2 Samuel 18
Christian Standard Bible
Absalom’s Defeat
18 David reviewed his troops and appointed commanders of thousands and of hundreds over them. 2 He then sent out the troops, a third under Joab, a third under Joab’s brother Abishai son of Zeruiah, and a third under Ittai of Gath. The king said to the troops, “I must also march out with you.”
3 “You must not go!” (A) the people pleaded. “If we have to flee, they will not pay any attention to us. Even if half of us die, they will not pay any attention to us because you are worth[a] ten thousand of us. Therefore, it is better if you support us from the city.”
4 “I will do whatever you think is best,” the king replied to them. So he stood beside the city gate while all the troops marched out by hundreds and thousands. 5 The king commanded Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, “Treat the young man Absalom gently for my sake.” All the people heard the king’s orders to all the commanders about Absalom.
6 Then David’s forces marched into the field to engage Israel in battle, which took place in the forest of Ephraim. 7 Israel’s army was defeated by David’s soldiers, and the slaughter there was vast that day—twenty thousand dead. 8 The battle spread over the entire area, and that day the forest claimed more people than the sword.
Absalom’s Death
9 Absalom was riding on his mule when he happened to meet David’s soldiers. When the mule went under the tangled branches of a large oak tree, Absalom’s head was caught fast in the tree. The mule under him kept going, so he was suspended in midair.[b] 10 One of the men saw him and informed Joab. He said, “I just saw Absalom hanging in an oak tree!”
11 “You just saw him!” Joab exclaimed.[c] “Why didn’t you strike him to the ground right there? I would have given you ten silver pieces[d] and a belt!”
12 The man replied to Joab, “Even if I had the weight of a thousand pieces of silver[e] in my hand, I would not raise my hand against the king’s son. For we heard the king command you, Abishai, and Ittai, ‘Protect the young man Absalom for me.’[f](B) 13 If I had jeopardized my own[g] life—and nothing is hidden from the king—you would have abandoned me.”
14 Joab said, “I’m not going to waste time with you!” He then took three spears[h] in his hand and thrust them into Absalom’s chest. While Absalom was still alive in the oak tree, 15 ten young men who were Joab’s armor-bearers surrounded Absalom, struck him, and killed him. 16 Joab blew the ram’s horn, and the troops broke off their pursuit of Israel because Joab restrained them. 17 They took Absalom, threw him into a large pit in the forest, and raised up a huge mound of stones over him.(C) And all Israel fled, each to his tent.(D)
18 When he was alive, Absalom had taken a pillar and raised it up(E) for himself in the King’s Valley,(F) since he thought, “I have no son(G) to preserve the memory of my name.” So he named the pillar after himself. It is still called Absalom’s Monument today.
19 Ahimaaz son of Zadok(H) said, “Please let me run and tell the king the good news that the Lord has vindicated him by freeing him from his enemies.”
20 Joab replied to him, “You are not the man to take good news today. You may do it another day, but today you aren’t taking good news, because the king’s son is dead.” 21 Joab then said to a Cushite, “Go tell the king what you have seen.” The Cushite bowed to Joab and took off running.
22 However, Ahimaaz son of Zadok persisted and said to Joab, “No matter what, please let me also run behind the Cushite!”
Joab replied, “My son, why do you want to run since you won’t get a reward?” [i]
23 “No matter what, I want to run!”
“Then run!” Joab said to him. So Ahimaaz ran by way of the plain and outran the Cushite.
24 David was sitting between the city gates(I) when the watchman went up to the roof of the city gate and over to the wall.(J) The watchman looked out and saw a man running alone. 25 He called out and told the king.
The king said, “If he’s alone, he bears good news.”
As the first runner came closer, 26 the watchman saw another man running. He called out to the gatekeeper, “Look! Another man is running alone!”
“This one is also bringing good news,” said the king.
27 The watchman said, “The way the first man runs looks to me like the way Ahimaaz son of Zadok runs.”(K)
“This is a good man; he comes with good news,”(L) the king commented.
28 Ahimaaz called out to the king, “All is well,” and paid homage to the king with his face to the ground. He continued, “Blessed be the Lord your God! He delivered up the men who rebelled against my lord the king.”
29 The king asked, “Is the young man Absalom all right?”
Ahimaaz replied, “When Joab sent the king’s servant and your servant, I saw a big disturbance, but I don’t know what it was.”
30 The king said, “Move aside and stand here.” So he stood to one side.
31 Just then the Cushite came and said, “May my lord the king hear the good news: The Lord has vindicated you today by freeing you from all who rise against you!”
