7 ¹⁸ Then King David went into the presence of the LORD and took his place there and said, '.What am I, Lord GOD, and what is my family, that thou hast brought me thus far? 7 ¹⁹ It was a small thing in thy sight to have planned for thy servant's house in days long past. But such, O Lord GOD, is the lot of a man embarked on a high career embarked on a high career: prob. rdg, cp 1Chr. 17.17; Heb omitted. 7 ²⁰ And now what more can I say? for well thou knowest thy servant David, O Lord GOD. 7 ²¹ Thou hast made good thy word; it was thy purpose to spread thy servant's fame, and so thou hast raised me to this greatness. 7 ²² Great indeed art thou, O Lord GOD; we have never heard of one like thee; there is no god but thee. 7 ²³ And thy people Israel, to whom can they be compared? Is there any other nation on earth whom thou, O God, hast set out to redeem from slavery. to be thy people? Any other for whom thou hast done great and terrible things to win fame for thyself? Any other whom thou hast redeemed for thyself from Egypt by driving out other nations and their gods to make way for them? 7 ²⁴ Thou hast established thy people Israel as thy own for ever, and thou, O LORD, hast become their God. 7 ²⁵ But now, LORD God, perform what thou hast promised for thy servant and his house, and for all time; make good what thou hast said. 7 ²⁶ May thy fame be great for evermore and let men say, "The LORD of Hosts is God over Israel.'' So shall the house of thy servant David be established before thee. 7 ²⁷ O LORD of Hosts, God of Israel, thou hast shown me thy purpose, in saying to thy servant, "I will build up your house"; and therefore I have made bold to offer this prayer to thee. 7 ²⁸ Thou, O Lord GOD, art God; thou hast made these noble promises to thy servant, and thy promises come true; 7 ²⁹ be pleased now to bless thy servant's house that it may continue always before thee; thou, O Lord GOD, hast promised, and thy blessing shall rest upon thy servant's house for evermore.' - David's military victories.  2Sm.8.1-18- 1Chr.18.1-17 | NEB Contents | notes

8 ¹ vv1-14: cp 1Chr. 18.1-13After this David defeated the Philistines and conquered them, and took from them Metheg-ha-ammah.

8 ² He defeated the Moabites, and he made them lie along the ground and measured them off with a length of cord; for every two lengths that were to be put to death one full length was spared. The Moabites became subject to him and paid him tribute.

8 ³ David also defeated Hadadezer the Rehobite, king of Zobah, who was on his way to re-erect his monument of victory by re-erect ... victory by: or recover control of the crossings of the river Euphrates. 8 ⁴ From him David captured seventeen hundred horse and twenty thousand foot; he hamstrung all the chariot-horses, except a hundred which he retained. 8 ⁵ When the Aramaeans of Damascus came to the help of Hadadezer king of Zobah, 8 ⁶ David destroyed twenty-two thousand of them, and established garrisons among these Aramaeans; they became subject to him and paid him tribute. Thus the LORD gave David victory wherever he went. 8 ⁷ David took the gold quivers borne by Hadadezer's servants and brought them to Jerusalem; 8 ⁸ and he also took a great quantity of bronze Or copper from Hadadezer's cities, Betah and Berothai.

8 ⁹ When Toi king of Hamath heard that David had defeated the entire army of Hadadezer, 8 ¹⁰ he sent his son Joram to King David to greet him and to congratulate him on defeating Hadadezer in battle (for Hadadezer had been at war with Toi); and he brought with him vessels of silver, gold, and copper, 8 ¹¹ which King David dedicated to the LORD. He dedicated also the silver and gold taken from all the nations he had subdued, 8 ¹² from Edom and Moab, from the Ammonites, the Philistines, and Amalek, as well as part of the spoil taken from Hadadezer the Rehobite, king of Zobah.

8 ¹³ David made a great name for himself by the slaughter of eighteen thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt, and on returning 8 ¹⁴ he stationed garrisons throughout Edom, and all the Edomites were subject to him. Thus the LORD gave victory to David wherever he went.

8 ¹⁵ vv15-18: cp 20.23-26; 1Kgs. 4.2-6; 1Chr. 18.14-17 David ruled over the whole of Israel and maintained law and justice among all his people. 8 ¹⁶ Joab son of Zeruiah was in command of the army; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was secretary of state; 8 ¹⁷ Zadok and Abiathar son of Ahimelech, son of Ahitub and Abiathar ... Ahitub: prob. rdg, cp 1Sam. 22.11,20; 2Sam. 20.25; Heb son of Ahitub and Ahimelech son of Abiathar, were priests; Seraiah was adjutant-general; 8 ¹⁸ Benaiah son of Jehoiada commanded the Kerethite and Pelethite guards. David's sons were priests. - David & Mephibosheth.  1Sm.9.1-13

9 ¹ David asked, 'Is any member of Saul's family left, to whom I can show true kindness for Jonathan's sake?' 9 ² There was a servant of Saul's family named Ziba; and he was summoned to David. The king asked, 'Are you Ziba?', and he answered, 'Your servant, sir.' 9 ³ So the king said, 'Is no member of Saul's family still alive to whom I may show the kindness that God requires?' 'Yes,' said Ziba, 'there is a son of Jonathan still alive; he is a cripple, lame in both feet.' 9 ⁴ 'Where is he?' said the king, and Ziba answered, 'He is staying with Machir son of Ammiel in Lo-debar.'

