Then Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's counselor, from his city -- from Giloh -- while he offered sacrifices. And the conspiracy grew strong, for the people with Absalom continually increased in number.

The kings of the earth set themselves, And the rulers take counsel together, Against the LORD and against His Anointed, [saying,]

Then news came to Joab, for Joab had defected to Adonijah, though he had not defected to Absalom. So Joab fled to the tabernacle of the LORD, and took hold of the horns of the altar.

Joab the son of Zeruiah [was] over the army; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud [was] recorder;

And Joab [was] over all the army of Israel; Benaiah the son of Jehoiada [was] over the Cherethites and the Pelethites;

Now one of the sons of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped and fled after David.

So David said to Abiathar, "I knew that day, when Doeg the Edomite [was] there, that he would surely tell Saul. I have caused [the death] of all the persons of your father's house.

There was Zadok also, and all the Levites with him, bearing the ark of the covenant of God. And they set down the ark of God, and Abiathar went up until all the people had finished crossing over from the city.

"But if He says thus: 'I have no delight in you,' here I am, let Him do to me as seems good to Him."

"See, I will wait in the plains of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me."

Sheva [was] scribe; Zadok and Abiathar [were] the priests;

And King Solomon answered and said to his mother, "Now why do you ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Ask for him the kingdom also -- for he [is] my older brother -- for him, and for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab the son of Zeruiah."

And to Abiathar the priest the king said, "Go to Anathoth, to your own fields, for you [are] deserving of death; but I will not put you to death at this time, because you carried the ark of the Lord GOD before my father David, and because you were afflicted every time my father was afflicted."

Then news came to Joab, for Joab had defected to Adonijah, though he had not defected to Absalom. So Joab fled to the tabernacle of the LORD, and took hold of the horns of the altar.

So Benaiah went to the tabernacle of the LORD, and said to him, "Thus says the king, 'Come out!' " And he said, "No, but I will die here." And Benaiah brought back word to the king, saying, "Thus said Joab, and thus he answered me."

"So the LORD will return his blood on his head, because he struck down two men more righteous and better than he, and killed them with the sword -- Abner the son of Ner, the commander of the army of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, the commander of the army of Judah -- though my father David did not know [it.]

So Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went up and struck and killed him; and he was buried in his own house in the wilderness.