Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

A psalm of David when he was with Abimelek and pretended to be out of his mind. Abimelek drove him away, and David left.

¹⁵ Hushai spoke to Zadok and Abiathar, the priests. He said, “Ahithophel has given advice to Absalom and the elders of Israel. He suggested that they should do one thing. But I suggested something else. ¹⁶ Send a message right away. Tell David, ‘Don’t spend the night in the desert at a place where people cross the Jordan River. Make sure you go on across. If you don’t, you and all the people with you will be swallowed up.’ ”

¹⁷ Jonathan and Ahimaaz were staying at En Rogel just outside Jerusalem. They knew they would be in danger if anyone saw them entering the city. A female servant was supposed to go and tell them what had happened. Then they were supposed to go and tell King David. ¹⁸ But a young man saw Jonathan and Ahimaaz and told Absalom about it. So the two men left right away. They went to the house of a man in Bahurim. He had a well in his courtyard. They climbed down into it. ¹⁹ The man’s wife got a covering and spread it out over the opening of the well. Then she scattered grain on the covering. So no one knew that the men were hiding in the well.

²⁰ Absalom’s men came to the house. They asked the woman, “Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?”

She answered, “They went across the brook.” When the men looked around, they didn’t find anyone. So they returned to Jerusalem.

²¹ After they had gone, Jonathan and Ahimaaz climbed out of the well. They went to tell King David what they had found out. They said to him, “Go across the river right away. Ahithophel has told Absalom how to come after you and strike you down.” ²² So David and all the people with him started out. They went across the Jordan River. By sunrise, everyone had crossed over.

²³ Ahithophel saw that his advice wasn’t being followed. So he put a saddle on his donkey. He started out for his house in his hometown. When he arrived, he made everything ready for his death. He made out his will. Then he killed himself. And so he died and was buried in his father’s tomb.

Absalom Dies

²⁴ David went to Mahanaim. Absalom went across the Jordan River with all the men of Israel. ²⁵ Absalom had made Amasa commander of the army in place of Joab. Amasa was the son of Jether. Jether belonged to the family line of Ishmael. He had married Abigail. She was the daughter of Nahash and the sister of Zeruiah. Zeruiah was the mother of Joab. ²⁶ Absalom and the Israelites camped in the land of Gilead.

²⁷ David came to Mahanaim. Shobi, the son of Nahash, met him there. Shobi was from Rabbah in the land of Ammon. Makir, the son of Ammiel from Lo Debar, met him there too. So did Barzillai from Rogelim in the land of Gilead. ²⁸ They brought beds, bowls and clay pots. They brought wheat, barley, flour, and grain that had been cooked. They brought beans and lentils. ²⁹ They brought honey, butter, sheep, and cheese that was made from cows’ milk. They brought all that food for David and his people to eat. They said, “These people have become tired. They’ve become hungry and thirsty in the desert.”

Do Good to Everyone

6 Brothers and sisters, what if someone is caught in a sin? Then you who live by the Spirit should correct that person. Do it in a gentle way. But be careful. You could be tempted too. ² Carry one another’s heavy loads. If you do, you will fulfill the law of Christ. ³ If anyone thinks they are somebody when they are nobody, they are fooling themselves. ⁴ Each person should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves. They won’t be comparing themselves to someone else. ⁵ Each person should carry their own load. ⁶ But those who are taught the word should share all good things with their teacher.

⁷ Don’t be fooled. You can’t outsmart God. A man gathers a crop from what he plants. ⁸ Some people plant to please their desires controlled by sin. From these desires they will harvest death. Others plant to please the Holy Spirit. From the Spirit they will harvest eternal life. ⁹ Let us not become tired of doing good. At the right time we will gather a crop if we don’t give up. ¹⁰ So when we can do good to everyone, let us do it. Let’s try even harder to do good to the family of believers.