Study Desk

A Psalm of David, when he fled from his son Absalom O Jehovah, how my adversaries have multiplied! Many are the ones who rise against me.

Many are saying of my soul, There is no salvation for him in God. Selah.

But You, O Jehovah, are a shield around me; my glory, and He who lifts up my head.

I cried to Jehovah with my voice, and He heard me out of His holy mountain. Selah.

I laid down, and slept. I awoke, for Jehovah kept me.

I am not afraid of myriads of people who have been set against me all around.

Arise, O Jehovah! Save me, O my God. For You have struck all my enemies on the cheekbone. You have broken the teeth of the wicked.

Salvation belongs to Jehovah. Your blessing is on Your people. Selah.

And it happened afterward that Absalom prepared a chariot for himself, and horses, and fifty men running before him.

And Absalom rose up and stood by the side of the way of the gate. And it happened that every man who had a cause to come to the king for judgment, Absalom called to him and said, Of what city are you? And he said, Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel.

And Absalom said to him, Behold, your matters are good and right. And there is no listener to you from the king.

And Absalom said, Who shall make me a judge in the land, that every man who has a dispute, I will then declare him right, even with justice?

And it happened, when a man drew near to bow himself to him, he put out his hand and laid hold on him, and gave him a kiss.

And Absalom acted this way to all Israel who came in to the king for judgment. And Absalom stole the heart of the men of Israel.

And at the end of forty years, it happened, Absalom said to the king, Please let me go and I shall pay my vow that I have vowed to Jehovah, in Hebron.

For your servant has vowed a vow when I lived in Geshur in Syria, saying, If Jehovah bringing shall bring me back to Jerusalem, then I shall serve Jehovah.

And the king said to him, Go in peace. And he rose up and went to Hebron.

And Absalom sent spies among all the tribes of Israel, saying, When you hear the sound of the ram's horn, then you shall say, Absalom is king in Hebron.

And two hundred men went out of Jerusalem with Absalom, chosen ones. And they went out in their simplicity and did not know anything.

And Absalom sent Ahithophel the Gilonite, a counselor of David, out of his city, out of Giloh, as he offered the sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong. And the people were going on and increasing with Absalom.

And a messenger came to David, saying, The hearts of the men of Israel have gone after Absalom.

And David said to all his servants who were with him in Jerusalem, Rise up, and we will flee; for we have no escape from the face of Absalom. Hurry to leave, that he not overtake us and bringevil down on us, and strike the city withthe mouth of the sword.

And the king's servants said to the king, According to all that my lord the king desires, behold, your servants will do .

And the king went out, and all his household at his feet. And the king left ten women, concubines, to keep the house.

And the king went out, and all the people at his feet. And they stood still at the house farthest away.

And all his servants were passing on by his side, and all the Cherethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, six hundred men who came at his feet from Gath. These were passing on before the king.

And the king said to Ittai the Gittite, Why do you go, even you with us? Turn back and remain with the king, for you are an alien, and also you are an exile. Go to your place.

You came in yesterday and today. Should I make you go with us, to go while I go, where I go? Turn back, and turn your brothers to go with you in kindness and truth.

And Ittai replied to the king and said, As Jehovah lives, and my lord the king lives, surely in the place where my lord the king is, there your servant shall be, whether for death or for life.

And David said to Ittai, Go on and pass over. And Ittai the Gittite passed over, and all his men, and all the little ones with him.

And all the land was weeping with a loud voice. And all the people were passing over. And the king was passing over through the torrent Kidron, and all the people passed over, toward the way of the wilderness.

And, behold, Zadok also came, and all the Levites with him, bearing the ark of the covenant of God. And they set the ark of God down. And Abiathar went up until all the people finished passing on out of the city.

And the king said to Zadok, Take the ark of God back to the city. If I find grace in the eyes of Jehovah, then He will bring me back and make me see it and His dwelling place.

And if He says this, I have not delighted in you, behold, I am here. He shall do to me as seems good in His eyes.

And the king said to Zadok the priest, Are you a seer? Return to the city in peace, and your two sons with you, your son Ahimaaz, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar.

Behold, I will wait in the plain of the wilderness until word comes from you to report to me.

And Zadok and Abiathar took the ark of God back to Jerusalem. And they remained there.

And David was going up in the ascent of the olives, going up and weeping. And his head was covered, and he was going barefooted. And all the people who were with him each had coveredhis head, and had gone up, going up andweeping.

And one told David, saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. And David said, O Jehovah, I pray You, make the counsel of Ahithophel foolish.

