Study Desk

"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 on the earth."

However, the king said, "He shall return to his own house, but he shall not see my face." So Absalom returned to his own house and did not see the king's face.

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

Then Absalom would say to him, "See, your claims are good and right, but you have no one to listen to you on the part of the king."

But Absalom sent spies throughout the tribes of Israel, saying, "As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then you shall say, 'Absalom is king in Hebron!'"

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

But Ittai answered the king and said, "As the LORD lives, and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king may be, whether for death or for life, there assuredly shall your servant be!"

"But if He says this: 'I have no delight in you,' then here I am, let Him do to me as seems good to Him."

"But if you return to the city and say to Absalom, 'I will be your servant, O king; even as I was your father's servant in time past, so now I will also be your servant,' then you can foil the advice of Ahithophel for me.

But the king said, "What business of mine is yours, you sons of Zeruiah? If he curses, and if the LORD has told him, 'Curse David,' then who should say, 'Why have you done so?'"

But Absalom said to Hushai, "Is this your loyalty to your friend? Why did you not go with your friend?"

"But I advise that all Israel be fully gathered to you, from Dan even to Beersheba, like the sand that is by the sea in abundance; and that you personally go into battle.

"Now then, send a messenger quickly and tell David, saying, 'Do not spend the night at the river crossing places of the wilderness, but by all means cross over, or else the king and all the people who are with him will be destroyed.'"

But a boy did see them, and he told Absalom; so the two of them left 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 in fact we flee, they will not care about us; and if half of us die, they will not care about us. But you are worth ten thousand of us; so now it is better that you will be ready to help us from the city."

But the king commanded Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, saying, "Deal gently with the young man Absalom for my sake." And all the people heard when the king commanded all the commanders regarding Absalom.

But the man said to Joab, "Even if I were to receive a thousand pieces of silver in my hand, I would not put out my hand against the king's son; for in our hearing the king commanded you, Abishai, and Ittai, saying, 'Protect the young man Absalom for me!'

But Joab said to him, "You are not the man to bring news this day, but you shall bring news another day; however, you shall bring no news this day, because the king's son is dead."

However, 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 messenger's 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 by the Cushite.