32 The king asked the Cushite, “Is the young man Absalom all right?”
The Cushite replied, “I wish that the enemies of my lord the king, along with all who rise up against you with evil intent, would become like that young man.”(M)
33 The king was deeply moved and went up to the chamber above the city gate and wept. As he walked, he cried, “My son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you, Absalom, my son, my son!” (N)
Notas al pie
- 18:3 Some Hb mss, LXX, Vg; other Hb mss read because there would now be about
- 18:9 Lit was between heaven and earth
- 18:11 Lit Joab said to the man who told him
- 18:11 About four ounces of silver
- 18:12 About 25 pounds of silver
- 18:12 Some Hb mss, LXX, Tg, Vg; other Hb mss read ‘Protect, whoever, the young man Absalom’; Hb obscure
- 18:13 Alt Hb tradition reads jeopardized his
- 18:14 Lit rods
- 18:22 Or you have no good news?
2 Corinthians 11
Christian Standard Bible
Paul and the False Apostles
11 I wish you would put up with a little foolishness(A) from me. Yes, do put up with me![a] 2 For I am jealous(B) for you with a godly jealousy,(C) because I have promised you in marriage to one husband—to present a pure(D) virgin to Christ. 3 But I fear that, as the serpent(E) deceived(F) Eve(G) by his cunning, your minds may be seduced from a sincere and pure[b] devotion to Christ.(H) 4 For if a person comes and preaches another Jesus,(I) whom we did not preach, or you receive a different spirit,(J) which you had not received, or a different gospel,(K) which you had not accepted, you put up with it splendidly!
5 Now I consider myself in no way inferior to those “super-apostles.”(L) 6 Even if I am untrained in public speaking,(M) I am certainly not untrained in knowledge.(N) Indeed, we have in every way made that clear to you in everything. 7 Or did I commit a sin by humbling(O) myself so that you might be exalted,(P) because I preached the gospel of God to you free of charge?(Q) 8 I robbed other churches by taking pay from them to minister to you. 9 When I was present with you and in need, I did not burden anyone, since the brothers who came from Macedonia(R) supplied my needs.(S) I have kept myself, and will keep myself, from burdening you in any way. 10 As the truth of Christ is in me, this boasting of mine will not be stopped[c] in the regions of Achaia.(T) 11 Why? Because I don’t love you? God knows I do!
12 But I will continue to do what I am doing, in order to deny[d] an opportunity to those who want to be regarded as our equals in what they boast about. 13 For such people are false apostles,(U) deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder! For Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 15 So it is no great surprise if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will be according to their works.(V)
Paul’s Sufferings for Christ
16 I repeat: Let no one consider me a fool. But if you do, at least accept me as a fool so that I can also boast a little. 17 What I am saying in this matter[e] of boasting, I don’t speak as the Lord would, but as it were, foolishly. 18 Since many boast according to the flesh, I will also boast. 19 For you, being so wise, gladly put up with fools!(W) 20 In fact, you put up with it if someone enslaves you, if someone exploits(X) you, if someone takes advantage of you, if someone is arrogant toward you, if someone slaps(Y) you in the face. 21 I say this to our shame: We have been too weak for that!
But in whatever anyone dares to boast—I am talking foolishly—I also dare: 22 Are they Hebrews?(Z) So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the descendants of Abraham?(AA) So am I. 23 Are they servants of Christ? I’m talking like a madman—I’m a better one: with far more labors, many more imprisonments, far worse beatings, many times near death.
24 Five times I received the forty lashes minus one from the Jews.(AB) 25 Three times I was beaten with rods.(AC) Once I received a stoning.(AD) Three times I was shipwrecked.(AE) I have spent a night and a day in the open sea. 26 On frequent journeys, I faced dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers,(AF) dangers from my own people,(AG) dangers from Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers at sea, and dangers among false brothers; 27 toil and hardship, many sleepless nights, hunger and thirst, often without food, cold, and without clothing.(AH) 28 Not to mention[f] other things, there is the daily pressure on me: my concern for all the churches. 29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble,(AI) and I do not burn with indignation?
30 If boasting is necessary, I will boast about my weaknesses. 31 The God and Father(AJ) of the Lord Jesus, who is blessed forever, knows I am not lying. 32 In Damascus,(AK) a ruler[g] under King Aretas guarded the city of Damascus in order to arrest me. 33 So I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall and escaped from his hands.(AL)
Ezekiel 25
Christian Standard Bible
Prophecies Against the Nations
Judgment against Ammon
25 Then the word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, face the Ammonites and prophesy against them.(A) 3 Say to the Ammonites, ‘Hear the word of the Lord God: This is what the Lord God says: Because you said, “Aha!” (B) about my sanctuary when it was desecrated, about the land of Israel when it was laid waste, and about the house of Judah when they went into exile, 4 therefore I am about to give you to the people of the east as a possession. They will set up their encampments and pitch their tents among you. They will eat your fruit and drink your milk. 5 I will make Rabbah a pasture(C) for camels and Ammon a resting place for sheep. Then you will know that I am the Lord.