And it happened as David had come to the top, there where he bowed to God. And, behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him, his tunic torn, and earth on his head.

And David said to him, If you pass on with me, then you shall be a burden to me.

But if you return to the city, and shall say to Absalom, I also will be your servant, O king; I was servant of your father before now; and now I am also your servant. Thenyou can break down the counsel of Ahithophelfor me.

And do you not have there with you Zadok and Abiathar, the priests? And it shall be, you shall declare everything that you hear from the house of the king; you shall report to Zadok and to Abiathar, the priests.

Behold, there are with them their two sons, Ahimaaz to Zadok, and Jonathan to Abiathar. And you shall send to me by their hand anything that you hear.

And David's friend Hushai came into the city. And Absalom came into Jerusalem.

And David had passed on a little from the top. And behold, Ziba, the servant of Mephibosheth, came to meet him with a couple of saddled asses, and on them two hundred loaves and a hundredbunches of raisins, and a hundred of summerfruit, and a skin of wine.

And the king said to Ziba, What are these to you? And Ziba said, The asses are for the king's household to ride on, and the bread and the summer fruit for the young men to eat; andthe wine for the wearied to drink in thewilderness.

And the king said, And where is the son of your lord? And Ziba said to the king, Behold, he is staying in Jerusalem, for he said, Today the house of Israel will give back to me the kingdom of my father.

And the king said to Ziba, Behold, all that Mephibosheth has is yours. And Ziba said, I bow myself; may I find favor in your eyes, my lord, O king.

And King David came to Bahurim. And, behold, a man was coming out from there, of the family of the house of Saul; and his name was Shimei, the son of Gera. He came out, and he came cursing.

And he stoned David with stones and all the servants of King David, and all the people, and all the mighty men on his right and on his left.

And Shimei said this in his cursing, Go out! Go out, O man of blood, O worthless man!

Jehovah has turned back on you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned. And Jehovah shall give the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom. And, behold, you are taken in your mischief, for you are a man of blood.

And Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, Why does this dead dog curse my lord the king? Please let me pass over, and I will take off his head.

And the king said, What have I to do with you, sons of Zeruiah? For let him curse, even because Jehovah has said to him, Curse David. And who shall say, Why have you done so?

And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son who came out of my loins is seeking my life, and surely now also the Benjamite. Leave him alone, and let him curse, for Jehovah has spoken to him.

It may be Jehovah will look on my affliction, and Jehovah will return good to me for his cursing this day.

And David went with his men in the highway, and Shimei was going along at the side of the hill across from him. As he went, he cursed, and stoned with stones across from him, and dusted with dust.

And the king came in wearied, and all the people with him; and he was refreshed there.

And Absalom and all the people, the men of Israel, had come into Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him.

And it happened, when Hushai the Archite, David's friend, had come to Absalom, Hushai said to Absalom, Let the king live! Let the king live!

And Absalom said to Hushai, Is this your kindness with your friend? Why have you not gone with your friend?

And Hushai said to Absalom, No, for he whom Jehovah and this people have chosen, even all the men of Israel, his I shall be, and I shall remain with him.

And a second time, Whom should I serve? Should I not serve before the face of his son. As I served before the face of your father, so shall I be before your face.

And Absalom said to Ahithophel, Give your counsel, what we shall do.

And Ahithophel said to Absalom, Go in to your father's concubines, those he left to keep the house. And all Israel shall hear that you have become odious with your father. And the hands of all who are with you will be strong.

And they spread out a tent for Absalom on the roof. And Absalom went in to his father's concubines before the eyes of all Israel.

And the counsel of Ahithophel which he counseled in those days was as one who had inquired at the Word of God. So was all the counsel of Ahithophel, both to David and to Absalom.

And Ahithophel said to Absalom, Please let me choose twelve thousand men, and I shall rise up and pursue David tonight.

And I shall come on him, and he shall be weary and feeble handed. And I will make him tremble, and the people with him shall flee. And I shall strike the king by himself.

And I shall bring all the people back to you when all return, except the man whom you are seeking. All the people shall be in peace.

And the thing was pleasing in Absalom's eyes, and in the eyes of all the elders of Israel.

And Absalom said, Please call for Hushai the Archite also. And we shall hear what is in his mouth, also he.

And Hushai came in to Absalom. And Absalom spoke to him, saying, Ahithophel has spoken according to this word. Shall we do this word? If not, you speak.

And Hushai said to Absalom, The counsel Ahithophel counseled is not good at this time.

