Study Desk

So the joy of victory turned to sadness for everyone. It was a very sad day because the people heard, "The king is mourning for his son."

So the king went to the city gate. The news spread that the king was at the gate, so all the people came to see him, except for the Israelites who had run away to their homes.

We anointed Absalom to be the king, but he was killed in battle. So we should bring David back to be the king again."

You are my brothers, my family, so why are you the last tribe to bring the king back?'

Mephibosheth answered, "My lord and king, my servant tricked me. I am crippled so I said to my servant, Ziba, ‘Go saddle a donkey for me so that I can go with the king.'

You could have killed all my grandfather's family, but you did not do that. Instead, you included me among the people who eat at your own table. So I don't have a right to complain to the king about anything."

Then please let me go back so that I can die in my own town and be buried in the grave of my father and mother. But here is Kimham; take him back with you as a servant, my lord and king. Do whatever you want with him."

The Israelites answered, "We have ten shares in David, so we have more right to David than you do. Why did you ignore us? We were the first ones to talk about bringing our king back." But the people of Judah replied with words that were even louder and angrier than those of the Israelites.

So all the Israelites left David and followed Sheba son of Bicri. But the people from Judah stayed with their king all the way from the Jordan River to Jerusalem.

So Amasa called the people of Judah together, but he took longer than the king had told him.

David said to Abishai, "Sheba son of Bicri is more dangerous to us than Absalom was. So take my officers and chase Sheba. Hurry before he gets into cities with walls. If he gets into the well-protected cities, we will not be able to get him."

So Joab took the Kerethites and Pelethites and the other soldiers with him and left Jerusalem to chase after Sheba son of Bicri.

Amasa was there in the middle of road, lying in his own blood. The young soldier noticed that all the people kept stopping to look at the body, so he rolled the body off the road and into the field and covered it with a cloth.

Then the woman spoke very wisely to all the people of the city. They cut off the head of Sheba son of Bicri and threw it over the city wall to Joab. So Joab blew the trumpet and the army left the city. The soldiers went home, and Joab went back to the king in Jerusalem.

While David was king, there was a famine that continued for three years. So David prayed to the Lord . And the Lord answered, "Saul and his family of murderers are the reason for the famine, because he killed the Gibeonites."

David said to the Gibeonites, "What can I do for you? What can I do to take away Israel's sin, so that you can bless the Lord 's people?"

Give us seven of Saul's sons. Saul was the Lord 's chosen king, so we will hang his sons in front of the Lord on Mount Gibeah of Saul." King David said, "All right, I will give them to you."

But the king protected Jonathan's son, Mephibosheth. Jonathan was Saul's son, and David had made a promise in the Lord 's name to Jonathan. So the king did not let them hurt Mephibosheth.

He saved me from my powerful enemies, who hated me. They were too strong for me, so he saved me.

He was pleased with me, so he rescued me. He took me to a safe place.