¡ ver. 15, 16. • Heb. done. ch. 15. 12. • Heb. gave charge confering his byuse. Kings 20. 1. • Matt. 27.5. Gen. 32. 2. J. 13. 26. ch. 2. 8. q 21 And it came to pass, after they were departed, that they came up out of the well, and went and told king David, and said unto David, Arise, and pass quickly over the water for thus hath Ahithophel counselled against you. 22 Then David arose, and all the people that were with him, and they passed over Jordan: by the morning light there lacked not one of them that was not gone over Jordan. 23 ¶ And when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his ass, and arose, and gat him home to his house, to his city, and put his household in order, and "hanged himself, and died, and was buried in the sepulchre of his father. r 24 Then David came to 'Mahanaim. And Absalom passed over Jordan, he and all the men of Israel with him. 25 And Absalom made Amasa captain of the host instead of Joab: which Amasa was a man's son, whose name was Ithra an Israelite, that went in to " Abigail the daughter *Heb. Abigal of Nahash, sister to Zeruiah Joab's mother. 1 Or, Jether an lahmael ite. 10r, Jene. See 1 Chr. 2. 13:6 26 So Israel and Absalom pitched in the land of Gilead. 27 And it came to pass, when David was come to Mahanaim, that Se ch. 10.1 Shobi the son of Nahash of Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and * Machir the son of Ammiel of Lo-debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite of Rogelim, 1931.52 i Kings 2. 7. 1 Or, cups. ch. 16. 2. 28 Brought beds, and basins, and earthen vessels, and wheat, and barley, and flour, and parched corn, and beans, and lentiles, and parched pulse, 29 And honey, and butter, and sheep, and cheese of kine, for David, and for the people that were with him, to eat: for they said, The people is hungry, and weary, and thirsty, "in the wilderness. CHAPTER XVIII. David mustereth his army for battle and giveth charge concerning Absalom. 6 The defeat of the Israelites in the wood of Ephraim. 9 Absalom, caught by his hair in an oak, is slain by Joab. 19 The tidings are brought to David. 33 His mourning for Absa lom. | The Israelites defeated. AND David numbered the people B. C. 1023. that were with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them. 2 And David sent forth a third part of the people under the hand of Joab, and a third part under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, and a third part under the hand of Ittai the Gittite. And the king said unto the people, I will surely go forth with you myself also. b a ch. 15. 19. + Heb. set their heart on us. 3 But the people answered, Thoub ch. 21. 17. shalt not go forth for if we flee away, they will not care for us; neither if half of us die, will they care for us: but now thou art worth ten thousand of us: therefore now it is better that thou the city. + Heb, as ten thousand of us. succour. succour us out of + Heb. be to 4 And the king said unto them, What seemeth you best I will do. And the king stood by the gate side, and all the people came out by hundreds and by thousands. 8 For the battle was there scattered over the face of all the country: and the wood devoured more people that + Heb. multiday than the sword devoured. 9 And Absalom met the servants of David. And Absalom rode upon a mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak, and his head caught hold of the oak, and he was taken up between the heaven and the earth; and the mule that was under him went away. 10 And a certain man saw it, and told Joab, and said, Behold, I saw Absalom hanged in an oak. 11 And Joab said unto the man that told him, And, behold, thou sawest him, and why didst thou not smite him there to the ground? and I would have given thee ten shekels of silver, and a girdle. f Josh. 7. 26. g Gen. 14. 17. 15 And ten young men that bare Joab's armour compassed about and smote Absalom, and slew him. David's grief for Absalom. mouth. And he came apace, and B. C. 1023. drew near. 26 And the watchman saw another man running: and the watchman called unto the porter, and said, Behold another man running alone. And the king said, He also bringeth tidings. 27 And the watchman said, Methinketh the running of the foremost is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok. And the king said, He is a good man, and cometh with good tidings. + Heb. I nee the running. 