A Morning Prayer

David sang this when he ran away from his son Absalom.

Absalom Plans to Take David’s Kingdom

15 After this, Absalom got a chariot and horses for himself and fifty men to run before him. ² Absalom would get up early and stand near the city gate.^[a] Anyone who had a problem for the king to settle would come here. When someone came, Absalom would call out and say, “What city are you from?”

The person would answer, “I’m from one of the tribes of Israel.”

³ Then Absalom would say, “Look, your claims are right, but the king has no one to listen to you.” ⁴ Absalom would also say, “I wish someone would make me judge in this land! Then people with problems could come to me, and I could help them get justice.”

⁵ People would come near Absalom to bow to him. When they did, Absalom would reach out his hand and take hold of them and kiss them. ⁶ Absalom did that to all the Israelites who came to King David for decisions. In this way, Absalom stole the hearts of all Israel.

⁷ After four years Absalom said to King David, “Please let me go to Hebron. I want to carry out my promise that I made to the Lord ⁸ while I was living in Geshur in Aram. I said, ‘If the Lord takes me back to Jerusalem, I will worship him in Hebron.’”

⁹ The king said, “Go in peace.”

So Absalom went to Hebron. ¹⁰ But he sent secret messengers through all the tribes of Israel. They told the people, “When you hear the trumpets, say this: ‘Absalom is the king at Hebron!’”

¹¹ Absalom had invited two hundred men to go with him. So they went from Jerusalem with him, but they didn’t know what he was planning. ¹² While Absalom was offering sacrifices, he sent for Ahithophel, one of the people who advised David, to come from his hometown of Giloh. So Absalom’s plans were working very well. More and more people began to support him.

¹³ A messenger came to David, saying, “The Israelites are giving their loyalty to Absalom.”

¹⁴ Then David said to all his officers who were with him in Jerusalem, “We must leave quickly! If we don’t, we won’t be able to get away from Absalom. We must hurry before he catches us and destroys us and kills the people of Jerusalem.”

¹⁵ The king’s officers said to him, “We will do anything you say.”

¹⁶ The king set out with everyone in his house, but he left ten slave women to take care of the palace. ¹⁷ The king left with all his people following him, and they stopped at a house far away. ¹⁸ All the king’s servants passed by him—the Kerethites and Pelethites,^[b] all those from Gath, and the six hundred men who had followed him.

¹⁹ The king said to Ittai, a man from Gath, “Why are you also going with us? Turn back and stay with King Absalom because you are a foreigner. This is not your homeland. ²⁰ You joined me only a short time ago. Should I make you wander with us when I don’t even know where I’m going? Turn back and take your brothers with you. May kindness and loyalty be shown to you.”

²¹ But Ittai said to the king, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will stay with you, whether it means life or death.”

²² David said to Ittai, “Go, march on.” So Ittai from Gath and all his people with their children marched on. ²³ All the people cried loudly as everyone passed by. King David crossed the Kidron Valley, and then all the people went on to the desert. ²⁴ Zadok and all the Levites with him carried the Ark of the Agreement with God. They set it down, and Abiathar offered sacrifices until all the people had left the city.

²⁵ The king said to Zadok, “Take the Ark of God back into the city. If the Lord is pleased with me, he will bring me back and will let me see both it and Jerusalem again. ²⁶ But if the Lord says he is not pleased with me, I am ready. He can do what he wants with me.”

²⁷ The king also said to Zadok the priest, “Aren’t you a seer? Go back to the city in peace and take your son Ahimaaz and Abiathar’s son Jonathan with you. ²⁸ I will wait near the crossings into the desert until I hear from you.” ²⁹ So Zadok and Abiathar took the Ark of God back to Jerusalem and stayed there.

³⁰ David went up the Mount of Olives, crying as he went. He covered his head and went barefoot. All the people with David covered their heads also and cried as they went. ³¹ Someone told David, “Ahithophel is one of the people with Absalom who made secret plans against you.”

So David prayed, “Lord, please make Ahithophel’s advice foolish.”

³² When David reached the top of the mountain where people used to worship God, Hushai the Arkite came to meet him. Hushai’s coat was torn, and there was dirt on his head to show how sad he was. ³³ David said to Hushai, “If you go with me, you will be just one more person for me to take care of. ³⁴ But if you return to the city, you can make Ahithophel’s advice useless. Tell Absalom, ‘I am your servant, my king. In the past I served your father, but now I will serve you.’ ³⁵ The priests Zadok and Abiathar will be with you. Tell them everything you hear in the royal palace. ³⁶ Zadok’s son Ahimaaz and Abiathar’s son Jonathan are with them. Send them to tell me everything you hear.” ³⁷ So David’s friend Hushai entered Jerusalem just as Absalom arrived.

