8. For your servant vowed a vow while I lived at Geshur in Aram, saying, ‘If the Lord will indeed bring me back to Jerusalem, then I will offer worship to the Lord.’”
9. The king said to him, “Go in peace.” So he arose and went to Hebron.
10. But Absalom sent secret messengers throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then say, ‘Absalom is king at Hebron!’”
11. With Absalom went two hundred men from Jerusalem who were invited guests, and they went in their innocence and knew nothing.
12. And while Absalom was offering the sacrifices, he sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, from his city Giloh. And the conspiracy grew strong, and the people with Absalom kept increasing.
13. And a messenger came to David, saying, “The hearts of the men of Israel have gone after Absalom.”
14. Then David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, “Arise, and let us flee, or else there will be no escape for us from Absalom. Go quickly, lest he overtake us quickly and bring down ruin on us and strike the city with the edge of the sword.”
15. And the king’s servants said to the king, “Behold, your servants are ready to do whatever my lord the king decides.”
16. So the king went out, and all his household after him. And the king left ten concubines to keep the house.
17. And the king went out, and all the people after him. And they halted at the last house.
18. And all his servants passed by him, and all the Cherethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the six hundred Gittites who had followed him from Gath, passed on before the king.
19. Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why do you also go with us? Go back and stay with the king, for you are a foreigner and also an exile from your home.