¹⁶ Then ^(A)the king went out with all his household after him. But the king left ^(B)ten women, concubines, to keep the house.

²¹ And Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Go in to your father’s ^(A)concubines, whom he has left to keep the house; and all Israel will hear that you ^(B)are abhorred by your father. Then ^(C)the hands of all who are with you will be strong.” ²² So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the top of the house, and Absalom went in to his father’s concubines ^(D)in the sight of all Israel.

The Lord Helps His Troubled People

A Psalm of David ^(A)when he fled from Absalom his son.

³ Now David came to his house at Jerusalem. And the king took the ten women, ^(A)his concubines whom he had left to keep the house, and put them in seclusion and supported them, but did not go in to them. So they were shut up to the day of their death, living in widowhood.

² And ^(A)do not be conformed to this world, but ^(B)be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may ^(C)prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

¹¹ Thus says the Lord: ‘Behold, I will raise up adversity against you from your own house; and I will ^(A)take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun.

⁴² So Abigail rose in haste and rode on a donkey, ^[a]attended by five of her maidens; and she followed the messengers of David, and became his wife.

²⁷ And now ^(A)this present which your maidservant has brought to my lord, let it be given to the young men who follow my lord.

¹⁰ And Barak called ^(A)Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh; he went up with ten thousand men ^(B)under^[a] his command, and Deborah went up with him.