9 ⁵ So the king sent and fetched him from Lo-debar, from the house of Machir son of Ammiel, 9 ⁶ and when Mephibosheth, son of Jonathan and Saul's grandson, entered David's presence, he prostrated himself and did obeisance. David said to him, 'Mephibosheth', and he answered, 'Your servant, sir.' 9 ⁷ Then David said, 'Do not be afraid; I mean to show you kindness for your father Jonathan's sake, and I will give you back the whole estate of your grandfather Saul; you shall have a place for yourself at my table.' 9 ⁸ So Mephibosheth prostrated himself again and said, 'Who am I that you should spare a thought for a dead dog like me?'

9 ⁹ Then David summoned Saul's servant Ziba to his presence and said to him, 'I assign to your master's grandson all the property that belonged to Saul and his family. 9 ¹⁰ You and your sons and your slaves must cultivate the land and bring in the harvest to provide for your master's household, but Mephibosheth your master's grandson shall have a place at my table.' This man Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty slaves. 9 ¹¹ Then Ziba answered the king, 'I will do all that your majesty commands.' So Mephibosheth took his place in the royal household like one of the king's sons. 9 ¹² He had a young son, named Mica; and the members of Ziba's household were all Mephibosheth's servants, 9 ¹³ while Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem and had his regular place at the king's table, crippled as he was in both feet. - David defeats the Ammonites & the Syrians.  2Sm.10.1-19- 1Chr.19.1-19 | NEB Contents | notes

10 ¹ vv1-19: cp 1Chr. 19.1-19 Some time afterwards the king of the Ammonites died and was succeeded by his son Hanun. 10 ² David said, 'I must keep up the same loyal friendship with Hanun son of Nahash as his father showed me', and he sent a mission to condole with him on the death of his father. But when David's envoys entered the country of the Ammonites, 10 ³ the Ammonite princes said to Hanun their lord, 'Do you suppose David means to do honour to your father when he sends you his condolences? These men of his are spies whom he has sent to find out how to overthrow the city.' 10 ⁴ So Hanun took David's servants, and he shaved off half their beards, cut off half their garments up to the buttocks, and dismissed them. 10 ⁵ When David heard how they had been treated, he sent to meet them, for they were deeply humiliated, and ordered them to wait in Jericho and not to return until their beards had grown again.

10 ⁶ The Ammonites knew that they had fallen into bad odour with David, so they hired the Aramaeans of Beth-rehob and of Zobah to come to their help with twenty thousand infantry; they also hired the king of Maacah with a thousand men, and twelve thousand men from Tob. 10 ⁷ When David heard of it, he sent out Joab and all the fighting men. 10 ⁸ The Ammonites came and took up their position at the entrance to the city, while the Aramaeans of Zobah and of Rehob and the men of Tob and Maacah took up theirs in the open country.

10 ⁹ When Joab saw that he was threatened both front and rear, he detailed some picked Israelite troops and drew them up facing the Aramaeans. 10 ¹⁰ The rest of his forces he put under his brother Abishai, who took up a position facing the Ammonites. 10 ¹¹ 'If the Aramaeans prove too strong for me,' he said, 'you must come to my relief; and if the Ammonites prove too strong for you, I will come to yours. 10 ¹² Courage! Let us fight bravely for our people and for the cities Or altars of our God. And the LORD's will be done.' 10 ¹³ But when Joab and his men came to close quarters with the Aramaeans, they put them to flight; 10 ¹⁴ and when the Ammonites saw them in flight, they too fled before Abishai and entered the city. Then Joab returned from the battle against the Ammonites and came to Jerusalem.

10 ¹⁵ The Aramaeans saw that they had been worsted by Israel; but they rallied their forces, 10 ¹⁶ and Hadadezer sent to summon other Aramaeans from the Great Bend of the Euphrates, and they advanced to Helam under Shobach, commander of Hadadezer's army. 10 ¹⁷ Their movement was reported to David, who immediately mustered all the forces of Israel, crossed the Jordan and advanced to meet them at Helam. There the Aramaeans took up positions facing David and engaged him, 10 ¹⁸ but were put to flight by Israel. David slew seven hundred Aramaeans in chariots and forty thousand horsemen, mortally wounding Shobach, who died on the field. 10 ¹⁹ When all the vassal kings of Hadadezer saw that they had been worsted by Israel, they sued for peace and submitted to the Israelites. The Aramaeans never dared help the Ammonites again. - David & Bathsheba.  2Sm.11.1-27

11 ¹ AT THE TURN OF THE YEAR, when kings take the field, David sent Joab out with his other officers and all the Israelite forces, and they ravaged Ammon and laid siege to Rabbah, while David remained in Jerusalem.

11 ² One evening David got up from his couch and, as he walked about on the roof of the palace, he saw from there a woman bathing, and she was very beautiful. 11 ³ He sent to inquire who she was, and the answer came, 'It must be Bathsheba daughter of Eliam and wife of Uriah the Hittite.' 11 ⁴ So he sent messengers to fetch her, and when she came to him, he had intercourse with her, though she was still being purified after her period, and then she went home. 11 ⁵ She conceived, and sent word to David that she was pregnant.

