Study Desk

Now Absalom fled and went to Talmai son of Ammihud, the king of Geshur. But David mourned for his son every day.

Then the spirit of the king longed to go to Absalom, for he had been consoled over Amnon's death.

Now Joab son of Zeruiah perceived that the king's heart longed for Absalom.

So Joab sent to Tekoa to bring a wise woman from there. He told her, "Please pretend to be a mourner; put on clothes for mourning and do not anoint yourself with oil. Act like a woman who has mourned for the dead a long time.

"What troubles you?" the king asked her. "Indeed," she said, "I am a widow, for my husband is dead.

Now the whole clan has risen up against your maidservant and said, 'Hand over the one who struck down his brother, that we may put him to death for the life of the brother whom he killed. Then we will cut off the heir as well!' So they would extinguish my one remaining ember by not preserving my husband's name or posterity on the earth."

For surely we will die and be like water poured out on the ground, which cannot be recovered. Yet God does not take away a life; but He devises ways so that the banished one may not remain estranged from Him.

For the king will hear and deliver his maidservant from the hand of the man who would cut off both me and my son from God's inheritance.

Your servant thought: May the word of my lord the king bring me rest, for my lord the king is able to discern good and evil, just like the Angel of God. May the LORD your God be with you."

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

"Look," said Absalom, "I sent for you and said, 'Come here. I want to send you to the king to ask: Why have I come back from Geshur? It would be better for me if I were still there.' So now, let me see the king's face, and if there is iniquity in me, let him kill me."

Some time later, Absalom provided for himself a chariot with horses and fifty men to run before him.

He would get up early and stand beside the road leading to the city gate. Whenever anyone had a grievance to bring before the king for a decision, Absalom would call out and ask, "What city are you from?" And if he replied, "Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel,"

Absalom did this to all the Israelites who came to the king for justice. In this way he stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

For your servant made a vow while dwelling in Geshur of Aram, saying: 'If indeed the LORD brings me back to Jerusalem, I will worship the LORD in Hebron.'"

Two hundred men from Jerusalem accompanied Absalom. They had been invited as guests and they went along innocently, for they knew nothing about the matter.

While Absalom was offering the sacrifices, he sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's counselor, to come from his hometown of Giloh. So the conspiracy gained strength, and Absalom's following kept increasing.

but if you return to the city and say to Absalom, 'I will be your servant, my king! In the past I was your father's servant, but now I will be your servant,' then you can thwart the counsel of Ahithophel for me.

"Why do you have these?" said the king to Ziba. Ziba replied, "The donkeys are for the king's household to ride, the bread and summer fruit are for the young men to eat, and the wine is to refresh those who become exhausted in the wilderness."

"Where is your master's grandson?" asked the king. And Ziba answered, "Indeed, he is staying in Jerusalem, for he has said, 'Today, the house of Israel will restore to me the kingdom of my grandfather.'"