Study Desk

You and your sons and servants are to work the ground for him and bring in the harvest, so that your master's grandson may have food to eat. But Mephibosheth, your master's grandson, is always to eat at my table." Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.

the princes of the Ammonites said to Hanun their lord, "Just because David has sent you comforters, do you really believe he is showing respect for your father? Has not David instead sent his servants to explore the city, spy it out, and overthrow it?"

The Ammonites marched out and arrayed themselves for battle at the entrance to their city gate, while the Arameans of Zobah and Rehob and the men of Tob and Maacah were by themselves in the open country.

"If the Arameans are too strong for me," said Joab, "then you will come to my rescue. And if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will come to your rescue.

Be strong and let us fight bravely for our people and for the cities of our God. May the LORD do what is good in His sight."

Then David told the messenger, "Say this to Joab: 'Do not let this matter upset you, for the sword devours one as well as another. Strengthen your attack against the city and demolish it.' Encourage him with these words."

When Uriah's wife heard that her husband was dead, she mourned for him.

Now a traveler came to the rich man, who refrained from taking one of his own sheep or cattle to prepare for the traveler who had come to him. Instead, he took the poor man's lamb and prepared it for his guest."

Because he has done this thing and has shown no pity, he must pay for the lamb four times over."

Why then have you despised the command of the LORD by doing evil in His sight? You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took his wife as your own, for you have slain him with the sword of the Ammonites.

David pleaded with God for the boy. He fasted and went into his house and spent the night lying in sackcloth on the ground.

On the seventh day the child died. But David's servants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they said, "Look, while the child was alive, we spoke to him, and he would not listen to us. So how can we tell him the child is dead? He may even harm himself."

David answered, "While the child was alive, I fasted and wept, for I said, 'Who knows? The LORD may be gracious to me and let him live.'

Amnon was sick with frustration over his sister Tamar, for she was a virgin, and it seemed implausible for him to do anything to her.

Then David sent word to Tamar at the palace: "Please go to the house of Amnon your brother and prepare a meal for him."

"No, my brother!" she cried. "Do not humiliate me, for such a thing should never be done in Israel. Do not do this disgraceful thing!

Where could I ever take my shame? And as for you, you would be like one of the fools in Israel! Please speak to the king, for he will not withhold me from you."

Her brother Absalom said to her: "Has your brother Amnon been with you? Be quiet for now, my sister. He is your brother. Do not take this thing to heart." So Tamar lived as a desolate woman in the house of her brother Absalom.

And Absalom never said a word to Amnon, either good or bad, because he hated Amnon for disgracing his sister Tamar.

But Jonadab, the son of David's brother Shimeah, spoke up: "My lord must not think they have killed all the sons of the king, for only Amnon is dead. In fact, Absalom has planned this since the day Amnon violated his sister Tamar.