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Absalom Killed
18 Then David [a]took a count of the people who were with him and (A)appointed over them commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds. 2 And David sent the people out, (B)a third [b]under the command of Joab, a third [c]under the command of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, and a third [d]under the command of (C)Ittai the Gittite. And the king said to the people, “I myself will certainly go out with you also.” 3 But the people said, “(D)You should not go out; for if in fact we flee, they will not care about us; and if half of us die, they will not care about us. But [e]you are [f]worth ten thousand of us; so now it is better that you will be ready to help us from the city.” 4 Then the king said to them, “Whatever seems best to you I will do.” So (E)the king stood beside the gate, and all the people went out by hundreds and thousands. 5 But the king commanded Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, saying, “Deal gently with the young man Absalom for my sake.” And (F)all the people heard when the king commanded all the commanders regarding Absalom.
6 Then the people went out to the field against Israel, and the battle took place in (G)the forest of Ephraim. 7 The people of Israel were [g]defeated there by the servants of David, and the slaughter there that day was great, twenty thousand men. 8 For the battle there was spread over the whole countryside, and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.
9 Now Absalom encountered the servants of David. Absalom was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the branches of a massive oak. Then (H)his head caught firmly in the oak, and he was [h]left hanging between the sky and earth, while the mule that was under him kept going. 10 When a certain man saw him, he informed Joab and said, “Behold, I saw Absalom hanging in an oak.” 11 Then Joab said to the man who had informed him, “So behold, you saw him! Why then did you not strike him there to the ground? And it would have been [i]my duty to give you ten pieces of silver and a belt.” 12 But the man said to Joab, “Even if I were to [j]receive a thousand pieces of silver in my hand, I would not put out my hand against the king’s son; for (I)in our hearing the king commanded you, Abishai, and Ittai, saying, ‘[k]Protect the young man Absalom for me!’ 13 Otherwise, if I had dealt treacherously against [l]his life (and (J)there is nothing hidden from the king), then you yourself would have [m]avoided me.” 14 Then Joab said, “I will not [n]waste time here with you.” (K)So he took three spears in his hand and thrust them through the heart of Absalom while he was still alive in the [o]midst of the oak. 15 And ten young men who carried Joab’s armor gathered around and struck Absalom and killed him.
16 Then (L)Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing Israel, for Joab restrained the people. 17 And they took Absalom and threw him into [p]a deep pit in the forest, and (M)erected over him a very large pile of stones. And (N)all Israel fled, each to his own tent. 18 Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and (O)set up for himself a memorial stone, which is in (P)the King’s Valley, for he said, “(Q)I have no son to [q]continue my name.” So he named the memorial stone after his own name, and it is called Absalom’s Monument to this day.
David Is Grief-stricken
19 Then (R)Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, “Please let me run and bring the king news (S)that the Lord has [r]freed him from the hand of his enemies!” 20 But Joab said to him, “You are not the man to bring news this day, but you shall bring news another day; however, you shall bring no news this day, because the king’s son is dead.” 21 Then Joab said to the Cushite, “Go, tell the king what you have seen.” So the Cushite bowed to Joab and ran. 22 However, Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said once more to Joab, “But whatever happens, please let me also run after the Cushite.” And Joab said, “Why would you run, my son, since (T)you will have no messenger’s reward for going?” 23 “But whatever happens,” he said, “I will run.” So he said to him, “Run.” Then Ahimaaz ran by way of the plain and passed by the Cushite.
24 Now (U)David was sitting between the two gates; and (V)the watchman went to the roof of the gate by the wall, and raised his eyes and looked; and behold, a man was running by himself. 25 So the watchman called out and told the king. And the king said, “If he is by himself there is good news in his mouth.” And he came nearer and nearer. 26 Then the watchman saw another man running; and the watchman called to the gatekeeper and said, “Behold, another man is running by himself.” And the king said, “This one also is bringing good news.” 27 The watchman said, “I [s]think the running form of the first one (W)is like the running form of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok.” And the king said, “(X)This is a good man, and he is coming with good news.”
