2Samuel 14
14Joab realized how much the king longed to see Absalom.H3097H1121H6870H3045H4428H3820H532So he sent for a woman from Tekoa who had a reputation for great wisdom. He said to her, "Pretend you are in mourning; wear mourning clothes and don't put on lotions. Act like a woman who has been mourning for the dead for a long time.H3097H7971H8620H3947H2450H802H559H56H3847H60H899H5480H8081H802H7227H3117H56H41913Then go to the king and tell him the story I am about to tell you." Then Joab told her what to say.H935H4428H1696H1697H3097H7760H1697H63104When the woman from Tekoa approached the king, she bowed with her face to the ground in deep respect and cried out, "O king! Help me!"H802H8621H559H4428H5307H639H776H7812H559H3467H44285"What's the trouble?" the king asked."Alas, I am a widow!" she replied. "My husband is dead.H4428H559H559H61H490H802H376H41916My two sons had a fight out in the field. And since no one was there to stop it, one of them was killed.H8198H8147H1121H8147H5327H7704H5337H259H5221H259H41917Now the rest of the family is demanding, 'Let us have your son. We will execute him for murdering his brother. He doesn't deserve to inherit his family's property.' They want to extinguish the only coal I have left, and my husband's name and family will disappear from the face of the earth."H4940H6965H8198H559H5414H5221H251H4191H5315H251H2026H8045H3423H3518H1513H7760H7604H376H8034H7611H6440H1278"Leave it to me," the king told her. "Go home, and I'll see to it that no one touches him."H4428H559H802H3212H1004H66809"Oh, thank you, my lord the king," the woman from Tekoa replied. "If you are criticized for helping me, let the blame fall on me and on my father's house, and let the king and his throne be innocent."H802H8621H559H4428H113H4428H5771H1H1004H4428H3678H535510"If anyone objects," the king said, "bring him to me. I can assure you he will never complain again!"H4428H559H1696H935H5060H325411Then she said, "Please swear to me by the LORD your God that you won't let anyone take vengeance against my son. I want no more bloodshed." "As surely as the LORD lives," he replied, "not a hair on your son's head will be disturbed!"H559H4428H2142H3068H430H1350H1818H7843H7235H8045H1121H559H3068H2416H8185H1121H5307H77612"Please allow me to ask one more thing of my lord the king," she said."Go ahead and speak," he responded.H802H559H8198H1696H1697H113H4428H559H169613She replied, "Why don't you do as much for the people of God as you have promised to do for me? You have convicted yourself in making this decision, because you have refused to bring home your own banished son.H802H559H2803H5971H430H4428H1696H1697H818H4428H7725H508014All of us must die eventually. Our lives are like water spilled out on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again. But God does not just sweep life away; instead, he devises ways to bring us back when we have been separated from him.H4191H4191H4325H5064H776H622H430H5375H5315H2803H4284H5080H508015"I have come to plead with my lord the king because people have threatened me. I said to myself, 'Perhaps the king will listen to meH935H1696H1697H113H4428H5971H3372H8198H559H1696H4428H4428H6213H1697H51916and rescue us from those who would cut us off from the inheritance God has given us.H4428H8085H5337H519H3709H376H8045H1121H3162H5159H43017Yes, my lord the king will give us peace of mind again.' I know that you are like an angel of God in discerning good from evil. May the LORD your God be with you."H8198H559H1697H113H4428H4496H4397H430H113H4428H8085H2896H7451H3068H43018"I must know one thing," the king replied, "and tell me the truth." "Yes, my lord the king," she responded.H4428H6030H559H802H3582H1697H7592H802H559H113H4428H169619"Did Joab put you up to this?" And the woman replied, "My lord the king, how can I deny it? Nobody can hide anything from you. Yes, Joab sent me and told me what to say.H4428H559H3027H3097H802H6030H559H5315H2416H113H4428H376H786H3231H8041H113H4428H1696H5650H3097H6680H7760H1697H6310H819820He did it to place the matter before you in a different light. But you are as wise as an angel of God, and you understand everything that happens among us!"H5668H5437H6440H1697H5650H3097H6213H1697H113H2450H2451H4397H430H3045H77621So the king sent for Joab and told him, "All right, go and bring back the young man Absalom."H4428H559H3097H6213H1697H3212H7725H5288H53H772522Joab bowed with his face to the ground in deep respect and said, "At last I know that I have gained your approval, my lord the king, for you have granted me this request!"H3097H5307H776H6440H7812H1288H4428H3097H559H3117H5650H3045H4672H2580H5869H113H4428H4428H6213H1697H565023Then