And Hushai said, You have known your father and his men, that they are mighty men. And they are bitter of soul, like a bear bereaved of cubs in the field. And your father is a man of war, and shall not stay the night with the people.

Behold, now he is hidden in one of the pits, or in one of the places. And it shall be, at the falling among them at the beginning, that whoever hears even shall say, There has been a slaughter among the people who follow Absalom.

And also he, the son of valor, whose heart is as the heart of the lion, shall utterly melt. For all Israel knows that your father is a mighty man, and those with him sons of valor.

So I counsel this : Gathering, let all Israel be gathered to you, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, as the sand that is by the sea for multitude. And you in person shall go into battle.

And we shall come in to him, in one of the places, there where he shall be found. And we shall fall on him as the dew falls on the ground. And of all the men who are with him, not even one shall be left.

And if he is taken into a city, then all Israel shall bear ropes to that city. And we shall draw it into the torrent bed, until there shall not be found even a pebble.

And Absalom and all the men of Israel said, The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel. And Jehovah had ordained to break down the good counsel of Ahithophel, for the sake of bringing the evil of Jehovah to Absalom.

And Hushai said to Zadok and to Abiathar, the priests, Ahithophel has counseled this and this to Absalom and the elders of Israel. And I have counseled this and this.

And now send quickly and tell David, saying, Do not stay in the fords of the wilderness tonight. And, also, crossing pass over, that there not be a swallowing up of the king and of all the people with him.

And Jonathan and Ahimaaz were standing at En-rogel, for they were not able to be seen going into the city. And a slave-girl went and told them. And they went and told it to King David.

And a youth saw them, and told Absalom. And they went on, both of them in haste, and came into the house of a man in Bahurim. And he had a well in his court, and they went down there.

And the woman took and spread the covering over the well, and spread ground grain on it. And the thing was not known.

And the servants of Absalom came in to the woman, to the house, and said, Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan? And the woman said to them, They passed over the river of water. And they looked and did not find them . And they returnedto Jerusalem.

And it happened after they left, they came up out of the well and went and told King David. And they said to David, Rise up and quickly pass over the waters, for Ahithophel has counseled this against you.

And David and all the people with him rose up, and they passed over the Jordan until the light of the morning, until there was not one lacking who had not crossed the Jordan.

And Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not done. And he saddled the ass and rose up and went to his house, to his city. And he gave command to his household, then hanged himself, and died. And he was buried in the burying place ofhis father.

And David came to Mahanaim. And Absalom crossed the Jordan, he and all the men of Israel with him.

And Absalom had set Amasa over the army instead of Joab. And Amasa was the son of a man whose name was Ithra the Israelite, who had gone in to Abigail, the daughter of Nahash, the sister of Zeruiah, the brother of Joab.

And Israel camped with Absalom in the land of Gilead.

And it happened as David came into Mahanaim, Shobi the son of Nahash, from Rabbah of the sons of Ammon, and Machir the son of Ammiel, from Lo-debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite, from Rogelim,

brought beds, and basins, and earthen vessels, and wheat, and barley, and flour, and roasted grain , and beans, and lentils, and roasted grain,

and honey, and curds and sheep, and cheese from the herd, for David, and for the people who were with him to eat. For they said, The people are hungry and weary and thirsty in the wilderness.

And David mustered the people who were with him, and he set over them commanders of hundreds.

And David sent one third of the people by the hand of Joab, and one third by the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, and one third by Ittai the Gittite. And the king said to the people. Going out I will go with you, I also.

And the people said, You shall not go out, for if we flee they will not set their heart on us even if half of us die; for now you are like ten thousand to us. And now it is good that you be a helper for us from the city.

And the king said to them, I will do that which is good in your eyes. And the king stood at the side of the gate, and all the people went out by hundreds and by thousands.

And the king commanded Joab, and Abishai, and Ittai, saying, For my sake deal gently with the young man, with Absalom. And all the people heard as the king commanded the commanders concerning Absalom.

And the people went into the field to meet Israel. And the battle was in the forest of Ephraim.

And the people of Israel were stricken before David's servants. And there was a great destruction on that day of twenty thousand.

And the battle was scattered over the face of all the land, and the forest devoured among the people more than the sword had devoured in that day.

And Absalom came before David's servants. And Absalom was riding on a mule, and the mule came in under the thick branches of a great oak. And his head caught hold in the oak, and he was lifted up between the heavens and the earth. And the muleunder him passed on.

