9:1 1 Then David asked, “Is anyone still left from the family 2 of Saul, so that I may extend kindness to him for the sake of Jonathan?”
9:2 Now there was a servant from Saul’s house named Ziba, so he was summoned to David. The king asked him, “Are you Ziba?” He replied, “At your service.” 3 9:3 The king asked, “Is there not someone left from Saul’s family, 4 that I may extend God’s kindness to him?” Ziba said to the king, “One of Jonathan’s sons is left; both of his feet are crippled.” 9:4 The king asked him, “Where is he?” Ziba told the king, “He is at the house of Makir son of Ammiel in Lo Debar.
9:5 So King David had him brought 5 from the house of Makir son of Ammiel in 6 Lo Debar. 9:6 When Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, he bowed low with his face toward the ground. 7 David said, “Mephibosheth?” He replied, “Yes, at your service.” 8
9:7 David said to him, “Don’t be afraid, because I will certainly extend kindness to you for the sake of Jonathan your father. You will be a regular guest at my table.” 9 9:8 Then Mephibosheth 10 bowed and said, “Of what importance am I, your servant, that you show regard for a dead dog like me?” 11
9:9 Then the king summoned Ziba, Saul’s attendant, and said to him, “Everything that belonged to Saul and to his entire house I hereby give to your master’s grandson. 9:10 You will cultivate 12 the land for him – you and your sons and your servants. You will bring its produce 13 and it will be 14 food for your master’s grandson to eat. 15 But Mephibosheth, your master’s grandson, will be a regular guest at my table.” (Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.)
9:11 Ziba said to the king, “Your servant will do everything that my lord the king has instructed his servant to do.” So Mephibosheth was a regular guest 16 at David’s table, 17 just as though he were one of the king’s sons.
9:12 Now Mephibosheth had a young son whose name was Mica. All the members of Ziba’s household were Mephibosheth’s servants. 9:13 Mephibosheth was living in Jerusalem, 18 for he was a regular guest at the king’s table. But both his feet were crippled.
10:1 Later the king of the Ammonites died and his son Hanun succeeded him. 19 10:2 David said, “I will express my loyalty 20 to Hanun son of Nahash just as his father was loyal 21 to me.” So David sent his servants with a message expressing sympathy over his father’s death. 22 When David’s servants entered the land of the Ammonites, 10:3 the Ammonite officials said to their lord Hanun, “Do you really think David is trying to honor your father by sending these messengers to express his sympathy? 23 No, David has sent his servants to you to get information about the city and spy on it so they can overthrow it!” 24
10:4 So Hanun seized David’s servants and shaved off half of each one’s beard. He cut the lower part of their robes off so that their buttocks were exposed, 25 and then sent them away. 10:5 Messengers 26 told David what had happened, 27 so he summoned them, for the men were thoroughly humiliated. The king said, “Stay in Jericho 28 until your beards have grown again; then you may come back.”
10:6 When the Ammonites realized that David was disgusted with them, 29 they 30 sent and hired 20,000 foot soldiers from Aram Beth Rehob and Aram Zobah, 31 in addition to 1,000 men from the king of Maacah and 12,000 men from Ish-tob. 32
10:7 When David heard the news, he sent Joab and the entire army to meet them. 33 10:8 The Ammonites marched out and were deployed for battle at the entrance of the city gate, while the men from Aram Zobah, Rehob, Ish-tob, and Maacah were by themselves in the field.
10:9 When Joab saw that the battle would be fought on two fronts, he chose some of Israel’s best men and deployed them against the Arameans. 34 10:10 He put his brother Abishai in charge of the rest of the army 35 and they were deployed 36 against the Ammonites. 10:11 Joab 37 said, “If the Arameans start to overpower me, 38 you come to my rescue. If the Ammonites start to overpower you, 39 I will come to your rescue. 10:12 Be strong! Let’s fight bravely for the sake of our people and the cities of our God! The Lord will do what he decides is best!” 40
10:13 So Joab and his men 41 marched out to do battle with the Arameans, and they fled before him. 10:14 When the Ammonites saw the Arameans flee, they fled before his brother Abishai and went into the city. Joab withdrew from fighting the Ammonites and returned to 42 Jerusalem. 43
10:15 When the Arameans realized that they had been defeated by Israel, they consolidated their forces. 44 10:16 Then Hadadezer sent for Arameans from 45 beyond the Euphrates River, 46 and they came to Helam. Shobach, the general in command of Hadadezer’s army, led them. 47
10:17 When David was informed, he gathered all Israel, crossed the Jordan River, 48 and came to Helam. The Arameans deployed their forces against David and fought with him. 10:18 The Arameans fled before Israel. David killed 700 Aramean charioteers and 40,000 foot soldiers. 49 He also struck down Shobach, the general in command of the army, who died there. 10:19 When all the kings who were subject to Hadadezer 50 saw they were defeated by Israel, they made peace with Israel and became subjects of Israel. 51 The Arameans were no longer willing to help the Ammonites.
11:1 In the spring of the year, at the time when kings 52 normally conduct wars, 53 David sent out Joab with his officers 54 and the entire Israelite army. 55 They defeated the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David stayed behind in Jerusalem. 56 11:2 One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of his palace. 57 From the roof he saw a woman bathing. Now this woman was very attractive. 58 11:3 So David sent someone to inquire about the woman. The messenger 59 said, “Isn’t this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?”
11:4 David sent some messengers to get her. 60 She came to him and he had sexual relations with her. 61 (Now at that time she was in the process of purifying herself from her menstrual uncleanness.) 62 Then she returned to her home. 11:5 The woman conceived and then sent word to David saying, “I’m pregnant.”
11:6 So David sent a message to Joab that said, “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” So Joab sent Uriah to David. 11:7 When Uriah came to him, David asked about how Joab and the army were doing and how the campaign was going. 63 11:8 Then David said to Uriah, “Go down to your home and relax.” 64 When Uriah left the palace, the king sent a gift to him. 65 11:9 But Uriah stayed at the door of the palace with all 66 the servants of his lord. He did not go down to his house.
11:10 So they informed David, “Uriah has not gone down to his house.” So David said to Uriah, “Haven’t you just arrived from a journey? Why haven’t you gone down to your house?” 11:11 Uriah replied to David, “The ark and Israel and Judah reside in temporary shelters, and my lord Joab and my lord’s soldiers are camping in the open field. Should I go to my house to eat and drink and have marital relations 67 with my wife? As surely as you are alive, 68 I will not do this thing!” 11:12 So David said to Uriah, “Stay here another day. Tomorrow I will send you back.” So Uriah stayed in Jerusalem both that day and the following one. 69 11:13 Then David summoned him. He ate and drank with him, and got him drunk. But in the evening he went out to sleep on his bed with the servants of his lord; he did not go down to his own house.
11:14 In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it with Uriah. 11:15 In the letter he wrote: “Station Uriah in the thick of the battle and then withdraw from him so he will be cut down and killed.”
11:16 So as Joab kept watch on the city, he stationed Uriah at the place where he knew the best enemy soldiers 70 were. 11:17 When the men of the city came out and fought with Joab, some of David’s soldiers 71 fell in battle. Uriah the Hittite also died.
11:18 Then Joab sent a full battle report to David. 72 11:19 He instructed the messenger as follows: “When you finish giving the battle report to the king, 11:20 if the king becomes angry and asks you, ‘Why did you go so close to the city to fight? Didn’t you realize they would shoot from the wall? 11:21 Who struck down Abimelech the son of Jerub-Besheth? Didn’t a woman throw an upper millstone 73 down on him from the wall so that he died in Thebez? Why did you go so close to the wall?’ just say to him, ‘Your servant Uriah the Hittite is also dead.’”
11:22 So the messenger departed. When he arrived, he informed David of all the news that Joab had sent with him. 11:23 The messenger said to David, “The men overpowered us and attacked us 74 in the field. But we forced them to retreat all the way 75 to the door of the city gate. 11:24 Then the archers shot at your servants from the wall and some of the king’s soldiers 76 died. Your servant Uriah the Hittite is also dead.” 11:25 David said to the messenger, “Tell Joab, ‘Don’t let this thing upset you. 77 There is no way to anticipate whom the sword will cut down. 78 Press the battle against the city and conquer 79 it.’ Encourage him with these words.” 80
11:26 When Uriah’s wife heard that her husband Uriah was dead, she mourned for him. 81 11:27 When the time of mourning passed, David had her brought to his palace. 82 She became his wife and she bore him a son. But what David had done upset the Lord. 83
12:1 So the Lord sent Nathan 84 to David. When he came to David, 85 Nathan 86 said, 87 “There were two men in a certain city, one rich and the other poor. 12:2 The rich man had a great many flocks and herds. 12:3 But the poor man had nothing except for a little lamb he had acquired. He raised it, and it grew up alongside him and his children. 88 It used to 89 eat his food, 90 drink from his cup, and sleep in his arms. 91 It was just like a daughter to him.
12:4 “When a traveler arrived at the rich man’s home, 92 he did not want to use one of his own sheep or cattle to feed 93 the traveler who had come to visit him. 94 Instead, he took the poor man’s lamb and cooked 95 it for the man who had come to visit him.”
12:5 Then David became very angry at this man. He said to Nathan, “As surely as the Lord lives, the man who did this deserves to die! 96 12:6 Because he committed this cold-hearted crime, he must pay for the lamb four times over!” 97
12:7 Nathan said to David, “You are that man! This is what the Lord God of Israel says: ‘I chose 98 you to be king over Israel and I rescued you from the hand of Saul. 12:8 I gave you your master’s house, and put your master’s wives into your arms. 99 I also gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if all that somehow seems insignificant, I would have given you so much more as well! 12:9 Why have you shown contempt for the word of the Lord by doing evil in my 100 sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and you have taken his wife as your own! 101 You have killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. 12:10 So now the sword will never depart from your house. For you have despised me by taking the wife of Uriah the Hittite as your own!’ 12:11 This is what the Lord says: ‘I am about to bring disaster on you 102 from inside your own household! 103 Right before your eyes I will take your wives and hand them over to your companion. 104 He will have sexual relations with 105 your wives in broad daylight! 106 12:12 Although you have acted in secret, I will do this thing before all Israel, and in broad daylight.’” 107
12:13 Then David exclaimed to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord!” Nathan replied to David, “Yes, and the Lord has forgiven 108 your sin. You are not going to die. 12:14 Nonetheless, because you have treated the Lord with such contempt 109 in this matter, the son who has been born to you will certainly die.”
12:15 Then Nathan went to his home. The Lord struck the child that Uriah’s wife had borne to David, and the child became very ill. 110 12:16 Then David prayed to 111 God for the child and fasted. 112 He would even 113 go and spend the night lying on the ground. 12:17 The elders of his house stood over him and tried to lift him from the ground, but he was unwilling, and refused to eat food with them.
12:18 On the seventh day the child died. But the servants of David were afraid to inform him that the child had died, for they said, “While the child was still alive he would not listen to us 114 when we spoke to him. How can we tell him that the child is dead? He will do himself harm!” 115
12:19 When David saw that his servants were whispering to one another, he 116 realized that the child was dead. So David asked his servants, “Is the child dead?” They replied, “Yes, he’s dead.” 12:20 So David got up from the ground, bathed, put on oil, and changed his clothes. He went to the house of the Lord and worshiped. Then, when he entered his palace, he requested that food be brought to him, and he ate.