11 ⁶ David ordered Joab to send Uriah the Hittite to him. So Joab sent him to David, 11 ⁷ and when he arrived, David asked him for news of Joab and the troops and how the campaign was going; 11 ⁸ and then said to him, 'Go down to your house and wash your feet after your journey.' As he left the palace, a present from the king followed him. 11 ⁹ But Uriah did not return to his house; he lay down by the palace gate with the king's slaves. 11 ¹⁰ David heard that Uriah had not gone home, and said to him, 'You have had a long journey, why did you not go home?' 11 ¹¹ Uriah answered David, 'Israel and Judah are under canvas under canvas: or at Succoth, and so is the Ark, and my lord Joab and your majesty's officers are camping in the open; how can I go home to eat and drink and to sleep with my wife? By your life, I cannot do this!' 11 ¹² David then said to Uriah, 'Stay here another day, and tomorrow I will let you go.' So Uriah stayed in Jerusalem that day. 11 ¹³ The next day David invited him to eat and drink with him and made him drunk. But in the evening Uriah went out to lie down in his blanket in his blanket: or on his pallet among the king's slaves and did not go home.

11 ¹⁴ The following morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent Uriah with it. 11 ¹⁵ He wrote in the letter, 'Put Uriah opposite the enemy where the fighting is fiercest and then fall back, and leave him to meet his death.' 11 ¹⁶ Joab had been watching the city, and he stationed Uriah at a point where he knew they would put up a stout fight. 11 ¹⁷ The men of the city sallied out and engaged Joab, and some of David's guards fell; Uriah the Hittite was also killed. 11 ¹⁸ Joab sent David a dispatch with all the news of the battle 11 ¹⁹ and gave the messenger these instructions: 'When you have finished your report to the king, 11 ²⁰ if he is angry and asks, "Why did you go so near the city during the fight? You must have known there would be shooting from the wall. 11 ²¹ Remember who killed Abimelech son of Jerubbesheth. It was a woman who threw down an upper millstone on to him from the wall of Thebez and killed him! Why did you go so near the wall?"—if he asks this, then tell him, "Your servant Uriah the Hittite also is dead." '

11 ²² So the messenger set out and, when he came to David, he made his report as Joab had instructed. David was angry with Joab and said to the messenger, 'Why did you go so near the city during the fight? You must have known you would be struck down from the wall. Remember who killed Abimelech son of Jerubbesheth. Was it not a woman who threw down an upper millstone on to him from the wall of Thebez and killed him? Why did you go near the wall?' 11 ²³ He answered, 'The enemy massed against us and sallied out into the open; we pressed them back as far as the gateway. 11 ²⁴ There the archers shot down at us from the wall and some of your majesty's men fell; and your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead.' 11 ²⁵ David said to the man, 'Give Joab this message: "Do not let this distress you—there is no knowing where the sword will strike; press home your attack on the city, and you will take it and raze it to the ground"; and tell him to take heart.'

11 ²⁶ When Uriah's wife heard that her husband was dead, she mourned for him; and when the period of mourning was over, 11 ²⁷ David sent for her and brought her into his house. She became his wife and bore him a son. But what David had done was wrong in the eyes of the LORD. - Nathan's message & David's repentance.  2Sm.12.1-15

12 ¹ The LORD sent Nathan the prophet to David, and when he entered his presence, he said to him, 'There were once two men in the same city, one rich and the other poor. 12 ² The rich man had large flocks and herds, 12 ³ but the poor man had nothing of his own except one little ewe lamb. He reared it himself, and it grew up in his home with his own sons. It ate from his dish, drank from his cup and nestled in his arms; it was like a daughter to him. 12 ⁴ One day a traveller came to the rich man's house, and he, too mean to take something from his own flocks and herds to serve to his guest, took the poor man's lamb and served up that.' 12 ⁵ David was very angry, and burst out, 'As the LORD lives, the man who did this deserves to die! 12 ⁶ He shall pay for the lamb four times over, because he has done this and shown no pity.'

12 ⁷ Then Nathan said to David, 'You are the man. This is the word of the LORD the God of Israel to you: "I anointed you king over Israel, I rescued you from the power of Saul, 12 ⁸ I gave you your master's daughter prob. rdg, Heb house and his wives to be your own, I gave you the daughters of Israel and Judah; and, had this not been enough, I would have added other favours as great. 12 ⁹ Why then have you flouted the word of the LORD by doing what is wrong in my eyes? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword; the man himself you murdered by the sword of the Ammonites, and you have stolen his wife. 12 ¹⁰ Now, therefore, since you have despised me and taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own wife, your family shall never again have rest from the sword." 12 ¹¹ This is the word of the LORD: "I will bring trouble upon you from within your own family; I will take your wives and give them to another man before your eyes, and he will lie with them in broad daylight. 12 ¹² What you did was done in secret; but I will do this in the light of day for all Israel to see." ' 12 ¹³ David said to Nathan, 'I have sinned against the LORD.' Nathan answered him, 'The LORD has laid on another the consequences of your sin: you shall not die, 12 ¹⁴ but, because in this you have shown your contempt for the LORD the LORD: prob. rdg, Heb the enemies of the LORD, the boy that will be born to you shall die.'