Ziba Meets David

16 When David had passed a short way over the top of the Mount of Olives, Ziba, Mephibosheth’s servant, met him. Ziba had a row of donkeys loaded with two hundred loaves of bread, one hundred cakes of raisins, one hundred cakes of figs, and leather bags full of wine. ² The king asked Ziba, “What are these things for?”

Ziba answered, “The donkeys are for your family to ride. The bread and cakes of figs are for the servants to eat. And the wine is for anyone to drink who might become weak in the desert.”

³ The king asked, “Where is Mephibosheth?”

Ziba answered him, “Mephibosheth is staying in Jerusalem because he thinks, ‘Today the Israelites will give my father’s kingdom back to me!’”

⁴ Then the king said to Ziba, “All right. Everything that belonged to Mephibosheth, I now give to you!”

Ziba said, “I bow to you. I hope I will always be able to please you.”

Shimei Curses David

⁵ As King David came to Bahurim, a man came out and cursed him. He was from Saul’s family group, and his name was Shimei son of Gera. ⁶ He threw stones at David and his officers, but the people and soldiers gathered all around David. ⁷ Shimei cursed David, saying, “Get out, get out, you murderer, you troublemaker. ⁸ The Lord is punishing you for the people in Saul’s family you killed! You took Saul’s place as king, but now the Lord has given the kingdom to your son Absalom! Now you are ruined because you are a murderer!”

⁹ Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse you, the king? Let me go over and cut off his head!”

¹⁰ But the king answered, “This does not concern you, sons of Zeruiah! If he is cursing me because the Lord told him to, who can question him?”

¹¹ David also said to Abishai and all his officers, “My own son is trying to kill me! This man is a Benjaminite and has more right to kill me! Leave him alone, and let him curse me because the Lord told him to do this. ¹² Maybe the Lord will see my misery and repay me with something good for Shimei’s curses today!”

¹³ So David and his men went on down the road, but Shimei followed on the nearby hillside. He kept cursing David and throwing stones and dirt at him. ¹⁴ When the king and all his people arrived at the Jordan, they were very tired, so they rested there.

¹⁵ Meanwhile, Absalom, Ahithophel, and all the Israelites arrived at Jerusalem. ¹⁶ David’s friend Hushai the Arkite came to Absalom and said to him, “Long live the king! Long live the king!”

¹⁷ Absalom asked, “Why are you not loyal to your friend David? Why didn’t you leave Jerusalem with your friend?”

¹⁸ Hushai said, “I belong to the one chosen by the Lord and by these people and everyone in Israel. I will stay with you. ¹⁹ In the past I served your father. So whom should I serve now? David’s son! I will serve you as I served him.”

Ahithophel’s Advice

²⁰ Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Tell us what we should do.”

²¹ Ahithophel said, “Your father left behind some of his slave women to take care of the palace. Have sexual relations with them. Then all Israel will hear that your father is your enemy, and all your people will be encouraged to give you more support.” ²² So they put up a tent for Absalom on the roof^[c] of the palace where everyone in Israel could see it. And Absalom had sexual relations with his father’s slave women.

²³ At that time people thought Ahithophel’s advice was as reliable as God’s own word. Both David and Absalom thought it was that reliable.

17 Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Let me choose twelve thousand men and chase David tonight. ² I’ll catch him while he is tired and weak, and I’ll frighten him so all his people will run away. But I’ll kill only King David. ³ Then I’ll bring everyone back to you. If the man you are looking for is dead, everyone else will return safely.” ⁴ This plan seemed good to Absalom and to all the leaders of Israel.

⁵ But Absalom said, “Now call Hushai the Arkite, so I can hear what he says.” ⁶ When Hushai came to Absalom, Absalom said to him, “This is the plan Ahithophel gave. Should we follow it? If not, tell us.”

⁷ Hushai said to Absalom, “Ahithophel’s advice is not good this time.” ⁸ Hushai added, “You know your father and his men are strong. They are as angry as a bear that is robbed of its cubs. Your father is a skilled fighter. He won’t stay all night with the army. ⁹ He is probably already hiding in a cave or some other place. If the first attack fails, people will hear the news and think, ‘Absalom’s followers are losing!’ ¹⁰ Then even the men who are as brave as lions will be frightened, because all the Israelites know your father is a fighter. They know his men are brave!