12:21 His servants said to him, “What is this that you have done? While 117 the child was still alive, you fasted and wept. Once the child was dead you got up and ate food!” 12:22 He replied, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept because I thought, 118 ‘Perhaps 119 the Lord will show pity and the child will live. 12:23 But now he is dead. Why should I fast? Am I able to bring him back? I will go to him, but he cannot return to me!’”
12:24 So David comforted his wife Bathsheba. He went to her and had marital relations with her. 120 She gave birth to a son, and David 121 named him Solomon. Now the Lord loved the child 122 12:25 and sent word through Nathan the prophet that he should be named Jedidiah 123 for the Lord’s sake.
12:26 124 So Joab fought against Rabbah of the Ammonites and captured the royal city. 12:27 Joab then sent messengers to David, saying, “I have fought against Rabbah and have captured the water supply of the city. 125 12:28 So now assemble the rest of the army 126 and besiege the city and capture it. Otherwise I will capture the city and it will be named for me.”
12:29 So David assembled all the army and went to Rabbah and fought against it and captured it. 12:30 He took the crown of their king 127 from his head – it was gold, weighed about seventy-five pounds, 128 and held a precious stone – and it was placed on David’s head. He also took from the city a great deal of plunder. 12:31 He removed 129 the people who were in it and made them do hard labor with saws, iron picks, and iron axes, putting them to work at the brick kiln. This was his policy 130 with all the Ammonite cities. Then David and all the army returned to Jerusalem. 131
13:1 Now David’s son Absalom had a beautiful sister named Tamar. In the course of time David’s son Amnon fell madly in love with her. 132 13:2 But Amnon became frustrated because he was so lovesick 133 over his sister Tamar. For she was a virgin, and to Amnon it seemed out of the question to do anything to her.
13:3 Now Amnon had a friend named Jonadab, the son of David’s brother Shimeah. Jonadab was a very crafty man. 13:4 He asked Amnon, 134 “Why are you, the king’s son, 135 so depressed every morning? Can’t you tell me?” So Amnon said to him, “I’m in love with Tamar the sister of my brother Absalom.” 13:5 Jonadab replied to him, “Lie down on your bed and pretend to be sick. 136 When your father comes in to see you, say to him, ‘Please let my sister Tamar come in so she can fix some food for me. Let her prepare the food in my sight so I can watch. Then I will eat from her hand.’”
13:6 So Amnon lay down and pretended to be sick. When the king came in to see him, Amnon said to the king, “Please let my sister Tamar come in so she can make a couple of cakes in my sight. Then I will eat from her hand.”
13:7 So David sent Tamar to the house saying, “Please go to the house of Amnon your brother and prepare some food for him.” 13:8 So Tamar went to the house of Amnon her brother, who was lying down. She took the dough, kneaded it, made some cakes while he watched, 137 and baked them. 138 13:9 But when she took the pan and set it before him, he refused to eat. Instead Amnon said, “Get everyone out of here!” 139 So everyone left. 140
13:10 Then Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the cakes into the bedroom; then I will eat from your hand.” So Tamar took the cakes that she had prepared and brought them to her brother Amnon in the bedroom. 13:11 As she brought them to him to eat, he grabbed her and said to her, “Come on! Get in bed with me, 141 my sister!”
13:12 But she said to him, “No, my brother! Don’t humiliate me! This just isn’t done in Israel! Don’t do this foolish thing! 13:13 How could I ever be rid of my humiliation? And you would be considered one of the fools 142 in Israel! Just 143 speak to the king, for he will not withhold me from you.” 13:14 But he refused to listen to her. 144 He overpowered her and humiliated her by raping her. 145 13:15 Then Amnon greatly despised her. 146 His disdain toward her surpassed the love he had previously felt toward her. 147 Amnon said to her, “Get up and leave!”
13:16 But she said to him, “No I won’t, for sending me away now would be worse than what you did to me earlier!” 148 But he refused to listen to her. 13:17 He called his personal attendant and said to him, “Take this woman out of my sight 149 and lock the door behind her!” 13:18 (Now she was wearing a long robe, 150 for this is what the king’s virgin daughters used to wear.) So Amnon’s 151 attendant removed her and bolted the door 152 behind her. 13:19 Then Tamar put ashes on her head and tore the long robe she was wearing. She put her hands on her head and went on her way, wailing as she went.
13:20 Her brother Absalom said to her, “Was Amnon your brother with you? Now be quiet, my sister. He is your brother. Don’t take it so seriously!” 153 Tamar, devastated, lived in the house of her brother Absalom.
13:21 Now King David heard about all these things and was very angry. 154 13:22 But Absalom said nothing to Amnon, either bad or good, yet Absalom hated Amnon because he had humiliated his sister Tamar.
13:23 Two years later Absalom’s sheepshearers were in Baal Hazor, 155 near Ephraim. Absalom invited all the king’s sons. 13:24 Then Absalom went to the king and said, “My shearers have begun their work. 156 Let the king and his servants go with me.”
13:25 But the king said to Absalom, “No, my son. We shouldn’t all go. We shouldn’t burden you in that way.” Though Absalom 157 pressed 158 him, the king 159 was not willing to go. Instead, David 160 blessed him.
13:26 Then Absalom said, “If you will not go, 161 then let my brother Amnon go with us.” The king replied to him, “Why should he go with you?” 13:27 But when Absalom pressed him, he sent Amnon and all the king’s sons along with him.
13:28 Absalom instructed his servants, “Look! When Amnon is drunk 162 and I say to you, ‘Strike Amnon down,’ kill him then and there. Don’t fear! Is it not I who have given you these instructions? Be strong and courageous!” 163 13:29 So Absalom’s servants did to Amnon exactly what Absalom had instructed. Then all the king’s sons got up; each one rode away on his mule and fled.
13:30 While they were still on their way, the following report reached David: “Absalom has killed all the king’s sons; not one of them is left!” 13:31 Then the king stood up and tore his garments and lay down on the ground. All his servants were standing there with torn garments as well.
13:32 Jonadab, the son of David’s brother Shimeah, said, “My lord should not say, ‘They have killed all the young men who are the king’s sons.’ For only Amnon is dead. This is what Absalom has talked about 164 from the day that Amnon 165 humiliated his sister Tamar. 13:33 Now don’t let my lord the king be concerned about the report that has come saying, ‘All the king’s sons are dead.’ It is only Amnon who is dead.”
13:34 In the meantime Absalom fled. When the servant who was the watchman looked up, he saw many people coming from the west 166 on a road beside the hill. 13:35 Jonadab said to the king, “Look! The king’s sons have come! It’s just as I said!”
13:36 Just as he finished speaking, the king’s sons arrived, wailing and weeping. 167 The king and all his servants wept loudly 168 as well. 13:37 But Absalom fled and went to King Talmai son of Ammihud of Geshur. And David 169 grieved over his son every day.
13:38 After Absalom fled and went to Geshur, he remained there for three years. 13:39 The king longed 170 to go to Absalom, for he had since been consoled over the death of Amnon. 171
14:1 Now Joab son of Zeruiah realized that the king longed to see 172 Absalom. 14:2 So Joab sent to Tekoa and brought from there a wise woman. He told her, “Pretend to be in mourning 173 and put on garments for mourning. Don’t anoint yourself with oil. Instead, act like a woman who has been mourning for the dead for some time. 174 14:3 Go to the king and speak to him in the following fashion.” Then Joab told her what to say. 175
14:4 So the Tekoan woman went 176 to the king. She bowed down with her face to the ground in deference to him and said, “Please help me, 177 O king!” 14:5 The king replied to her, “What do you want?” 178 She answered, “I am a widow; my husband is dead. 14:6 Your servant 179 has two sons. When the two of them got into a fight in the field, there was no one present who could intervene. One of them struck the other and killed him. 14:7 Now the entire family has risen up against your servant, saying, ‘Turn over the one who struck down his brother, so that we can execute him and avenge the death 180 of his brother whom he killed. In so doing we will also destroy the heir.’ They want to extinguish my remaining coal, 181 leaving no one on the face of the earth to carry on the name of my husband.”
14:8 Then the king told the woman, “Go to your home. I will give instructions concerning your situation.” 182 14:9 The Tekoan woman said to the king, “My lord the king, let any blame fall on me and on the house of my father. But let the king and his throne be innocent!”
14:10 The king said, “Bring to me whoever speaks to you, and he won’t bother you again!” 14:11 She replied, “In that case, 183 let the king invoke the name of 184 the Lord your God so that the avenger of blood may not kill! Then they will not destroy my son!” He replied, “As surely as the Lord lives, not a single hair of your son’s head 185 will fall to the ground.”
14:12 Then the woman said, “Please permit your servant to speak to my lord the king about another matter.” He replied, “Tell me.” 14:13 The woman said, “Why have you devised something like this against God’s people? When the king speaks in this fashion, he makes himself guilty, for the king has not brought back the one he has banished. 14:14 Certainly we must die, and are like water spilled on the ground that cannot be gathered up again. But God does not take away life; instead he devises ways for the banished to be restored. 186 14:15 I have now come to speak with my lord the king about this matter, because the people have made me fearful. 187 But your servant said, ‘I will speak to the king! Perhaps the king will do what his female servant 188 asks. 14:16 Yes! 189 The king may 190 listen and deliver his female servant 191 from the hand of the man who seeks to remove 192 both me and my son from the inheritance God has given us!’ 193 14:17 So your servant said, ‘May the word of my lord the king be my security, for my lord the king is like the angel of God when it comes to deciding between right and wrong! May the Lord your God be with you!’”
14:18 Then the king replied to the woman, “Don’t hide any information from me when I question you.” The woman said, “Let my lord the king speak!” 14:19 The king said, “Did Joab put you up to all of this?” 194 The woman answered, “As surely as you live, my lord the king, there is no deviation to the right or to the left from all that my lord the king has said. For your servant Joab gave me instructions. He has put all these words in your servant’s mouth. 14:20 Your servant Joab did this so as to change this situation. But my lord has wisdom like that of the angel of God, and knows everything that is happening in the land.” 195
14:21 Then the king said to Joab, “All right! I 196 will do this thing! Go and bring back the young man Absalom! 14:22 Then Joab bowed down with his face toward the ground and thanked 197 the king. Joab said, “Today your servant knows that I have found favor in your sight, my lord the king, because the king has granted the request of your 198 servant!”
14:23 So Joab got up and went to Geshur and brought Absalom back to Jerusalem. 199 14:24 But the king said, “Let him go over 200 to his own house. He may not see my face.” So Absalom went over 201 to his own house; he did not see the king’s face.
14:25 Now in all Israel everyone acknowledged that there was no man as handsome as Absalom. 202 From the sole of his feet to the top of his head he was perfect in appearance. 203 14:26 When he would shave his head – at the end of every year he used to shave his head, for it grew too long 204 and he would shave it – he used to weigh the hair of his head at three pounds 205 according to the king’s weight. 14:27 Absalom had 206 three sons and one daughter, whose name was Tamar. She was a very attractive woman. 207
14:28 Absalom lived in Jerusalem for two years without seeing the king’s face. 14:29 Then Absalom sent a message to Joab asking him to send him to the king, but Joab was not willing to come to him. So he sent a second message to him, but he still was not willing to come. 14:30 So he said to his servants, “Look, Joab has a portion of field adjacent to mine and he has some barley there. Go and set it on fire.” 208 So Absalom’s servants set Joab’s 209 portion of the field on fire.
14:31 Then Joab got up and came to Absalom’s house. He said to him, “Why did your servants set my portion of field on fire?” 14:32 Absalom said to Joab, “Look, I sent a message to you saying, ‘Come here so that I can send you to the king with this message: 210 “Why have I come from Geshur? It would be better for me if I were still there.”’ Let me now see the face of the king. If I am at fault, let him put me to death!”
