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Rh were with him. And all the country wept with a loud voice, as all the people passed over; and as the king passed over the brook Kidron, all the people passed over, toward the way of the wilderness.

And, lo, Zadok also came, and all the Levites with him, bearing the ark of the covenant of God; and they set down the ark of God—but Abiathar went up—until all the people had done passing out of the city. And the king said unto Zadok: 'Carry back the ark of God into the city; if I shall find favour in the eyes of the, He will bring me back, and show me both it, and His habitation; but if He say thus: I have no delight in thee; behold, here am I, let Him do to me as seemeth good unto Him.' The king said also unto Zadok the priest: 'Seest thou? return into the city in peace, and your two sons with you, Ahimaaz thy son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar. See, I will tarry in the plains of the wilderness, until there come word from you to announce unto me.' Zadok therefore and Abiathar carried the ark of God back to Jerusalem; and they abode there.

And David went up by the ascent of the mount of Olives, and wept as he went up; and he had his head covered, and went barefoot; and all the people that were with him covered every man his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up. And one told David, saying: 'Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.' And David said: 'O, I pray Thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.' And it came to pass, that when David was come to the top of the ascent, where God was wont to be worshipped, behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his coat rent, and earth upon his head. And David said unto him: 'If thou passest on with me, then thou wilt be a burden unto Me; but if thou return to the city, and say unto Absalom: I will be thy servant, O king; as I have been thy father's servant in time past, so will I now be thy servant; then wilt thou defeat for me the counsel of Ahithophel. And hast thou not there with thee Zadok and Abiathar the priests? therefore it shall be, that what thing soever thou shalt hear out of the king's house, thou shalt tell it to Zadok and Abiathar the priests. Behold, they have there with them their two sons, Ahimaaz Zadok's son, and Jonathan Abiathar's son; and by them ye shall send unto me every thing that ye shall hear.' So Hushai David's friend came into the city; and Absalom was at the point of coming into Jerusalem.

And when David was a little past the top, behold, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him, with a couple of asses saddled, and upon them two hundred loaves of bread, and a hundred clusters of raisins, and a hundred of summer fruits, and a bottle of wine. And the king said unto Ziba: 'What meanest thou by these?' And Ziba said: 'The asses are for the king's household to ride on; and the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat; and the wine, that such as are faint in the wilderness may drink.' And the king said: 'And where is thy master's son?' And Ziba said unto the king: 'Behold, he abideth at Jerusalem; for he said: To-day will the house of Israel restore me the kingdom of my father.' Then said the king to Ziba: 'Behold, thine is all that pertaineth unto Mephibosheth.'