- The death of David's son.  2Sm.12.15-2312 ¹⁵ When Nathan had gone home, the LORD struck the boy whom Uriah's wife had borne to David, and he was very ill. 12 ¹⁶ David prayed to God for the child; he fasted and went in and spent the night fasting, lying on the ground. 12 ¹⁷ The older men of his household tried to get him to rise from the ground, but he refused and would eat no food with them. 12 ¹⁸ On the seventh day the boy died, and David's servants were afraid to tell him. 'While the boy was alive,' they said, 'we spoke to him, and he did not listen to us; how can we now tell him that the boy is dead? He may do something desperate.' 12 ¹⁹ But David saw his servants whispering among themselves and guessed that the boy was dead. He asked, 'Is the boy dead?', and they answered, 'He is dead.' 12 ²⁰ Then David rose from the ground, washed and anointed himself, and put on fresh clothes; he entered the house of the LORD and prostrated himself there. Then he went home, asked for food to be brought, and when it was ready, he ate it. 12 ²¹ His servants asked him, 'What is this? While the boy lived you fasted and wept for him, but now that he is dead you rise up and eat.' 12 ²² He answered, 'While the boy was still alive I fasted and wept, thinking, "It may be that the LORD will be gracious to me, and the boy may live." 12 ²³ But now that he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him; he will not come back to me.' - Birth of Solomon.  2Sm.12.24-25

12 ²⁴ David consoled Bathsheba his wife; he went to her and had intercourse with her, and she gave birth to a son and called him Solomon. And because the LORD loved him, 12 ²⁵ he sent word through Nathan the prophet that for the LORD's sake he should be given the name Jedidiah That is Beloved of the LORD.

- David captures Rabbah.  2Sm.12.26-31

12 ²⁶ vv26-31: cp 1Chr. 20.1-3 Joab attacked the Ammonite city of Rabbah and took the King's Pool. 12 ²⁷ He sent messengers to David with this report: 'I have attacked Rabbah and have taken the pool. 12 ²⁸ You had better muster the rest of the army yourself, besiege the city and take it; otherwise I shall take the city and the name to be proclaimed over it will be mine.' 12 ²⁹ David accordingly mustered his whole forces, marched to Rabbah, attacked it and took it. 12 ³⁰ He took the crown from the head of Milcom, which weighed a talent of gold and was set with a precious stone, and this he placed on his own head. He also removed a great quantity of booty from the city; 12 ³¹ he took its inhabitants and set them to work with saws and other iron tools, sharp and toothed, and made them work in the brick-kilns. David did this to all the Cities of the Ammonites; then he and all his people returned to Jerusalem. - Amnon & Tamar.  2Sm.13.1-22

13 ¹ NOW DAVID'S SON ABSALOM had a beautiful sister named Tamar, and Amnon, another of David's sons, fell in love with her. 13 ² Amnon was so distressed that he fell sick with love for his half-sister; for he thought it an impossible thing to approach her since she was a virgin. 13 ³ But he had a friend named Jonadab, son of David's brother Shimeah, who was a very shrewd man. 13 ⁴ He said to Amnon, 'Why are you so low-spirited morning after morning, my lord? Will you not tell me?' So Amnon told him that he was in love with Tamar, his brother Absalom's sister. 13 ⁵ Jonadab said to him, 'Take to your bed and pretend to be ill. When your father comes to visit you, say to him, "Please let my sister Tamar come and give me my food. Let her prepare it in front of me, so that I may watch her and then take it from her own hands." ' 13 ⁶ So Amnon lay down and pretended to be ill. When the king came to visit him, he said, 'Sir, let my sister Tamar come and make a few cakes in front of me, and serve them to me with her own hands.' 13 ⁷ So David sent a message to Tamar in the palace: 'Go to your brother Amnon's quarters and prepare a meal for him.' 13 ⁸ Tamar came to her brother and found him lying down; she took some dough and kneaded it, made the cakes in front of him and baked them. 13 ⁹ Then she took the pan and turned them out before him. But Amnon refused to eat and ordered everyone out of the room. When they had all left, 13 ¹⁰ he said to Tamar, 'Bring the food over to the recess so that I may eat from your own hands.' Tamar took the cakes she had made and brought them to Amnon in the recess. 13 ¹¹ But when she offered them to him, he caught hold of her and said, 'Come to bed with me, sister.' 13 ¹² But she answered, 'No, brother, do not dishonour me, we do not do such things in Israel; do not behave like a beast. 13 ¹³ Where could I go and hide my disgrace?—and you would sink as low as any beast in Israel. Why not speak to the king for me? He will not refuse you leave to marry me.' 13 ¹⁴ He would not listen, but overpowered her, dishonoured her and raped her.

13 ¹⁵ Then Amnon was filled with utter hatred for her; his hatred was stronger than the love he had felt, and he said to her, 'Get up and go.' 13 ¹⁶ She answered, 'No. It is wicked to send me away. This is harder to bear than all you have done to me.' He would not listen to her, 13 ¹⁷ but summoned the boy who attended him and said, 'Get rid of this woman, put her out and bolt the door after her.' 13 ¹⁸ She had on a long, sleeved robe, the usual dress of unmarried princesses; and the boy turned her out and bolted the door. 13 ¹⁹ Tamar threw ashes over her head, rent the long, sleeved robe that she was wearing, put her hands on her head and went away, sobbing as she went.