14:33 So Joab went to the king and informed him. The king 211 summoned Absalom, and he came to the king. Absalom 212 bowed down before the king with his face toward the ground and the king kissed him. 213
15:1 Some time later Absalom managed to acquire 214 a chariot and horses, as well as fifty men to serve as his royal guard. 215 15:2 Now Absalom used to get up early and stand beside the road that led to the city gate. Whenever anyone came by who had a complaint to bring to the king for arbitration, Absalom would call out to him, “What city are you from?” The person would answer, “I, your servant, 216 am from one of the tribes of Israel.” 15:3 Absalom would then say to him, “Look, your claims are legitimate and appropriate. 217 But there is no representative of the king who will listen to you.” 15:4 Absalom would then say, “If only they would make me 218 a judge in the land! Then everyone who had a judicial complaint 219 could come to me and I would make sure he receives a just settlement.”
15:5 When someone approached to bow before him, Absalom 220 would extend his hand and embrace him and kiss him. 15:6 Absalom acted this way toward everyone in Israel who came to the king for justice. In this way Absalom won the loyalty 221 of the citizens 222 of Israel.
15:7 After four 223 years Absalom said to the king, “Let me go and repay my vow that I made to the Lord while I was in Hebron. 15:8 For I made this vow 224 when I was living in Geshur in Aram: ‘If the Lord really does allow me to return to Jerusalem, 225 I will serve the Lord.’” 15:9 The king replied to him, “Go in peace.” So Absalom 226 got up and went to Hebron.
15:10 Then Absalom sent spies through all the tribes of Israel who said, “When you hear the sound of the horn, you may assume 227 that Absalom rules in Hebron.” 15:11 Now two hundred men had gone with Absalom from Jerusalem. Since they were invited, they went naively and were unaware of what Absalom was planning. 228 15:12 While he was offering sacrifices, Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s adviser, 229 to come from his city, Giloh. 230 The conspiracy was gaining momentum, and the people were starting to side with Absalom.
15:13 Then a messenger came to David and reported, “The men of Israel are loyal to Absalom!” 231 15:14 So David said to all his servants who were with him in Jerusalem, 232 “Come on! 233 Let’s escape! 234 Otherwise no one will be delivered from Absalom! Go immediately, or else he will quickly overtake us and bring 235 disaster on us and kill the city’s residents with the sword.” 236 15:15 The king’s servants replied to the king, “We will do whatever our lord the king decides.” 237
15:16 So the king and all the members of his royal court 238 set out on foot, though the king left behind ten concubines 239 to attend to the palace. 15:17 The king and all the people set out on foot, pausing 240 at a spot 241 some distance away. 15:18 All his servants were leaving with him, 242 along with all the Kerethites, all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites – some six hundred men who had come on foot from Gath. They were leaving with 243 the king.
15:19 Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why should you come with us? Go back and stay with the new 244 king, for you are a foreigner and an exile from your own country. 245 15:20 It seems like you arrived just yesterday. Today should I make you wander around by going with us? I go where I must go. But as for you, go back and take your men 246 with you. May genuine loyal love 247 protect 248 you!”
15:21 But Ittai replied to the king, “As surely as the Lord lives and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king is, whether dead or alive, 249 there I 250 will be as well!” 15:22 So David said to Ittai, “Come along then.” 251 So Ittai the Gittite went along, 252 accompanied by all his men and all the dependents 253 who were with him.
15:23 All the land was weeping loudly 254 as all these people were leaving. 255 As the king was crossing over the Kidron Valley, all the people were leaving 256 on the road that leads to the desert. 15:24 Zadok and all the Levites who were with him were carrying the ark of the covenant of God. When they positioned the ark of God, Abiathar offered sacrifices until all the people had finished leaving 257 the city.
15:25 Then the king said to Zadok, “Take the ark of God back to the city. If I find favor in the Lord’s sight he will bring me back and enable me to see both it and his dwelling place again. 15:26 However, if he should say, ‘I do not take pleasure in you,’ then he will deal with me in a way that he considers appropriate.” 258
15:27 The king said to Zadok the priest, “Are you a seer? 259 Go back to the city in peace! Your son Ahimaaz and Abiathar’s son Jonathan may go with you and Abiathar. 260 15:28 Look, I will be waiting at the fords of the desert until word from you 261 reaches me.” 15:29 So Zadok and Abiathar took the ark of God back to Jerusalem and remained there.
15:30 As David was going up the Mount of Olives, he was weeping as he went; his head was covered and his feet were bare. All the people who were with him also had their heads covered and were weeping as they went up. 15:31 Now David 262 had been told, “Ahithophel has sided with the conspirators who are with Absalom. So David prayed, 263 “Make the advice of Ahithophel foolish, O Lord!”
15:32 When David reached the summit, where he used to worship God, Hushai the Arkite met him with his clothes torn and dirt on his head. 15:33 David said to him, “If you leave 264 with me you will be a burden to me. 15:34 But you will be able to counter the advice of Ahithophel if you go back to the city and say to Absalom, ‘I will be your servant, O king! Previously I was your father’s servant, and now I will be your servant.’ 15:35 Zadok and Abiathar the priests will be there with you. 265 Everything you hear in the king’s palace 266 you must tell Zadok and Abiathar the priests. 15:36 Furthermore, their two sons are there with them, Zadok’s son Ahimaaz and Abiathar’s son Jonathan. You must send them to me with any information you hear.” 267
15:37 So David’s friend Hushai arrived in the city, just as Absalom was entering Jerusalem.
16:1 When David had gone a short way beyond the summit, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth was there to meet him. He had a couple of donkeys that were saddled, and on them were two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred raisin cakes, a hundred baskets of summer fruit, 268 and a container of wine.
16:2 The king asked Ziba, “Why did you bring these things?” 269 Ziba replied, “The donkeys are for the king’s family to ride on, the loaves of bread 270 and the summer fruit are for the attendants to eat, and the wine is for those who get exhausted in the desert.” 271 16:3 The king asked, “Where is your master’s grandson?” 272 Ziba replied to the king, “He remains in Jerusalem, 273 for he said, ‘Today the house of Israel will give back to me my grandfather’s 274 kingdom.’” 16:4 The king said to Ziba, “Everything that was Mephibosheth’s now belongs to you.” Ziba replied, “I bow before you. May I find favor in your sight, my lord the king.”
16:5 Then King David reached 275 Bahurim. There a man from Saul’s extended family named Shimei son of Gera came out, yelling curses as he approached. 276 16:6 He threw stones at David and all of King David’s servants, as well as all the people and the soldiers who were on his right and on his left. 16:7 As he yelled curses, Shimei said, “Leave! Leave! You man of bloodshed, you wicked man! 277 16:8 The Lord has punished you for 278 all the spilled blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you rule. Now the Lord has given the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom. Disaster has overtaken you, for you are a man of bloodshed!”
16:9 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!” 16:10 But the king said, “What do we have in common, 279 you sons of Zeruiah? If he curses because the Lord has said to him, ‘Curse David!’, who can say to him, ‘Why have you done this?’” 16:11 Then David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “My own son, my very own flesh and blood, 280 is trying to take my life. So also now this Benjaminite! Leave him alone so that he can curse, for the Lord has spoken to him. 16:12 Perhaps the Lord will notice my affliction 281 and this day grant me good in place of his curse.” 282
16:13 So David and his men went on their way. But Shimei kept going along the side of the hill opposite him, yelling curses as he threw stones and dirt at them. 283 16:14 The king and all the people who were with him arrived exhausted at their destination, where David 284 refreshed himself.
16:15 Now when Absalom and all the men 285 of Israel arrived in Jerusalem, 286 Ahithophel was with him. 16:16 When David’s friend Hushai the Arkite came to Absalom, Hushai said to him, 287 “Long live the king! Long live the king!”
16:17 Absalom said to Hushai, “Do you call this loyalty to your friend? Why didn’t you go with your friend?” 16:18 Hushai replied to Absalom, “No, I will be loyal to the one whom the Lord, these people, and all the men of Israel have chosen. 288 16:19 Moreover, whom should I serve? Should it not be his son? Just as I served your father, so I will serve you.” 289
16:20 Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give us your advice. What should we do?” 16:21 Ahithophel replied to Absalom, “Have sex with 290 your father’s concubines whom he left to care for the palace. All Israel will hear that you have made yourself repulsive to your father. Then your followers will be motivated to support you.” 291 16:22 So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, 292 and Absalom had sex with 293 his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.
16:23 In those days Ahithophel’s advice was considered as valuable as a prophetic revelation. 294 Both David and Absalom highly regarded the advice of Ahithophel. 295
17:1 Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Let me pick out twelve thousand men. Then I will go and pursue David this very night. 17:2 When I catch up with 296 him he will be exhausted and worn out. 297 I will rout him, and the entire army that is with him will flee. I will kill only the king 17:3 and will bring the entire army back to you. In exchange for the life of the man you are seeking, you will get back everyone. 298 The entire army will return unharmed.” 299
17:4 This seemed like a good idea to Absalom and to all the leaders 300 of Israel. 17:5 But Absalom said, “Call for 301 Hushai the Arkite, and let’s hear what he has to say.” 302 17:6 So Hushai came to Absalom. Absalom said to him, “Here is what Ahithophel has advised. Should we follow his advice? If not, what would you recommend?”
17:7 Hushai replied to Absalom, “Ahithophel’s advice is not sound this time.” 303 17:8 Hushai went on to say, “You know your father and his men – they are soldiers and are as dangerous as a bear out in the wild that has been robbed of her cubs. 304 Your father is an experienced soldier; he will not stay overnight with the army. 17:9 At this very moment he is hiding out in one of the caves or in some other similar place. If it should turn out that he attacks our troops first, 305 whoever hears about it will say, ‘Absalom’s army has been slaughtered!’ 17:10 If that happens even the bravest soldier – one who is lion-hearted – will virtually melt away. For all Israel knows that your father is a warrior and that those who are with him are brave. 17:11 My advice therefore is this: Let all Israel from Dan to Beer Sheba – in number like the sand by the sea! – be mustered to you, and you lead them personally into battle. 17:12 We will come against him wherever he happens to be found. We will descend on him like the dew falls on the ground. Neither he nor any of the men who are with him will be spared alive – not one of them! 17:13 If he regroups in a city, all Israel will take up ropes to that city and drag it down to the valley, so that not a single pebble will be left there!”
17:14 Then Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The advice of Hushai the Arkite sounds better than the advice of Ahithophel.” Now the Lord had decided 306 to frustrate the sound advice of Ahithophel, so that the Lord could bring disaster on Absalom.
17:15 Then Hushai reported to Zadok and Abiathar the priests, “Here is what Ahithophel has advised Absalom and the leaders 307 of Israel to do, and here is what I have advised. 17:16 Now send word quickly to David and warn him, 308 “Don’t spend the night at the fords of the desert 309 tonight. Instead, be sure you cross over, 310 or else the king and everyone who is with him may be overwhelmed.” 311
17:17 Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz were staying in En Rogel. A female servant would go and inform them, and they would then go and inform King David. It was not advisable for them to be seen going into the city. 17:18 But a young man saw them on one occasion and informed Absalom. So the two of them quickly departed and went to the house of a man in Bahurim. There was a well in his courtyard, and they got down in it. 17:19 His wife then took the covering and spread it over the top of the well and scattered some grain over it. No one was aware of what she had done.
