⁵ Then Absalom said, Now send for Hushai the Archite, and let us give ear to what he has to say.

³² Now when David had come to the top of the slope, where they gave worship to God, Hushai the Archite came to him in great grief with dust on his head:

³³ David said to him, If you go on with me, you will be a trouble to me:

³⁴ But if you go back to the town and say to Absalom, I will be your servant, O king; as in the past I have been your father's servant, so now I will be yours: then you will be able to keep Ahithophel's designs against me from being put into effect.

³⁵ And have you not there Zadok and Abiathar the priests? so whatever comes to your ears from the king's house, give word of it to Zadok and Abiathar the priests.

³⁶ See, they have with them their two sons, Ahimaaz, Zadok's son, and Jonathan, the son of Abiathar; by them you may send word to me of everything which comes to your ears.

³⁷ So Hushai, David's friend, went into the town, and Absalom came to Jerusalem.

¹⁶ Then Hushai the Archite, David's friend, came to Absalom and said, Long life to the king, long life to the king!

¹⁷ And Absalom said, Is this your love for your friend? why did you not go with your friend?

¹⁸ And Hushai said to Absalom, Not so; I am for that man whom the Lord and this people and all the men of Israel have taken as king, and I will take my place with him.

¹⁹ And more than this! where is my place as a servant? is it not before his son? as I have been your father's servant, so will I be yours.