28 Then Ahimaaz called out and said to the king, “[t]All is well.” And (Y)he prostrated himself before the king with his face to the ground. And he said, “(Z)Blessed is the Lord your God, who has turned over the men who raised their hands against my lord the king.” 29 But the king said, “(AA)Is it well with the young man Absalom?” And Ahimaaz answered, “When Joab sent the king’s servant, and your servant, I saw a great commotion, but (AB)I did not know what it was.” 30 Then the king said, “Turn aside and stand here.” So he turned aside and stood still.
31 Then behold, the Cushite arrived, and the Cushite said, “Let my lord the king receive good news, for (AC)the Lord has [u]freed you this day from the hand of all those who rose up against you.” 32 Then the king said to the Cushite, “(AD)Is it well with the young man Absalom?” And the Cushite answered, “(AE)May the enemies of my lord the king, and all who rise up against you for evil, be like that young man!”
33 [v]Then the king trembled and went up to the chamber over the gate and wept. And this is what he said as he walked: “(AF)My son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! (AG)If only I had died instead of you, Absalom, my son, my son!”
Joab Disapproves of David’s Mourning
19 [w]Then it was reported to Joab, “Behold, (AH)the king is weeping and he mourns for Absalom.” 2 So the [x]victory that day was turned into mourning for all the people, because the people heard it said that day, “The king is in mourning over his son.” 3 And the people entered the city surreptitiously that day, just as people who are humiliated surreptitiously flee in battle. 4 And the king (AI)covered his face and [y]cried out with a loud voice, “(AJ)My son Absalom, Absalom, my son, my son!” 5 Then Joab came into the house to the king and said, “Today you have shamed [z]all your servants, who have saved your life today and the lives of your sons and daughters, the lives of your wives, and the lives of your concubines, 6 by loving those who hate you, and by hating those who love you. For you have revealed today that [aa]commanders and servants are nothing to you; for I know today that if Absalom were alive and all of us were dead today, then it would be right [ab]as far as you are concerned. 7 Now therefore arise, go out and speak [ac]kindly to your servants, for I swear by the Lord, if you do not go out, (AK)no man will stay the night with you, and this will be worse for you than all the misfortune that has [ad]happened to you from your youth until now!”
David Restored as King
8 So the king got up and sat at the gate. When they told all the people, saying, “Behold, the king is (AL)sitting at the gate,” then all the people came before the king.
Now (AM)Israel had fled, each to his tent. 9 And all the people were quarreling throughout the tribes of Israel, saying, “(AN)The king rescued us from the [ae]hands of our enemies and (AO)saved us from the [af]hands of the Philistines, but now (AP)he has fled out of the land from Absalom. 10 However, Absalom, whom we anointed over us, has died in battle. Now then, why are you silent about bringing the king back?”
The Empty Tomb
20 (A)Now on the first day of the week (B)Mary Magdalene *came early to the tomb, while it was still dark, and *saw (C)the stone already removed from the tomb. 2 So she *ran and *came to Simon Peter and to the other (D)disciple whom Jesus loved, and *said to them, “(E)They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we do not know where they have put Him.” 3 (F)So Peter and the other disciple left, and they were going to the tomb. 4 The two were running together; and the other disciple ran ahead, faster than Peter, and came to the tomb first; 5 and he (G)stooped to look in, and *saw the (H)linen wrappings lying there; however he did not go in. 6 So Simon Peter also *came, following him, and he entered the tomb; and he *looked at the linen wrappings lying there, 7 and (I)the face-cloth which had been on His head, not lying with the (J)linen wrappings but folded up in a place by itself. 8 So the other disciple who (K)had first come to the tomb also entered then, and he saw and believed. 9 For (L)they did not yet understand the Scripture, (M)that He must rise from the dead. 10 So the disciples went away again (N)to their own homes.