17:20 When the servants of Absalom approached the woman at her home, they asked, “Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?” The woman replied to them, “They crossed over the stream.” Absalom’s men 312 searched but did not find them, so they returned to Jerusalem. 313
17:21 After the men had left, Ahimaaz and Jonathan 314 climbed out of the well. Then they left and informed King David. They advised David, “Get up and cross the stream 315 quickly, for Ahithophel has devised a plan to catch you.” 316 17:22 So David and all the people who were with him got up and crossed the Jordan River. 317 By dawn there was not one person left who had not crossed the Jordan.
17:23 When Ahithophel realized that his advice had not been followed, he saddled his donkey and returned to his house in his hometown. After setting his household in order, he hanged himself. So he died and was buried in the grave 318 of his father.
17:24 Meanwhile David had gone to Mahanaim, while Absalom and all the men of Israel had crossed the Jordan River. 17:25 Absalom had made Amasa general in command of the army in place of Joab. (Now Amasa was the son of an Israelite man named Jether, who had married 319 Abigail the daughter of Nahash and sister of Zeruiah, Joab’s mother.) 17:26 The army of Israel 320 and Absalom camped in the land of Gilead.
17:27 When David came to Mahanaim, Shobi the son of Nahash from Rabbah of the Ammonites, Makir the son of Ammiel from Lo Debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim 17:28 brought bedding, basins, and pottery utensils. They also brought food for David and all who were with him, including wheat, barley, flour, roasted grain, beans, lentils, 321 17:29 honey, curds, flocks, and cheese. 322 For they said, “The people are no doubt hungry, tired, and thirsty there in the desert.” 323
18:1 David assembled the army that was with him. He appointed leaders of thousands and leaders of hundreds. 18:2 David then sent out the army – a third under the leadership of Joab, a third under the leadership of Joab’s brother Abishai son of Zeruiah, and a third under the leadership of Ittai the Gittite. The king said to the troops, “I too will indeed march out with you.”
18:3 But the soldiers replied, 324 “You should not do this! 325 For if we should have to make a rapid retreat, they won’t be too concerned about us. 326 Even if half of us should die, they won’t be too concerned about us. But you 327 are like ten thousand of us! So it is better if you remain in the city for support.” 18:4 Then the king said to them, “I will do whatever seems best to you.”
So the king stayed beside the city gate, while all the army marched out by hundreds and by thousands. 18:5 The king gave this order to Joab, Abishai, and Ittai: “For my sake deal gently with the young man Absalom.” Now the entire army was listening when the king gave all the leaders this order concerning Absalom.
18:6 Then the army marched out to the field to fight against Israel. The battle took place in the forest of Ephraim. 18:7 The army of Israel was defeated there by David’s men. 328 The slaughter there was great that day – 20,000 soldiers were killed. 18:8 The battle there was spread out over the whole area, and the forest consumed more soldiers than the sword devoured that day.
18:9 Then Absalom happened to come across David’s men. Now as Absalom was riding on his 329 mule, it 330 went under the branches of a large oak tree. His head got caught in the oak and he was suspended in midair, 331 while the mule he had been riding kept going.
18:10 When one 332 of the men saw this, he reported it to Joab saying, “I saw Absalom hanging in an oak tree. 18:11 Joab replied to the man who was telling him this, “What! You saw this? Why didn’t you strike him down right on the spot? 333 I would have given you ten pieces of silver 334 and a commemorative belt!” 335
18:12 The man replied to Joab, “Even if 336 I were receiving 337 a thousand pieces of silver, 338 I would not strike 339 the king’s son! In our very presence 340 the king gave this order to you and Abishai and Ittai, ‘Protect the young man Absalom for my sake.’ 341 18:13 If I had acted at risk of my own life 342 – and nothing is hidden from the king! – you would have abandoned me.” 343
18:14 Joab replied, “I will not wait around like this for you!” He took three spears in his hand and thrust them into the middle of Absalom while he was still alive in the middle of the oak tree. 344 18:15 Then ten soldiers who were Joab’s armor bearers struck Absalom and finished him off.
18:16 Then Joab blew the trumpet 345 and the army turned back from chasing Israel, for Joab had called for the army to halt. 18:17 They took Absalom, threw him into a large pit in the forest, and stacked a huge pile of stones over him. In the meantime all the Israelite soldiers fled to their homes. 346
18:18 Prior to this 347 Absalom had set up a monument 348 and dedicated it to himself in the King’s Valley, reasoning “I have no son who will carry on my name.” He named the monument after himself, and to this day it is known as Absalom’s Memorial.
18:19 Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, “Let me run and give the king the good news that the Lord has vindicated him before his enemies.” 349 18:20 But Joab said to him, “You will not be a bearer of good news today. You will bear good news some other day, but not today, 350 for the king’s son is dead.”
18:21 Then Joab said to the Cushite, “Go and tell the king what you have seen.” After bowing to Joab, the Cushite ran off. 18:22 Ahimaaz the son of Zadok again spoke to Joab, “Whatever happens, let me go after the Cushite.” But Joab said, “Why is it that you want to go, my son? You have no good news that will bring you a reward.” 18:23 But he said, 351 “Whatever happens, I want to go!” So Joab 352 said to him, “Then go!” So Ahimaaz ran by the way of the Jordan plain, and he passed the Cushite.
18:24 Now David was sitting between the inner and outer gates, 353 and the watchman went up to the roof over the gate at the wall. When he looked, he saw a man running by himself. 18:25 So the watchman called out and informed the king. The king said, “If he is by himself, he brings good news.” 354 The runner 355 came ever closer.
18:26 Then the watchman saw another man running. The watchman called out to the gatekeeper, “There is another man running by himself.” The king said, “This one also is bringing good news.” 18:27 The watchman said, “It appears to me that the first runner is Ahimaaz 356 son of Zadok.” The king said, “He is a good man, and he comes with good news.”
18:28 Then Ahimaaz called out and said to the king, “Greetings!” 357 He bowed down before the king with his face toward the ground and said, “May the Lord your God be praised because he has defeated 358 the men who opposed 359 my lord the king!”
18:29 The king replied, “How is the young man Absalom?” Ahimaaz replied, “I saw a great deal of confusion when Joab was sending the king’s servant and me, your servant, but I don’t know what it was all about.” 18:30 The king said, “Turn aside and take your place here.” So he turned aside and waited.
18:31 Then the Cushite arrived and said, 360 “May my lord the king now receive the good news! The Lord has vindicated you today and delivered you from the hand of all who have rebelled against you!” 361 18:32 The king asked the Cushite, “How is the young man Absalom?” The Cushite replied, “May the enemies of my lord the king and all who have plotted against you 362 be like that young man!”
18:33 (19:1) 363 The king then became very upset. He went up to the upper room over the gate and wept. As he went he said, “My son, Absalom! My son, my son, 364 Absalom! If only I could have died in your place! Absalom, my son, my son!” 365
19:1 (19:2) Joab was told, “The king is weeping and mourning over Absalom.” 19:2 So the victory of that day was turned to mourning as far as all the people were concerned. For the people heard on that day, “The king is grieved over his son.” 19:3 That day the people stole away to go to the city the way people who are embarrassed steal away in fleeing from battle. 19:4 The king covered his face and cried out loudly, 366 “My son, Absalom! Absalom, my son, my son!”
19:5 So Joab visited 367 the king at his home. He said, “Today you have embarrassed all your servants who have saved your life this day, as well as the lives of your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your concubines. 19:6 You seem to love your enemies and hate your friends! For you have as much as declared today that leaders and servants don’t matter to you. I realize now 368 that if 369 Absalom were alive and all of us were dead today, 370 it would be all right with you. 19:7 So get up now and go out and give some encouragement to 371 your servants. For I swear by the Lord that if you don’t go out there, not a single man will stay here with you tonight! This disaster will be worse for you than any disaster that has overtaken you from your youth right to the present time!”
19:8 So the king got up and sat at the city gate. When all the people were informed that the king was sitting at the city gate, they 372 all came before him.
But the Israelite soldiers 373 had all fled to their own homes. 374 19:9 All the people throughout all the tribes of Israel were arguing among themselves saying, “The king delivered us from the hand of our enemies. He rescued us from the hand of the Philistines, but now he has fled from the land because of Absalom. 19:10 But Absalom, whom we anointed as our king, 375 has died in battle. So now why do you hesitate to bring the king back?” 376
19:11 Then King David sent a message to Zadok and Abiathar the priests saying, “Tell the elders of Judah, ‘Why should you delay any further in bringing the king back to his palace, 377 when everything Israel is saying has come to the king’s attention. 378 19:12 You are my brothers – my very own flesh and blood! 379 Why should you delay any further in bringing the king back?’ 19:13 Say to Amasa, ‘Are you not my flesh and blood? 380 God will punish me severely, 381 if from this time on you are not the commander of my army in place of Joab!’”
19:14 He 382 won over the hearts of all the men of Judah as though they were one man. Then they sent word to the king saying, “Return, you and all your servants as well.” 19:15 So the king returned and came to the Jordan River. 383
Now the people of Judah 384 had come to Gilgal to meet the king and to help him 385 cross the Jordan. 19:16 Shimei son of Gera the Benjaminite from Bahurim came down quickly with the men of Judah to meet King David. 19:17 There were a thousand men from Benjamin with him, along with Ziba the servant 386 of Saul’s household, and with him his fifteen sons and twenty servants. They hurriedly crossed 387 the Jordan within sight of the king. 19:18 They crossed at the ford in order to help the king’s household cross and to do whatever he thought appropriate.
Now after he had crossed the Jordan, Shimei son of Gera threw himself down before the king. 19:19 He said to the king, “Don’t think badly of me, my lord, and don’t recall the sin of your servant on the day when you, my lord the king, left 388 Jerusalem! 389 Please don’t call it to mind! 19:20 For I, your servant, 390 know that I sinned, and I have come today as the first of all the house of Joseph to come down to meet my lord the king.”
19:21 Abishai son of Zeruiah replied, “For this should not Shimei be put to death? After all, he cursed the Lord’s anointed!” 19:22 But David said, “What do we have in common, 391 you sons of Zeruiah? You are like my enemy today! Should anyone be put to death in Israel today? Don’t you realize that today I am king over Israel?” 19:23 The king said to Shimei, “You won’t die.” The king vowed an oath 392 concerning this.
19:24 Now Mephibosheth, Saul’s grandson, 393 came down to meet the king. From the day the king had left until the day he safely 394 returned, Mephibosheth 395 had not cared for his feet 396 nor trimmed 397 his mustache nor washed his clothes.
19:25 When he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, the king asked him, “Why didn’t you go with me, Mephibosheth?” 19:26 He replied, “My lord the king, my servant deceived me! I 398 said, ‘Let me get my donkey saddled so that I can ride on it and go with the king,’ for I 399 am lame. 19:27 But my servant 400 has slandered me 401 to my lord the king. But my lord the king is like an angel of God. Do whatever seems appropriate to you. 19:28 After all, there was no one in the entire house of my grandfather 402 who did not deserve death from my lord the king. But instead you allowed me to eat at your own table! 403 What further claim do I have to ask 404 the king for anything?”
19:29 Then the king replied to him, “Why should you continue speaking like this? You and Ziba will inherit the field together.” 19:30 Mephibosheth said to the king, “Let him have 405 the whole thing! My lord the king has returned safely 406 to his house!”
19:31 Now when Barzillai the Gileadite had come down from Rogelim, he crossed the Jordan with the king so he could send him on his way from there. 407 19:32 But Barzillai was very old – eighty years old, in fact – and he had taken care of the king when he stayed in Mahanaim, for he was a very rich 408 man. 19:33 So the king said to Barzillai, “Cross over with me, and I will take care of you while you are with me in Jerusalem.”
