Day 143 - 2 Samuel 24; 1 Chronicles 21-22; Psalm 30

2 Samuel 24

David Counts the Fighting Men

¹ Again the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, "Go and take a census of Israel and Judah."

² So the king said to Joab and the army commanders ^a]">[a] with him, "Go throughout the tribes of Israel from Dan to Beersheba and enroll the fighting men, so that I may know how many there are."

³ But Joab replied to the king, "May the LORD your God multiply the troops a hundred times over, and may the eyes of my lord the king see it. But why does my lord the king want to do such a thing?"

⁴ The king's word, however, overruled Joab and the army commanders; so they left the presence of the king to enroll the fighting men of Israel.

⁵ After crossing the Jordan, they camped near Aroer, south of the town in the gorge, and then went through Gad and on to Jazer. ⁶ They went to Gilead and the region of Tahtim Hodshi, and on to Dan Jaan and around toward Sidon. ⁷ Then they went toward the fortress of Tyre and all the towns of the Hivites and Canaanites. Finally, they went on to Beersheba in the Negev of Judah.

⁸ After they had gone through the entire land, they came back to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days.

⁹ Joab reported the number of the fighting men to the king: In Israel there were eight hundred thousand able-bodied men who could handle a sword, and in Judah five hundred thousand.

¹⁰ David was conscience-stricken after he had counted the fighting men, and he said to the LORD, "I have sinned greatly in what I have done. Now, O LORD, I beg you, take away the guilt of your servant. I have done a very foolish thing."

¹¹ Before David got up the next morning, the word of the LORD had come to Gad the prophet, David's seer: ¹² "Go and tell David, 'This is what the LORD says: I am giving you three options. Choose one of them for me to carry out against you.' "

¹³ So Gad went to David and said to him, "Shall there come upon you three ^b]">[b] years of famine in your land? Or three months of fleeing from your enemies while they pursue you? Or three days of plague in your land? Now then, think it over and decide how I should answer the one who sent me."

¹⁴ David said to Gad, "I am in deep distress. Let us fall into the hands of the LORD, for his mercy is great; but do not let me fall into the hands of men."

¹⁵ So the LORD sent a plague on Israel from that morning until the end of the time designated, and seventy thousand of the people from Dan to Beersheba died. ¹⁶ When the angel stretched out his hand to destroy Jerusalem, the LORD was grieved because of the calamity and said to the angel who was afflicting the people, "Enough! Withdraw your hand." The angel of the LORD was then at the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.

¹⁷ When David saw the angel who was striking down the people, he said to the LORD, "I am the one who has sinned and done wrong. These are but sheep. What have they done? Let your hand fall upon me and my family."

David Builds an Altar

¹⁸ On that day Gad went to David and said to him, "Go up and build an altar to the LORD on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite." ¹⁹ So David went up, as the LORD had commanded through Gad. ²⁰ When Araunah looked and saw the king and his men coming toward him, he went out and bowed down before the king with his face to the ground.

²¹ Araunah said, "Why has my lord the king come to his servant?"
"To buy your threshing floor," David answered, "so I can build an altar to the LORD, that the plague on the people may be stopped."

²² Araunah said to David, "Let my lord the king take whatever pleases him and offer it up. Here are oxen for the burnt offering, and here are threshing sledges and ox yokes for the wood. ²³ O king, Araunah gives all this to the king." Araunah also said to him, "May the LORD your God accept you."

²⁴ But the king replied to Araunah, "No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the LORD my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing."
So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen and paid fifty shekels ^c]">[c] of silver for them. ²⁵ David built an altar to the LORD there and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. ^d]">[d] Then the LORD answered prayer in behalf of the land, and the plague on Israel was stopped.

Footnotes:

1. 2 Samuel 24:2 Septuagint (see also verse 4 and 1 Chron. 21:2 Hebrew Joab the army commander
2. 2 Samuel 24:13 Septuagint (see also 1 Chron. 21:12 Hebrew seven
3. 2 Samuel 24:24 That is, about 1 1/4 pounds (about 0.6 kilogram)
4. 2 Samuel 24:25 Traditionally peace offerings

1 Chronicles 21

David Numbers the Fighting Men

¹ Satan rose up against Israel and incited David to take a census of Israel. ² So David said to Joab and the commanders of the troops, "Go and count the Israelites from Beersheba to Dan. Then report back to me so that I may know how many there are."

³ But Joab replied, "May the LORD multiply his troops a hundred times over. My lord the king, are they not all my lord's subjects? Why does my lord want to do this? Why should he bring guilt on Israel?"

⁴ The king's word, however, overruled Joab; so Joab left and went throughout Israel and then came back to Jerusalem. ⁵ Joab reported the number of the fighting men to David: In all Israel there were one million one hundred thousand men who could handle a sword, including four hundred and seventy thousand in Judah.

⁶ But Joab did not include Levi and Benjamin in the numbering, because the king's command was repulsive to him. ⁷ This command was also evil in the sight of God; so he punished Israel.

⁸ Then David said to God, "I have sinned greatly by doing this. Now, I beg you, take away the guilt of your servant. I have done a very foolish thing."

⁹ The LORD said to Gad, David's seer, ¹⁰ "Go and tell David, 'This is what the LORD says: I am giving you three options. Choose one of them for me to carry out against you.' "

¹¹ So Gad went to David and said to him, "This is what the LORD says: 'Take your choice: ¹² three years of famine, three months of being swept away ^a]">[a] before your enemies, with their swords overtaking you, or three days of the sword of the LORD -days of plague in the land, with the angel of the LORD ravaging every part of Israel.' Now then, decide how I should answer the one who sent me."

¹³ David said to Gad, "I am in deep distress. Let me fall into the hands of the LORD, for his mercy is very great; but do not let me fall into the hands of men."

¹⁴ So the LORD sent a plague on Israel, and seventy thousand men of Israel fell dead. ¹⁵ And God sent an angel to destroy Jerusalem. But as the angel was doing so, the LORD saw it and was grieved because of the calamity and said to the angel who was destroying the people, "Enough! Withdraw your hand." The angel of the LORD was then standing at the threshing floor of Araunah ^b]">[b] the Jebusite.

¹⁶ David looked up and saw the angel of the LORD standing between heaven and earth, with a drawn sword in his hand extended over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, fell facedown.

¹⁷ David said to God, "Was it not I who ordered the fighting men to be counted? I am the one who has sinned and done wrong. These are but sheep. What have they done? O LORD my God, let your hand fall upon me and my family, but do not let this plague remain on your people."

¹⁸ Then the angel of the LORD ordered Gad to tell David to go up and build an altar to the LORD on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite. ¹⁹ So David went up in obedience to the word that Gad had spoken in the name of the LORD.

