Study Desk

For we will surely die and are like water spilled on the ground which cannot be gathered up again. Yet God does not take away life, but thinks up ways so that the banished one will not be cast out from him.

in order to change the appearance of things your servant Joab has done this thing. But my lord is wise, like the wisdom of the angel of God, to know all that is in the earth."

Then Absalom sent for Joab, to send him to the king, but he was not willing to come to him. So he sent again a second time, but he was not willing to come.

Then Absalom would say to him, "See, your words are good and right, but no man listens to you on the part of the king."

So the king went out and all his household with him. But the king left ten concubines to keep the house.

But Ittai answered the king and said, "As Yahweh lives, and as my lord the king lives, surely wherever my lord the king may be, whether for death or for life, there also your servant will be."

But if He should say thus, ‘I have no delight in you,' behold, here I am, let Him do to me as seems good in His sight."

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

But if you return to the city, and say to Absalom, ‘I will be your servant, O king; as I have been your father's servant in time past, so I will now be your servant,' then you can thwart the counsel of Ahithophel for me.

But the king said, "What have I to do with you, O sons of Zeruiah? If he curses, and if Yahweh has told him, ‘Curse David,' then who shall say, ‘Why have you done so?'"

But I counsel that all Israel be utterly gathered to you, from Dan even to Beersheba, as the sand that is by the sea in abundance, and that you personally go into battle.

So now, send quickly and inform David, saying, ‘Do not spend the night at the fords of the wilderness, but by all means cross over, lest the king and all the people who are with him be swallowed up.'"

But a boy did see them and informed Absalom; so the two of them went quickly and came to the house of a man in Bahurim, who had a well in his courtyard, and they went down into it.

But the people said, "You should not go out; for if we indeed flee, they will not set their heart on us; even if half of us die, they will not set their heart on us. But now you are worth ten thousand of us; so now it is better that you be ready to help us from the city."

But Joab said to him, "You are not the man for the good news this day, but you shall proclaim the good news another day; however, you shall not proclaim the good news today because the king's son has died."

Now Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said once more to Joab, "But whatever happens, please let me also run after the Cushite." And Joab said, "Why would you run, my son, since you will have no reward for going?"

"But whatever happens," he said, "I will run." So he said to him, "Run." Then Ahimaaz ran by way of the plain and passed the Cushite.

Then the king said, "Is there peace with the young man Absalom?" And Ahimaaz said, "When Joab sent the king's servant, and your servant, I saw a great tumult, but I did not know what it was."

But as for the king, he wrapped his face up. Then the king cried out with a loud voice, "O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!"

And it happened that all the people were disputing throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, "The king delivered us from the hand of our enemies and provided us escape from the hand of the Philistines, but now he has fled out of the land from Absalom.