19:34 Barzillai replied to the king, “How many days do I have left to my life, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem? 19:35 I am presently eighty years old. Am I able to discern good and bad? Can I 409 taste what I eat and drink? Am I still able to hear the voices of male and female singers? Why should I 410 continue to be a burden to my lord the king? 19:36 I will cross the Jordan with the king and go a short distance. 411 Why should the king reward me in this way? 19:37 Let me 412 return so that I may die in my own city near the grave of my father and my mother. But look, here is your servant Kimham. Let him cross over with my lord the king. Do for him whatever seems appropriate to you.”
19:38 The king replied, “Kimham will cross over with me, and I will do for him whatever I deem appropriate. And whatever you choose, I will do for you.”
19:39 So all the people crossed the Jordan, as did the king. After the king had kissed him and blessed him, Barzillai returned to his home. 413 19:40 When the king crossed over to Gilgal, Kimham 414 crossed over with him. Now all the soldiers 415 of Judah along with half of the soldiers of Israel had helped the king cross over. 416
19:41 Then all the men of Israel began coming to the king. They asked the king, “Why did our brothers, the men of Judah, sneak the king away and help the king and his household cross the Jordan – and not only him but all of David’s men as well?”
19:42 All the men of Judah replied to the men of Israel, “Because the king is our close relative! Why are you so upset about this? Have we eaten at the king’s expense? 417 Or have we misappropriated anything for our own use?” 19:43 The men of Israel replied to the men of Judah, “We have ten shares in the king, and we have a greater claim on David than you do! Why do you want 418 to curse us? Weren’t we the first to suggest bringing back our king?” But the comments of the men of Judah were more severe than those of the men of Israel.
20:1 Now a wicked man 419 named Sheba son of Bicri, a Benjaminite, 420 happened to be there. He blew the trumpet 421 and said,
“We have no share in David;
we have no inheritance in this son of Jesse!
Every man go home, 422 O Israel!”
20:2 So all the men of Israel deserted 423 David and followed Sheba son of Bicri. But the men of Judah stuck by their king all the way from the Jordan River 424 to Jerusalem. 425
20:3 Then David went to his palace 426 in Jerusalem. The king took the ten concubines he had left to care for the palace and placed them under confinement. 427 Though he provided for their needs, he did not have sexual relations with them. 428 They remained in confinement until the day they died, living out the rest of their lives as widows.
20:4 Then the king said to Amasa, “Call the men of Judah together for me in three days, 429 and you be present here with them too.” 20:5 So Amasa went out to call Judah together. But in doing so he took longer than the time that the king had allotted him.
20:6 Then David said to Abishai, “Now Sheba son of Bicri will cause greater disaster for us than Absalom did! Take your lord’s servants and pursue him. Otherwise he will secure 430 fortified cities for himself and get away from us.” 20:7 So Joab’s men, accompanied by the Kerethites, the Pelethites, and all the warriors, left Jerusalem to pursue Sheba son of Bicri.
20:8 When they were near the big rock that is in Gibeon, Amasa came to them. Now Joab was dressed in military attire and had a dagger in its sheath belted to his waist. When he advanced, it fell out. 431
20:9 Joab said to Amasa, “How are you, my brother?” With his right hand Joab took hold of Amasa’s beard as if to greet him with a kiss. 20:10 Amasa did not protect himself from the knife in Joab’s other hand, and Joab 432 stabbed him in the abdomen, causing Amasa’s 433 intestines to spill out on the ground. There was no need to stab him again; the first blow was fatal. 434 Then Joab and his brother Abishai pursued Sheba son of Bicri.
20:11 One of Joab’s soldiers who stood over Amasa said, “Whoever is for 435 Joab and whoever is for David, follow Joab!” 20:12 Amasa was squirming in his own blood in the middle of the path, and this man had noticed that all the soldiers stopped. Having noticed that everyone who came across Amasa 436 stopped, the man 437 pulled him 438 away from the path and into the field and threw a garment over him. 20:13 Once he had removed Amasa 439 from the path, everyone followed Joab to pursue Sheba son of Bicri.
20:14 Sheba 440 traveled through all the tribes of Israel to Abel of 441 Beth Maacah and all the Berite region. When they had assembled, 442 they too joined him. 20:15 So Joab’s men 443 came and laid siege against him in Abel of Beth Maacah. They prepared a siege ramp outside the city which stood against its outer rampart. As all of Joab’s soldiers were trying to break through 444 the wall so that it would collapse, 20:16 a wise woman called out from the city, “Listen up! Listen up! Tell Joab, ‘Come near so that I may speak to you.’”
20:17 When he approached her, the woman asked, “Are you Joab?” He replied, “I am.” She said to him, “Listen to the words of your servant.” He said, “Go ahead. I’m listening.” 20:18 She said, “In the past they would always say, ‘Let them inquire in Abel,’ and that is how they settled things. 20:19 I represent the peaceful and the faithful in Israel. You are attempting to destroy an important city 445 in Israel. Why should you swallow up the Lord’s inheritance?”
20:20 Joab answered, “Get serious! 446 I don’t want to swallow up or destroy anything! 20:21 That’s not the way things are. There is a man from the hill country of Ephraim named Sheba son of Bicri. He has rebelled 447 against King David. Give me just this one man, and I will leave the city.” The woman said to Joab, “This very minute 448 his head will be thrown over the wall to you!”
20:22 Then the woman went to all the people with her wise advice and they cut off Sheba’s head and threw it out to Joab. Joab 449 blew the trumpet, and his men 450 dispersed from the city, each going to his own home. 451 Joab returned to the king in Jerusalem.
20:23 Now Joab was the general in command of all the army of Israel. Benaiah the son of Jehoida was over the Kerethites and the Perethites. 20:24 Adoniram 452 was supervisor of the work crews. 453 Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the secretary. 20:25 Sheva was the scribe, and Zadok and Abiathar were the priests. 20:26 Ira the Jairite was David’s personal priest. 454
1 sn 2 Samuel 9–20 is known as the Succession Narrative. It is a literary unit that describes David’s efforts at consolidating his own kingdom following the demise of King Saul; it also provides the transition to subsequent leadership on the part of David’s successor Solomon.
2 tn Heb “house.”
3 tn Heb “your servant.”
4 tn Heb “house.”
5 tn Heb “sent and took him.”
6 tn Heb “from.”
7 tn Heb “he fell on his face and bowed down.”
8 tn Heb “Look, your servant.”
9 tn Heb “and you will eat food over my table continually.”
10 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Mephibosheth) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
11 tn Heb “What is your servant, that you turn to a dead dog which is like me?”
12 tn Heb “work.”
13 tn The Hebrew text implies, but does not actually contain, the words “its produce” here.
14 tc The words “it will be,” though present in the MT, are absent from the LXX, the Syriac Peshitta, and Vulgate.
15 tn Heb “and he will eat it.”
16 tn Heb “eating.”
17 tc Heb “my table.” But the first person reference to David is awkward here since the quotation of David’s words has already been concluded in v. 10; nor does the “my” refer to Ziba, since the latter part of v. 11 does not seem to be part of Ziba’s response to the king. The ancient versions are not unanimous in the way that they render the phrase. The LXX has “the table of David” (τῆς τραπέζης Δαυιδ, th" trapezh" Dauid); the Syriac Peshitta has “the table of the king” (patureh demalka’); the Vulgate has “your table” (mensam tuam). The present translation follows the LXX.
18 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
19 tn Heb “reigned in his place.”
20 tn Heb “do loyalty.”
21 tn Heb “did loyalty.”
22 tn Heb “and David sent to console him by the hand of his servants concerning his father.”
23 tn Heb “Is David honoring your father in your eyes when he sends to you ones consoling?”
24 tn Heb “Is it not to explore the city and to spy on it and to overthrow it [that] David has sent his servants to you?”
25 tn Heb “and he cut their robes in the middle unto their buttocks.”
26 tn Heb “they”; the referent (the messengers) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
27 tn The words “what had happened” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
28 map For location see Map5-B2; Map6-E1; Map7-E1; Map8-E3; Map10-A2; Map11-A1.
29 tn Heb “that they were a stench [i.e., disgusting] with David.”
30 tn Heb “the Ammonites.”
31 tn Or “Arameans of Beth Rehob and Arameans of Zobah.”
32 tn Or perhaps “the men of Tob.” The ancient versions (the LXX, the Syriac Peshitta, and Vulgate) understand the name to be “Ish-tob.” It is possible that “Ish” is dittographic and that we should read simply “Tob,” a reading adopted by a number of recent English versions.
33 tn The words “the news” and “to meet them” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons and for clarification.
34 tn Heb “and Joab saw that the face of the battle was to him before and behind and he chose from all the best in Israel and arranged to meet Aram.”
35 tn Heb “people.”
36 tn Heb “he arranged.”
37 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Joab) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
38 tn Heb “if Aram is stronger than me.”
39 tn Heb “if the sons of Ammon are stronger than you.”
40 tn Heb “and the
41 tn Heb “and the army which was with him.”
42 tn Heb “and Joab returned from against the sons of Ammon and entered.”
43 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
44 tn Heb “were gathered together.”
45 tn Heb “and Hadadezer sent and brought out Aram which is.”
46 tn Heb “from beyond the River.” The name “Euphrates” has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
47 tn Heb “was before them.”
48 tn The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
49 tn Heb “horsemen” (so KJV, NASB, NCV, NRSV, NLT) but the Lucianic recension of the LXX reads “foot soldiers,” as does the parallel text in 1 Chr 19:18. Cf. NAB, NIV.
50 tn Heb “the servants of Hadadezer.”
51 tn Heb “and they served them.”
52 tc Codex Leningrad (B19A), on which BHS is based, has here “messengers” (הַמַּלְאכִים, hammal’khim), probably as the result of contamination from the occurrence of that word in v. 4. The present translation follows most Hebrew
53 tn Heb “go out.”
54 tn Heb “and his servants with him.”
55 tn Heb “all Israel.”
56 tn The disjunctive clause contrasts David’s inactivity with the army’s activity.
57 tn Heb “on the roof of the house of the king.” So also in vv. 8, 9.
58 tn The disjunctive clause highlights this observation and builds the tension of the story.
59 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the messenger) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
60 tn Heb “and David sent messengers and he took her.”
61 tn Heb “he lay with her” (so NASB, NRSV); TEV “he made love to her”; NIV, CEV, NLT “he slept with her.”
62 tn The parenthetical disjunctive clause further heightens the tension by letting the reader know that Bathsheba, having just completed her menstrual cycle, is ripe for conception. See P. K. McCarter, II Samuel (AB), 286. Since she just had her period, it will also be obvious to those close to the scene that Uriah, who has been away fighting, cannot be the father of the child.
63 tn Heb “concerning the peace of Joab and concerning the peace of the people and concerning the peace of the battle.”
64 tn Heb “and wash your feet.”
65 tn Heb “and there went out after him the gift of the king.”
66 tc The Lucianic recension of the Old Greek translation lacks the word “all.”
67 tn Heb “and lay.”
68 tn Heb “as you live and as your soul lives.”
69 tn On the chronology involved here see P. K. McCarter, II Samuel (AB), 287.
70 tn Heb “the valiant men.” This refers in context to the strongest or most valiant defenders of the city Joab and the Israelite army were besieging, so the present translation uses “the best enemy soldiers” for clarity.
71 tn Heb “some of the people from the servants of David.”
72 tn Heb “Joab sent and related to David all the matters of the battle.”