²⁰ While Araunah was threshing wheat, he turned and saw the angel; his four sons who were with him hid themselves. ²¹ Then David approached, and when Araunah looked and saw him, he left the threshing floor and bowed down before David with his face to the ground.

²² David said to him, "Let me have the site of your threshing floor so I can build an altar to the LORD, that the plague on the people may be stopped. Sell it to me at the full price."

²³ Araunah said to David, "Take it! Let my lord the king do whatever pleases him. Look, I will give the oxen for the burnt offerings, the threshing sledges for the wood, and the wheat for the grain offering. I will give all this."

²⁴ But King David replied to Araunah, "No, I insist on paying the full price. I will not take for the LORD what is yours, or sacrifice a burnt offering that costs me nothing."

²⁵ So David paid Araunah six hundred shekels ^c]">[c] of gold for the site. ²⁶ David built an altar to the LORD there and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. ^d]">[d] He called on the LORD, and the LORD answered him with fire from heaven on the altar of burnt offering.

²⁷ Then the LORD spoke to the angel, and he put his sword back into its sheath. ²⁸ At that time, when David saw that the LORD had answered him on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite, he offered sacrifices there. ²⁹ The tabernacle of the LORD, which Moses had made in the desert, and the altar of burnt offering were at that time on the high place at Gibeon. ³⁰ But David could not go before it to inquire of God, because he was afraid of the sword of the angel of the LORD.

1 Chronicles 22

¹ Then David said, "The house of the LORD God is to be here, and also the altar of burnt offering for Israel."

Preparations for the Temple

² So David gave orders to assemble the aliens living in Israel, and from among them he appointed stonecutters to prepare dressed stone for building the house of God. ³ He provided a large amount of iron to make nails for the doors of the gateways and for the fittings, and more bronze than could be weighed. ⁴ He also provided more cedar logs than could be counted, for the Sidonians and Tyrians had brought large numbers of them to David.

⁵ David said, "My son Solomon is young and inexperienced, and the house to be built for the LORD should be of great magnificence and fame and splendor in the sight of all the nations. Therefore I will make preparations for it." So David made extensive preparations before his death.

⁶ Then he called for his son Solomon and charged him to build a house for the LORD, the God of Israel. ⁷ David said to Solomon: "My son, I had it in my heart to build a house for the Name of the LORD my God. ⁸ But this word of the LORD came to me: 'You have shed much blood and have fought many wars. You are not to build a house for my Name, because you have shed much blood on the earth in my sight. ⁹ But you will have a son who will be a man of peace and rest, and I will give him rest from all his enemies on every side. His name will be Solomon, ^e]">[e] and I will grant Israel peace and quiet during his reign. ¹⁰ He is the one who will build a house for my Name. He will be my son, and I will be his father. And I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.'

¹¹ "Now, my son, the LORD be with you, and may you have success and build the house of the LORD your God, as he said you would. ¹² May the LORD give you discretion and understanding when he puts you in command over Israel, so that you may keep the law of the LORD your God. ¹³ Then you will have success if you are careful to observe the decrees and laws that the LORD gave Moses for Israel. Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged.

¹⁴ "I have taken great pains to provide for the temple of the LORD a hundred thousand talents ^f]">[f] of gold, a million talents ^g]">[g] of silver, quantities of bronze and iron too great to be weighed, and wood and stone. And you may add to them. ¹⁵ You have many workmen: stonecutters, masons and carpenters, as well as men skilled in every kind of work ¹⁶ in gold and silver, bronze and iron—craftsmen beyond number. Now begin the work, and the LORD be with you."

¹⁷ Then David ordered all the leaders of Israel to help his son Solomon. ¹⁸ He said to them, "Is not the LORD your God with you? And has he not granted you rest on every side? For he has handed the inhabitants of the land over to me, and the land is subject to the LORD and to his people. ¹⁹ Now devote your heart and soul to seeking the LORD your God. Begin to build the sanctuary of the LORD God, so that you may bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD and the sacred articles belonging to God into the temple that will be built for the Name of the LORD."

Footnotes:

1. 1 Chronicles 21:12 Hebrew; Septuagint and Vulgate (see also 2 Samuel 24:13) of fleeing
2. 1 Chronicles 21:15 Hebrew Ornan , a variant of Araunah ; also in verses 18-28
3. 1 Chronicles 21:25 That is, about 15 pounds (about 7 kilograms)
4. 1 Chronicles 21:26 Traditionally peace offerings
5. 1 Chronicles 22:9 Solomon sounds like and may be derived from the Hebrew for peace .
6. 1 Chronicles 22:14 That is, about 3,750 tons (about 3,450 metric tons)
7. 1 Chronicles 22:14 That is, about 37,500 tons (about 34,500 metric tons)

Psalm 30

A psalm. A song. For the dedication of the temple. Of David. ^a]">[a]

¹ I will exalt you, O LORD,
for you lifted me out of the depths
and did not let my enemies gloat over me.

² O LORD my God, I called to you for help
and you healed me.

³ O LORD, you brought me up from the grave ^b]">[b] ;
you spared me from going down into the pit.

⁴ Sing to the LORD, you saints of his;
praise his holy name.

⁵ For his anger lasts only a moment,
but his favor lasts a lifetime;
weeping may remain for a night,
but rejoicing comes in the morning.

⁶ When I felt secure, I said,
"I will never be shaken."

⁷ O LORD, when you favored me,
you made my mountain ^c]">[c] stand firm;
but when you hid your face,
I was dismayed.

⁸ To you, O LORD, I called;
to the Lord I cried for mercy:

⁹ "What gain is there in my destruction, ^d]">[d]
in my going down into the pit?
Will the dust praise you?
Will it proclaim your faithfulness?

¹⁰ Hear, O LORD, and be merciful to me;
O LORD, be my help."

¹¹ You turned my wailing into dancing;
you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,

¹² that my heart may sing to you and not be silent.
O LORD my God, I will give you thanks forever.

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 30:1 Title: Or palace
2. Psalm 30:3 Hebrew Sheol
3. Psalm 30:7 Or hill country
4. Psalm 30:9 Or there if I am silenced

Day 141 - 2 Samuel 22-23; Psalm 57

2 Samuel 22

David's Song of Praise

¹ David sang to the LORD the words of this song when the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. ² He said:
"The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;

³ my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield and the horn ^a]">[a] of my salvation.
He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior—
from violent men you save me.

⁴ I call to the LORD, who is worthy of praise,
and I am saved from my enemies.

⁵ "The waves of death swirled about me;
the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.

⁶ The cords of the grave ^b]">[b] coiled around me;
the snares of death confronted me.