Joab went to Geshur and brought Absalom back to Jerusalem.H3097H6965H3212H1650H935H53H338924But the king gave this order: "Absalom may go to his own house, but he must never come into my presence." So Absalom did not see the king.H4428H559H5437H1004H7200H6440H53H5437H1004H7200H4428H644025Now Absalom was praised as the most handsome man in all Israel. He was flawless from head to foot.H3478H376H3966H1984H53H3303H3709H7272H6936H397126He cut his hair only once a year, and then only because it was so heavy. When he weighed it out, it came to five pounds!H1548H7218H3117H3117H7093H1548H3513H1548H8254H8181H7218H3967H8255H4428H6827He had three sons and one daughter. His daughter's name was Tamar, and she was very beautiful.H53H3205H7969H1121H259H1323H8034H8559H802H3303H475828Absalom lived in Jerusalem for two years, but he never got to see the king.H53H3427H3117H8141H3389H7200H4428H644029Then Absalom sent for Joab to ask him to intercede for him, but Joab refused to come. Absalom sent for him a second time, but again Joab refused to come.H53H7971H3097H7971H4428H14H935H7971H8145H14H93530So Absalom said to his servants, "Go and set fire to Joab's barley field, the field next to mine." So they set his field on fire, as Absalom had commanded.H559H5650H7200H3097H2513H413H3027H8184H3212H3341H784H53H5650H3341H2513H78431Then Joab came to Absalom at his house and demanded, "Why did your servants set my field on fire?"H3097H6965H935H53H1004H559H5650H3341H2513H78432And Absalom replied, "Because I wanted you to ask the king why he brought me back from Geshur if he didn't intend to see me. I might as well have stayed there. Let me see the king; if he finds me guilty of anything, then let him kill me."H53H559H3097H7971H559H935H7971H4428H559H935H1650H2896H7200H4428H6440H3426H5771H419133So Joab told the king what Absalom had said. Then at last David summoned Absalom, who came and bowed low before the king, and the king kissed him.H3097H935H4428H5046H7121H53H935H4428H7812H639H776H6440H4428H4428H5401H53
2Samuel 15
15After this, Absalom bought a chariot and horses, and he hired fifty bodyguards to run ahead of him.H310H53H6213H4818H5483H2572H376H7323H64402He got up early every morning and went out to the gate of the city. When people brought a case to the king for judgment, Absalom would ask where in Israel they were from, and they would tell him their tribe.H53H7925H5975H3027H1870H8179H376H7379H935H4428H4941H53H7121H559H335H5892H559H5650H259H7626H34783Then Absalom would say, "You've really got a strong case here! It's too bad the king doesn't have anyone to hear it.H53H559H7200H1697H2896H5228H4428H80854I wish I were the judge. Then everyone could bring their cases to me for judgment, and I would give them justice!"H53H559H7760H8199H776H376H7379H4941H935H66635When people tried to bow before him, Absalom wouldn't let them. Instead, he took them by the hand and kissed them.H376H7126H7812H7971H3027H2388H54016Absalom did this with everyone who came to the king for judgment, and so he stole the hearts of all the people of Israel.H1697H6213H53H3478H935H4428H4941H53H1589H3820H582H34787After four years, Absalom said to the king, "Let me go to Hebron to offer a sacrifice to the LORD and fulfill a vow I made to him.H7093H705H8141H53H559H4428H3212H7999H5088H5087H3068H22758For while your servant was at Geshur in Aram, I promised to sacrifice to the LORD in Hebron if he would bring me back to Jerusalem."H5650H5087H5088H3427H1650H758H559H3068H7725H7725H3389H5647H30689"All right," the king told him. "Go and fulfill your vow." So Absalom went to Hebron.H4428H559H3212H7965H6965H3212H227510But while he was there, he sent secret messengers to all the tribes of Israel to stir up a rebellion against the king. "As soon as you hear the ram's horn," his message read, "you are to say, 'Absalom has been crowned king in Hebron.'"H53H7971H7270H7626H3478H559H8085H6963H7782H559H53H4427H227511He took 200 men from Jerusalem with him as guests, but they knew nothing of his intentions.H53H1980H3967H376H3389H7121H1980H8537H3045H169712While Absalom was offering the sacrifices, he sent for Ahithophel, one of David's counselors who lived in Giloh. Soon many others also joined Absalom, and the conspiracy gained momentum.H53H7971H302H1526H1732H3289H5892H1542H2076H2077H7195H533H5971H7227H1980H5313A messenger soon arrived in Jerusalem to tell David, "All Israel has joined Absalom in a conspiracy against you!"H935H5046H1732H559H3820H376H3478H310H5314"Then we must flee at once, or it will be too late!" David urged his men. "Hurry! If we get out of the city before Absalom arrives, both we and