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18 David mustered the people who were with him, and he set over them commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds. 2 Then David dispatched the people, one-third under the command of Joab, one-third under the command of Abishai the son of Zeruiah and brother of Joab, and one-third under the command of Ittai the Gittite. Then David said to the people, “I myself will go out with you.”
3 But the people said, “You should not go, for if we retreat, they will not be concerned about us. Even if half of us die, they will not be concerned about us. But now you are worth ten thousand of us. Therefore, it would be better to assist us from the city.”
4 The king said to them, “I will do what seems best to you.”
So the king stood beside the gate while all of the people went out by hundreds and thousands. 5 The king commanded Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, “Deal gently with the young man Absalom.” All of the people heard the king instruct the commanders concerning Absalom.
6 So the people went out toward Israel in the field, but the fighting occurred in the forest of Ephraim. 7 The people of Israel were defeated there by the servants of David. That day the defeat was extensive, twenty thousand men. 8 The fighting spread across the land, and the people consumed by the forest were more numerous than those consumed by the sword that day.
9 Absalom was encountered by some of the servants of David. Now Absalom was riding on his mule. When the mule went under the branches of a very large tree, his head was caught in the tree. He was left in midair while the mule that was under him kept going.
10 One man saw him and reported it to Joab, saying, “I saw Absalom hanging in a tree.”
11 Joab said to the man who was reporting to him, “What? You saw him? Why did you not strike him on the spot, sending him to the ground? I would have given you ten shekels[a] of silver and a belt.”
12 The man said to Joab, “Not even if I had felt the weight of a thousand shekels[b] of silver in my hand would I have laid a hand on the king’s son. In our hearing the king commanded you, Abishai, and Ittai saying: Beware lest anyone touch the young man Absalom! 13 Otherwise, I would have worked falsehood against my own life. For nothing is hidden from the king, and you yourself would have set yourself against me.”
14 Then Joab said, “I will not waste any more time with you.” He took three spears in his hand and thrust them into the heart of Absalom while he was still alive in the midst of the tree. 15 Then ten young men, armor bearers for Joab, gathered around and struck down Absalom, killing him.
16 When Joab blew the horn, the people returned from pursuing Israel, for Joab held back the people. 17 Then they took Absalom, disposed of him in a large pit in the forest, and piled over him a very large heap of stones. Then all Israel fled, everyone to his home.
18 Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and set up for himself a memorial stone in the Valley of the King, for he said, “I have no son by whom my name may be remembered.” So he named the memorial stone after himself; and to this day, it is called the monument of Absalom.
David Mourns
19 Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, “Allow me to run and bring the news to the king that the Lord has delivered him from the hand of his enemies.”
20 But Joab said to him, “You will not be a man who bears news today; you may bear news another day. Today you will not bear news because the king’s son is dead.”
21 Then Joab said to the Cushite, “Go, report to the king what you have seen.” The Cushite bowed to Joab, then ran off.
22 Ahimaaz again said to Joab, “Whatever may happen, let me run also, after the Cushite.”
Then Joab said, “Why is it that you want to run, my son? There is no messenger’s reward for you to obtain.”
23 “Whatever happens, I want to run.”
So he said to him, “Run.” So Ahimaaz ran by way of the plain and passed the Cushite.
24 Now David was sitting between the two gates when the watchman went up to the roof of the gate, to the city wall. He lifted his eyes and saw a man running by himself. 25 The watchman called and told the king.
The king said, “If he is alone, there is news in his mouth.” And he came ever closer.
26 Then the watchman saw another man running. The watchman called to the gatekeeper and said, “Look there is another man running alone.”
The king said, “He also is bringing news.”
27 The watchman said, “I think that the running of the first one is like the running of Ahimaaz.”
The king said, “He is a good man and comes with good news.”
28 Then Ahimaaz called to the king and said, “All is well.” He bowed down to the ground before the king and said, “Blessed be the Lord your God who has handed over the men who raised their hand against my lord the king.”
29 The king said, “Is it well for the young man Absalom?”
Ahimaaz said, “I saw a great commotion when Joab sent the servant of the king, your servant, but I do not know what it was.”
30 The king said, “Step aside and stand here.” So he stepped aside and stood in position.
31 Then the Cushite came and said, “Good news for my lord the king, for today the Lord has delivered you from those who rose up against you.”
32 The king said to the Cushite, “Is it well for the young man Absalom?”
The Cushite said, “May the enemies of my lord the king and all who would rise up against you to do harm become as the young man is.”
33 The king was deeply moved and went up to the upper chamber of the gate and wept. As he went he said, “O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! If only I could have given my death in your stead, Absalom, my son, my son!”
19 It was reported to Joab that the king was weeping and mourning over Absalom. 2 The victory that day was turned into mourning for all of the people, for the people heard that day, “The king is grieving for his son.” 3 So the people entered the city by stealth that day, as a people who have been disgraced steal away when they flee from battle. 4 The king covered his face and called with a loud voice, “My son Absalom, my son, my son!”