⁷ In my distress I called to the LORD;
I called out to my God.
From his temple he heard my voice;
my cry came to his ears.

⁸ "The earth trembled and quaked,
the foundations of the heavens ^c]">[c] shook;
they trembled because he was angry.

⁹ Smoke rose from his nostrils;
consuming fire came from his mouth,
burning coals blazed out of it.

¹⁰ He parted the heavens and came down;
dark clouds were under his feet.

¹¹ He mounted the cherubim and flew;
he soared ^d]">[d] on the wings of the wind.

¹² He made darkness his canopy around him—
the dark ^e]">[e] rain clouds of the sky.

¹³ Out of the brightness of his presence
bolts of lightning blazed forth.

¹⁴ The LORD thundered from heaven;
the voice of the Most High resounded.

¹⁵ He shot arrows and scattered the enemies ,
bolts of lightning and routed them.

¹⁶ The valleys of the sea were exposed
and the foundations of the earth laid bare
at the rebuke of the LORD,
at the blast of breath from his nostrils.

¹⁷ "He reached down from on high and took hold of me;
he drew me out of deep waters.

¹⁸ He rescued me from my powerful enemy,
from my foes, who were too strong for me.

¹⁹ They confronted me in the day of my disaster,
but the LORD was my support.

²⁰ He brought me out into a spacious place;
he rescued me because he delighted in me.

²¹ "The LORD has dealt with me according to my righteousness;
according to the cleanness of my hands he has rewarded me.

²² For I have kept the ways of the LORD;
I have not done evil by turning from my God.

²³ All his laws are before me;
I have not turned away from his decrees.

²⁴ I have been blameless before him
and have kept myself from sin.

²⁵ The LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness,
according to my cleanness ^f]">[f] in his sight.

²⁶ "To the faithful you show yourself faithful,
to the blameless you show yourself blameless,

²⁷ to the pure you show yourself pure,
but to the crooked you show yourself shrewd.

²⁸ You save the humble,
but your eyes are on the haughty to bring them low.

²⁹ You are my lamp, O LORD;
the LORD turns my darkness into light.

³⁰ With your help I can advance against a troop ^g]">[g] ;
with my God I can scale a wall.

³¹ "As for God, his way is perfect;
the word of the LORD is flawless.
He is a shield
for all who take refuge in him.

³² For who is God besides the LORD ?
And who is the Rock except our God?

³³ It is God who arms me with strength ^h]">[h]
and makes my way perfect.

³⁴ He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;
he enables me to stand on the heights.

³⁵ He trains my hands for battle;
my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

³⁶ You give me your shield of victory;
you stoop down to make me great.

³⁷ You broaden the path beneath me,
so that my ankles do not turn.

³⁸ "I pursued my enemies and crushed them;
I did not turn back till they were destroyed.

³⁹ I crushed them completely, and they could not rise;
they fell beneath my feet.

⁴⁰ You armed me with strength for battle;
you made my adversaries bow at my feet.

⁴¹ You made my enemies turn their backs in flight,
and I destroyed my foes.

⁴² They cried for help, but there was no one to save them—
to the LORD, but he did not answer.

⁴³ I beat them as fine as the dust of the earth;
I pounded and trampled them like mud in the streets.

⁴⁴ "You have delivered me from the attacks of my people;
you have preserved me as the head of nations.
People I did not know are subject to me,

⁴⁵ and foreigners come cringing to me;
as soon as they hear me, they obey me.

⁴⁶ They all lose heart;
they come trembling ^i]">[i] from their strongholds.

⁴⁷ "The LORD lives! Praise be to my Rock!
Exalted be God, the Rock, my Savior!

⁴⁸ He is the God who avenges me,
who puts the nations under me,

⁴⁹ who sets me free from my enemies.
You exalted me above my foes;
from violent men you rescued me.

⁵⁰ Therefore I will praise you, O LORD, among the nations;
I will sing praises to your name.

⁵¹ He gives his king great victories;
he shows unfailing kindness to his anointed,
to David and his descendants forever."

2 Samuel 23

The Last Words of David

¹ These are the last words of David:
"The oracle of David son of Jesse,
the oracle of the man exalted by the Most High,
the man anointed by the God of Jacob,
Israel's singer of songs ^j]">[j] :

² "The Spirit of the LORD spoke through me;
his word was on my tongue.

³ The God of Israel spoke,
the Rock of Israel said to me:
'When one rules over men in righteousness,
when he rules in the fear of God,

⁴ he is like the light of morning at sunrise
on a cloudless morning,
like the brightness after rain
that brings the grass from the earth.'

⁵ "Is not my house right with God?
Has he not made with me an everlasting covenant,
arranged and secured in every part?
Will he not bring to fruition my salvation
and grant me my every desire?

⁶ But evil men are all to be cast aside like thorns,
which are not gathered with the hand.

⁷ Whoever touches thorns
uses a tool of iron or the shaft of a spear;
they are burned up where they lie."

David's Mighty Men

⁸ These are the names of David's mighty men:
Josheb-Basshebeth, ^k]">[k] a Tahkemonite, ^l]">[l] was chief of the Three; he raised his spear against eight hundred men, whom he killed ^m]">[m] in one encounter.

⁹ Next to him was Eleazar son of Dodai the Ahohite. As one of the three mighty men, he was with David when they taunted the Philistines gathered at Pas Dammim ^n]">[n] for battle. Then the men of Israel retreated, ¹⁰ but he stood his ground and struck down the Philistines till his hand grew tired and froze to the sword. The LORD brought about a great victory that day. The troops returned to Eleazar, but only to strip the dead.

¹¹ Next to him was Shammah son of Agee the Hararite. When the Philistines banded together at a place where there was a field full of lentils, Israel's troops fled from them. ¹² But Shammah took his stand in the middle of the field. He defended it and struck the Philistines down, and the LORD brought about a great victory.

¹³ During harvest time, three of the thirty chief men came down to David at the cave of Adullam, while a band of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim. ¹⁴ At that time David was in the stronghold, and the Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem. ¹⁵ David longed for water and said, "Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!" ¹⁶ So the three mighty men broke through the Philistine lines, drew water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem and carried it back to David. But he refused to drink it; instead, he poured it out before the LORD. ¹⁷ "Far be it from me, O LORD, to do this!" he said. "Is it not the blood of men who went at the risk of their lives?" And David would not drink it.
Such were the exploits of the three mighty men.

¹⁸ Abishai the brother of Joab son of Zeruiah was chief of the Three. ^o]">[o] He raised his spear against three hundred men, whom he killed, and so he became as famous as the Three. ¹⁹ Was he not held in greater honor than the Three? He became their commander, even though he was not included among them.

