Study Desk

"What's the trouble?" the king asked. "Alas, I am a widow!" she replied. "My husband is dead.

And perhaps the Lord will see that I am being wronged and will bless me because of these curses today."

He sent the troops out in three groups, placing one group under Joab, one under Joab's brother Abishai son of Zeruiah, and one under Ittai, the man from Gath. The king told his troops, "I am going out with you."

"Who asked your opinion, you sons of Zeruiah!" David exclaimed. "Why have you become my adversary today? This is not a day for execution, for today I am once again the king of Israel!"

Mephibosheth replied, "My lord the king, my servant Ziba deceived me. I told him, ‘Saddle my donkey so I can go with the king.' For as you know I am crippled.

"Give him all of it," Mephibosheth said. "I am content just to have you safely back again, my lord the king!"

"No," he replied, "I am far too old to go with the king to Jerusalem.

I am eighty years old today, and I can no longer enjoy anything. Food and wine are no longer tasty, and I cannot hear the singers as they sing. I would only be a burden to my lord the king.

As he approached, the woman asked, "Are you Joab?" "I am," he replied. So she said, "Listen carefully to your servant." "I'm listening," he said.

I am one who is peace loving and faithful in Israel. But you are destroying an important town in Israel. Why do you want to devour what belongs to the Lord ?"

I am blameless before God; I have kept myself from sin.

When David saw the angel, he said to the Lord , "I am the one who has sinned and done wrong! But these people are as innocent as sheep—what have they done? Let your anger fall against me and my family."

and he said, ‘Praise the Lord , the God of Israel, who today has chosen a successor to sit on my throne while I am still alive to see it.'"

"I am going where everyone on earth must someday go. Take courage and be a man.

"Now, O Lord my God, you have made me king instead of my father, David, but I am like a little child who doesn't know his way around.

And here I am in the midst of your own chosen people, a nation so great and numerous they cannot be counted!

So I am planning to build a Temple to honor the name of the Lord my God, just as he had instructed my father, David. For the Lord told him, ‘Your son, whom I will place on your throne, will build the Temple to honor my name.'

Then he said to Jeroboam, "Take ten of these pieces, for this is what the Lord , the God of Israel, says: ‘I am about to tear the kingdom from the hand of Solomon, and I will give ten of the tribes to you!

Jeroboam thought to himself, "Unless I am careful, the kingdom will return to the dynasty of David.

Then he rode after the man of God and found him sitting under a great tree. The old prophet asked him, "Are you the man of God who came from Judah?" "Yes, I am," he replied.