Study Desk

But they said, "No! You must not go with us. If we run away in the battle, Absalom's men will not care. No, even if only half of us are killed, Absalom's men will not care. But you are worth 10,000 of us! It is better for you to stay in the city. Then, if we need help, you can come to help us."

The battle spread throughout the country, but more men died in the forest than by the sword.

It so happened that David's officers found Absalom. Absalom jumped on his mule and tried to escape, but the mule went under the branches of a large oak tree. The branches were thick, and Absalom's head got caught in the tree. His mule ran out from under him, so Absalom was left hanging above the ground.

Joab answered Ahimaaz, "No, you will not carry the message today. You can do it some other time, but not today because it is the king's son who is dead."

But Ahimaaz son of Zadok begged Joab again, "No matter what happens, please let me also run after the Ethiopian!" Joab said, "Son, why do you want to carry the news? You will not get any reward for the news you bring."

But then the watchman saw another man running. He called to the gatekeeper, "Look! Another man is running alone." The king said, "He is also bringing news."

The king asked, "Is young Absalom all right?" Ahimaaz answered, "When Joab sent me, I saw some great excitement, but I don't know what it was."

We anointed Absalom to be the king, but he was killed in battle. So we should bring David back to be the king again."

But my servant tricked me and said bad things about me. My lord and king, you are like an angel from God. Do whatever you think is right.

You could have killed all my grandfather's family, but you did not do that. Instead, you included me among the people who eat at your own table. So I don't have a right to complain to the king about anything."

But Barzillai said to the king, "Do you know how old I am? Do you think I can go with you to Jerusalem?

Then please let me go back so that I can die in my own town and be buried in the grave of my father and mother. But here is Kimham; take him back with you as a servant, my lord and king. Do whatever you want with him."

The Israelites answered, "We have ten shares in David, so we have more right to David than you do. Why did you ignore us? We were the first ones to talk about bringing our king back." But the people of Judah replied with words that were even louder and angrier than those of the Israelites.

So all the Israelites left David and followed Sheba son of Bicri. But the people from Judah stayed with their king all the way from the Jordan River to Jerusalem.

David went back to his house in Jerusalem. He had left ten of his slave women to take care of the house. He put these women in a special house. Then he put guards around the house. They stayed in this house until they died. David took care of the women and gave them food, but he did not have sexual relations with them. They lived like widows until they died.

So Amasa called the people of Judah together, but he took longer than the king had told him.

But there was a very wise woman in that city who shouted out to them and said, "Listen to me! Tell Joab to come here. I want to talk with him."

But there is a man in your city from the hill country of Ephraim. He is named Sheba son of Bicri. He rebelled against King David. Bring him to me, and I will leave the city alone." The woman said to Joab, "All right. His head will be thrown over the wall to you."

(The Gibeonites were not Israelites. They were a group of Amorites. The Israelites had promised not to hurt them, but Saul tried to kill the Gibeonites. He did this because of his strong feelings for the people of Israel and Judah.) King David called the Gibeonites together and talked to them.

The Gibeonites said to David, "There isn't enough gold and silver for Saul's family to pay for what they did. But we don't have the right to kill anyone else in Israel." David said, "Well, what can I do for you?"