73 sn The upper millstone (Heb “millstone of riding”) refers to the heavy circular stone that was commonly rolled over a circular base in order to crush and grind such things as olives.
74 tn Heb “and came out to us.”
75 tn Heb “but we were on them.”
76 tc The translation follows the Qere (“your servants”) rather than the Kethib (“your servant”).
77 tn Heb “let not this matter be evil in your eyes.”
78 tn Heb “according to this and according to this the sword devours.”
79 tn Heb “overthrow.”
80 tn The Hebrew text does not have “with these words.” They are supplied in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons.
81 tn Heb “for her lord.”
82 tn Heb “David sent and gathered her to his house.”
83 tn Heb “and the thing which David had done was evil in the eyes of the
84 tc A few medieval Hebrew
85 tn Heb “him”; the referent (David) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
86 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Nathan) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
87 tn The Hebrew text repeats “to him.”
88 tn Heb “his sons.”
89 tn The three Hebrew imperfect verbal forms in this sentence have a customary nuance; they describe past actions that were repeated or typical.
90 tn Heb “from his morsel.”
91 tn Heb “and on his chest [or perhaps, “lap”] it would lay.”
92 tn Heb “came to the rich man.” In the translation “arrived at the rich man’s home” has been used for stylistic reasons.
93 tn Heb “and he refused to take from his flock and from his herd to prepare [a meal] for.”
94 tn Heb “who had come to him” (also a second time later in this verse). The word “visit” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons and for clarity.
95 tn Heb “and prepared.”
96 tn Heb “the man doing this [is] a son of death.” See 1 Sam 20:31 for another use of this expression, which must mean “he is as good as dead” or “he deserves to die,” as 1 Sam 20:32 makes clear.
97 tc With the exception of the Lucianic recension, the Old Greek translation has here “sevenfold” rather than “fourfold,” a reading that S. R. Driver thought probably to be the original reading (S. R. Driver, Notes on the Hebrew Text and the Topography of the Books of Samuel, 291). However, Exod 22:1 [21:37 HT] specifies fourfold repayment for a stolen sheep, which is consistent with 2 Sam 12:6. Some
98 tn Heb “anointed.”
99 tn Heb “and the wives of your lord into your chest [or “lap”].” The words “I put” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons and for clarification.
100 tc So the Qere; the Kethib has “his.”
101 tn Heb “to you for a wife.” This expression also occurs at the end of v. 10.
102 tn Heb “raise up against you disaster.”
103 tn Heb “house” (so NAB, NRSV); NCV, TEV, CEV “family.”
104 tn Or “friend.”
105 tn Heb “will lie with” (so NIV, NRSV); TEV “will have intercourse with”; CEV, NLT “will go to bed with.”
106 tn Heb “in the eyes of this sun.”
107 tn Heb “and before the sun.”
108 tn Heb “removed.”
109 tc The MT has here “because you have caused the enemies of the
110 tn Heb “and the
111 tn Heb “sought” or “searched for.”
112 tn Heb “and David fasted.”
113 tn The three Hebrew verbs that follow in this verse are perfects with prefixed vav. They may describe repeated past actions or actions which accompanied David’s praying and fasting.
114 tn Heb “to our voice.”
115 tn Heb “he will do harm.” The object is not stated in the Hebrew text. The statement may be intentionally vague, meaning that he might harm himself or them!
116 tn Heb “David.” The name has been replaced in the translation by the pronoun (“he”) for stylistic reasons.
117 tc For the MT בַּעֲבוּר (ba’avur, “for the sake of”) we should probably read בְּעוֹד (bÿ’od, “while”). See the Lucianic Greek recension, the Syriac Peshitta, and the Targum.
118 tn Heb “said.”
119 tn Heb “Who knows?”
120 tn Heb “and he lay with her.”
121 tn Heb “he”; the referent (David) has been specified in the translation for clarity. While some translations render the pronoun as third person plural (“they”), implying that both David and Bathsheba together named the child, it is likely that the name “Solomon,” which is related to the Hebrew word for “peace” (and may be derived from it) had special significance for David, who would have regarded the birth of a second child to Bathsheba as a confirming sign that God had forgiven his sin and was at peace with him.
122 tn Heb “him,” referring to the child.
123 sn The name Jedidiah means “loved by the
124 sn Here the narrative resumes the battle story that began in 11:1 (see 11:25). The author has interrupted that story to give the related account of David’s sin with Bathsheba and the murder of Uriah. He now returns to the earlier story and brings it to a conclusion.
125 sn The expression translated the water supply of the city (Heb “the city of the waters”) apparently refers to that part of the fortified city that guarded the water supply of the entire city. Joab had already captured this part of the city, but he now defers to King David for the capture of the rest of the city. In this way the king will receive the credit for this achievement.
126 tn Heb “people.” So also in vv. 29, 31.
127 tn Part of the Greek tradition wrongly understands Hebrew מַלְכָּם (malkam, “their king”) as a proper name (“Milcom”). Some English versions follow the Greek here, rendering the phrase “the crown of Milcom” (so NRSV; cf. also NAB, CEV). TEV takes this as a reference not to the Ammonite king but to “the idol of the Ammonite god Molech.”
128 tn Heb “and its weight [was] a talent of gold.” The weight of this ornamental crown was approximately 75 lbs (34 kg). See P. K. McCarter, II Samuel (AB), 313.
129 tn Heb “brought out.”
130 tn Heb “and so he would do.”
131 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
132 tn Heb “Amnon the son of David loved her.” The following verse indicates the extreme nature of his infatuation, so the translation uses “madly in love” here.
133 tn Heb “and there was distress to Amnon so that he made himself sick.”
134 tn Heb “and he said to him.”
135 tn An more idiomatic translation might be “Why are you of all people…?”
136 tn This verb is used in the Hitpael stem only in this chapter of the Hebrew Bible. With the exception of v. 2 it describes not a real sickness but one pretended in order to entrap Tamar. The Hitpael sometimes, as here, describes the subject making oneself appear to be of a certain character. On this use of the stem, see GKC 149-50 §54.e.
137 tn Heb “in his sight.”
138 tn Heb “the cakes.”
139 tn Heb “from upon me.”
140 tc A few medieval Hebrew
141 tn Heb “lie with me” (so NAB, NASB, NRSV); NCV “come and have sexual relations with me.”
142 tn Heb “and you will be like one of the fools.”
143 tn Heb “Now.”
144 tn Heb “to her voice.”
145 tn Heb “and he humiliated her and lay with her.”
146 tn Heb “and Amnon hated her with very great hatred.”
147 tn Heb “for greater was the hatred with which he hated her than the love with which he loved her.”
148 tn Heb “No, because this great evil is [worse] than the other which you did with me, by sending me away.” Perhaps the broken syntax reflects her hysteria and outrage.
149 tn Heb “send this [one] from upon me to the outside.”
150 tn The Hebrew expression used here (כְּתֹנֶת פַּסִּים, kÿtonet passim) is found only here and in Gen 37:3, 23, 32. Hebrew פַּס (pas) can refer to the palm of the hand or the sole of the foot; here the idea is probably that of a long robe reaching to the feet and having sleeves reaching to the wrists. The notion of a “coat of many colors” (KJV, ASV “garment of divers colors”), a familiar translation for the phrase in Genesis, is based primarily on the translation adopted in the LXX χιτῶνα ποικίλον (citona poikilion) and does not have a great deal of support.
151 tn Heb “his”; the referent (Amnon) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
152 tn The Hebrew verb is a perfect with nonconsecutive vav, probably indicating an action (locking the door) that complements the preceding one (pushing her out the door).
153 tn Heb “Don’t set your heart to this thing!”
154 tc The LXX and part of the Old Latin tradition include the following addition to v. 21, also included in some English versions (e.g., NAB, NRSV, CEV): “But he did not grieve the spirit of Amnon his son, because he loved him, since he was his firstborn.” Note David’s attitude toward his son Adonijah in 1 Kgs 1:6.
155 map For location see Map1-D2; Map2-D3; Map3-A2; Map4-C1.
156 tn Heb “your servant has sheepshearers.” The phrase “your servant” also occurs at the end of the verse.
157 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Absalom) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
158 tc Here and in v. 27 the translation follows 4QSama ויצפר (vayyitspar, “and he pressed”) rather than the MT וַיִּפְרָץ (vayyiprats, “and he broke through”). This emended reading seems also to underlie the translations of the LXX (καὶ ἐβιάσατο, kai ebiasato), the Syriac Peshitta (we’alseh), and Vulgate (cogeret eum).
159 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the king) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
160 tn Heb “he”; the referent (David) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
161 tn Heb “and not.”
162 tn Heb “when good is the heart of Amnon with wine.”
163 tn Heb “and become sons of valor.”
164 tn Heb “it was placed on the mouth of Absalom.”
165 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Amnon) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
166 tn Heb “behind him.”
167 tn Heb “and they lifted their voice and wept.”
168 tn Heb “with a great weeping.”
169 tc The Hebrew text leaves the word “David” to be inferred. The Syriac Peshitta and Vulgate add the word “David.” Most of the Greek tradition includes the words “King David” here.
170 tc The translation follows 4QSama in reading רוּחַ הַמֶּלֶךְ (ruakh hammelekh, “the spirit of the king”) rather than the MT דָּוִד הַמֶּלֶךְ (david hammelekh, “David the king”). The understanding reflected in the translation above is that David, though alienated during this time from his son Absalom, still had an abiding love and concern for him. He longed for reconciliation with him. A rather different interpretation of the verse supposes that David’s interest in taking military action against Absalom grew slack with the passing of time, and this in turn enabled David’s advisers to encourage him toward reconciliation with Absalom. For the latter view, see P. K. McCarter, II Samuel (AB), 344, and cf. CEV.
171 tn Heb “was consoled over Amnon, because he was dead.”
172 tn Heb “the heart of the king was upon.” The Syriac Peshitta adds the verb ’ethre’i (“was reconciled”).
173 tn The Hebrew Hitpael verbal form here indicates pretended rather than genuine action.
174 tn Heb “these many days.”
175 tn Heb “put the words in her mouth” (so NASB, NIV).
176 tc The translation follows many medieval Hebrew
177 tn The word “me” is left to be inferred in the Hebrew text; it is present in the Syriac Peshitta and Vulgate.
178 tn Heb “What to you?”
179 tn Here and elsewhere (vv. 7, 12, 15a, 17, 19) the woman uses a term which suggests a lower level female servant. She uses the term to express her humility before the king. However, she uses a different term in vv. 15b-16. See the note at v. 15 for a discussion of the rhetorical purpose of this switch in terminology.
180 tn Heb “in exchange for the life.” The Hebrew preposition בְּ (bÿ, “in”) here is the so-called bet pretii, or bet (בְּ) of price, defining the value attached to someone or something.
181 sn My remaining coal is here metaphorical language, describing the one remaining son as her only source of lingering hope for continuing the family line.
182 tn Heb “concerning you.”
183 tn The words “in that case” are not in the Hebrew text, but may be inferred from the context. They are supplied in the translation for the sake of clarification.
184 tn Heb “let the king remember.”
185 tn Heb “of your son.”
186 tn Heb “he devises plans for the one banished from him not to be banished.”
187 tc The LXX (ὄψεταί με, opsetai me) has misunderstood the Hebrew יֵרְאֻנִי (yerÿ’uni, Piel perfect, “they have made me fearful”), taking the verb to be a form of the verb רָאָה (ra’ah, “to see”) rather than the verb יָרֵא (yare’, “to fear”). The fact that the Greek translators were working with an unvocalized Hebrew text (i.e., consonants only) made them very susceptible to this type of error.