5 Then Joab came to the king in his house and said, “Today you have shamed the faces of all of your servants who saved your life today, as well as the lives of your sons and daughters, the lives of your wives, and the lives of your concubines, 6 by loving those who hated you and hating those who love you. You have shown today that commanders and servants are nothing to you. I know that if Absalom were alive instead today and all of us were dead, then this would be right in your eyes. 7 Now go out and speak reassuringly to your servants, for I swear by the Lord that if you do not go out, no man will stay with you this night, and this will be worse for you than any calamity that has come against you from your youth until now.”
8 So the king arose and took his seat in the gate, and the people were all told, “The king is sitting in the gate.” So all the people came before the king, but the children of Israel had fled, each to his tent.
David Returns to Jerusalem
9 Now all of the people began to quarrel throughout all of the tribes of Israel, saying, “The king delivered us from the hand of our enemies, and he saved us from the hand of the Philistines, but now he has fled from the land on account of Absalom. 10 But Absalom, whom we anointed over us, has died in battle. Now why are you idle to bring back the king?”
The Resurrection of Jesus(A)
20 Early on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb while it was still dark and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. 2 So she came running to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have put Him.”
3 So Peter came out with the other disciple and they went toward the tomb. 4 They both ran together, and the other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first. 5 Stooping down and looking in, he saw the linen cloths lying. Yet he did not enter. 6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went inside the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, 7 and the cloth that was around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but wrapped in a place by itself. 8 Then the other disciple, who came first to the tomb, went in also. He saw and believed. 9 For as yet they did not know the Scripture, that He must rise from the dead. 10 Then the disciples went away again to their own homes.
The Appearance of Jesus to Mary Magdalene(B)
11 But Mary stood outside at the tomb weeping. As she wept, she stooped down and looked into the tomb, 12 and she saw two angels in white sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet.
13 They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?”
She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have put Him.” 14 When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus.
15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?”
Supposing Him to be the gardener, she said to Him, “Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have put Him, and I will take Him away.”
16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.”
She turned and said to Him, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher).
17 Jesus said to her, “Stop holding on to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father. But go to My brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, to My God and your God.’ ”
18 Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord and that He had said these things to her.
The Appearance of Jesus to His Disciples(C)
19 On the evening of that first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst, and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 20 When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. The disciples were then glad when they saw the Lord.
21 So Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As My Father has sent Me, even so I send you.” 22 When He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of anyone, they are forgiven them. If you retain the sins of anyone, they are retained.”
Jesus and Thomas
24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called The Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!”
But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail prints in His hands, and put my finger in the nail prints, and put my hand in His side, I will not believe.”
26 After eight days His disciples were again inside with the doors shut, and Thomas was with them. Jesus came and stood among them, and said, “Peace be with you.” 27 Then He said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at My hands. Put your hand here and place it in My side. Do not be faithless, but believing.”
28 Thomas answered Him, “My Lord and my God!”
29 Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen, and have yet believed.”
The Purpose of the Book
30 Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book. 31 But these are written that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.
ר Resh
153 Consider my affliction, and deliver me,
for I do not forget Your law.
154 Plead my cause, and defend me;
revive me according to Your word.
155 Salvation is far from the wicked,
for they do not seek Your statutes.
156 Great are Your compassions, O Lord;
revive me according to Your judgments.
157 Many are my persecutors and my enemies,
yet I do not turn from Your testimonies.
158 I behold the transgressors with disgust,
because they have not kept Your word.
159 Consider how I love Your precepts;
revive me, O Lord, according to Your lovingkindness.
160 Your word is true from the beginning,
and every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever.
ש Sin and Shin
161 Princes have persecuted me without a cause,
but my heart stands in awe of Your words.
162 I rejoice at Your word,
as one who finds great plunder.
163 I hate and abhor lying,
but I love Your law.
164 Seven times a day I praise You,
because of Your righteous judgments.
165 Those who love Your law have great peace,
and nothing shall cause them to stumble.
166 Lord, I have hoped for Your deliverance,
and I carry out Your commandments.
167 My soul has kept Your testimonies,
and I love them greatly.
168 I have kept Your precepts and Your testimonies,
for all my ways are before You.
ת Taw
169 Let my cry come near before You, O Lord;
give me understanding according to Your word.
170 Let my supplication come before You;
deliver me according to Your word.
171 My lips shall declare praise,
for You have taught me Your statutes.
172 My tongue shall speak of Your word,
for all Your commandments are right.
173 Let Your hand help me,
for I have chosen Your precepts.
174 I have longed for Your salvation, O Lord,
and Your law is my delight.
175 Let my soul live and praise You,
and let Your judgments come to my aid.
176 I have wandered like a lost sheep;
seek Your servant,
for I do not forget Your commandments.
14 The wrath of a king is as messengers of death,
but a wise man will pacify it.
15 In the light of the king’s countenance is life,
and his favor is as a cloud of the latter rain.
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.