²⁰ Benaiah son of Jehoiada was a valiant fighter from Kabzeel, who performed great exploits. He struck down two of Moab's best men. He also went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion. ²¹ And he struck down a huge Egyptian. Although the Egyptian had a spear in his hand, Benaiah went against him with a club. He snatched the spear from the Egyptian's hand and killed him with his own spear. ²² Such were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada; he too was as famous as the three mighty men. ²³ He was held in greater honor than any of the Thirty, but he was not included among the Three. And David put him in charge of his bodyguard.

²⁴ Among the Thirty were:
Asahel the brother of Joab,
Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem,

²⁵ Shammah the Harodite,
Elika the Harodite,

²⁶ Helez the Paltite,
Ira son of Ikkesh from Tekoa,

²⁷ Abiezer from Anathoth,
Mebunnai ^p]">[p] the Hushathite,

²⁸ Zalmon the Ahohite,
Maharai the Netophathite,

²⁹ Heled ^q]">[q] son of Baanah the Netophathite,
Ithai son of Ribai from Gibeah in Benjamin,

³⁰ Benaiah the Pirathonite,
Hiddai ^r]">[r] from the ravines of Gaash,

³¹ Abi-Albon the Arbathite,
Azmaveth the Barhumite,

³² Eliahba the Shaalbonite,
the sons of Jashen,
Jonathan ³³ son of ^s]">[s] Shammah the Hararite,
Ahiam son of Sharar ^t]">[t] the Hararite,

³⁴ Eliphelet son of Ahasbai the Maacathite,
Eliam son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,

³⁵ Hezro the Carmelite,
Paarai the Arbite,

³⁶ Igal son of Nathan from Zobah,
the son of Hagri, ^u]">[u]

³⁷ Zelek the Ammonite,
Naharai the Beerothite, the armor-bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah,

³⁸ Ira the Ithrite,
Gareb the Ithrite

³⁹ and Uriah the Hittite.
There were thirty-seven in all.

Footnotes:

1. 2 Samuel 22:3 Horn here symbolizes strength.
2. 2 Samuel 22:6 Hebrew Sheol
3. 2 Samuel 22:8 Hebrew; Vulgate and Syriac (see also Psalm 18:7) mountains
4. 2 Samuel 22:11 Many Hebrew manuscripts (see also Psalm 18:10 most Hebrew manuscripts appeared
5. 2 Samuel 22:12 Septuagint and Vulgate (see also Psalm 18:11 Hebrew massed
6. 2 Samuel 22:25 Hebrew; Septuagint and Vulgate (see also Psalm 18:24) to the cleanness of my hands
7. 2 Samuel 22:30 Or can run through a barricade
8. 2 Samuel 22:33 Dead Sea Scrolls, some Septuagint manuscripts, Vulgate and Syriac (see also Psalm 18:32 Masoretic Text who is my strong refuge
9. 2 Samuel 22:46 Some Septuagint manuscripts and Vulgate (see also Psalm 18:45 Masoretic Text they arm themselves .
10. 2 Samuel 23:1 Or Israel's beloved singer
11. 2 Samuel 23:8 Hebrew; some Septuagint manuscripts suggest Ish-Bosheth , that is, Esh-Baal (see also 1 Chron. 11:11 Jashobeam ).
12. 2 Samuel 23:8 Probably a variant of Hacmonite (see 1 Chron. 11:11)
13. 2 Samuel 23:8 Some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 11:11 Hebrew and other Septuagint manuscripts Three; it was Adino the Eznite who killed eight hundred men
14. 2 Samuel 23:9 See 1 Chron. 11:13; Hebrew gathered there .
15. 2 Samuel 23:18 Most Hebrew manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 11:20 two Hebrew manuscripts and Syriac Thirty
16. 2 Samuel 23:27 Hebrew; some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 11:29) Sibbecai
17. 2 Samuel 23:29 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Vulgate (see also 1 Chron. 11:30 most Hebrew manuscripts Heleb
18. 2 Samuel 23:30 Hebrew; some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 11:32) Hurai
19. 2 Samuel 23:33 Some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 11:34 Hebrew does not have son of .
20. 2 Samuel 23:33 Hebrew; some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 11:35) Sacar
21. 2 Samuel 23:36 Some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 11:38 Hebrew Haggadi

Psalm 57

For the director of music. To the tune of "Do Not Destroy." Of David. A miktam . When he had fled from Saul into the cave. ^a]">[a]

¹ Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me,
for in you my soul takes refuge.
I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings
until the disaster has passed.

² I cry out to God Most High,
to God, who fulfills {his purpose} for me.

³ He sends from heaven and saves me,
rebuking those who hotly pursue me;
Selah
God sends his love and his faithfulness.

⁴ I am in the midst of lions;
I lie among ravenous beasts—
men whose teeth are spears and arrows,
whose tongues are sharp swords.

⁵ Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
let your glory be over all the earth.

⁶ They spread a net for my feet—
I was bowed down in distress.
They dug a pit in my path—
but they have fallen into it themselves.
Selah

⁷ My heart is steadfast, O God,
my heart is steadfast;
I will sing and make music.

⁸ Awake, my soul!
Awake, harp and lyre!
I will awaken the dawn.

⁹ I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations;
I will sing of you among the peoples.

¹⁰ For great is your love, reaching to the heavens;
your faithfulness reaches to the skies.

¹¹ Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
let your glory be over all the earth.

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 57:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term

Day 139 - 2 Samuel 19-21

2 Samuel 19

¹ Joab was told, "The king is weeping and mourning for Absalom." ² And for the whole army the victory that day was turned into mourning, because on that day the troops heard it said, "The king is grieving for his son." ³ The men stole into the city that day as men steal in who are ashamed when they flee from battle. ⁴ The king covered his face and cried aloud, "O my son Absalom! O Absalom, my son, my son!"

⁵ Then Joab went into the house to the king and said, "Today you have humiliated all your men, who have just saved your life and the lives of your sons and daughters and the lives of your wives and concubines. ⁶ You love those who hate you and hate those who love you. You have made it clear today that the commanders and their men mean nothing to you. I see that you would be pleased if Absalom were alive today and all of us were dead. ⁷ Now go out and encourage your men. I swear by the LORD that if you don't go out, not a man will be left with you by nightfall. This will be worse for you than all the calamities that have come upon you from your youth till now."

⁸ So the king got up and took his seat in the gateway. When the men were told, "The king is sitting in the gateway," they all came before him.

