David said to Ahimelech, “Is there no sword or spear here at your disposal? I don’t have my own sword or equipment in hand due to the urgency of the king’s instructions.”p>

Saul replied to David, &#8220;May you be rewarded,<n id="1" /> my son David! You will without question be successful!&#8221;<n id="2" /> So David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place.p>

The <sc>Lordsc> will hand you and Israel over to the Philistines!<n id="1" /> Tomorrow both you and your sons will be with me.<n id="2" /> The <sc>Lordsc> will also hand the army<n id="3" /> of Israel over to the Philistines!&#8221;p>

David inquired, &#8220;How were things going?<n id="1" /> Tell me!&#8221; He replied, &#8220;The people fled from the battle and many of them<n id="2" /> fell dead.<n id="3" /> Even Saul and his son Jonathan are dead!&#8221;

<p class="bodytext">Then Abner spoke privately<n id="1" /> with the Benjaminites. Abner also went to Hebron to inform David privately<n id="2" /> of all that Israel and the entire house of Benjamin had agreed to.<n id="3" />

In the past, when Saul was our king, you were the real leader in Israel.<n id="1" /> The <sc>Lordsc> said to you, &#8216;You will shepherd my people Israel; you will rule over Israel.&#8217;&#8221;p>

<p class="bodytext">Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, &#8220;Why should you come with us? Go back and stay with the new<n id="1" /> king, for you are a foreigner and an exile from your own country.<n id="2" />

<p class="bodytext">In those days Ahithophel&#8217;s advice was considered as valuable as a prophetic revelation.<n id="1" /> Both David and Absalom highly regarded the advice of Ahithophel.<n id="2" />p>

Say to him, &#8216;This is what the <sc>Lordsc> says: &#8220;Haven&#8217;t you committed murder and taken possession of the property of the deceased?&#8221;&#8217; Then say to him, &#8216;This is what the <sc>Lordsc> says: &#8220;In the spot where dogs licked up Naboth&#8217;s blood they will also lick up your blood &#8211; yes, yours!&#8221;&#8217;&#8221;p>

<p class="bodytext">He also tore down the altar in Bethel<n id="1" /> at the high place made by Jeroboam son of Nebat, who encouraged Israel to sin.<n id="2" /> He burned all the combustible items at that high place and crushed them to dust; including the Asherah pole.<n id="3" />

<p class="poetry">There is no end to all the people<n id="1" /> nor to the past generations,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">yet future generations<n id="3" /> will not rejoice in him.p> <p class="poetry">This also is profitless and like<n id="4" /> chasing the wind.p>

<t /><p class="poetry">So I reflected on all this,<n id="1" /> attempting to clear<n id="2" /> it all up.p> <p class="poetry">I concluded that<n id="3" /> the righteous and the wise, as well as their works, are in the hand of God;p> <p class="poetry">whether a person will be loved or hated<n id="4" /> &#8211;p> <p class="poetry">no one knows what lies ahead.<n id="5" />p>

<p class="poetry">Are they ashamed because they have done such shameful things?p> <p class="poetry">No, they are not at all ashamed.p> <p class="poetry">They do not even know how to blush!p> <p class="poetry">So they will die, just like others have died.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">They will be brought to ruin when I punish them,&#8221;p> <p class="bodytext">says the <sc>Lordsc>.p>

<p class="poetry">If I go out into the countryside,p> <p class="poetry">I see those who have been killed in battle.p> <p class="poetry">If I go into the city,p> <p class="poetry">I see those who are sick because of starvation.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">For both prophet and priest go about their own businessp> <p class="poetry">in the land without having any real understanding.&#8217;&#8221;<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">Even her mercenaries<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">will prove to be like pampered,<n id="2" /> well-fed calves.p> <p class="poetry">For they too will turn and run away.p> <p class="poetry">They will not stand their groundp> <p class="poetry">when<n id="3" /> the time for them to be destroyed comes,p> <p class="poetry">the time for them to be punished.p>

<p class="poetry">Give the signal to attack Babylon&#8217;s wall!<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">Bring more guards!<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">Post them all around the city!<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">Put men in ambush!<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">For the <sc>Lordsc> will do what he has planned.p> <p class="poetry">He will do what he said he would do to the people of Babylon.<n id="5" />p>

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;Therefore, as surely as I live, says the sovereign <sc>Lordsc>, because you defiled my sanctuary with all your detestable idols and with all your abominable practices, I will withdraw; my eye will not pity you, nor will I spare<n id="1" /> you.

So now, bear your disgrace, because you have given your sisters reason to justify their behavior.<n id="1" /> Because the sins you have committed were more abominable than those of your sisters; they have become more righteous than you. So now, be ashamed and bear the disgrace of making your sisters appear righteous.p>

<p class="poetry">Yet she went into captivity as an exile;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">even her infants were smashed to pieces<n id="2" /> at the head of every street.p> <p class="poetry">They cast lots<n id="3" /> for her nobility;<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">all her dignitaries were bound with chains.p>

<p class="poetry">Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to deliver themp> <p class="poetry">in the day of the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s angry judgment.p> <p class="poetry">The whole earth<n id="1" /> will be consumed by his fiery wrath.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">Indeed,<n id="3" /> he will bring terrifying destruction<n id="4" /> on all who live on the earth.&#8221;<n id="5" />p>