¹¹ “This is what I suggest: Gather all the Israelites from Dan to Beersheba.^[d] There will be as many people as grains of sand by the sea. Then you yourself must go into the battle. ¹² We will go to David wherever he is hiding. We will fall on him as dew falls on the ground. We will kill him and all of his men so that no one will be left alive. ¹³ If David escapes into a city, all the Israelites will bring ropes to that city and pull it into the valley. Not a stone will be left!”

¹⁴ Absalom and all the Israelites said, “The advice of Hushai the Arkite is better than that of Ahithophel.” (The Lord had planned to destroy the good advice of Ahithophel so the Lord could bring disaster on Absalom.)

¹⁵ Hushai told Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, what Ahithophel had suggested to Absalom and the elders of Israel. He also reported to them what he himself had suggested. Hushai said, ¹⁶ “Quickly! Send a message to David. Tell him not to stay tonight at the crossings into the desert but to cross over the Jordan River at once. If he crosses the river, he and all his people won’t be destroyed.”

¹⁷ Jonathan and Ahimaaz were waiting at En Rogel. They did not want to be seen going into the city, so a servant girl would go out to them and give them messages. Then Jonathan and Ahimaaz would go and tell King David.

¹⁸ But a boy saw Jonathan and Ahimaaz and told Absalom. So Jonathan and Ahimaaz left quickly and went to a man’s house in Bahurim. He had a well in his courtyard, and they climbed down into it. ¹⁹ The man’s wife spread a sheet over the opening of the well and covered it with grain. No one could tell that anyone was hiding there.

²⁰ Absalom’s servants came to the woman at the house and asked, “Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?”

She said to them, “They have already crossed the brook.”

Absalom’s servants then went to look for Jonathan and Ahimaaz, but they could not find them. So they went back to Jerusalem.

²¹ After Absalom’s servants left, Jonathan and Ahimaaz climbed out of the well and went to tell King David. They said, “Hurry, cross over the river! Ahithophel has said these things against you!” ²² So David and all his people crossed the Jordan River. By dawn, everyone had crossed the Jordan.

²³ When Ahithophel saw that the Israelites did not accept his advice, he saddled his donkey and went to his hometown. He left orders for his family and property, and then he hanged himself. He died and was buried in his father’s tomb.

War Between David and Absalom

²⁴ David arrived at Mahanaim. And Absalom and all his Israelites crossed over the Jordan River. ²⁵ Absalom had made Amasa captain of the army instead of Joab. Amasa was the son of a man named Jether the Ishmaelite. Amasa’s mother was Abigail daughter of Nahash and sister of Zeruiah, Joab’s mother. ²⁶ Absalom and the Israelites camped in the land of Gilead.

²⁷ Shobi, Makir, and Barzillai were at Mahanaim when David arrived. Shobi son of Nahash was from the Ammonite town of Rabbah. Makir son of Ammiel was from Lo Debar, and Barzillai was from Rogelim in Gilead. ²⁸ They brought beds, bowls, clay pots, wheat, barley, flour, roasted grain, beans, small peas, ²⁹ honey, milk curds, sheep, and cheese made from cows’ milk for David and his people. They said, “The people are hungry and tired and thirsty in the desert.”

18 David counted his men and placed over them commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds. ² He sent the troops out in three groups. Joab commanded one-third of the men. Joab’s brother Abishai son of Zeruiah commanded another third. And Ittai from Gath commanded the last third. King David said to them, “I will also go with you.”

³ But the men said, “You must not go with us! If we run away in the battle, Absalom’s men won’t care. Even if half of us are killed, Absalom’s men won’t care. But you’re worth ten thousand of us! You can help us most by staying in the city.”

⁴ The king said to his people, “I will do what you think is best.” So the king stood at the side of the gate as the army went out in groups of a hundred and a thousand.

⁵ The king commanded Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, “Be gentle with young Absalom for my sake.” Everyone heard the king’s orders to the commanders about Absalom.

⁶ David’s army went out into the field against Absalom’s Israelites, and they fought in the forest of Ephraim. ⁷ There David’s army defeated the Israelites. Many died that day—twenty thousand men. ⁸ The battle spread through all the country, but that day more men died in the forest than in the fighting.

Absalom Dies

⁹ Then Absalom happened to meet David’s troops. As Absalom was riding his mule, it went under the thick branches of a large oak tree. Absalom’s head got caught in the tree, and his mule ran out from under him. So Absalom was left hanging above the ground.

¹⁰ When one of the men saw it happen, he told Joab, “I saw Absalom hanging in an oak tree!”

¹¹ Joab said to him, “You saw him? Why didn’t you kill him and let him fall to the ground? I would have given you a belt and four ounces of silver!”

