Study Desk

So when Joab came to the king and told him, he summoned Absalom. Then Absalom came to the king and prostrated himself with his face to the ground before the king; and the king kissed Absalom.

And whenever a man approached to prostrate himself before him, he would put out his hand and take hold of him and kiss him.

And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's counselor, from his city Giloh, while he was offering the sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong, for the people continually increased with Absalom.

So David said to all his servants who were with him in Jerusalem, "Arise and let's flee, for otherwise none of us will escape from Absalom. Go quickly, or he will hurry and overtake us, and bring disaster on us and strike the city with the edge of the sword."

So the king left, and all his household with him; but the king left ten concubines behind to take care of the house.

Now all of his servants passed by beside him, and all the Cherethites, all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, six hundred men who had come with him from Gath, passed by before the king.

Then David said to Ittai, "Go and cross over the brook Kidron." So Ittai the Gittite crossed over with all his men and all the little ones who were with him.

And the king said to Zadok, "Return the ark of God to the city. If I find favor in the sight of the LORD, then He will bring me back and show me both it and His habitation.

And David was going up the ascent of the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went, and his head was covered, and he was walking barefoot. Then all the people who were with him each covered his own head, and they were going up, weeping as they went.

It happened as David was coming to the summit, where God was worshiped, that behold, Hushai the Archite met him with his coat torn, and dust on his head.

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

He also threw stones at David and all the servants of King David; and all the people and all the warriors were on his right and on his left.

Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, "Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Now let me go over and cut off his head."

Then David said to Abishai and to all his servants, "Behold, my son who came out of my own body seeks my life; how much more now this Benjaminite? Leave him alone and let him curse, for the LORD has told him.

"Perhaps the LORD will look on my misery and return good to me instead of his cursing this day."

So David and his men went on the road; and Shimei kept going on the hillside close beside him, and as he went he cursed and threw stones and dirt at him.

So Hushai said to Absalom, "No! For whomever the LORD, this people, and all the men of Israel have chosen, his I shall be, and with him I shall remain.

"Besides, whom should I serve? Should I not serve in the presence of his son? Just as I have served in your father's presence, so I shall be in your presence."

So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, and Absalom had relations with his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel.

When Hushai had come to Absalom, Absalom said to him, "Ahithophel has proposed this plan. Should we carry out his plan? If not, say so yourself."