong done to me and that Jehovah will repay me with good for his cursing on this day.

And David and his men went on their way. And Shimei went along the hillside opposite him, cursing as he went; and he threw stones at him and cast dust upon him.

And the king and all the people who were with him arrived weary, and he refreshed himself there.

Meanwhile Absalom and all the people, the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem; and Ahithophel was with him.

And when Hushai the Archite, David's friend, came to Absalom, Hushai said to Absalom, Long live the king! Long live the king!

And Absalom said to Hushai, Is this your kindness to your friend? Why did you not go with your friend?

And Hushai said to Absalom, No; but the one whom Jehovah and this people and all the men of Israel choose, his will I be, and with him will I dwell.

Furthermore, whom should I serve? Should it not be in the presence of his son? As I served in the presence of your father, so will I be in your presence.

Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, Give your counsel as to what we should do.

And Ahithophel said to Absalom, Go in unto your father's concubines whom he left to keep the house, and all Israel will hear that you have made yourself abhorrent to your father; then the hands of all those who are with you will be strong.

So they spread a tent for Absalom upon the roof, and Absalom went in unto his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel.

Now the counsel of Ahithophel that he gave in those days was as if one inquired of the oracle of God; all the counsel of Ahithophel was thus, both with David and with Absalom.

Then Ahithophel said to Absalom, Let me now choose twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue after David tonight.

And I will come upon him while he is weary and weak-handed. And I will terrorize him, and all the people who are with him will flee; then I will strike down the king only.

And I will bring all the people back to you; the return of the whole depends on what happens to the man whom you are seeking. All the people will be at peace.

And the word seemed right in the sight of Absalom and in the sight of all the elders of Israel.

Then Absalom said, Call now for Hushai the Archite also that we may hear what he also has to say.

So Hushai came to Absalom; and Absalom spoke to him, saying, Ahithophel has spoken in this way. Shall we do what he says? If not, you speak.

And Hushai said to Absalom, The counsel that Ahithophel has given this time is not good.

Hushai said moreover, You know your father and his men, that they are mighty men and bitter in soul, like a bear robbed of her whelps in the field; and your father is a man of war and will not lodge with the people.

He is now hidden in some pit or some other place; and when some of them fall at the beginning, whoever hears of it will say, There is a slaughter among the people who are with Absalom.

And even he who is valiant, whose heart is like the heart of a lion, will utterly melt in fear; for all Israel knows that your father is a mighty man and that those who are with him are valiant men.

But I counsel that all Israel be gathered together unto you, from Dan to Beer-sheba, like the sand that is by the sea in multitude, and that you go into battle in person.

Then we will come upon him in some place where he will be found, and we will light upon him as dew falls upon the ground; and we will not leave among him and among the men who are with him even one.

And if he should withdraw into a city, all Israel will carry ropes to that city, and we will pull it into the river, until not even a stone is found there.

And Absalom and all the men of Israel said, The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel; for Jehovah had ordained the defeat of the good counsel of Ahithophel to the intent that Jehovah might bring evil upon Absalom.

Then Hushai said to Zadok and Abiathar the priests, Thus and thus did Ahithophel counsel Absalom and the elders of Israel, and thus and thus did I counsel.

Now therefore send word quickly and tell David, saying, Do not lodge tonight at the  ¹fords of the wilderness, but pass over by all means; otherwise, the king will be swallowed up, as well as all the people who are with him.

Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz were staying in En-rogel, and a female servant would go and tell them, and they would go and tell King David; for they could not risk being seen coming into the city.

But a young man saw them, and he told Absalom. And both of them went off quickly and came to the house of a man in Bahurim, who had a well in his courtyard; and they went down into it.

And his wife took the covering and spread it over the mouth of the well, and she strew grain over it; and the matter was unknown.

Then Absalom's servants came to the woman at the house and said, Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan? And the woman said to them, They have crossed over the brook of water. And when they searched for them and could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem.

And after they departed, they came up out of the well and went and told King David. And they said to David, Rise up and cross quickly over the water, for thus has Ahithophel given counsel against you.

So David rose up with all the people who were with him, and they crossed over the Jordan; by morning's light there was not one left who had not crossed over the Jordan.

And when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his donkey and rose up and went to his house in his city; and he set his house in order and hanged himself. And he died and was buried in the sepulcher of his father.

Then David came to Mahanaim. And Absalom crossed over the Jordan, he and all the men of Israel with him.

And Absalom set Amasa over the army, instead of Joab. Now Amasa was the son of a man whose name was Ithra the Israelite, who went in unto Abigail the daughter of Nahash, Zeruiah's sister, Joab's mother.

And Israel and Absalom camped in the land of Gilead.

And when David came to Mahanaim, Shobi the son of Nahash of Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and Machir the son of Amiel of Lo-debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite of Rogelim,

Brought beds and basins and earthen vessels and wheat and barley and meal and parched grain and beans and lentils and other parched grain

And honey and butter and sheep and cheese from the herd to David and the people who were with him for them to eat; for they said, The people are hungry and weary and thirsty in the wilderness.

Then David mustered the people who were with him, and he set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them.