13 ²⁰ Her brother Absalom asked her, 'Has your brother Amnon been with you? Keep this to yourself, he is your brother; do not take it to heart.' So Tamar remained in her brother Absalom's house, desolate. 13 ²¹ When King David heard the whole story he was very angry; but he would not hurt Amnon because he was his eldest son and he loved him. 13 ²² Absalom did not speak a single word to Amnon, friendly or unfriendly; he hated him for having dishonoured his sister Tamar.

- Absalom's revenge.  2Sm.13.23-39

13 ²³ Two years later Absalom invited all the king's sons to his sheep-shearing at Baal-hazor, near Ephron prob. rdg, Heb Ephraim. 13 ²⁴ He approached the king and said, 'Sir, I am shearing; will your majesty and your servants come?' 13 ²⁵ The king answered, 'No, my son, we must not all come and be a burden to you.' Absalom pressed him, but David was still unwilling to go and dismissed him with his blessing. 13 ²⁶ But Absalom said, 'If you cannot, may my brother Amnon come with us?' 'Why should he go with you?' the king asked; 13 ²⁷ but Absalom pressed him again, so he let Amnon and all the other princes go with him.

Then Absalom prepared a feast fit for a king. 13 ²⁸ He gave his servants these orders: 'Bide your time, and when Amnon is merry with wine I shall say to you, "Strike." Then kill Amnon. You have nothing to fear, these are my orders; be bold and resolute.' 13 ²⁹ Absalom's servants did as he had told them, whereupon all the king's sons mounted their mules in haste and set off for home.

13 ³⁰ While they were on their way, a rumour reached David that Absalom had murdered all the royal princes and that not one was left alive. 13 ³¹ The king stood up and rent his clothes and then threw himself on the ground; all his servants were standing round him with their clothes rent. 13 ³² Then Jonadab, son of David's brother Shimeah, said, 'Your majesty must not think that they have killed all the young princes; only Amnon is dead; Absalom has looked black ever since Amnon ravished his sister Tamar. 13 ³³ Your majesty must not pay attention to a mere rumour that all the princes are dead; only Amnon is dead.'

13 ³⁴ Absalom made good his escape. Meanwhile the sentry looked up and saw a crowd of people coming down the hill from the direction of Horonaim prob. rdg, Heb from a road behind him. He came and reported to the king, 'I see men coming down the hill from Horonaim.' 13 ³⁵ Then Jonadab said to the king, 'Here come the royal princes, just as I said they would.' 13 ³⁶ As he finished speaking, the princes came in and broke into loud lamentations; the king and all his servants also wept bitterly.

13 ³⁷ But Absalom went to take refuge with Talmai son of Ammihur king of Geshur; and for a long while the king mourned for Amnon.

13 ³⁸ Absalom, having escaped to Geshur, stayed there for three years; 13 ³⁹ and David's heart went out to him with longing, for he became reconciled to the death of Amnon. - Return of Absalom.  2Sm.14.1-24

14 ¹ Joab son of Zeruiah saw that the king's heart was set on Absalom, 14 ² so he sent to Tekoah and fetched a wise woman. He said to her, 'Pretend to be a mourner; put on mourning, go without anointing yourself, and behave like a bereaved woman who has been long in mourning. 14 ³ Then go to the king and repeat what I tell you.' He then told her exactly what she was to say.

14 ⁴ When the woman from Tekoah came into the king's presence, she threw herself, face downwards, on the ground and did obeisance, and cried, 'Help, your majesty!' 14 ⁵ The king asked, 'What is it?' She answered, 'O sir, I am a widow; my husband is dead. 14 ⁶ I had two sons; they came to blows out in the country where there was no one to part them, and one of them struck the other and killed him. 14 ⁷ Now, sir, the kinsmen have risen against me and they all cry, "Hand over the man who has killed his brother, so that we can put him to death for taking his brother's life, and so cut off the succession." If they do this, they will stamp out my last live ember and leave my husband no name and no descendant upon earth.'

14 ⁸ 'Go home,' said the king to the woman, 'and I will settle your case.' 14 ⁹ But the woman continued, 'The guilt be on me, your majesty, and on my father's house; let the king and his throne be blameless.' 14 ¹⁰ The king said, 'If anyone says anything more to you, bring him to me and he shall never molest you again.' 14 ¹¹ Then the woman went on, 'Let your majesty call upon the LORD your God, to prevent his kinsmen bound to vengeance from doing their worst and destroying my son.' The king swore, 'As the LORD lives, not a hair of your son's head shall fall to the ground.'

14 ¹² The woman then said, 'May I add one word more, your majesty?' 'Say on', said the king. 14 ¹³ So she continued, 'How then could it enter your head to do this same wrong to God's people? Out of your own mouth, your majesty, you condemn yourself: you have refused to bring back the man you have banished. 14 ¹⁴ We shall all die; we shall be like water that is spilt on the ground and lost; but God will spare the man who does not set himself to keep the outlaw in banishment. 14 ¹⁵ I came to say this to your majesty because the people have threatened me. I thought, "If I can only speak to the king, perhaps he will attend to my case; 14 ¹⁶ for he will listen, and he will save me from the man who is seeking to cut off me and my son together from Israel, God's own possession." 14 ¹⁷ I thought too that the words of my lord the king would be a comfort to me; for your majesty is like the angel of God and can decide between right and wrong. The LORD your God be with you!'

