⁵ And the king gave this command to Joab, Abishai, and Ittai: “For my sake, deal gently with young Absalom.” And all the troops heard the king give this order to his commanders.

Dealing with a Rebellious Son

¹⁸ “Suppose a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey his father or mother, even though they discipline him. ¹⁹ In such a case, the father and mother must take the son to the elders as they hold court at the town gate. ²⁰ The parents must say to the elders, ‘This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious and refuses to obey. He is a glutton and a drunkard.’ ²¹ Then all the men of his town must stone him to death. In this way, you will purge this evil from among you, and all Israel will hear about it and be afraid.

³⁴ Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.”^[a] And the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice.^[b]

¹² “I would not kill the king’s son for even a thousand pieces of silver,^[a]” the man replied to Joab. “We all heard the king say to you and Abishai and Ittai, ‘For my sake, please spare young Absalom.’

¹⁴ Then Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “Hushai’s advice is better than Ahithophel’s.” For the Lord had determined to defeat the counsel of Ahithophel, which really was the better plan, so that he could bring disaster on Absalom!

17 Now Ahithophel urged Absalom, “Let me choose 12,000 men to start out after David tonight. ² I will catch up with him while he is weary and discouraged. He and his troops will panic, and everyone will run away. Then I will kill only the king, ³ and I will bring all the people back to you as a bride returns to her husband. After all, it is only one man’s life that you seek.^[a] Then you will be at peace with all the people.” ⁴ This plan seemed good to Absalom and to all the elders of Israel.

¹¹ Then David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “My own son is trying to kill me. Doesn’t this relative of Saul^[a] have even more reason to do so? Leave him alone and let him curse, for the Lord has told him to do it.