2Sa 15:1-12, Psa 36:11, 54:3, 119:51, 69, 85, 140:5 | ESV | STEP | After this Absalom got himself a chariot and horses , and fifty men to run before him.

2 Samuel 15:1-12

Absalom’s Conspiracy

1 After this Absalom ^agot himself a chariot and horses, and fifty men to run before him. 2 And Absalom used to rise early and stand beside ^bthe way of the gate. And when any man had a dispute to come before the king for judgment, Absalom would call to him and say, “From what city are you?” And when he said, “Your servant is of such and such a tribe in Israel,” 3 Absalom would say to him, “See, your claims are good and right, but there is no man designated by the king to hear you.” 4 Then Absalom would say, ^c“Oh that I were judge in the land! Then every man with a dispute or cause might come to me, and I would give him justice.” 5 And whenever a man came near to pay homage to him, he would put out his hand and take hold of him and kiss him. 6 Thus Absalom did to all of Israel who came to the king for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

7 And at the end of four ^{▼▼Septuagint, Syriac; Hebrew forty} years Absalom said to the king, “Please let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed to the Lord, in Hebron. 8 For your servant ^evowed a vow ^fwhile I lived at Geshur in Aram, saying, ‘If the Lord will indeed bring me back to Jerusalem, then I will offer worship to ^{▼▼Or will serve} the Lord.’” 9 The king said to him, ^h“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 ⁱwho were invited guests, and they went in their innocence and knew nothing. 12 And while Absalom was offering the sacrifices, he sent for ^{▼▼Or sent} ^kAhithophel the Gilonite, ^lDavid’s counselor, from his city ^mGiloh. And the conspiracy grew strong, and the people with Absalom ⁿkept increasing.

Psalms 36:11

11 Let not the foot of arrogance come upon me,
nor the hand of the wicked drive me away.

Psalms 54:3

3 ^oFor ^pstrangers ^{▼▼Some Hebrew manuscripts and Targum insolent men (compare Psalm 86:14)} have risen against me;
ruthless men ^rseek my life;
they do not set God before themselves. Selah

Psalms 119:51

51 ^sThe insolent utterly deride me,
but I do not ^tturn away from your law.

Psalms 119:69

69 ^uThe insolent ^vsmear me with lies,
but with my whole heart I ^wkeep your precepts;

Psalms 119:85

85 ^xThe insolent have ^ydug pitfalls for me;
they do not live according to your law.

Psalms 140:5

5 The arrogant have ^zhidden a trap for me,
and with cords they have spread ^aaa net; ^{▼▼Or they have spread cords as a net}
beside the way they have set ^acsnares for me. Selah