Study Desk

"But the poor man had nothing at all except one little ewe lamb Which he bought and nurtured; And it grew up together with him and his children. It would eat scraps from him and drink from his cup and lie in his lap, And was like a daughter to him.

'Indeed, you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, and in open daylight.'"

The elders of his household stood beside him in order to help him up from the ground, but he was unwilling and would not eat food with them.

But when David saw that his servants were whispering together, David perceived that the child was dead; so David said to his servants, "Is the child dead?" And they said, "He is dead."

Then his servants said to him, "What is this thing that you have done? You fasted and wept for the child while he was alive; but when the child died, you got up and ate food."

"But now he has died; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I am going to him, but he will not return to me."

But Amnon was so frustrated on account of his sister Tamar that he made himself ill, for she was a virgin, and it seemed too difficult to Amnon to do anything to her.

But Amnon had a friend whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David's brother; and Jonadab was a very clever man.

Then she took the tray and served them to him, but he refused to eat. And Amnon said, "Have everyone leave me." So everyone left him.

But she said to him, "No, my brother, do not violate me, for such a thing is not done in Israel; do not do this disgraceful sin!

But she said to him, "No, because this wrong in sending me away is greater than the other that you have done to me!" Yet he would not listen to her.

Then Absalom her brother said to her, "Has Amnon your brother been with you? But now keep silent, my sister, he is your brother; do not take this matter to heart." So Tamar remained and was isolated in her brother Absalom's house.

But Absalom did not speak with Amnon either good or bad; for Absalom hated Amnon because he had violated his sister Tamar.

But the king said to Absalom, "No, my son, we should not all go, so that we will not be a burden to you." Though he urged him, he would not go; but he blessed him.

Then Absalom said, "If not, please have my brother Amnon go with us." But the king said to him, "Why should he go with you?"

"So now, may my lord the king not take the report to heart, claiming, 'all the king's sons are dead'; but only Amnon is dead."

So Joab sent a messenger to Tekoa and brought a wise woman from there, and said to her, "Please follow mourning rites, and put on mourning garments now, and do not anoint yourself with oil but be like a woman who has been mourning for the dead for many days.

"And your servant had two sons, but the two of them fought in the field, and there was no one to save them from each other, so one struck the other and killed him.

The woman of Tekoa said to the king, "My lord, the king, the guilt is on me and my father's house, but the king and his throne are guiltless."

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