David Returns to Jerusalem

Meanwhile, the Israelites had fled to their homes. ⁹ Throughout the tribes of Israel, the people were all arguing with each other, saying, "The king delivered us from the hand of our enemies; he is the one who rescued us from the hand of the Philistines. But now he has fled the country because of Absalom; ¹⁰ and Absalom, whom we anointed to rule over us, has died in battle. So why do you say nothing about bringing the king back?"

¹¹ King David sent this message to Zadok and Abiathar, the priests: "Ask the elders of Judah, 'Why should you be the last to bring the king back to his palace, since what is being said throughout Israel has reached the king at his quarters? ¹² You are my brothers, my own flesh and blood. So why should you be the last to bring back the king?' ¹³ And say to Amasa, 'Are you not my own flesh and blood? May God deal with me, be it ever so severely, if from now on you are not the commander of my army in place of Joab.' "

¹⁴ He won over the hearts of all the men of Judah as though they were one man. They sent word to the king, "Return, you and all your men." ¹⁵ Then the king returned and went as far as the Jordan.
Now the men of Judah had come to Gilgal to go out and meet the king and bring him across the Jordan. ¹⁶ Shimei son of Gera, the Benjamite from Bahurim, hurried down with the men of Judah to meet King David. ¹⁷ With him were a thousand Benjamites, along with Ziba, the steward of Saul's household, and his fifteen sons and twenty servants. They rushed to the Jordan, where the king was. ¹⁸ They crossed at the ford to take the king's household over and to do whatever he wished.
When Shimei son of Gera crossed the Jordan, he fell prostrate before the king ¹⁹ and said to him, "May my lord not hold me guilty. Do not remember how your servant did wrong on the day my lord the king left Jerusalem. May the king put it out of his mind. ²⁰ For I your servant know that I have sinned, but today I have come here as the first of the whole house of Joseph to come down and meet my lord the king."

²¹ Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said, "Shouldn't Shimei be put to death for this? He cursed the LORD's anointed."

²² David replied, "What do you and I have in common, you sons of Zeruiah? This day you have become my adversaries! Should anyone be put to death in Israel today? Do I not know that today I am king over Israel?" ²³ So the king said to Shimei, "You shall not die." And the king promised him on oath.

²⁴ Mephibosheth, Saul's grandson, also went down to meet the king. He had not taken care of his feet or trimmed his mustache or washed his clothes from the day the king left until the day he returned safely. ²⁵ When he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, the king asked him, "Why didn't you go with me, Mephibosheth?"

²⁶ He said, "My lord the king, since I your servant am lame, I said, 'I will have my donkey saddled and will ride on it, so I can go with the king.' But Ziba my servant betrayed me. ²⁷ And he has slandered your servant to my lord the king. My lord the king is like an angel of God; so do whatever pleases you. ²⁸ All my grandfather's descendants deserved nothing but death from my lord the king, but you gave your servant a place among those who eat at your table. So what right do I have to make any more appeals to the king?"

²⁹ The king said to him, "Why say more? I order you and Ziba to divide the fields."

³⁰ Mephibosheth said to the king, "Let him take everything, now that my lord the king has arrived home safely."

³¹ Barzillai the Gileadite also came down from Rogelim to cross the Jordan with the king and to send him on his way from there. ³² Now Barzillai was a very old man, eighty years of age. He had provided for the king during his stay in Mahanaim, for he was a very wealthy man. ³³ The king said to Barzillai, "Cross over with me and stay with me in Jerusalem, and I will provide for you."

³⁴ But Barzillai answered the king, "How many more years will I live, that I should go up to Jerusalem with the king? ³⁵ I am now eighty years old. Can I tell the difference between what is good and what is not? Can your servant taste what he eats and drinks? Can I still hear the voices of men and women singers? Why should your servant be an added burden to my lord the king? ³⁶ Your servant will cross over the Jordan with the king for a short distance, but why should the king reward me in this way? ³⁷ Let your servant return, that I may die in my own town near the tomb of my father and mother. But here is your servant Kimham. Let him cross over with my lord the king. Do for him whatever pleases you."

³⁸ The king said, "Kimham shall cross over with me, and I will do for him whatever pleases you. And anything you desire from me I will do for you."

³⁹ So all the people crossed the Jordan, and then the king crossed over. The king kissed Barzillai and gave him his blessing, and Barzillai returned to his home.

⁴⁰ When the king crossed over to Gilgal, Kimham crossed with him. All the troops of Judah and half the troops of Israel had taken the king over.

⁴¹ Soon all the men of Israel were coming to the king and saying to him, "Why did our brothers, the men of Judah, steal the king away and bring him and his household across the Jordan, together with all his men?"

⁴² All the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, "We did this because the king is closely related to us. Why are you angry about it? Have we eaten any of the king's provisions? Have we taken anything for ourselves?"

⁴³ Then the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, "We have ten shares in the king; and besides, we have a greater claim on David than you have. So why do you treat us with contempt? Were we not the first to speak of bringing back our king?"
But the men of Judah responded even more harshly than the men of Israel.

2 Samuel 20

Sheba Rebels Against David

¹ Now a troublemaker named Sheba son of Bicri, a Benjamite, happened to be there. He sounded the trumpet and shouted,
"We have no share in David,
no part in Jesse's son!
Every man to his tent, O Israel!"

² So all the men of Israel deserted David to follow Sheba son of Bicri. But the men of Judah stayed by their king all the way from the Jordan to Jerusalem.

³ When David returned to his palace in Jerusalem, he took the ten concubines he had left to take care of the palace and put them in a house under guard. He provided for them, but did not lie with them. They were kept in confinement till the day of their death, living as widows.

⁴ Then the king said to Amasa, "Summon the men of Judah to come to me within three days, and be here yourself." ⁵ But when Amasa went to summon Judah, he took longer than the time the king had set for him.

⁶ David said to Abishai, "Now Sheba son of Bicri will do us more harm than Absalom did. Take your master's men and pursue him, or he will find fortified cities and escape from us." ⁷ So Joab's men and the Kerethites and Pelethites and all the mighty warriors went out under the command of Abishai. They marched out from Jerusalem to pursue Sheba son of Bicri.

⁸ While they were at the great rock in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. Joab was wearing his military tunic, and strapped over it at his waist was a belt with a dagger in its sheath. As he stepped forward, it dropped out of its sheath.

⁹ Joab said to Amasa, "How are you, my brother?" Then Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him. ¹⁰ Amasa was not on his guard against the dagger in Joab's hand, and Joab plunged it into his belly, and his intestines spilled out on the ground. Without being stabbed again, Amasa died. Then Joab and his brother Abishai pursued Sheba son of Bicri.