14 ¹⁸ Then the king said to the woman, 'Tell me no lies: I shall now ask you a question.' 'Speak on, your majesty', she said. 14 ¹⁹ So he asked, 'Is the hand of Joab behind you in all this?' 'Your life upon it, sir!' she answered; 'when your majesty asks a question, there is no way round it, right or left. Yes, your servant Joab did prompt me; it was he who put the whole story into my mouth. 14 ²⁰ He did it to give a new turn to this affair. Your majesty is as wise as the angel of God and knows all that goes on in the land.'

14 ²¹ The king said to Joab, 'You have my consent; go and fetch back the young man Absalom.' 14 ²² Then Joab humbly prostrated himself, took leave of the king with a blessing and said, 'Now I know that I have found favour with your majesty, because you have granted my humble petition.' 14 ²³ Joab went at once to Geshur and brought Absalom to Jerusalem, 14 ²⁴ but the king said, 'Let him go to his own quarters; he shall not come into my presence.' So Absalom went to his own quarters and did not enter the king's presence.

- Absalom is reconciled to David.  2Sm.14.25-33

14 ²⁵ No one in all Israel was so greatly admired for his beauty as Absalom; he was without flaw from the crown of his head to the sole of his foot. 14 ²⁶ His hair, when he cut his hair (as he had to do every year, for he found it heavy), weighed two hundred shekels by the royal standard. 14 ²⁷ Three sons were born to Absalom, and a daughter named Tamar, who was a very beautiful woman.

14 ²⁸ Absalom remained in Jerusalem for two whole years without entering the king's presence. 14 ²⁹ He summoned Joab to send a message by him to the king, but Joab refused to come; he sent for him a second time, but he still refused. 14 ³⁰ Then Absalom said to his servants, 'You know that Joab has a field next to mine with barley growing in it; go and set fire to it.' So Absalom's servants set fire to the field. 14 ³¹ Joab promptly came to Absalom in his own quarters and said to him, 'Why have your servants set fire to my field?' 14 ³² Absalom answered Joab, 'I had sent for you to come here, so that I could ask you to give the king this message from me: "Why did I leave Geshur? It would be better for me if I were still there. Let me now come into your majesty's presence and, if I have done any wrong, put me to death." ' 14 ³³ When Joab went to the king and told him, he summoned Absalom, who came and prostrated himself humbly before the king; and he greeted Absalom with a kiss. - Absalom plans rebellion.  2Sm.15.1-12

15 ¹ AFTER THIS, ABSALOM PROVIDED himself with a chariot and horses and an escort of fifty men. 15 ² He made it a practice to rise early and stand beside the road which runs through the city gate. He would hail every man who had a case to bring before the king for judgement and would ask him what city he came from. When he answered, 'I come, sir, from such and such a tribe of Israel', 15 ³ Absalom would say to him, 'I can see that you have a very good case, but you will get no hearing from the king.' 15 ⁴ And he would add, 'If only I were appointed judge in the land, it would be my business to see that everyone who brought a suit or a claim got justice from me.' 15 ⁵ Whenever a man approached to prostrate himself, Absalom would stretch out his hand, take hold of him and kiss him. 15 ⁶ By behaving like this to every Israelite who sought the king's justice, Absalom stole the affections of the Israelites.

15 ⁷ At the end of four years, Absalom said to the king, 'May I have leave now to go to Hebron to fulfil a vow there that I made to the LORD? 15 ⁸ For when I lived in Geshur, in Aram, I made this vow: "If the LORD brings me back to Jerusalem, I will become a worshipper of the LORD in Hebron." ' 15 ⁹ The king answered, 'Certainly you may go'; so he set off for Hebron at once. 15 ¹⁰ Absalom sent runners through all the tribes of Israel with this message: 'As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then say, "Absalom is king in Hebron." ' 15 ¹¹ Two hundred men accompanied Absalom from Jerusalem; they were invited and went in all innocence, knowing nothing of the affair. 15 ¹² Absalom also sent to summon Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's counsellor, from Giloh his city, where he was offering the customary sacrifices. The conspiracy gathered strength, and Absalom's supporters increased in number.

- David flees from Jerusalem.  2Sm.15.13-37

15 ¹³ When news reached David that the men of Israel had transferred their allegiance to Absalom, 15 ¹⁴ he said to those who were with him in Jerusalem, 'We must get away at once; or there will be no escape from Absalom for any of us. Make haste, or else he will soon be upon us and bring disaster on us, showing no mercy to anyone in the city.' 15 ¹⁵ The king's servants said to him, 'As your majesty thinks best; we are ready.'

15 ¹⁶ When the king departed, all his household followed him except ten concubines, whom he left in charge of the palace. 15 ¹⁷ At the Far House the king and all the people who were with him halted. 15 ¹⁸ His own servants then stood prob. rdg, Heb passed beside him, while the Kerethite and Pelethite guards and Ittai and Ittai: prob. rdg, Heb omitted with the six hundred Gittites under him marched past the king.