¹² The man answered, “I wouldn’t touch the king’s son even if you gave me twenty-five pounds of silver. We heard the king command you, Abishai, and Ittai, ‘Be careful not to hurt young Absalom.’ ¹³ If I had killed him, the king would have found out, and you would not have protected me!”

¹⁴ Joab said, “I won’t waste time here with you!” Absalom was still alive in the oak tree, so Joab took three spears and stabbed him in the heart. ¹⁵ Ten young men who carried Joab’s armor also gathered around Absalom and struck him and killed him.

¹⁶ Then Joab blew the trumpet, so the troops stopped chasing the Israelites. ¹⁷ Then Joab’s men took Absalom’s body and threw it into a large pit in the forest and filled the pit with many stones. All the Israelites ran away to their homes.

¹⁸ When Absalom was alive, he had set up a pillar for himself in the King’s Valley. He said, “I have no son to keep my name alive.” So he named the pillar after himself, and it is called Absalom’s Monument even today.

¹⁹ Ahimaaz son of Zadok said to Joab, “Let me run and take the news to King David. I’ll tell him the Lord has saved him from his enemies.”

²⁰ Joab answered Ahimaaz, “No, you are not the one to take the news today. You may do it another time, but do not take it today, because the king’s son is dead.”

²¹ Then Joab said to a man from Cush, “Go, tell the king what you have seen.” The Cushite bowed to Joab and ran to tell David.

²² But Ahimaaz son of Zadok begged Joab again, “No matter what happens, please let me go along with the Cushite!”

Joab said, “Son, why do you want to carry the news? You won’t get any reward.”

²³ Ahimaaz answered, “No matter what happens, I will run.”

So Joab said to Ahimaaz, “Run!” Then Ahimaaz ran by way of the Jordan Valley and passed the Cushite.

²⁴ David was sitting between the inner and outer gates of the city. The watchman went up to the roof of the gate by the walls, and as he looked up, he saw a man running alone. ²⁵ He shouted the news to the king.

The king said, “If he is alone, he is bringing good news!”

The man came nearer and nearer to the city. ²⁶ Then the watchman saw another man running, and he called to the gatekeeper, “Look! Another man is running alone!”

The king said, “He is also bringing good news!”

²⁷ The watchman said, “I think the first man runs like Ahimaaz son of Zadok.”

The king said, “Ahimaaz is a good man. He must be bringing good news!”

²⁸ Then Ahimaaz called a greeting to the king. He bowed facedown on the ground before the king and said, “Praise the Lord your God! The Lord has defeated those who were against you, my king.”

²⁹ The king asked, “Is young Absalom all right?”

Ahimaaz answered, “When Joab sent me, I saw some great excitement, but I don’t know what it was.”

³⁰ The king said, “Step over here and wait.” So Ahimaaz stepped aside and stood there.

³¹ Then the Cushite arrived. He said, “Master and king, hear the good news! Today the Lord has punished those who were against you!”

³² The king asked the Cushite, “Is young Absalom all right?”

The Cushite answered, “May your enemies and all who come to hurt you be like that young man!”

³³ Then the king was very upset, and he went to the room over the city gate and cried. As he went, he cried out, “My son Absalom, my son Absalom! I wish I had died and not you. Absalom, my son, my son!”

Joab Scolds David

19 People told Joab, “Look, the king is sad and crying because of Absalom.” ² David’s army had won the battle that day. But it became a very sad day for all the people, because they heard that the king was very sad for his son. ³ The people came into the city quietly that day. They were like an army that had been defeated in battle and had run away. ⁴ The king covered his face and cried loudly, “My son Absalom! Absalom, my son, my son!”

⁵ Joab went into the king’s house and said, “Today you have shamed all your men. They saved your life and the lives of your sons, daughters, wives, and slave women. ⁶ You have shamed them because you love those who hate you, and you hate those who love you. Today you have made it clear that your commanders and men mean nothing to you. What if Absalom had lived and all of us were dead? I can see you would be pleased. ⁷ Now go out and encourage your servants. I swear by the Lord that if you don’t go out, no man will be left with you by tonight! That will be worse than all the troubles you have had from your youth until today.”

⁸ So the king went to the city gate.^[e] When the news spread that the king was at the gate, everyone came to see him.

David Goes Back to Jerusalem

All the Israelites who had followed Absalom had run away to their homes. ⁹ People in all the tribes of Israel began to argue, saying, “The king saved us from the Philistines and our other enemies, but he left the country because of Absalom. ¹⁰ We appointed Absalom to rule us, but now he has died in battle. We should make David the king again.”

