Study Desk

Then Amnon hated her very deeply, for the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her. So Amnon said to her, "Get up and go."

Now there was a long-sleeved robe on her, for so they clothed the daughters of the king who were virgins, in robes. His servant put her outside, and he bolted the door behind her.

Absalom did not speak with Amnon either bad or good, for Absalom hated Amnon over the matter when he raped Tamar his sister.

So then, let not my lord the king set his heart on this matter, thinking, ‘All the sons of the king are dead,' for only Amnon alone is dead."

King David longed to go out to Absalom, for he was consoled that Amnon had died.

So Joab sent to Tekoa and took from there a wise woman, and he said to her, "Please pretend to mourn and put on garments of mourning. You should not anoint yourself with oil, and you must act like this woman who has been mourning over the dead for a long time.

And look, all of the family has risen up against your servant, and they said, ‘Give up the one who struck his brother, that we may kill him in exchange for the life of his brother whom he murdered. We will also wipe out the heir,' and so they would put out my embers which remain, by not preserving for my husband a name and a remnant on the face of the earth."

For we must certainly die, and we are as the waters spilled to the ground which cannot be gathered. God will not take a life but devises plans for a banished person not to be cast out from him.

For the king will listen, to deliver his servant from the hand of the man who seeks to destroy me and my son together from the inheritance of God.'

Your servant also thought, ‘May the word of my lord the king bring rest, for as an angel of God, so is my lord the king, to sense what is good and what is bad.' May Yahweh your God be with you."

So Absalom sent for Joab, in order that he send him to the king, but he was not willing to go to him. He sent again a second time, but he was not willing to go.

So he said to his servants, "Look at the tract of land of Joab next to mine, for he has barley plants there. Go, set it ablaze with fire." So the servants of Absalom set the tract of land ablaze with fire.

Absalom said to Joab, "Look, I have sent to you, saying, ‘Come here that I may send you to the king to say, "Why have I come from Geshur? It would be better for me if I were still there."' So then, let me see the face of the king; if there is guilt in me, then let him kill me."

Absalom used to rise early in the morning, and he stood beside the road at the gate; anyone who had a legal dispute to bring to the king for judgment Absalom would call to him and say, "Where are you from?" And he would say, "Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel."

Then Absalom would say to him, "Look, your case is good and right, but for you there is no hearing with the king."

Absalom did like this to all of Israel who came to the king for judgment; so Absalom stole the hearts of the people of Israel.

for your servant made a vow while I was staying in Geshur in Aram, saying, ‘If Yahweh will indeed let me return to Jerusalem, then I will worship Yahweh.'"

Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, the advisor of David, from his city Giloh, while he offered the sacrifices. The conspiracy grew in strength, and the people were going and increasing with Absalom.

Then David said to all his servants who were with him in Jerusalem, "Get up and let us flee, for there will be no escape for us from Absalom! Hurry to go, otherwise he will come quickly and overtake us! And he will bring disaster on us and evil! He will attack the city with the edge of the sword!"

The king said to Ittai the Gittite, "Why are you also coming with us? Return and stay with the king, for you are a foreigner; moreover, you are an exile. You are far from your place.