15 ¹⁹ The king said to Ittai the Gittite, 'Are you here too? Why are you coming with us? Go back and stay with the new king, for you are a foreigner and, what is more, an exile from your own country. 15 ²⁰ You came only yesterday, and today must you be compelled to share my wanderings? I do not know where I am going. Go back home and take your countrymen with you; and may the LORD ever be your steadfast friend.' 15 ²¹ Ittai swore to the king, 'As the LORD lives, your life upon it, wherever you may be, in life or in death, I, your servant, will be there.' 15 ²² David said to Ittai, 'It is well, march on!' So Ittai the Gittite marched on with his whole company and all the dependants who were with him. 15 ²³ The whole country-side re-echoed with their weeping. And the king remained standing prob. rdg, Heb passing while all the people crossed the gorge of the Kidron before him, by way of the olive-tree in the wilderness by way ... wilderness: prob. rdg, Heb obscure.

15 ²⁴ Zadok also was there with all the Levites; they were carrying the Ark of the Covenant of God, which they set down beside Abiathar beside Abiathar: prob. rdg, Heb and Abiathar went up until all the people had passed out of the city. 15 ²⁵ But the king said to Zadok, 'Take the Ark of God back to the city. If I find favour with the LORD, he will bring me back and will let me see the Ark and its dwelling-place again. 15 ²⁶ But if he says he does not want me, then here I am; let him do what he pleases with me.' 15 ²⁷ The king went on to say to Zadok the priest, 'Can you make good use of your eyes? You may safely 'go back to the city, you and Abiathar you and Abiathar: prob. rdg, cp v29; Heb omitted, and take with you the two young men, Ahimaaz your son and Abiathar's son Jonathan. 15 ²⁸ Do not forget: I will linger at the Fords of the Wilderness until you can send word to me.' 15 ²⁹ Then Zadok and Abiathar took the Ark of God back to Jerusalem and stayed there.

15 ³⁰ David wept as he went up the slope of the Mount of Olives; he was bare-headed and went bare-foot. The people with him all had their heads uncovered and wept as they went. 15 ³¹ David had been told that Ahithophel was among the conspirators with Absalom, and he prayed, 'Frustrate, O LORD, the counsel of Ahithophel.'

15 ³² As David was approaching the top of the ridge where it was the custom to prostrate oneself to God, Hushai the Archite was there to meet him with his tunic rent and earth on his head. 15 ³³ David said to him, 'If you come with me you will only be a hindrance; 15 ³⁴ but you can help me to frustrate Ahithophel's plans if you go back to the city and say to Absalom, "I will be your majesty's servant; up to now I have been your father's servant, and now I will be yours." 15 ³⁵ You will have with you, as you know: the Priests Zadok and Abiathar; tell them everything that you hear in the kings household. 15 ³⁶ They have with them Zadok's son Ahimaaz and Abiathar's son Jonathan and through them you may pass on to me everything You hear.' 15 ³⁷ So Hushai, David's friend, came to the city as Absalom was entering Jerusalem. - David & Ziba.  2Sm.16.1-4

16 ¹ When David had moved on a little from the top of the ridge he was met by Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth, who had with him a pair of asses saddled and loaded with two hundred loaves, a hundred clusters of raisins, a hundred bunches of summer fruit, and a flagon of wine 16 ² The king said to him, 'What are you doing with these?' Ziba answered, 'The asses are for the king's family to ride on, the bread and the summer fruit are for the servants to eat, and the wine for anyone who becomes exhausted in the wilderness.' 16 ³ The king asked, 'Where is your master's grandson?' 'He is staying in Jerusalem,' said Ziba, 'for he thought that the Israelites might now restore to him his grandfather's throne.' 16 ⁴ The king said to Ziba; 'You shall have everything that belongs to Mephibosheth.' Ziba said: 'I am your humble servant, sir; may I continue to stand well with you.'

- David & Shimei.  2Sm.16.5-14

16 ⁵ As King David approached Bahurim, a man of Saul's family, whose name was Shimei son of Gera, came out, cursing as he came. 16 ⁶ He showered stones right and left on David and on all the king's servants and on everyone, soldiers and people alike. 16 ⁷ This is what Shimei said as he cursed him: 'Get out, get out, you scoundrel! you man of blood! 16 ⁸ The LORD has taken vengeance on you for the blood of the house of Saul whose throne you stole, and he has given the kingdom to your son Absalom. You murderer, see how your crimes have overtaken you!'

16 ⁹ Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, 'Why let this dead dog curse your majesty? I will go across and knock off his head.' 16 ¹⁰ But the king said, 'What has this to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? If he curses and if the LORD has told him to curse David, who can question it?' 16 ¹¹ David said to Abishai and to all his servants, 'If my son, my own son, is out to kill me, who can wonder at this Benjamite? Let him be, let him curse; for the LORD has told him to do it. 16 ¹² But perhaps the LORD will mark my sufferings and bestow a blessing on me in place of the curse laid on me this day.' 16 ¹³ David and his men continued on their way, and Shimei moved along the ridge of the hill parallel to David's path, cursing as he went and hurling stones across the valley at him and kicking up the dust. 16 ¹⁴ When the king and all the people with him reached the Jordan, they were worn out and they refreshed themselves there.

- Absalom in Jerusalem.  2Sm.16.15-23

16 ¹⁵ By now Absalom and all his Israelites had reached Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him. 16 ¹⁶ When Hushai the Archite. David's friend, met Absalom he said to him, 'Long live the king! Long live the king!' 16 ¹⁷ But Absalom retorted, 'Is this your loyalty to your friend? Why did you not go with him?' 16 ¹⁸ Hushai answered Absalom, 'Because I mean to attach myself to the man chosen by the LORD, by this people, and by all the men of Israel, and with him I will remain. 16 ¹⁹ After all, whom ought I to serve? Should I not serve the son? I will serve you as I have served your father.'