¹¹ King David sent a message to Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, that said, “Speak to the elders of Judah. Say, ‘Even in my house I have heard what all the Israelites are saying. So why are you the last tribe to bring the king back to his palace? ¹² You are my brothers, my own family. Why are you the last tribe to bring back the king?’ ¹³ And say to Amasa, ‘You are part of my own family. May God punish me terribly if I don’t make you commander of the army in Joab’s place!’”

¹⁴ David touched the hearts of all the people of Judah at once. They sent a message to the king that said, “Return with all your men.” ¹⁵ Then the king returned as far as the Jordan River. The men of Judah came to Gilgal to meet him and to bring him across the Jordan.

¹⁶ Shimei son of Gera, a Benjaminite who lived in Bahurim, hurried down with the men of Judah to meet King David. ¹⁷ With Shimei came a thousand Benjaminites. Ziba, the servant from Saul’s family, also came, bringing his fifteen sons and twenty servants with him. They all hurried to the Jordan River to meet the king. ¹⁸ The people went across the Jordan to help bring the king’s family back to Judah and to do whatever the king wanted. As the king was crossing the river, Shimei son of Gera came to him and bowed facedown on the ground in front of the king. ¹⁹ He said to the king, “My master, don’t hold me guilty. Don’t remember the wrong I did when you left Jerusalem! Don’t hold it against me. ²⁰ I know I have sinned. That is why I am the first person from Joseph’s family to come down and meet you today, my master and king!”

²¹ But Abishai son of Zeruiah said, “Shimei should die because he cursed you, the Lord’s appointed king!”

²² David said, “This does not concern you, sons of Zeruiah! Today you’re against me! No one will be put to death in Israel today. Today I know I am king over Israel!” ²³ Then the king promised Shimei, “You won’t die.”

²⁴ Mephibosheth, Saul’s grandson, also went down to meet King David. Mephibosheth had not cared for his feet, cut his beard, or washed his clothes from the time the king had left Jerusalem until he returned safely. ²⁵ When Mephibosheth came from Jerusalem to meet the king, the king asked him, “Mephibosheth, why didn’t you go with me?”

²⁶ He answered, “My master, my servant Ziba tricked me! I said to Ziba, ‘I am crippled, so saddle a donkey. Then I will ride it so I can go with the king.’ ²⁷ But he lied about me to you. You, my master and king, are like an angel from God. Do what you think is good. ²⁸ You could have killed all my grandfather’s family. Instead, you put me with those people who eat at your own table. So I don’t have a right to ask anything more from the king!”

²⁹ The king said to him, “Don’t say anything more. I have decided that you and Ziba will divide the land.”

³⁰ Mephibosheth said to the king, “Let Ziba take all the land now that my master the king has arrived safely home.”

³¹ Barzillai of Gilead came down from Rogelim to cross the Jordan River with the king. ³² Barzillai was a very old man, eighty years old. He had taken care of the king when David was staying at Mahanaim, because Barzillai was a very rich man. ³³ David said to Barzillai, “Cross the river with me. Come with me to Jerusalem, and I will take care of you.”

³⁴ But Barzillai answered the king, “Do you know how old I am? Do you think I can go with you to Jerusalem? ³⁵ I am eighty years old! I am too old to taste what I eat or drink. I am too old to hear the voices of men and women singers. Why should you be bothered with me? ³⁶ I am not worthy of a reward from you, but I will cross the Jordan River with you. ³⁷ Then let me go back so I may die in my own city near the grave of my father and mother. But here is Kimham, your servant. Let him go with you, my master and king. Do with him whatever you want.”

³⁸ The king answered, “Kimham will go with me. I will do for him anything you wish, and I will do anything for you that you wish.” ³⁹ The king kissed Barzillai and blessed him. Then Barzillai returned home, and the king and all the people crossed the Jordan.

⁴⁰ When the king crossed over to Gilgal, Kimham went with him. All the troops of Judah and half the troops of Israel led David across the river.

⁴¹ Soon all the Israelites came to the king and said to him, “Why did our relatives, the people of Judah, steal you away? Why did they bring you and your family across the Jordan River with your men?”

⁴² All the people of Judah answered the Israelites, “We did this because the king is our close relative. Why are you angry about it? We have not eaten food at the king’s expense or taken anything for ourselves!”

⁴³ The Israelites answered the people of Judah, “We have ten tribes in the kingdom, so we have more right to David than you do! But you ignored us! We were the first ones to talk about bringing our king back!”

But the people of Judah spoke even more unkindly than the people of Israel.