28 And Ahimaaz called, and said 16 And Joab blew the trumpet, and 17 And they took Absalom, and cast him into a great pit in the wood, and flaid a very great heap of stones upon him and all Israel fled every one to his tent. 18 Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and reared up for himself a pillar, which is in the king's dale: h See ch. 14.27. for he said, I have no son to keep my name in remembrance: and he called the pillar after his own name: and it is called unto this day, Absalom's place. + Heb. judged him from the hand, &c. + Heb. be a man of tidings. + Heb. be what may. || Or, convenient? 19 Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok, Let me now run, and bear the king tidings, how that the LORD hath avenged him of his enemies. 20 And Joab said unto him, Thou shalt not bear tidings this day, but thou shalt bear tidings another day: but this day thou shalt bear no tidings, because the king's son is dead. 21 Then said Joab to Cushi, Go tell the king what thou hast seen. And Cushi bowed himself unto Joab, and ran. be to thee, Heb. Peace. delivered up the men that lifted+Heb.shut up. up their hand against my lord the king. is brought 31 And, behold, Cushi came; and Cushi said, Tidings, my lord the Heb. Tidings king for the LORD hath avenged thee this day of all them that rose up against thee. 32 And the king said unto Cushi, Is the young man Absalom safe? And Cushi answered, The enemies of my lord the king, and all that rise against thee to do thee hurt, be as that young man is. 33 ¶ And the king was much moved, 22 Then said Ahimaaz the son of 23 But howsoever, said he, let me CHAPTER XIX. 18 9 The Israelites are earnest to bring the king back. 11 David sendeth to incite the men of Judah. Shimei is pardoned. 24 Mephibosheth is restored to his possessions in part. 32 Barzillai's kindnes is remembered. 41 The Israelites expostulate with Judah for bringing home the king without them. 24 And David sat between the two AND it was told Joab, Behold, the 12 Kings 9. 17. gates: and the watchman went up to the roof over the gate unto the wall, and lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold a man running alone. 25 And the watchman cried, and told the king. And the king said, If he be alone, there is tidings in his king weepeth and mourneth for Absalom. 2 And the victory that day was turned into mourning unto all the people: for the people heard say that day how the king was grieved for his son. 3 And the people gat them by stealth that day into the city, as people k ch. 19. 4. + Heb. salvation, or, deliverance. a ver. $2. B. C. 1023. being ashamed steal away when they flee in battle. b ch. 15. 50. ch. 18. 33. • Heb. By loring, &c. princes or kertunts are not to thee. 4 But the king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, O my son Absalom! O Absalom, my son, my son! 5 And Joab came into the house to the king, and said, Thou hast shamed this day the faces of all thy servants, which this day have saved thy life, and the lives of thy sons and of thy daughters, and the lives of thy wives, and the lives of thy concubines; 6 + In that thou lovest thine enemies, and hatest thy friends. For thou hast Heb. that declared this day, that thou regardest neither princes nor servants: for this day I perceive, that if Absalom had lived, and all we had died this day, then it had pleased thee well. 7 Now therefore arise, go forth, and Heb. to the speak comfortably unto thy servants: for I swear by the LORD, if thou go not forth, there will not tarry one with thee this night: and that will be worse unto thee than all the evil that befell thee from thy youth until serants, Gen. 34. 3. 1 ch. 15, 14. now. 8 Then the king arose, and sat in the gate. And they told unto all the people, saying, Behold, the king doth sit in the gate. And all the people came before the king: for Israel had fled every man to his tent. 9 And all the people were at strife throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, The king saved us out of the hand of our enemies, and he delivered us out of the hand of the Philistines; and now he is fled out of the land for Absalom. 10 And Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. Now Heb are ye therefore why speak ye not a word of bringing the king back? 11 ¶ And king David sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, saying, Speak unto the elders of Judah, saying, Why are ye the last to bring the king back to his house? seeing the speech of all Israel is come to the king, even to his house. 