¹¹ One of Joab's men stood beside Amasa and said, "Whoever favors Joab, and whoever is for David, let him follow Joab!" ¹² Amasa lay wallowing in his blood in the middle of the road, and the man saw that all the troops came to a halt there. When he realized that everyone who came up to Amasa stopped, he dragged him from the road into a field and threw a garment over him. ¹³ After Amasa had been removed from the road, all the men went on with Joab to pursue Sheba son of Bicri.

¹⁴ Sheba passed through all the tribes of Israel to Abel Beth Maacah ^a]">[a] and through the entire region of the Berites, who gathered together and followed him. ¹⁵ All the troops with Joab came and besieged Sheba in Abel Beth Maacah. They built a siege ramp up to the city, and it stood against the outer fortifications. While they were battering the wall to bring it down, ¹⁶ a wise woman called from the city, "Listen! Listen! Tell Joab to come here so I can speak to him." ¹⁷ He went toward her, and she asked, "Are you Joab?"
"I am," he answered.
She said, "Listen to what your servant has to say."
"I'm listening," he said.

¹⁸ She continued, "Long ago they used to say, 'Get your answer at Abel,' and that settled it. ¹⁹ We are the peaceful and faithful in Israel. You are trying to destroy a city that is a mother in Israel. Why do you want to swallow up the LORD's inheritance?"

²⁰ "Far be it from me!" Joab replied, "Far be it from me to swallow up or destroy! ²¹ That is not the case. A man named Sheba son of Bicri, from the hill country of Ephraim, has lifted up his hand against the king, against David. Hand over this one man, and I'll withdraw from the city."
The woman said to Joab, "His head will be thrown to you from the wall."

²² Then the woman went to all the people with her wise advice, and they cut off the head of Sheba son of Bicri and threw it to Joab. So he sounded the trumpet, and his men dispersed from the city, each returning to his home. And Joab went back to the king in Jerusalem.

²³ Joab was over Israel's entire army; Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Kerethites and Pelethites; ²⁴ Adoniram ^b]">[b] was in charge of forced labor; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was recorder; ²⁵ Sheva was secretary; Zadok and Abiathar were priests; ²⁶ and Ira the Jairite was David's priest.

2 Samuel 21

The Gibeonites Avenged

¹ During the reign of David, there was a famine for three successive years; so David sought the face of the LORD. The LORD said, "It is on account of Saul and his blood-stained house; it is because he put the Gibeonites to death."

² The king summoned the Gibeonites and spoke to them. (Now the Gibeonites were not a part of Israel but were survivors of the Amorites; the Israelites had sworn to spare them, but Saul in his zeal for Israel and Judah had tried to annihilate them.) ³ David asked the Gibeonites, "What shall I do for you? How shall I make amends so that you will bless the LORD's inheritance?"

⁴ The Gibeonites answered him, "We have no right to demand silver or gold from Saul or his family, nor do we have the right to put anyone in Israel to death."
"What do you want me to do for you?" David asked.

⁵ They answered the king, "As for the man who destroyed us and plotted against us so that we have been decimated and have no place anywhere in Israel, ⁶ let seven of his male descendants be given to us to be killed and exposed before the LORD at Gibeah of Saul—the Lord 's chosen one."
So the king said, "I will give them to you."

⁷ The king spared Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, because of the oath before the LORD between David and Jonathan son of Saul. ⁸ But the king took Armoni and Mephibosheth, the two sons of Aiah's daughter Rizpah, whom she had borne to Saul, together with the five sons of Saul's daughter Merab, ^c]">[c] whom she had borne to Adriel son of Barzillai the Meholathite. ⁹ He handed them over to the Gibeonites, who killed and exposed them on a hill before the LORD. All seven of them fell together; they were put to death during the first days of the harvest, just as the barley harvest was beginning.

¹⁰ Rizpah daughter of Aiah took sackcloth and spread it out for herself on a rock. From the beginning of the harvest till the rain poured down from the heavens on the bodies, she did not let the birds of the air touch them by day or the wild animals by night. ¹¹ When David was told what Aiah's daughter Rizpah, Saul's concubine, had done, ¹² he went and took the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan from the citizens of Jabesh Gilead. (They had taken them secretly from the public square at Beth Shan, where the Philistines had hung them after they struck Saul down on Gilboa.) ¹³ David brought the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan from there, and the bones of those who had been killed and exposed were gathered up.

¹⁴ They buried the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan in the tomb of Saul's father Kish, at Zela in Benjamin, and did everything the king commanded. After that, God answered prayer in behalf of the land.

Wars Against the Philistines

¹⁵ Once again there was a battle between the Philistines and Israel. David went down with his men to fight against the Philistines, and he became exhausted. ¹⁶ And Ishbi-Benob, one of the descendants of Rapha, whose bronze spearhead weighed three hundred shekels ^d]">[d] and who was armed with a new sword , said he would kill David. ¹⁷ But Abishai son of Zeruiah came to David's rescue; he struck the Philistine down and killed him. Then David's men swore to him, saying, "Never again will you go out with us to battle, so that the lamp of Israel will not be extinguished."

¹⁸ In the course of time, there was another battle with the Philistines, at Gob. At that time Sibbecai the Hushathite killed Saph, one of the descendants of Rapha.

¹⁹ In another battle with the Philistines at Gob, Elhanan son of Jaare-Oregim ^e]">[e] the Bethlehemite killed Goliath ^f]">[f] the Gittite, who had a spear with a shaft like a weaver's rod.

²⁰ In still another battle, which took place at Gath, there was a huge man with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot—twenty-four in all. He also was descended from Rapha. ²¹ When he taunted Israel, Jonathan son of Shimeah, David's brother, killed him.

²² These four were descendants of Rapha in Gath, and they fell at the hands of David and his men.

Footnotes:

1. 2 Samuel 20:14 Or Abel, even Beth Maacah ; also in verse 15
2. 2 Samuel 20:24 Some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 1 Kings 4:6 and 5:14 Hebrew Adoram
3. 2 Samuel 21:8 Two Hebrew manuscripts, some Septuagint manuscripts and Syriac (see also 1 Samuel 18:19 most Hebrew and Septuagint manuscripts Michal
4. 2 Samuel 21:16 That is, about 7 1/2 pounds (about 3.5 kilograms)
5. 2 Samuel 21:19 Or son of Jair the weaver
6. 2 Samuel 21:19 Hebrew and Septuagint; 1 Chron. 20:5 son of Jair killed Lahmi the brother of Goliath

Day 137 - 2 Samuel 16-18

2 Samuel 16

David and Ziba

¹ When David had gone a short distance beyond the summit, there was Ziba, the steward of Mephibosheth, waiting to meet him. He had a string of donkeys saddled and loaded with two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred cakes of raisins, a hundred cakes of figs and a skin of wine.

