Study Desk

And all the people were quarreling throughout the tribes of Israel, saying, "^(C1)The king rescued us from the ^(F1)hands of our enemies and ^(C2)saved us from the ^(F1)hands of the Philistines, but now ^(C3)he has fled out of the land from Absalom.

"However, Absalom, whom we anointed over us, has died in battle. Now then, why are you silent about bringing the king back?"

Then King David sent word to ^(C1)Zadok and Abiathar the priests, saying, "Speak to the elders of Judah, saying, 'Why are you the last to bring the king back to his house, since the word of all Israel has come to the king, even to his house?

'You are my brothers; ^(C1)you are my bone and my flesh. Why then should you be the last to bring back the king?'

"And say to ^(C1)Amasa, 'Are you not my bone and my flesh? ^(C2)May God do so to me, and more so, if you will not be ^(C3)commander of the army ^(F1)for me continually, ^(C4)in place of Joab.'"

So he turned the hearts of all the men of Judah ^(C1)as one man, so that they sent word to the king, saying, "Return, you and all your servants."

The king then returned and came as far as the Jordan. And the men of Judah came to ^(C1)Gilgal in order to go to meet the king, to escort the king across the Jordan.