16 ²⁰ Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, 'Give us your advice: how shall we act?' 16 ²¹ Ahithophel answered, 'Have intercourse with your father's concubines whom he left in charge of the palace. Then all Israel will come to hear that you have given great cause of offence to your father, and this will confirm the resolution of your followers.' 16 ²² So they set up a tent for Absalom on the roof, and he lay with his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel. 16 ²³ In those days a man would seek counsel of Ahithophel as readily as he might make an inquiry of the word of God; that was how Ahithophel's counsel was esteemed by David and Absalom. - Hushai misleads Absalom.  2Sm.17.1-14

17 ¹ Ahithophel said to Absalom, 'Let me pick twelve thousand men, and I will pursue David tonight. 17 ² I shall overtake him when he is tired and dispirited; I will cut him off from his people and they will all scatter; and I shall kill no one but the king. 17 ³ I will bring all the people over to you as a bride is brought to her husband. It is only one man's life that you are seeking; the rest of the people will be unharmed.' 17 ⁴ Absalom and all the elders of Israel approved of Ahithophel's advice;

17 ⁵ but Absalom said, 'Summon Hushai the Archite and let us hear what he too has to say.' 17 ⁶ Hushai came, and Absalom told him all that Ahithophel had said and asked him, 'Shall we do what he says? If not, say what you think.'

17 ⁷ Hushai said to Absalom, 'For once the counsel that Ahithophel has given is not good. 17 ⁸ You know', he went on, 'that your father and the men with him are hardened warriors and savage as a bear in the wilds robbed of her cubs. Your father is an old campaigner and will not spend the night with the main body; 17 ⁹ even now he will be lying hidden in a pit or in some such place. Then if any of your men are killed at the outset, anyone who hears the news will say, "Disaster has overtaken the followers of Absalom." 17 ¹⁰ The courage of the most resolute and lion-hearted will melt away, for all Israel knows that your father is a man of war and has determined men with him. 17 ¹¹ My advice is this. Wait until the whole of Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, is gathered about you, countless as grains of sand on the sea-shore, and then you shall march with them in person. 17 ¹² Then we shall come upon him somewhere, wherever he may be, and descend on him like dew falling on the ground, and not a man of his family or of his followers will be left alive. 17 ¹³ If he retreats into a city, all Israel will bring ropes to that city, and we will drag it into a ravine until not a stone can be found on the site.' 17 ¹⁴ Absalom and all the men of Israel said, 'Hushai the Archite gives us better advice than Ahithophel.' It was the LORD's purpose to frustrate Ahithophel's good advice and so bring disaster upon Absalom.

- David's escape.  2Sm.17.15-29

17 ¹⁵ Hushai told Zadok and Abiathar the priests all the advice that Ahithophel had given to Absalom and the elders of Israel, and also his own. 17 ¹⁶ 'Now send quickly to David,' he said, 'and warn him not to spend the night at the Fords of the Wilderness but to cross the river at once, before a blow can be struck at the king and his followers.' 17 ¹⁷ Jonathan and Ahimaaz were waiting at En-rogel, and a servant girl would go and tell them what happened and they would pass it on to King David; for they could not risk being seen entering the city. 17 ¹⁸ But this time a lad saw them and told Absalom; so the two of them hurried to the house of a man in Bahurim. He had a pit in his courtyard, and they climbed down into it. 17 ¹⁹ The man's wife took a covering, spread it over the mouth of the pit and strewed grain over it, and no one was any the wiser. 17 ²⁰ Absalom's servants came to the house and asked the woman, 'Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?' She answered, 'They went beyond the pool.' The men searched but could not find them; so they went back to Jerusalem.

17 ²¹ When they had gone the two climbed out of the pit and went off to report to King David and said, 'Over the water at once, make haste!', and they told him Ahithophel's plan against him. 17 ²² So David and all his company began at once to cross the Jordan; by daybreak there was not one who had not reached the other bank.

17 ²³ When Ahithophel saw that his advice had not been taken he saddled his ass, went straight home to his own city, gave his last instructions to his household, and hanged himself. So he died and was buried in his father's grave.

17 ²⁴ By the time that Absalom had crossed the Jordan with the Israelites, David was already at Mahanaim. 17 ²⁵ Absalom had appointed Amasa as commander-in-chief instead of Joab; he was the son of a man named Ithra, an lshmaelite, by Abigal daughter of Nahash and sister to Joab's mother Zeruiah. 17 ²⁶ The Israelites and Absalom camped in the district of Gilead.

17 ²⁷ When David came to Mahanaim, he was met by Shobi son of Nahash from the Ammonite town Rabbah, Machir son of Ammiel from Lo-debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim, 17 ²⁸ bringing mattresses and blankets, bowls and jugs bringing ... jugs: prob. rdg, Heb a couch, bowls and a potter's vessel. They brought also wheat and barley, meal and parched grain, beans and lentils, 17 ²⁹ honey and curds, sheep and fat cattle, and offered them to David and his people to eat, knowing that the people must be hungry and thirsty and weary in the wilderness.