the city of Jerusalem will be spared from disaster."H1732H559H5650H3389H6965H1272H6413H6440H53H4116H3212H5381H4116H5080H7451H5221H5892H6310H271915"We are with you," his advisers replied. "Do what you think is best."H4428H5650H559H4428H5650H113H4428H97716So the king and all his household set out at once. He left no one behind except ten of his concubines to look after the palace.H4428H3318H1004H7272H4428H5800H6235H802H6370H8104H100417The king and all his people set out on foot, pausing at the last houseH4428H3318H5971H7272H5975H1004H4801H102318to let all the king's men move past to lead the way. There were 600 men from Gath who had come with David, along with the king's bodyguard.H5650H5674H3027H3774H6432H1663H8337H3967H376H935H7272H1661H5674H6440H442819Then the king turned and said to Ittai, a leader of the men from Gath, "Why are you coming with us? Go on back to King Absalom, for you are a guest in Israel, a foreigner in exile.H559H4428H863H1663H3212H7725H4725H3427H4428H5237H154020You arrived only recently, and should I force you today to wander with us? I don't even know where we will go. Go on back and take your kinsmen with you, and may the LORD show you his unfailing love and faithfulness."H935H8543H3117H3212H5128H5128H1980H7725H7725H251H2617H57121But Ittai said to the king, "I vow by the LORD and by your own life that I will go wherever my lord the king goes, no matter what happens—whether it means life or death."H863H6030H4428H559H3068H2416H113H4428H2416H4725H113H4428H4194H2416H565022David replied, "All right, come with us." So Ittai and all his men and their families went along.H1732H559H863H3212H5674H863H1663H5674H582H294523Everyone cried loudly as the king and his followers passed by. They crossed the Kidron Valley and then went out toward the wilderness.H776H1058H1419H6963H5971H5674H4428H5674H5158H6939H5971H5674H6440H1870H405724Zadok and all the Levites also came along, carrying the Ark of the Covenant of God. They set down the Ark of God, and Abiathar offered sacrifices until everyone had passed out of the city.H6659H3881H5375H727H1285H430H3332H727H430H54H5927H5971H8552H5674H589225Then the king instructed Zadok to take the Ark of God back into the city. "If the LORD sees fit," David said, "he will bring me back to see the Ark and the Tabernacle again.H4428H559H6659H7725H727H430H5892H4672H2580H5869H3068H7725H7200H511626But if he is through with me, then let him do what seems best to him."H559H2654H6213H5869H289627The king also told Zadok the priest, "Look, here is my plan. You and Abiathar should return quietly to the city with your son Ahimaaz and Abiathar's son Jonathan.H4428H559H6659H3548H7200H7725H5892H7965H8147H1121H290H1121H3083H1121H5428I will stop at the shallows of the Jordan River and wait there for a report from you."H7200H4102H6160H5679H4057H935H1697H504629So Zadok and Abiathar took the Ark of God back to the city and stayed there.H6659H54H7725H727H430H7725H3389H342730David walked up the road to the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went. His head was covered and his feet were bare as a sign of mourning. And the people who were with him covered their heads and wept as they climbed the hill.H1732H5927H4608H2132H1058H5927H7218H2645H1980H3182H5971H2645H376H7218H5927H1058H592731When someone told David that his adviser Ahithophel was now backing Absalom, David prayed, "O LORD, let Ahithophel give Absalom foolish advice!"H5046H1732H559H302H7194H53H1732H559H3068H6098H302H552832When David reached the summit of the Mount of Olives where people worshiped God, Hushai the Arkite was waiting there for him. Hushai had torn his clothing and put dirt on his head as a sign of mourning.H1732H935H7218H7812H430H2365H757H7125H3801H7167H127H721833But David told him, "If you go with me, you will only be a burden.H1732H559H5674H485334Return to Jerusalem and tell Absalom, 'I will now be your adviser, O king, just as I was your father's adviser in the past.' Then you can frustrate and counter Ahithophel's advice.H7725H5892H559H53H5650H4428H1H5650H227H5650H6565H6098H30235Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, will be there. Tell them about the plans being made in the king's palace,H6659H54H3548H1697H8085H4428H1004H5046H6659H54H354836and they will send their sons Ahimaaz and Jonathan to tell me what is going on."H8147H1121H290H6659H3083H54H3027H7971H1697H808537So David's friend Hushai returned to Jerusalem, getting there just as Absalom arrived.H2365H1732H7463H935H5892H53H935H3389
2Samuel 16