188 tn Here and in v. 16 the woman refers to herself as the king’s אָמָה (’amah), a term that refers to a higher level female servant toward whom the master might have some obligation. Like the other term, this word expresses her humility, but it also suggests that the king might have some obligation to treat her in accordance with the principles of justice.
189 tn Or “for.”
190 tn Or “will.” The imperfect verbal form can have either an indicative or modal nuance. The use of “perhaps” in v. 15b suggests the latter here.
191 tn Heb “in order to deliver his maid.”
192 tn Heb “destroy.”
193 tn Heb “from the inheritance of God.” The expression refers to the property that was granted to her family line in the division of the land authorized by God.
194 tn Heb “Is the hand of Joab with you in all this?”
195 tn Heb “to know all that is in the land.”
196 tc Many medieval Hebrew
197 tn Heb “blessed.”
198 tc The present translation reads with the Qere “your” rather than the MT “his.”
199 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
200 tn Heb “turn aside.”
201 tn Heb “turned aside.”
202 tn Heb “Like Absalom there was not a handsome man in all Israel to boast exceedingly.”
203 tn Heb “there was not in him a blemish.”
204 tn Heb “for it was heavy upon him.”
205 tn Heb “two hundred shekels.” The modern equivalent would be about three pounds (1.4 kg).
206 tn Heb “and there were born.”
207 tc The LXX adds here the following words: “And she became a wife to Rehoboam the son of Solomon and bore to him Abia.”
208 tc The LXX adds here the following words: “And the servants of Absalom burned them up. And the servants of Joab came to him, rending their garments. They said….”
209 tn The word “Joab’s” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
210 tn Heb “saying.”
211 tn Heb “he.” Joab, acting on behalf of the king, may be the implied subject.
212 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Absalom) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
213 tn Heb “Absalom.” For stylistic reasons the name has been replaced by the pronoun (“him”) in the translation.
214 tn Heb “acquired for himself.”
215 tn Heb “to run ahead of him.”
216 tn Heb “your servant.” So also in vv. 8, 15, 21.
217 tn Heb “good and straight.”
218 tn Heb “Who will make me?”
219 tn Heb “a complaint and a judgment.” The expression is a hendiadys.
220 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Absalom) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
221 tn Heb “stole the heart.”
222 tn Heb “the men.”
223 tc The MT has here “forty,” but this is presumably a scribal error for “four.” The context will not tolerate a period of forty years prior to the rebellion of Absalom. The Lucianic Greek recension (τέσσαρα ἔτη, tessara ete), the Syriac Peshitta (’arba’ sanin), and Vulgate (post quattuor autem annos) in fact have the expected reading “four years.” Most English translations follow the versions in reading “four” here, although some (e.g. KJV, ASV, NASB, NKJV), following the MT, read “forty.”
224 tn Heb “for your servant vowed a vow.” The formal court style of referring to one’s self in third person (“your servant”) has been translated here as first person for clarity.
225 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
226 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Absalom) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
227 tn Heb “say.”
228 tn Heb “being invited and going naively and they did not know anything.”
229 tn Traditionally, “counselor,” but this term is more often associated with psychological counseling today, so “adviser” was used in the translation instead.
230 tn Heb “Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, the adviser of David, from his city, from Giloh, while he was sacrificing.” It is not entirely clear who (Absalom or Ahithophel) was offering the sacrifices.
231 tn Heb “the heart of the men of Israel is with Absalom.”
232 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
233 tn Heb “Arise!”
234 tn Heb “let’s flee.”
235 tn Heb “thrust.”
236 tn Heb “and strike the city with the edge of the sword.”
237 tn Heb “according to all that my lord the king will choose, behold your servants!”
238 tn Heb “and all his house.”
239 tn Heb “women, concubines.”
240 tn Heb “and they stood.”
241 tn Heb “house.”
242 tn Heb “crossing over near his hand.”
243 tn Heb “crossing over near the face of.”
244 tn The word “new” is not in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation to make it clear that David refers to Absalom, not himself.
245 tn Heb “place.”
246 tn Heb “brothers,” but see v. 22.
247 tn Heb “loyal love and truth.” The expression is a hendiadys.
248 tn Heb “be with.”
249 tn Heb “whether for death or for life.”
250 tn Heb “your servant.”
251 tn Heb “Come and cross over.”
252 tn Heb “crossed over.”
253 tn Heb “all the little ones.”
254 tn Heb “with a great voice.”
255 tn Heb “crossing over.”
256 tn Heb “crossing near the face of.”
257 tn Heb “crossing from.”
258 tn Heb “as [is] good in his eyes.”
259 tn The Greek tradition understands the Hebrew word as an imperative (“see”). Most Greek
260 tn Heb “And Ahimaaz your son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar, two of your sons, with you.” The pronominal suffix on the last word is plural, referring to Zadok and Abiathar.
261 tn The pronoun is plural, referring to Zadok and Abiathar.
262 tc The translation follows 4QSama, part of the Greek tradition, the Syriac Peshitta, Targum, and Vulgate uldavid in reading “and to David,” rather than MT וְדָוִד (vÿdavid, “and David”). As Driver points out, the Hebrew verb הִגִּיד (higgid, “he related”) never uses the accusative for the person to whom something is told (S. R. Driver, Notes on the Hebrew Text and the Topography of the Books of Samuel, 316).
263 tn Heb “said.”
264 tn Heb “cross over.”
265 tn Heb “Will not Zadok and Abiathar the priests be there with you?” The rhetorical question draws attention to the fact that Hushai will not be alone.
266 tn Heb “from the house of the king.”
267 tn Heb “and you must send by their hand to me every word which you hear.” Both of the second person verb forms are plural with Zadok, Abiathar, and Hushai being the understood subjects.
268 tn Heb “a hundred summer fruit.”
269 tn Heb “What are these to you?”
270 tc The translation follows the Qere and many medieval Hebrew
271 tn The Hebrew text adds “to drink.”
272 tn Heb “son.”
273 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
274 tn Heb “my father’s.”
275 tn Heb “came to.” The form of the verb in the MT is odd. Some prefer to read וַיַּבֹא (vayyavo’), preterite with vav consecutive) rather than וּבָא (uva’), apparently perfect with vav), but this is probably an instance where the narrative offline vÿqatal construction introduces a new scene.
276 tn Heb “And look, from there a man was coming out from the clan of the house of Saul and his name was Shimei son of Gera, continually going out and cursing.”
277 tn Heb “man of worthlessness.”
278 tn Heb “has brought back upon you.”
279 tn Heb “What to me and to you?”
280 tn Heb “who came out from my entrails.” David’s point is that is his own son, his child whom he himself had fathered, was now wanting to kill him.
281 tc The Hebrew text is difficult here. It is probably preferable to read with the LXX, the Syriac Peshitta, and Vulgate בְּעוֹנִי (bÿ’onyi, “on my affliction”) rather than the Kethib of the MT בָּעַוֹנִי (ba’avoni, “on my wrongdoing”). While this Kethib reading is understandable as an objective genitive (i.e., “the wrong perpetrated upon me”), it does not conform to normal Hebrew idiom for this idea. The Qere of the MT בְּעֵינֵי (bÿ’eni, “on my eyes”), usually taken as synecdoche to mean “my tears,” does not commend itself as a likely meaning. The Hebrew word is one of the so-called tiqqune sopherim, or “emendations of the scribes.”
282 tn Heb “and the
283 tn Heb “and he cursed and threw stones, opposite him, pelting [them] with dirt.” The offline vÿqatal construction in the last clause indicates an action that was complementary to the action described in the preceding clause. He simultaneously threw stones and dirt.
284 tn Heb “he”; the referent (David) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
285 tn Heb “and all the people, the men of Israel.”
286 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
287 tn Heb “to Absalom.” The proper name has been replaced by the pronoun “him” in the translation for stylistic reasons.
288 tn Heb “No for with the one whom the
289 tn Heb “Just as I served before your father, so I will be before you.”
290 tn Heb “go to”; NAB “have (+ sexual NCV) relations with”; TEV “have intercourse with”; NLT “Go and sleep with.”
291 tn Heb “and the hands of all who are with you will be strengthened.”
292 sn That is, on top of the flat roof of the palace, so it would be visible to the public.
293 tn Heb “went to”; NAB “he visited his father’s concubines”; NIV “lay with his father’s concubines”; TEV “went in and had intercourse with.”
294 tn Heb “And the advice of Ahithophel which he advised in those days was as when one inquires of the word of God.”
295 tn Heb “So was all the advice of Ahithophel, also to David, also to Absalom.”
296 tn Heb “and I will come upon him.”
297 tn Heb “exhausted and slack of hands.”
298 tc Heb “like the returning of all, the man whom you are seeking.” The LXX reads differently: “And I will return all the people to you the way a bride returns to her husband, except for the life of the one man whom you are seeking.” The other early versions also struggled with this verse. Modern translations are divided as well: the NAB, NRSV, REB, and NLT follow the LXX, while the NASB and NIV follow the Hebrew text.
299 tn Heb “all of the people will be safe.”
300 tn Heb “elders.”
301 tc In the MT the verb is singular, but in the LXX, the Syriac Peshitta, and Vulgate it is plural.
302 tn Heb “what is in his mouth.”
303 tn Heb “Not good is the advice which Ahithophel has advised at this time.”
304 tc The LXX (with the exception of the recensions of Origen and Lucian) repeats the description as follows: “Just as a female bear bereft of cubs in a field.”
305 tn Heb “that he falls on them [i.e., Absalom’s troops] at the first [encounter]; or “that some of them [i.e., Absalom’s troops] fall at the first [encounter].”
306 tn Heb “commanded.”
307 tn Heb “elders.”
308 tn Heb “send quickly and tell David saying.”
309 tn Or “wilderness” (so KJV, NASB, NRSV, TEV).
310 tn That is, “cross over the Jordan River.”
311 tn Heb “swallowed up.”
312 tn Heb “they”; the referents (Absalom’s men) have been specified in the translation for clarity.
313 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
314 tn Heb “they”; the referents (Ahimaaz and Jonathan) have been specified in the translation for clarity.
315 tn Heb “the water.”
316 tn Heb “for thus Ahithophel has devised against you.” The expression “thus” is narrative shorthand, referring to the plan outlined by Ahithophel (see vv. 1-3). The men would surely have outlined the plan in as much detail as they had been given by the messenger.
317 tn The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text here or in v. 24, but has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
318 tc The Greek recensions of Origen and Lucian have here “house” for “grave.”
319 tn Heb “come to.”
320 tn Heb “and Israel.”
321 tc The MT adds “roasted grain” וְקָלִי (vÿqali) at the end of v. 28, apparently accidentally repeating the word from its earlier occurrence in this verse. With the LXX, the Syriac Peshitta, and an Old Latin
322 tn Heb “cheese of the herd,” probably referring to cheese from cow’s milk (rather than goat’s milk).
323 tn Or “wilderness” (so KJV, NASB, NRSV, TEV, NLT).
324 tn Heb “the people said.”
325 tn Heb “march out.”
326 tn Heb “they will not place to us heart.”
327 tc The translation follows the LXX (except for the Lucianic recension), Symmachus, and Vulgate in reading אָתָּה (’atta, “you”) rather than MT עָתָּה (’atta, “now”).
328 tn Heb “servants” (also in v. 9).
329 tn Heb “the.”
330 tn Heb “the donkey.”
331 tn Heb “between the sky and the ground.”
332 tc 4QSama lacks the word “one.”
333 tn Heb “Why did you not strike him down there to the ground.”