And David sent the people out, a third under the hand of Joab and a third under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, and a third under the hand of Ittai the Gittite. And the king said to the people, I myself will surely go forth with you also.

But the people said, You shall not go forth; for if we flee off, they will not care about us; and if half of us die, they will not care about us.  ¹But you are worth ten thousand of us; therefore it is better for you to be available to help us from the city.

And the king said to them, What seems best in your sight I will do. So the king stood at the side of the gate, and all the people went forth by hundreds and by thousands.

And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom. And all the people heard when the king gave the command to all the captains concerning Absalom.

And the people went forth into the field against Israel, and the battle was in the forest of Ephraim.

And the people of Israel were struck there before the servants of David, and there was a great slaughter of twenty thousand there on that day.

And the battle was spread there over the face of all the land, and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.

And Absalom happened to meet the servants of David, and Absalom was riding upon his mule. And the mule went under the tangled branches of a great terebinth; and his head was caught in the terebinth, and he was left hanging between heaven and earth while the mule that was under him went on.

And a certain man saw this; and he told Joab and said, I have just seen Absalom hanging from a terebinth.

And Joab said to the man who told him this, And you have just seen this. Why did you not strike him down to the ground there? For I would have given you ten pieces of silver and a belt.

And the man said to Joab, Though I would receive a thousand pieces of silver in my hand, I would not put forth my hand against the son of the king; for in our hearing the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Take care of the young man Absalom, whoever you be.

On the other hand, if I had dealt treacherously with his life (there is nothing hidden from the king), you would have set yourself against me.

Then Joab said, I will not linger here with you. And he took three staves in his hand and thrust them through Absalom's heart while he was still alive in the midst of the terebinth.

And ten young men who carried Joab's armor surrounded Absalom and struck him, and they killed him.

And Joab blew the trumpet; and the people returned from pursuing after Israel, for Joab restrained the people.

And they took Absalom and threw him into a great pit in the forest, and they cast up over him a very great mound of stones. And all Israel fled, every man to his tent.

Now Absalom, while he was alive, had taken a pillar which was in the king's valley and raised it up for himself, for he said, I have no son to keep my name in remembrance. And he called the pillar by his own name, and it is called Absalom's Monument to this day.

Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, Let me now run and announce the news to the king, that Jehovah has avenged him of his enemies.

And Joab said to him, You shall not be the bearer of the news this day, but you shall announce the news on another day; yet on this day you shall not announce the news, for the king's son is dead.

And Joab said to the Cushite, Go, tell the king what you have seen. And the Cushite bowed to Joab and ran.

Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said yet again to Joab, But come what may, let me also run after the Cushite. And Joab said, Why will you run, my son, seeing that you will have no reward for the news?

But come what may, he said, I will run. And he said to him, Run. And Ahimaaz ran by way of the plain and passed the Cushite.

Now David was sitting between the two gates. And the watchman went up on the roof of the gate to the wall; and lifted up his eyes and looked, and there came a man running alone.

And the watchman called out and told the king. And the king said, If he is alone, there is news in his mouth. And he continued coming and drew near.

Then the watchman saw another man running; and the watchman called out to the gatekeeper and said, Here comes a man running alone. And the king said, This one also brings news.

And the watchman said, I think the running of the first one is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok. And the king said, He is a good man and comes with good news.

And Ahimaaz called out and said to the king, All is well; and he bowed down to the king on his face to the ground. And he said, Blessed be Jehovah your God, who has delivered up the men who have lifted up their hand against my lord the king.

And the king said, Is all well with the young man Absalom? And Ahimaaz said, When Joab sent the king's servant and me your servant, I saw a great commotion, but I do not know what it was.

And the king said, Turn aside, and stand here. And he turned aside and stood there.

Just then the Cushite came; and the Cushite said, Good news for my lord the king, for today Jehovah has avenged you of all who have risen up against you.

And the king said to the Cushite, Is all well with the young man Absalom? And the Cushite said, May the enemies of my lord the king and all those who rise up against you to harm you be like that young man!

And the king was badly shaken, and he went up to the chamber over the gate and wept. And as he went, he spoke thus, O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you! O Absalom, my son, my son!

And Joab was told: The king now weeps and mourns for Absalom.

And the victory that day was turned to mourning for all the people, for the people heard it said that day that the king was grieved concerning his son.

And the people stole into the city that day as shamed people steal away when they flee in battle.

And the king covered his face and cried with a loud voice, O my son Absalom! O Absalom, my son, my son!

Then Joab came to the king at his house and said, Today you have shamed the faces of all your servants, who saved your life today and the lives of your sons and daughters and the lives of your wives and the lives of your concubines,

In that you love those who hate you and hate those who love you; for you have made it clear today that princes and servants are nothing to you. But I realize today that if Absalom had lived and we all had died today, then it would have been fine in your sight.

Now therefore rise up; go forth and comfort the hearts of your servants. For I swear by Jehovah that if you do not go forth, not a man will remain with you tonight; and that will be worse for you than all the evil that has come upon you from your youth until now.

So the king rose up and sat in the gate.