16When David had gone a little beyond the summit of the Mount of Olives, Ziba, the servant of Mephibosheth, was waiting there for him. He had two donkeys loaded with 200 loaves of bread, 100 clusters of raisins, 100 bunches of summer fruit, and a wineskin full of wine.H1732H4592H5674H7218H6717H5288H4648H7125H6776H2543H2280H3967H3899H3967H6778H3967H7019H5035H31962"What are these for?" the king asked Ziba. Ziba replied, "The donkeys are for the king's people to ride on, and the bread and summer fruit are for the young men to eat. The wine is for those who become exhausted in the wilderness."H4428H559H6717H6717H559H2543H4428H1004H7392H3899H7019H5288H398H3196H3287H4057H83543"And where is Mephibosheth, Saul's grandson?" the king asked him."He stayed in Jerusalem," Ziba replied. "He said, 'Today I will get back the kingdom of my grandfather Saul.'"H4428H559H113H1121H6717H559H4428H3427H3389H559H3117H1004H3478H7725H4468H14"In that case," the king told Ziba, "I give you everything Mephibosheth owns." "I bow before you," Ziba replied. "May I always be pleasing to you, my lord the king."H559H4428H6717H4648H6717H559H7812H4672H2580H5869H113H44285As King David came to Bahurim, a man came out of the village cursing them. It was Shimei son of Gera, from the same clan as Saul's family.H4428H1732H935H980H3318H376H4940H1004H7586H8034H8096H1121H1617H3318H7043H33186He threw stones at the king and the king's officers and all the mighty warriors who surrounded him.H5619H68H1732H5650H4428H1732H5971H1368H3225H80407"Get out of here, you murderer, you scoundrel!" he shouted at David.H559H8096H7043H3318H3318H1818H376H376H11008"The LORD is paying you back for all the bloodshed in Saul's clan. You stole his throne, and now the LORD has given it to your son Absalom. At last you will taste some of your own medicine, for you are a murderer!"H3068H7725H1818H1004H7586H4427H3068H5414H4410H3027H53H1121H7451H1818H3769"Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king?" Abishai son of Zeruiah demanded. "Let me go over and cut off his head!"H559H52H1121H6870H4428H4191H3611H7043H113H4428H5674H5493H721810"No!" the king said. "Who asked your opinion, you sons of Zeruiah! If the LORD has told him to curse me, who are you to stop him?"H4428H559H1121H6870H7043H3068H559H7043H1732H559H621311Then David said to Abishai and to all his servants, "My own son is trying to kill me. Doesn't this relative of Saul have even more reason to do so? Leave him alone and let him curse, for the LORD has told him to do it.H1732H559H52H5650H1121H3318H4578H1245H5315H1145H3240H7043H3068H55912And perhaps the LORD will see that I am being wronged and will bless me because of these curses today."H3068H7200H5869H6040H3068H7725H2896H7045H311713So David and his men continued down the road, and Shimei kept pace with them on a nearby hillside, cursing as he went and throwing stones at David and tossing dust into the air.H1732H582H3212H1870H8096H1980H2022H6763H5980H7043H1980H5619H68H5980H6080H608314The king and all who were with him grew weary along the way, so they rested when they reached the Jordan River.H4428H5971H935H5889H531415Meanwhile, Absalom and all the army of Israel arrived at Jerusalem, accompanied by Ahithophel.H53H5971H376H3478H935H3389H30216When David's friend Hushai the Arkite arrived, he went immediately to see Absalom. "Long live the king!" he exclaimed. "Long live the king!"H2365H757H1732H7463H935H53H2365H559H53H2421H4428H2421H442817"Is this the way you treat your friend David?" Absalom asked him. "Why aren't you with him?"H53H559H2365H2617H7453H1980H745318"I'm here because I belong to the man who is chosen by the LORD and by all the men of Israel," Hushai replied.H2365H559H53H3068H5971H376H3478H977H342719"And anyway, why shouldn't I serve you? Just as I was your father's adviser, now I will be your adviser!"H8145H5647H6440H1121H5647H1H6440H644020Then Absalom turned to Ahithophel and asked him, "What should I do next?"H559H53H302H3051H6098H621321Ahithophel told him, "Go and sleep with your father's concubines, for he has left them here to look after the palace. Then all Israel will know that you have insulted your father beyond hope of reconciliation, and they will throw their support to you."H302H559H53H935H1H6370H3240H8104H1004H3478H8085H887H1H3027H238822So they set up a tent on the palace roof where everyone could see it, and Absalom went in and had sex with his father's concubines.H5186H53H168H1406H53H935H1H6370H5869H347823Absalom followed Ahithophel's advice, just as David had done. For every word Ahithophel spoke seemed as wise as though it had come directly from the mouth of God.H6098H302H3289H3117H376H7592H1697H430H6098H302H1732H53
Dublin, OH
. Act like a woman who has been mourning for the dead for a long time.H3097