² The king asked Ziba, "Why have you brought these?"
Ziba answered, "The donkeys are for the king's household to ride on, the bread and fruit are for the men to eat, and the wine is to refresh those who become exhausted in the desert."

³ The king then asked, "Where is your master's grandson?"
Ziba said to him, "He is staying in Jerusalem, because he thinks, 'Today the house of Israel will give me back my grandfather's kingdom.' "

⁴ Then the king said to Ziba, "All that belonged to Mephibosheth is now yours."
"I humbly bow," Ziba said. "May I find favor in your eyes, my lord the king."

Shimei Curses David

⁵ As King David approached Bahurim, a man from the same clan as Saul's family came out from there. His name was Shimei son of Gera, and he cursed as he came out. ⁶ He pelted David and all the king's officials with stones, though all the troops and the special guard were on David's right and left. ⁷ As he cursed, Shimei said, "Get out, get out, you man of blood, you scoundrel! ⁸ The LORD has repaid you for all the blood you shed in the household of Saul, in whose place you have reigned. The LORD has handed the kingdom over to your son Absalom. You have come to ruin because you are a man of blood!"

⁹ Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, "Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and cut off his head."

¹⁰ But the king said, "What do you and I have in common, you sons of Zeruiah? If he is cursing because the LORD said to him, 'Curse David,' who can ask, 'Why do you do this?' "

¹¹ David then said to Abishai and all his officials, "My son, who is of my own flesh, is trying to take my life. How much more, then, this Benjamite! Leave him alone; let him curse, for the LORD has told him to. ¹² It may be that the LORD will see my distress and repay me with good for the cursing I am receiving today."

¹³ So David and his men continued along the road while Shimei was going along the hillside opposite him, cursing as he went and throwing stones at him and showering him with dirt. ¹⁴ The king and all the people with him arrived at their destination exhausted. And there he refreshed himself.

The Advice of Hushai and Ahithophel

¹⁵ Meanwhile, Absalom and all the men of Israel came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel was with him. ¹⁶ Then Hushai the Arkite, David's friend, went to Absalom and said to him, "Long live the king! Long live the king!"

¹⁷ Absalom asked Hushai, "Is this the love you show your friend? Why didn't you go with your friend?"

¹⁸ Hushai said to Absalom, "No, the one chosen by the LORD, by these people, and by all the men of Israel—his I will be, and I will remain with him. ¹⁹ Furthermore, whom should I serve? Should I not serve the son? Just as I served your father, so I will serve you."

²⁰ Absalom said to Ahithophel, "Give us your advice. What should we do?"

²¹ Ahithophel answered, "Lie with your father's concubines whom he left to take care of the palace. Then all Israel will hear that you have made yourself a stench in your father's nostrils, and the hands of everyone with you will be strengthened." ²² So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, and he lay with his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel.

²³ Now in those days the advice Ahithophel gave was like that of one who inquires of God. That was how both David and Absalom regarded all of Ahithophel's advice.

2 Samuel 17

¹ Ahithophel said to Absalom, "I would ^a]">[a] choose twelve thousand men and set out tonight in pursuit of David. ² I would ^b]">[b] attack him while he is weary and weak. I would ^c]">[c] strike him with terror, and then all the people with him will flee. I would ^d]">[d] strike down only the king ³ and bring all the people back to you. The death of the man you seek will mean the return of all; all the people will be unharmed." ⁴ This plan seemed good to Absalom and to all the elders of Israel.

⁵ But Absalom said, "Summon also Hushai the Arkite, so we can hear what he has to say." ⁶ When Hushai came to him, Absalom said, "Ahithophel has given this advice. Should we do what he says? If not, give us your opinion."

⁷ Hushai replied to Absalom, "The advice Ahithophel has given is not good this time. ⁸ You know your father and his men; they are fighters, and as fierce as a wild bear robbed of her cubs. Besides, your father is an experienced fighter; he will not spend the night with the troops. ⁹ Even now, he is hidden in a cave or some other place. If he should attack your troops first, ^e]">[e] whoever hears about it will say, 'There has been a slaughter among the troops who follow Absalom.' ¹⁰ Then even the bravest soldier, whose heart is like the heart of a lion, will melt with fear, for all Israel knows that your father is a fighter and that those with him are brave.

¹¹ "So I advise you: Let all Israel, from Dan to Beersheba—as numerous as the sand on the seashore—be gathered to you, with you yourself leading them into battle. ¹² Then we will attack him wherever he may be found, and we will fall on him as dew settles on the ground. Neither he nor any of his men will be left alive. ¹³ If he withdraws into a city, then all Israel will bring ropes to that city, and we will drag it down to the valley until not even a piece of it can be found."

¹⁴ Absalom and all the men of Israel said, "The advice of Hushai the Arkite is better than that of Ahithophel." For the LORD had determined to frustrate the good advice of Ahithophel in order to bring disaster on Absalom.

¹⁵ Hushai told Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, "Ahithophel has advised Absalom and the elders of Israel to do such and such, but I have advised them to do so and so. ¹⁶ Now send a message immediately and tell David, 'Do not spend the night at the fords in the desert; cross over without fail, or the king and all the people with him will be swallowed up.' "

¹⁷ Jonathan and Ahimaaz were staying at En Rogel. A servant girl was to go and inform them, and they were to go and tell King David, for they could not risk being seen entering the city. ¹⁸ But a young man saw them and told Absalom. So the two of them left quickly and went to the house of a man in Bahurim. He had a well in his courtyard, and they climbed down into it. ¹⁹ His wife took a covering and spread it out over the opening of the well and scattered grain over it. No one knew anything about it.

²⁰ When Absalom's men came to the woman at the house, they asked, "Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?"
The woman answered them, "They crossed over the brook." ^f]">[f] The men searched but found no one, so they returned to Jerusalem.

²¹ After the men had gone, the two climbed out of the well and went to inform King David. They said to him, "Set out and cross the river at once; Ahithophel has advised such and such against you." ²² So David and all the people with him set out and crossed the Jordan. By daybreak, no one was left who had not crossed the Jordan.

²³ When Ahithophel saw that his advice had not been followed, he saddled his donkey and set out for his house in his hometown. He put his house in order and then hanged himself. So he died and was buried in his father's tomb.

²⁴ David went to Mahanaim, and Absalom crossed the Jordan with all the men of Israel. ²⁵ Absalom had appointed Amasa over the army in place of Joab. Amasa was the son of a man named Jether, ^g]">[g] an Israelite ^h]">[h] who had married Abigail, ^i]">[i] the daughter of Nahash and sister of Zeruiah the mother of Joab. ²⁶ The Israelites and Absalom camped in the land of Gilead.