And a man saw and told Joab, and said, Behold! I saw Absalom hanging in the oak;

and Joab said to the man who told him, And behold, you have seen. And why did you not strike him to the earth there and call on me to give you ten silverlings and a girdle?

And the man said to Joab, Yes, though I weighed a thousand silverlings in my hand, I would not put forth my hand to the king's son. For in our ears the king commanded you, and Abishai, and Ittai saying, Take heed, whoever goes against theyoung man, against Absalom.

Or I would have dealt falsely against my soul. For no matter is hidden from the king, and you, you yourself would have set against me.

And Joab said, I will not wait this wait before you. And he took three darts in his hand and struck them into Absalom's heart while he was alive, in the midst of the oak.

And they went around, ten young men bearing Joab's weapons, and struck Absalom, and killed him.

And Joab blew the ram's horn, and the people returned from pursuing Israel, for Joab had held the people back.

And they took Absalom and threw him into a great pit in the forest, and set up a very great heap of stones over him. And all Israel fled, each one to his tent.

And during his lifetime Absalom had taken and set up for himself a standing-pillar, which is in the King's Valley. For he said, I have no son to cause my name to be remembered. And he called the standing pillar by his name and it is calledAbsalom's Monument to this day.

And Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, Please let me run, and I will bear news to the king. For Jehovah has vindicated him from the hand of his enemies.

And Joab said to him, You are not a man of tidings today. But you shall bear tidings another day. And today you shall not bear tidings, because the king's son is dead.

And Joab said to Cushi, Go, tell the king that which you have seen. And Cushi bowed to Joab, and ran.

And Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said yet again to Joab, Yet whatever may be, please let me run after the Cushite, I also. And Joab said, Why is this that you are running, my son? Also for you there are no tidings found.

And he said, Yet whatever it may be, let me run. And he said to him, Run. And Ahimaaz ran the way of the circuit and passed by the Cushite.

And David was sitting between the two gates. And the watchman went to the roof of the gate and lifted up his eyes, and looked. And, behold, a man running by himself!

And the watchman called and told the king. And the king said, If he is by himself, tidings are in his mouth. And he came, coming on, and drawing near.

And the watchman saw another man running. And the watchman called to the gatekeeper and said, Behold, a man running by himself! And the king said, Also this one is bearing tidings.

And the watchman said, I see the running of the first as the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok. And the king said, This is a good man and he comes with good news.

And Ahimaaz called and said to the king, Peace! And he bowed on his face to the earth to the king and said, Blessed be Jehovah your God who has shut up the men who lifted up their hand against my lord the king.

And the king said, Peace to the young man, to Absalom? And Ahimaaz said, I saw the great tumult, at the sending away of the servant of the king, even your servant sent by Joab, but I do not know what.

And the king said, Turn aside, stand here. And he turned aside and stood.

And, behold, the Cushite had come. And the Cushite said, News is borne, my lord, O king! For Jehovah has vindicated you today out of the hand of those rising up against you.

And the king said to the Cushite, Peace to the young man, to Absalom? And the Cushite said, Let them be as the young man, the enemies of my lord the king, and all who have risen up against you for evil.

And the king trembled. And he went up to the upper room of the gate and wept. And he said this as he went, My son! My son Absalom! My son Absalom! Oh that I had died instead of you, my son Absalom, my son!

And it was announced to Joab, Behold, the king is weeping and mourning over Absalom.

And the deliverance on that day became mourning to all the people, for the people had heard on that day, saying, The king is grieving for his son.

And the people stole away on that day to go into the city, as the people steal away who are ashamed as they flee in battle.

And the king had covered his face. Yea, the king cried with a loud voice, My son Absalom! Absalom my son, my son!

And Joab came in to the king to the house, and said, You have put to shame today the faces of all your servants, those delivering your life today, and the life of your sons, and of your daughters,and the life of your wives, and the life ofyour concubines,

by loving those who hate you, and by hating those who love you, for you have declared today that there are no leaders nor servants to you. For I know today that if Absalom were alive and all of us dead today, that it would be right inyour eyes.

And now rise up; go out and speak to the heart of your servants. For I have sworn by Jehovah that if you do not go out, not a man shall remain with you tonight. And this would be worse for you than all the evil that has come onyou from your youth until now.

And the king rose up and sat in the gate. And they announced it to all the people, saying, Behold, the king is sitting in the gate. And all the people came in before the king. And Israel had fled, each one to his tents.

And it happened, all the people were quarreling through all the tribes of Israel, saying, The king delivered us out of the hand of our enemies. Yea, he himself delivered us out of the handof the Philistines. And now he has fled outof the land because of Absalom.

