Study Desk

The woman said, "Why then have you planned such a thing against the people of God? For in deciding in this way, the king is as one who is guilty. For the king does not bring home his son who has been driven away.

For the king will hear and save his woman servant from the man who would destroy both me and my son from the gift of God.'

Then your woman servant thought, ‘The word of my lord the king will comfort me. For my lord the king is like the angel of God in understanding what is good and bad. May the Lord your God be with you.'"

At the end of every year he would cut the hair from his head, for it was heavy on him. When he cut it, he weighed the hair of his head. It weighed as much as 200 pieces of silver, by the king's weight.

Then Absalom sent for Joab, to send him to the king. But Joab would not come to him. So he sent for him a second time. But he would not come.

Absalom answered Joab, "I sent for you, saying, ‘Come here, that I may send you to say to the king, "Why have I come from Geshur? It would have been better for me to stay there."' Now let me see the king's face. If there is guilt in me, let him put me to death."

Then Joab went to the king and told him. And he called for Absalom. So he came to the king and put his face to the ground in front of him. And the king kissed Absalom.

Then Absalom would say to him, "Your side of the problem is good and right. But there is no man to listen to you for the king."

And Absalom would say, "If only I were chosen to be the one to be judge in the land! Then every man who has a problem could come to me. And I would do for him what is right and fair."

He acted this way toward all those of Israel who came with a problem for the king to judge. So Absalom became friends with the men of Israel.

For your servant made a promise while I was living at Geshur in Syria, saying, ‘If the Lord will bring me again to Jerusalem, then I will serve the Lord.'"

While Absalom was giving gifts on the altar in worship, he sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, from his city Giloh. He was the man who talked with David about what to do. The plans against David became strong. For more and more people joined Absalom.

Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, "Why do you go with us also? Return and stay with the king. For you are from another land and have been driven from your home.

And the king said to Zadok the religious leader, "Are you not a man who speaks for God? Return to the city in peace with Abiathar and your two sons, your son Ahimaaz and Abiathar's son Jonathan.

David said to him, "If you go with me, you will be trouble for me.

But if you return to the city, you can bring trouble to the words of Ahithophel for me. Say to Absalom, ‘I will be your servant, O king. I will work for you as I have worked for your father in the past.' Then you can make the words of Ahithophel foolish for me.

When David had gone a short way past the mountain top, Mephibosheth's servant Ziba met him with two donkeys ready for traveling. On them were 200 loaves of bread, 100 vines of dried grapes, 100 summer fruits, and a bottle of wine.

The king said to Ziba, "Why do you have these?" And Ziba said, "The donkeys are for those of the king's house to travel on. The bread and summer fruit are for the young men to eat. And the wine drink is for whoever is weak in the desert."

Then the king said, "Where is your owner's son?" And Ziba answered, "He is staying in Jerusalem. For he said, ‘Today the family of Israel will return to me the nation of my father.'"

The Lord has punished you for all the blood of the family of Saul, in whose place you have ruled! The Lord has given the nation to your son Absalom! Your trouble is upon you, because you are a man of blood!"