²⁷ When David came to Mahanaim, Shobi son of Nahash from Rabbah of the Ammonites, and Makir son of Ammiel from Lo Debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim ²⁸ brought bedding and bowls and articles of pottery. They also brought wheat and barley, flour and roasted grain, beans and lentils, ^j]">[j] ²⁹ honey and curds, sheep, and cheese from cows' milk for David and his people to eat. For they said, "The people have become hungry and tired and thirsty in the desert."

2 Samuel 18

Absalom's Death

¹ David mustered the men who were with him and appointed over them commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds. ² David sent the troops out—a third under the command of Joab, a third under Joab's brother Abishai son of Zeruiah, and a third under Ittai the Gittite. The king told the troops, "I myself will surely march out with you."

³ But the men said, "You must not go out; if we are forced to flee, they won't care about us. Even if half of us die, they won't care; but you are worth ten thousand of us. ^k]">[k] It would be better now for you to give us support from the city."

⁴ The king answered, "I will do whatever seems best to you."
So the king stood beside the gate while all the men marched out in units of hundreds and of thousands. ⁵ The king commanded Joab, Abishai and Ittai, "Be gentle with the young man Absalom for my sake." And all the troops heard the king giving orders concerning Absalom to each of the commanders.

⁶ The army marched into the field to fight Israel, and the battle took place in the forest of Ephraim. ⁷ There the army of Israel was defeated by David's men, and the casualties that day were great—twenty thousand men. ⁸ The battle spread out over the whole countryside, and the forest claimed more lives that day than the sword.

⁹ Now Absalom happened to meet David's men. He was riding his mule, and as the mule went under the thick branches of a large oak, Absalom's head got caught in the tree. He was left hanging in midair, while the mule he was riding kept on going.

¹⁰ When one of the men saw this, he told Joab, "I just saw Absalom hanging in an oak tree."

¹¹ Joab said to the man who had told him this, "What! You saw him? Why didn't you strike him to the ground right there? Then I would have had to give you ten shekels ^l]">[l] of silver and a warrior's belt."

¹² But the man replied, "Even if a thousand shekels ^m]">[m] were weighed out into my hands, I would not lift my hand against the king's son. In our hearing the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, 'Protect the young man Absalom for my sake. ^n]">[n] ' ¹³ And if I had put my life in jeopardy ^o]">[o] —and nothing is hidden from the king—you would have kept your distance from me."

¹⁴ Joab said, "I'm not going to wait like this for you." So he took three javelins in his hand and plunged them into Absalom's heart while Absalom was still alive in the oak tree. ¹⁵ And ten of Joab's armor-bearers surrounded Absalom, struck him and killed him.

¹⁶ Then Joab sounded the trumpet, and the troops stopped pursuing Israel, for Joab halted them. ¹⁷ They took Absalom, threw him into a big pit in the forest and piled up a large heap of rocks over him. Meanwhile, all the Israelites fled to their homes.

¹⁸ During his lifetime Absalom had taken a pillar and erected it in the King's Valley as a monument to himself, for he thought, "I have no son to carry on the memory of my name." He named the pillar after himself, and it is called Absalom's Monument to this day.

David Mourns

¹⁹ Now Ahimaaz son of Zadok said, "Let me run and take the news to the king that the LORD has delivered him from the hand of his enemies."

²⁰ "You are not the one to take the news today," Joab told him. "You may take the news another time, but you must not do so today, because the king's son is dead."

²¹ Then Joab said to a Cushite, "Go, tell the king what you have seen." The Cushite bowed down before Joab and ran off.

²² Ahimaaz son of Zadok again said to Joab, "Come what may, please let me run behind the Cushite."
But Joab replied, "My son, why do you want to go? You don't have any news that will bring you a reward."

²³ He said, "Come what may, I want to run."
So Joab said, "Run!" Then Ahimaaz ran by way of the plain ^p]">[p] and outran the Cushite.

²⁴ While David was sitting between the inner and outer gates, the watchman went up to the roof of the gateway by the wall. As he looked out, he saw a man running alone. ²⁵ The watchman called out to the king and reported it.
The king said, "If he is alone, he must have good news." And the man came closer and closer.

²⁶ Then the watchman saw another man running, and he called down to the gatekeeper, "Look, another man running alone!"
The king said, "He must be bringing good news, too."

²⁷ The watchman said, "It seems to me that the first one runs like Ahimaaz son of Zadok."
"He's a good man," the king said. "He comes with good news."

²⁸ Then Ahimaaz called out to the king, "All is well!" He bowed down before the king with his face to the ground and said, "Praise be to the LORD your God! He has delivered up the men who lifted their hands against my lord the king."

²⁹ The king asked, "Is the young man Absalom safe?"
Ahimaaz answered, "I saw great confusion just as Joab was about to send the king's servant and me, your servant, but I don't know what it was."

³⁰ The king said, "Stand aside and wait here." So he stepped aside and stood there.

³¹ Then the Cushite arrived and said, "My lord the king, hear the good news! The LORD has delivered you today from all who rose up against you."

³² The king asked the Cushite, "Is the young man Absalom safe?"
The Cushite replied, "May the enemies of my lord the king and all who rise up to harm you be like that young man."

³³ The king was shaken. He went up to the room over the gateway and wept. As he went, he said: "O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you—O Absalom, my son, my son!"

Footnotes:

1. 2 Samuel 17:1 Or Let me
2. 2 Samuel 17:2 Or will
3. 2 Samuel 17:2 Or will
4. 2 Samuel 17:2 Or will
5. 2 Samuel 17:9 Or When some of the men fall at the first attack
6. 2 Samuel 17:20 Or "They passed by the sheep pen toward the water."
7. 2 Samuel 17:25 Hebrew Ithra , a variant of Jether
8. 2 Samuel 17:25 Hebrew and some Septuagint manuscripts; other Septuagint manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 2:17) Ishmaelite or Jezreelite
9. 2 Samuel 17:25 Hebrew Abigal , a variant of Abigail
10. 2 Samuel 17:28 Most Septuagint manuscripts and Syriac; Hebrew lentils, and roasted grain
11. 2 Samuel 18:3 Two Hebrew manuscripts, some Septuagint manuscripts and Vulgate; most Hebrew manuscripts care; for now there are ten thousand like us
12. 2 Samuel 18:11 That is, about 4 ounces (about 115 grams)
13. 2 Samuel 18:12 That is, about 25 pounds (about 11 kilograms)
14. 2 Samuel 18:12 A few Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Vulgate and Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts may be translated Absalom, whoever you may be.
15. 2 Samuel 18:13 Or Otherwise, if I had acted treacherously toward him
16. 2 Samuel 18:23 That is, the plain of the Jordan