And Absalom whom we anointed over us is dead in battle. And now why are you silent as to bringing back the king?

And King David sent to Zadok and Abiathar the priests, saying, Speak to the elders of Judah, saying, Why are you the last to bring back the king to his house? For the word of all Israel had come to the king, to his house.

You are my brother; you are my bone and my flesh. And why are you the last to bring back the king?

And say to Amasa, Are you not my bone and my flesh? So shall God do to me, and more so He shall do, if you are not commander of the army before me all the days, instead of Joab.

And he inclined the heart of all the men of Judah as one man, and they sent to the king, Return, you and all your servants.

And the king returned and came in to the Jordan. And Judah had come to Gilgal, to go to meet the king, to bring the king over the Jordan.

And Shimei, the son of Gera, the Benjamite, from Bahurim, hastened and came down with the men of Judah to meet King David.

And a thousand men were with him from Benjamin; also Ziba, the servant of the house of Saul, and his thirteen sons and his twenty servants with him. And they had rushed over the Jordan before the king.

And they had crossed over the ford to carry over the king's household, and to do the good in his eyes. And Shimei the son of Gera had fallen before the face of the king as he crossed over the Jordan.

And he said to the king, Do not let my lord charge iniquity to me, nor shall you remember that which your servant perversely did in the day that my lord the king went out from Jerusalem, for the king to take it to his heart.

For your servant knows that I have sinned; and behold, I come today, the first of the house of Joseph, to go down to meet my lord the king.

And Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered and said, Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the anointed of Jehovah?

And David said, What have I to do with you, O sons of Zeruiah, that you are as my foe today? Shall any man be executed today in Israel? For do I not know that today I am king over Israel?

And the king said to Shimei, You shall not die. And the king swore to him.

And Mephibosheth the son of Saul had come down to meet the king. And he had not dressed his feet, nor had shaved his upper lip. Yea, he had not washed his garment, even from the day that he went away till the day that he came in peace.

And it happened when he had come to Jerusalem to meet the king, the king said to him, Why did you not go with me, Mephibosheth?

And he said, My lord, O king, my servant deceived me. For your servant said, I will saddle the ass for myself and ride on it and go with the king, for your servant is lame.

And he spoke slander against your servant to my lord the king. And my lord the king is as a messenger of God; yet you do that which is good in your eyes.

For all the house of my father would be nothing except men of death before my lord the king, and you have set your servant among those eating at your table. And what right is there to me any more, even to cry any more to the king?

And the king said to him, Why do you speak any more of your matters? I have said, You and Ziba share the land.

And Mephibosheth said to the king, Yes, let him take all, since my lord the king has come in peace to his house.

And Barzillai the Gileadite had gone down from Rogelim and had crossed over the Jordan with the king, to send him away over the Jordan.

And Barzillai was very old, a son of eighty years, and he had sustained the king as he abode in Mahanaim, for he was a very great man.

And the king said to Barzillai, You pass over with me and I will sustain you with me in Jerusalem.

And Barzillai said to the king, How many are the days of the years of my life, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem?

I am a son of eighty years today. Can I distinguish between good and evil? Can your servant taste that which I am eating, and that which I drink? Can I any more listen to the voice of singing men and singing women? And why should your servantbe any more as a burden to my lord the king?

Just a little way your servant shall cross over the Jordan with the king. And why should the king repay me with this reward?

Please let your servant return, and I shall die in my own city, near the burying place of my father and my mother. And, behold your servant Chimham! Let him cross over with my lord the king, and you do to him the good in your eyes.

And the king said, Chimham shall go over with me, and I shall do to him that which is good in your eyes. Yea, all that you shall choose of me I will do for you.

And all the people crossed over the Jordan, and the king crossed over. And the king gave a kiss to Barzillai and blessed him. And he returned to his place.

And the king crossed over to Gilgal. And Chimham crossed over with him, and all the people of Judah. And they brought the king over, and also half of the people of Israel.

And, behold, all the men of Israel were coming to the king. And they said to the king, Why have they, our brothers, the men of Judah, stolen you away? For they brought the king and his household overthe Jordan, and all the men of David withhim.

And, behold, all the men of Judah answered against the men of Israel, Because the king is near to us. And why is this that you are angry about this matter? Have we at all eaten from the king, or has he given a gift to us?

And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah and said, We have ten hands in the king, and we also have more in David than you. Why then did you despise us, that our word was not first to bringback our king? And the word of the men of Judahwas more fierce than the word of the men of Israel.