11 (O)But Mary was standing outside the tomb, weeping; so as she wept, she (P)stooped to look into the tomb; 12 and she *saw (Q)two angels in white sitting, one at the head and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had been lying. 13 And they *said to her, “(R)Woman, why are you weeping?” She *said to them, “Because (S)they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they put Him.” 14 When she had said this, she turned around and *(T)saw Jesus standing there, and yet she (U)did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus *said to her, “(V)Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Thinking that He was the gardener, she *said to Him, “Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you put Him, and I will take Him away.” 16 Jesus *said to her, “Mary!” She turned and *said to Him (W)in [a]Hebrew, “(X)Rabboni!” (which means, Teacher). 17 Jesus *said to her, “Stop clinging to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to (Y)My brothers and say to them, ‘I am (Z)ascending to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God.’” 18 (AA)Mary Magdalene *came and (AB)announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord,” and that He had said these things to her.
Jesus among His Disciples
19 Now when it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were [b]shut where the disciples were together due to (AC)fear of the [c]Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst, and *said to them, “(AD)Peace be to you.” 20 And when He had said this, (AE)He showed them both His hands and His side. The disciples then (AF)rejoiced when they saw the Lord. 21 So Jesus said to them again, “(AG)Peace be to you; (AH)just as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” 22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them and *said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 (AI)If you forgive the sins of any, their sins [d]have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained.”
24 But (AJ)Thomas, one of (AK)the twelve, who was called [e](AL)Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples were saying to him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see in (AM)His hands the imprint of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, (AN)I will not believe.”
26 [f]Eight days later His disciples were again inside, and Thomas was with them. Jesus *came, the doors having been [g]shut, and stood in their midst and said, “(AO)Peace be to you.” 27 Then He *said to Thomas, “(AP)Place your finger here, and see My hands; and take your hand and put it into My side; and do not continue in disbelief, but be a believer.” 28 Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Jesus *said to him, “Because you have seen Me, have you now believed? (AQ)Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.”
Why This Gospel Was Written
30 (AR)So then, many other [h](AS)signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these have been written (AT)so that you may believe that Jesus is the [i]Christ, (AU)the Son of God; and that by (AV)believing you may have life in His name.
Resh
153 (A)Look at my (B)affliction and rescue me,
For I have not (C)forgotten Your Law.
154 (D)Plead my cause and (E)redeem me;
Revive me according to Your [a]word.
155 Salvation is (F)far from the wicked,
For they (G)do not seek Your statutes.
156 [b](H)Great are Your mercies, Lord;
Revive me according to Your judgments.
157 Many are my (I)persecutors and my enemies,
Yet I do not (J)turn aside from Your testimonies.
158 I see the (K)treacherous and (L)loathe them,
Because they do not keep Your word.
159 Consider how I (M)love Your precepts;
(N)Revive me, Lord, according to Your faithfulness.
160 The (O)sum of Your word is (P)truth,
And every one of Your righteous judgments (Q)is everlasting.
Shin
161 (R)Rulers persecute me without cause,
But my heart (S)stands in awe of Your words.
162 I (T)rejoice at Your [c]word,
Like one who (U)finds great plunder.
163 I (V)hate and loathe falsehood,
But I (W)love Your Law.
164 Seven times a day I praise You
Because of Your (X)righteous judgments.
165 Those who love Your Law have (Y)great peace,
And [d](Z)nothing causes them to stumble.
166 I (AA)hope for Your salvation, Lord,
And do Your commandments.
167 My (AB)soul keeps Your testimonies,
And I (AC)love them exceedingly.
168 I (AD)keep Your precepts and Your testimonies,
For all my (AE)ways are before You.
Tav
169 Let my (AF)cry [e]come before You, Lord;
(AG)Give me understanding (AH)according to Your word.
170 Let my (AI)pleading come before You;
(AJ)Save me according to Your [f]word.
171 Let my (AK)lips pour out praise,
For You (AL)teach me Your statutes.
172 Let my (AM)tongue sing about Your [g]word,
For all Your (AN)commandments are righteousness.
173 Let Your (AO)hand be [h]ready to help me,
For I have (AP)chosen Your precepts.
174 I (AQ)long for Your salvation, Lord,
And Your Law is my (AR)delight.
175 Let my (AS)soul live that it may praise You,
And let Your ordinances help me.
176 I have (AT)wandered about like a lost sheep; search for Your servant,
For I do (AU)not forget Your commandments.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.