Study Desk

At the end of every year, Absalom cut the hair from his head and weighed it. The hair weighed about five pounds.

Then Absalom said to his servants, "Look, Joab's field is next to my field. He has barley growing in that field. Go burn the barley." So Absalom's servants went and started a fire in Joab's field.

Then David said to all of his officers who were still in Jerusalem with him, "Come on, we cannot let him trap us here in Jerusalem. Hurry up, before he catches us. He will destroy us all, and Jerusalem will be destroyed in the battle."

King David left with everyone in his family, except ten of his slave women. He left them to take care of the house.

The king left with everyone in his house following him on foot. They stopped at the last house.

David said to Ittai, "Then come, let's go cross Kidron Brook." So Ittai from Gath and all of his people and their children crossed over Kidron Brook.

King David said to Zadok, "Take God's Holy Box back to Jerusalem. If the Lord is pleased with me, he will bring me back and let me see Jerusalem and his Temple.

David walked up the path to the Mount of Olives. He was crying, his head was covered, and he went without sandals on his feet. All the people with David also covered their heads and were crying as they walked with him.

When David got to the top of the mountain, he bowed down to worship God. Then David noticed Hushai the Arkite. Hushai's coat was torn, and there was dust on his head.

But if you go back to Jerusalem, you can disagree with Ahithophel and make his advice useless. Tell Absalom, ‘King, I am your servant. I served your father, but now I will serve you.'

Shimei began throwing stones at David and his officers. Both the people and the soldiers gathered around David to protect him—they were all around him.

David also said to Abishai and all his servants, "Look, my very own son is trying to kill me, so why shouldn't this man from the tribe of Benjamin want to do the same? Leave him alone. Let him continue to curse me. The Lord told him to do this.

So David and his men went on their way down the road. Shimei kept following David. He walked on the other side of the road by the side of the hill. He kept cursing David on his way. Shimei also threw stones and dirt at David.

King David and all his people came to the Jordan River. They were tired, so they rested and refreshed themselves there.

Ahithophel said to Absalom, "Your father left some of his slave women here to take care of the house. Go and have sexual relations with them. Then all the Israelites will hear how you humiliated your father, and they will be encouraged to give you more support."

Then they put up a tent for Absalom up on the roof of the house. Absalom had sexual relations with his father's wives so that all the Israelites could see what happened.

So in those days Ahithophel's advice was very important. Both David and Absalom accepted his advice as though it were the word of God.

I will catch him while he is tired and weak. I will frighten him, and all his people will run away. But I will kill only King David.

Hushai added, "You know that your father and his men are strong men. They are as dangerous as a wild bear when something has taken its cubs. Your father is a skilled fighter. He will not stay all night with the people.

Then even your bravest men will be frightened, because all the Israelites know that your father is a powerful soldier and that his men are very brave.