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But then Yonadav, the son of Shim‘ah, David's brother, spoke up; he said, "My lord shouldn't think they have killed all the young men, the king's sons. Only Amnon is dead; for Avshalom has meant to do this ever since the day he raped his sister Tamar.

But as King David became reconciled to the death of his son Amnon, he was increasingly filled with longing to see Avshalom.

so Yo'av sent to T'koa, brought from there a clever woman and said to her, "Please, pretend you're a mourner. Put on mourning clothes, and don't anoint yourself with oil, but appear to be a woman who has mourned for the dead a long time.

Your servant Yo'av did this in order to bring about some change in the situation. But my lord is wise, he has the wisdom of an angel of God when it comes to understanding anything going on in the land."

However, the king said, "Let him return to his own house, but he is not to appear in my presence." So Avshalom returned to his own house and did not appear before the king.

Then Avshalom summoned Yo'av, planning to send him to the king; but he refused to come to him. He summoned him a second time, but he still wouldn't come.

Avshalom would say to him, "Look, your cause is good and just; but the king hasn't deputized anyone to hear your case."

But Avshalom sent spies through all the tribes of Isra'el to say, "The moment you hear the sound of the shofar, then start proclaiming, ‘Avshalom is king in Hevron.'"

The king set out with all the people after him, but they waited at the last house

But Ittai answered the king, "As Adonai lives, and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king may be, whether for death or for life, your servant will be there too."

Tzadok also came, accompanied by all the L'vi'im bearing the ark for the covenant of God. They set the ark of God down, but Evyatar went up until all the people had finished leaving the city.

But if he says, ‘I am displeased with you,' then — here I am; let him do to me whatever seems good to him."

But if you go back to the city and tell Avshalom, ‘King, I will be your servant; just as I was your father's servant in the past, so I will now be your servant' — then you will be able to frustrate Achitofel's advice for me.

Adonai has brought back on you all the blood of the house of Sha'ul. You usurped his kingship, but Adonai has handed over the kingdom to Avshalom your son. Now your own evil has overtaken you, because you are a man of blood!"

Hushai replied, "No, but whomever Adonai and this people and all the men of Isra'el choose, his I will be; and with him I will stay.

Then Hushai said to Tzadok and Evyatar the cohanim, "Achitofel gave such-and-such advice to Avshalom and the leaders of Isra'el, but I advised so and so.

Now therefore send quickly and tell David, "Don't stay tonight in the desert plains; but, whatever it takes, move on from there! Otherwise, the king and all the people with him will be engulfed."

But a boy saw them and told Avshalom; so both of them took off quickly and came to the house of a man in Bachurim who had a cistern in his courtyard; and they went down into it.

But the people replied, "Don't go out; because if we flee, they won't care about us. Even if half of us die, they won't care about us. But you are worth ten thousand of us; so it is better now that you stay in the city and be ready if we need help."

Yo'av said to him, "You are not to be the one to bring the news today; you can convey news another day; but today you will not bring news, because the king's son is dead."