6 “‘For this is what the Lord God says: Because you clapped your hands,(D) stamped your feet, and rejoiced over the land of Israel with wholehearted contempt, 7 therefore I am about to stretch out my hand against you(E) and give you as plunder to the nations. I will cut you off from the peoples and eliminate you from the countries. I will destroy you, and you will know that I am the Lord.
Judgment against Moab
8 “‘This is what the Lord God says: Because Moab and Seir said,(F) “Look, the house of Judah is like all the other nations.” 9 Therefore I am about to expose Moab’s flank beginning with its[a] frontier cities, the splendor of the land: Beth-jeshimoth, Baal-meon,(G) and Kiriathaim. 10 I will give it along with Ammon to the people of the east as a possession, so that Ammon will not be remembered among the nations. 11 So I will execute judgments against Moab, and they will know that I am the Lord.
Judgment against Edom
12 “‘This is what the Lord God says: Because Edom acted vengefully against the house of Judah(H) and incurred grievous guilt by taking revenge on them, 13 therefore this is what the Lord God says: I will stretch out my hand against Edom and cut off both people and animals from it. I will make it a wasteland; they will fall by the sword from Teman to Dedan. 14 I will take my vengeance(I) on Edom through my people Israel, and they will deal with Edom according to my anger and wrath. So they will know my vengeance. This is the declaration of the Lord God.
Judgment against Philistia
15 “‘This is what the Lord God says: Because the Philistines acted in vengeance and took revenge with deep contempt,(J) destroying because of their perpetual hatred, 16 therefore this is what the Lord God says: I am about to stretch out my hand against the Philistines,(K) cutting off the Cherethites and wiping out what remains of the coastal peoples.[b](L) 17 I will execute severe vengeance against them with furious rebukes. They will know that I am the Lord(M) when I take my vengeance on them.’”
Psalm 73
Christian Standard Bible
BOOK III
(Psalms 73–89)
Psalm 73
God’s Ways Vindicated
A psalm of Asaph.(A)
1 God is indeed good to Israel,
to the pure in heart.(B)
2 But as for me, my feet almost slipped;
my steps nearly went astray.(C)
3 For I envied the arrogant;
I saw the prosperity of the wicked.(D)
4 They have an easy time until they die,[a]
and their bodies are well fed.[b](E)
5 They are not in trouble like others;
they are not afflicted like most people.(F)
6 Therefore, pride is their necklace,
and violence covers them like a garment.(G)
7 Their eyes bulge out from fatness;
the imaginations of their hearts run wild.(H)
8 They mock, and they speak maliciously;
they arrogantly threaten oppression.(I)
9 They set their mouths against heaven,
and their tongues strut across the earth.(J)
10 Therefore his people turn to them[c]
and drink in their overflowing words.[d](K)
11 The wicked say, “How can God know?
Does the Most High know everything?” (L)
12 Look at them—the wicked!
They are always at ease,
and they increase their wealth.(M)
13 Did I purify my heart
and wash my hands in innocence for nothing?(N)
14 For I am afflicted all day long
and punished every morning.(O)
15 If I had decided to say these things aloud,
I would have betrayed your people.[e](P)
16 When I tried to understand all this,
it seemed hopeless[f](Q)
17 until I entered God’s sanctuary.
Then I understood their destiny.(R)
18 Indeed, you put them in slippery places;
you make them fall into ruin.(S)
19 How suddenly they become a desolation!
They come to an end, swept away by terrors.(T)
20 Like one waking from a dream,
Lord, when arising, you will despise their image.(U)
21 When I became embittered
and my innermost being[g] was wounded,(V)
22 I was stupid and didn’t understand;
I was an unthinking animal toward you.(W)
23 Yet I am always with you;
you hold my right hand.(X)
24 You guide me with your counsel,
and afterward you will take me up in glory.[h](Y)
25 Who do I have in heaven but you?
And I desire nothing on earth but you.(Z)
26 My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength[i] of my heart,
my portion forever.(AA)
27 Those far from you will certainly perish;
you destroy all who are unfaithful to you.(AB)
28 But as for me, God’s presence is my good.
I have made the Lord God my refuge,
so I can tell about all you do.(AC)
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.
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