334 tn Heb “ten [shekels] of silver.” This would have been about 4 ounces (114 grams) of silver by weight.
335 tn Heb “and a girdle” (so KJV); NIV “a warrior’s belt”; CEV “a special belt”; NLT “a hero’s belt.”
336 tc The translation follows the Qere and many medieval Hebrew
337 tn Heb “weighing out in my hand.”
338 tn Heb “a thousand [shekels] of silver.” This would have been about 25 pounds (11.4 kg) of silver by weight.
339 tn Heb “extend my hand against.”
340 tn Heb “in our ears.”
341 tc The Hebrew text is very difficult here. The MT reads מִי (mi, “who”), apparently yielding the following sense: “Show care, whoever you might be, for the youth Absalom.” The Syriac Peshitta reads li (“for me”), the Hebrew counterpart of which may also lie behind the LXX rendering μοι (moi, “for me”). This reading seems preferable here, since it restores sense to the passage and most easily explains the rise of the variant.
342 tc The translation follows the Qere, many medieval Hebrew
343 tn Heb “stood aloof.”
344 tn There is a play on the word “heart” here that is difficult to reproduce in English. Literally the Hebrew text says “he took three spears in his hand and thrust them into the heart of Absalom while he was still alive in the heart of the oak tree.” This figure of speech involves the use of the same word in different senses and is known as antanaclasis. It is illustrated in the familiar saying from the time of the American Revolution: “If we don’t hang together, we will all hang separately.” The present translation understands “heart” to be used somewhat figuratively for “chest” (cf. TEV, CEV), which explains why Joab’s armor bearers could still “kill” Absalom after he had been stabbed with three spears through the “heart.” Since trees do not have “chests” either, the translation uses “middle.”
345 tn Heb “the shophar” (the ram’s horn trumpet).
346 tn Heb “and all Israel fled, each to his tent.” In this context this refers to the supporters of Absalom (see vv. 6-7, 16).
347 tn Heb “and.” This disjunctive clause (conjunction + subject + verb) describes an occurrence that preceded the events just narrated.
348 tn Heb “a pillar.”
349 tn Heb “that the
350 tn Heb “but this day you will not bear good news.”
351 tn The words “but he said” are not in the Hebrew text. They are supplied in the translation for clarity.
352 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Joab) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
353 tn Heb “the two gates.”
354 tn Heb “good news is in his mouth.”
355 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the runner) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
356 tn Heb “I am seeing the running of the first one like the running of Ahimaaz.”
357 tn Heb “Peace.”
358 tn Heb “delivered over.”
359 tn Heb “lifted their hand against.”
360 tn Heb “And look, the Cushite came and the Cushite said.”
361 tn Heb “for the
362 tn Heb “and all those rising against you for evil.”
363 sn This marks the beginning of ch. 19 in the Hebrew text. Beginning with 18:33, the verse numbers through 19:43 in the English Bible differ from the verse numbers in the Hebrew text (BHS), with 18:33 ET = 19:1 HT, 19:1 ET = 19:2 HT, 19:2 ET = 19:3 HT, etc., through 19:43 ET = 19:44 HT. From 20:1 the versification in the English Bible and the Hebrew Bible is again the same.
364 tc One medieval Hebrew
365 tc The Lucianic Greek recension and Syriac Peshitta lack this repeated occurrence of “my son” due to haplography.
366 tn Heb “with a great voice.”
367 tn Heb “came to.”
368 tn Heb “today.”
369 tc The translation follows the Qere, 4QSama, and many medieval Hebrew
370 tc The Lucianic Greek recension and Syriac Peshitta lack “today.”
371 tn Heb “and speak to the heart of.”
372 tn Heb “all the people.”
373 tn The Hebrew text has simply “Israel” (see 18:16-17).
374 tn Heb “had fled, each to his tent.”
375 tn Heb “over us.”
376 tc The LXX includes the following words at the end of v. 11: “And what all Israel was saying came to the king’s attention.” The words are misplaced in the LXX from v. 12 (although the same statement appears there in the LXX as well).
377 tn Heb “his house.”
378 tc The Hebrew text adds “to his house” (= palace), but the phrase, which also appears earlier in the verse, is probably accidentally repeated here.
379 tn Heb “my bone and my flesh.”
380 tn Heb “my bone and my flesh.”
381 tn Heb “Thus God will do to me and thus he will add.”
382 tn The referent of “he” is not entirely clear: cf. NCV “David”; TEV “David’s words”; NRSV, NLT “Amasa.”
383 tn The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
384 tn The Hebrew text has simply “Judah.”
385 tn Heb “the king.” The pronoun (“him”) has been used in the translation to avoid redundancy.
386 tn Heb “youth.”
387 tn Heb “rushed into.”
388 tn Though this verb in the MT is 3rd person masculine singular, it should probably be read as 2nd person masculine singular. It is one of fifteen places where the Masoretes placed a dot over each of the letters of the word in question in order to call attention to their suspicion of the word. Their concern in this case apparently had to do with the fact that this verb and the two preceding verbs alternate from third person to second and back again to third. Words marked in this way in Hebrew manuscripts or printed editions are said to have puncta extrordinaria, or “extraordinary points.”
389 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
390 tn The Hebrew text has simply “your servant.”
391 tn Heb “what to me and to you.”
392 tn Heb “swore to him.”
393 tn Heb “son.”
394 tn Heb “in peace.” So also in v. 31.
395 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Mephibosheth) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
396 tn Heb “done his feet.”
397 tn Heb “done.”
398 tn Heb “your servant.”
399 tn Heb “your servant.”
400 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (the servant) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
401 tn Heb “your servant.”
402 tn Heb “father.”
403 tn Heb “and you placed your servant among those who eat at your table.”
404 tn Heb “to cry out to.”
405 tn Heb “take.”
406 tn Heb “in peace.”
407 tc The MT reading אֶת־בַיַּרְדֵּן (’et-vayyarden, “in the Jordan”) is odd syntactically. The use of the preposition after the object marker אֶת (’et) is difficult to explain. Graphic confusion is likely in the MT; the translation assumes the reading מִיַּרְדֵּן (miyyarden, “from the Jordan”). Another possibility is to read the definite article on the front of “Jordan” (הַיַּרְדֵּן, hayyarden; “the Jordan”).
408 tn Heb “great.”
409 tn Heb “your servant.”
410 tn Heb “your servant.”
411 tn Heb “Like a little your servant will cross the Jordan with the king.”
412 tn Heb “your servant.”
413 tn Heb “to his place.”
414 tn The MT in this instance alone spells the name with final ן (nun, “Kimhan”) rather than as elsewhere with final ם (mem, “Kimham”). As in most other translations, the conventional spelling (with ם) has been used here to avoid confusion.
415 tn Heb “people.”
416 tc The translation follows the Qere and many medieval Hebrew
417 tn Heb “from the king.”
418 tn The translation understands the verb in a desiderative sense, indicating the desire but not necessarily the completed action of the party in question. It is possible, however, that the verb should be given the more common sense of accomplished action, in which case it means here “Why have you cursed us?”
419 tn Heb “a man of worthlessness.”
420 tn The expression used here יְמִינִי (yÿmini) is a short form of the more common “Benjamin.” It appears elsewhere in 1 Sam 9:4 and Esth 2:5. Cf. 1 Sam 9:1.
421 tn Heb “the shophar” (the ram’s horn trumpet). So also v. 22.
422 tc The MT reads לְאֹהָלָיו (lÿ’ohalav, “to his tents”). For a similar idiom, see 19:9. An ancient scribal tradition understands the reading to be לְאלֹהָיו (le’lohav, “to his gods”). The word is a tiqqun sopherim, and the scribes indicate that they changed the word from “gods” to “tents” so as to soften its theological implications. In a consonantal Hebrew text the change involved only the metathesis of two letters.
423 tn Heb “went up from after.”
424 tn The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
425 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
426 tn Heb “house.”
427 tn Heb “and he placed them in a guarded house.”
428 tn Heb “he did not come to them”; NAB “has no further relations with them”; NIV “did not lie with them”; TEV “did not have intercourse with them”; NLT “would no longer sleep with them.”
429 tn The present translation follows the Masoretic accentuation, with the major mark of disjunction (i.e., the atnach) placed at the word “days.” However, some scholars have suggested moving the atnach to “Judah” a couple of words earlier. This would yield the following sense: “Three days, and you be present here with them.” The difference in meaning is slight, and the MT is acceptable as it stands.
430 tn Heb “find.” The perfect verbal form is unexpected with the preceding word “otherwise.” We should probably read instead the imperfect. Although it is possible to understand the perfect here as indicating that the feared result is thought of as already having taken place (cf. BDB 814 s.v. פֶּן 2), it is more likely that the perfect is simply the result of scribal error. In this context the imperfect would be more consistent with the following verb וְהִצִּיל (vÿhitsil, “and he will get away”).
431 sn The significance of the statement it fell out here is unclear. If the dagger fell out of its sheath before Joab got to Amasa, how then did he kill him? Josephus, Ant. 7.11.7 (7.284), suggested that as Joab approached Amasa he deliberately caused the dagger to fall to the ground at an opportune moment as though by accident. When he bent over and picked it up, he then stabbed Amasa with it. Others have tried to make a case for thinking that two swords are referred to – the one that fell out and another that Joab kept concealed until the last moment. But nothing in the text clearly supports this view. Perhaps Josephus’ understanding is best, but it is by no means obvious in the text either.
432 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Joab) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
433 tn Heb “his”; the referent (Amasa) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
434 tn Heb “and he did not repeat concerning him, and he died.”
435 tn Heb “takes delight in.”
436 tn Heb “him”; the referent (Amasa) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
437 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the man who spoke up in v. 11) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
438 tn Heb “Amasa.” For stylistic reasons the name has been replaced by the pronoun (“him”) in the translation.
439 tn Heb “him”; the referent (Amasa) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
440 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Sheba) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
441 tc In keeping with the form of the name in v. 15, the translation deletes the “and” found in the MT.
442 tc The translation follows the Qere, many medieval Hebrew
443 tn Heb “they.” The following context makes it clear that this refers to Joab and his army.
444 tc The LXX has here ἐνοοῦσαν (enoousan, “were devising”), which apparently presupposes the Hebrew word מַחֲשָׁבִים (makhashavim) rather than the MT מַשְׁחִיתִם (mashkhitim, “were destroying”). With a number of other scholars Driver thinks that the Greek variant may preserve the original reading, but this seems to be an unnecessary conclusion (but see S. R. Driver, Notes on the Hebrew Text and the Topography of the Books of Samuel, 346).
445 tn Heb “a city and a mother.” The expression is a hendiadys, meaning that this city was an important one in Israel and had smaller cities dependent on it.
446 tn Heb “Far be it, far be it from me.” The expression is clearly emphatic, as may be seen in part by the repetition. P. K. McCarter, however, understands it to be coarser than the translation adopted here. He renders it as “I’ll be damned if…” (II Samuel [AB], 426, 429), which (while it is not a literal translation) may not be too far removed from the way a soldier might have expressed himself.
447 tn Heb “lifted his hand.”
448 tn Heb “Look!”
449 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Joab) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
450 tn Heb “they”; the referent (Joab’s men) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
451 tn Heb “his tents.”
452 tn Heb “Adoram” (so KJV, NAB, NRSV, CEV), but see 1 Kgs 4:6; 5:14.
453 tn Heb “was over the forced labor.”
454 tn Heb “priest for David.” KJV (“a chief ruler about David”) and ASV (“chief minister unto David”) regarded this office as political.