12 Ye are my brethren, ye are my bones and my flesh wherefore then are ye the last to bring back the king? 13' And say ye to Amasa, Art thou not of my bone, and of my flesh? God do so to me, and more also, if thou be not captain of the host before me continually in the room of Joab. 14 And he bowed the heart of all the men of Judah, even as the heart of one man; so that they sent this word unto the king, Return thou, and all thy servants. Shimei is pardoned. 15 So the king returned, and came to Jordan. And Judah came to Gilgal, to go to meet the king, to conduct the king over Jordan. 16 T And Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite, which was of Bahurim, hasted and came down with the men of Judah to meet king David. 17 And there were a thousand men of Benjamin with him, and 1 Ziba the servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him; and they went over Jordan before the king. B. C. 1023. i Josh. 5. 9. k ch. 16. 5. 1 Kings 2. 8. 1 ch. 9. 2, 10. & 16. 1, 2. 19 And said unto the king, "Let not my lord impute iniquity unto me, neither do thou remember that which a ch. 16. 5, 6, thy servant did perversely the day that my lord the king went out of Jerusalem, that the king should take it to his heart. o ch. 19. 33. 20 For thy servant doth know that I have sinned: therefore, behold, I am come the first this day of all Pthe p See ch. 16.5. house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king. 21 But Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered and said, Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the LORD's anointed? q Ex. 22. 28. 22 And David said, "What have Ir ch. 16. 10. to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah, that ye should this day be adversaries unto me? shall there any man be 1 Sam. 11. 13. put to death this day in Israel? for do not I know that I am this day king over Israel? b 1 Kings 2.7. c ch. 17. 27. 28 For all of my father's house were but dead men before my lord the king: yet didst thou set thy servant among them that did eat at thine own table. What right therefore have I yet to cry any more unto the king? 29 And the king said unto him, Why speakest thou any more of thy matters? I have said, Thou and Ziba divide the land. 30 And Mephibosheth said unto the king, Yea, let him take all, forasmuch as my lord the king is come again in peace unto his own house. b 31 And Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim, and went over Jordan with the king, to conduct him over Jordan. 32 Now Barzillai was a very aged man, even fourscore years old: and he had provided the king of sustenance while he lay at Mahanaim; for he was a very great man. 33 And the king said unto Barzillai, Come thou over with me, and I will feed thee with me in Jerusalem. 34 And Barzillai said unto the king, Heb. How How long have I to live, that I should go up with the king unto Jerusalem? many days are the years of my life. d Ps. 90. 10. 35 I am this day fourscore years old and can I discern between good and evil? can thy servant taste what I eat or what I drink? can I hear any more the voice of singing men and singing women? wherefore then should thy servant be yet a burden unto my lord the king? 36 Thy servant will go a little way over Jordan with the king: and why should the king recompense it me with such a reward? 37 Let thy servant, I pray thee, turn back again, that I may die in mine own city, and be buried by the grave of my father and of my mother. But 1 Kings 2. 7. behold thy servant Chimham; let him go over with my lord the king; and do to him what shall seem good unto thee. Jer. 41. 17. 38 And the king answered, Chimham shall go over with me, and I I will do to him that which shall seem good unto thee: and whatsoever thou + Heb. choose. shalt require of me, that will I do for thee. Sheba maketh a party in Israel. and all the people of Judah conducted the king, and also half the people of Israel. B. C. 1023. 41 ¶ And, behold, all the men of Israel came to the king, and said unto the king, Why have our brethren the men of Judah stolen thee away, and have brought the king, and his house- & ver. 15 hold, and all David's men with him, over Jordan? 