Absalom also sent for Ahithophel, David's adviser, from the city of
Giloh, while he was offering the sacrifices. And the plot was strong,
for more and more people kept going over to Absalom.

When a messenger came to David, saying, "The hearts of the men of Israel
have gone over to Absalom," David said to all his servants who were with
him at Jerusalem, "Up, let us flee; for, if we do not, none of us will
escape from Absalom. Go at once, or he may quickly overtake us and bring
evil upon us and kill the people of the city." Then David's servants
said to him, "It shall be done as our lord wishes; we are your
servants."

So David and all the people who followed him went out and stood at the
last house, while all the officers and the royal body-guard and all the
men of Ittai the Gittite, the six hundred who had followed him from
Gath, passed on before him.

Then David said to Ittai, "Why do you also go with us? Go back and stay
with the new ruler, for you are a foreigner and away from your own land.
Yesterday you came, and to-day shall I make you go up and down the land
with us, while I go where I may? Go back and take your men with you, and
may Jehovah show you kindness and faithfulness." But Ittai answered, "As
surely as Jehovah lives and as my lord the ruler of Israel lives,
wherever my lord is, whether dead or living, there your servant will
be!" David said to Ittai, "March on." So Ittai marched on with all his
men and with all the children who were with him.

All the people were weeping aloud while David stood in the Kidron
valley, and they went by before him on the way to the wilderness. And
Zadok and Abiathar came carrying the ark of Jehovah and set it down
until all the people had passed. Then David said to Zadok, "Carry the
ark of God back into the city. If I win Jehovah's favor, he will bring
me back and show me both it and the place where he dwells. But if he
declares, 'I have no trust in you, then here am I, let him do to me as
he thinks best.'" So Zadok and Abiathar carried the ark of God back to
Jerusalem and stayed there.

But David went up, weeping as he climbed the Mount of Olives with his
head covered and his feet bare. All the people who were with him covered
their heads and went up, weeping as they went.

And when David came to the summit, where one worships God, Hushai the
Archite with his garment torn and earth upon his head, came to meet him.
David said to him, "If you go on with me you will be