Absalom Enters Jerusalem

2 Samuel 16

¹⁵ Now Absalom and all the Israelites ₁ came to Jerusalem; Ahithophel was with him. ¹⁶ When Hushai the Archite, David's friend, came to Absalom, Hushai said to Absalom, "Long live the king! Long live the king!" ¹⁷ Absalom said to Hushai, "Is this your loyalty to your friend? Why did you not go with your friend?" ¹⁸ Hushai said to Absalom, "No; but the one whom the Lord and this people and all the Israelites have chosen, his I will be, and with him I will remain. ¹⁹ Moreover, whom should I serve? Should it not be his son? Just as I have served your father, so I will serve you."

²⁰ Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, "Give us your counsel; what shall we do?" ²¹ Ahithophel said to Absalom, "Go in to your father's concubines, the ones he has left to look after the house; and all Israel will hear that you have made yourself odious to your father, and the hands of all who are with you will be strengthened." ²² So they pitched a tent for Absalom upon the roof; and Absalom went in to his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel. ²³ Now in those days the counsel that Ahithophel gave was as if one consulted the oracle ₂ of God; so all the counsel of Ahithophel was esteemed, both by David and by Absalom.