42 And all the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, Because the king is near of kin to us: where- ver. 12 fore then be ye angry for this matter? have we eaten at all of the king's cost? or hath he given us any gift? 43 And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, and said, We have ten parts in the king, and we have also more right in David than ye: why then did ye despise us, that our advice should not be first had in bringing back our king? And the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel. CHAPTER XX. Sheba maketh a party in Israel. 3 David's ten concubines are put in ward unto the day of their death. 4 Amasa, made captain over Judah, is slain by Joab. 14 Joab pursueth Sheba unto Abel. 16 A wise woman saveth the city by Sheba's head. 23 David's officers. + Heb. set us at light. iSee Judg. 8. 1. & 12. L. man of Belial, whose name was ND there happened to be there a about 1022. Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite: and he blew a trumpet, and said, "We have no part in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse : every man to his tents, O Israel. 2 So every man of Israel went up from after David, and followed Sheba the son of Bichri: but the men of Judah clave unto their king, from Jordan even to Jerusalem. 3 ¶ And David came to his house at Jerusalem; and the king took the ten women his concubines, whom he had left to keep the house, and put them in ward, and fed them,+ but went not in unto them. So they were shut up unto the day of their death, living in widowhood. a ch. 19. 43. b1 Kings 12 16. 2 Chr. 10. 16. c ch. 15. 16. & 16. 21, 22 Heb. a house of ward + Heb. bound. + Heb. in vidowhood of life. + Heb. Call 4 T Then said the king to Amasa, td Assemble me the men of Judah within three days, and be thou here & ch. 19. 13. present. 5 So Amasa went to assemble the men of Judah but he tarried longer than the set time which he had appointed him. 6 And David said to Abishai, Now shall Sheba the son of Bichri do us more harm than did Absalom: take thou thy lord's servants, and pursue e ch. 11. 11. 1 Kings 1.3. Amasa slain by Joab. B. C. about 1022 Heb. deliver himself from I our eyes. f ch. 8. 18. 1 Kings 1.33. II. SAMUEL. after him, lest he get him fenced Joab pursueth Sheba. B. C. were wont to speak in old time, saying, They shall surely ask counsel at about 1022. 7 And there went out after him Abel: and so they ended the matter. Joab's men, and the Cherethites, and 19 I am one of them that are peacethe Pelethites, and all the mighty able and faithful in Israel: thou seekmen and they went out of Jerusa-est to destroy a city and a mother in lem, to pursue after Sheba the son of Israel: why wilt thou swallow up Bichri. m the inheritance of the LORD? * 2 Kings 15. 2. 2 Chr. 144 2 Kings 19. 32 11 And one of Joab's men stood by him, and said, He that favoureth Joab, and he that is for David, let him go after Joab. 12 And Amasa wallowed in blood in the midst of the highway. And when the man saw that all the people stood still, he removed Amasa out of the highway into the field, and cast a cloth upon him, when he saw that every one that came by him stood still. 13 When he was removed out of the highway, all the people went on after Joab, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri. 14 And he went through all the tribes of Israel unto Abel, and to Beth-maachah, and all the Berites: and they were gathered together, and went also after him. 15 And they came and besieged him in Abel of Beth-maachah, and they 'cast up a bank against the city, and Or, it stood it stood in the trench and all the people that were with Joab battered Bemarred the wall, to throw it down. sprint the cutmost wall. 1. They in the beginng, saying, 20 And Joab answered and said, Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy. 16 Then cried a wise woman out of the city, Hear, hear; say, I pray you, unto Joab, Come near hither, that I may speak with thee. m 1 Sam. 26. 19. ch. 21. 3. name. 21 The matter is not so: but a man of mount Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, hath lifted up his Heb. by his hand against the king, even against David: deliver him only, and I will depart from the city. And the woman said unto Joab, Behold, his head shall be thrown to thee over the wall. 17 And when he was come near unto pake her, the woman said, Art thou Joab? And he answered, I am he. Then they she said unto him, Hear the words of thine handmaid. And he answered, I will ask of Abel, and make an end. I do hear. See Deut. 20. 18 Then she spake, saying, They We will have no silver nor gold of the face, &c. See Num. 27. 21. a Josh. 9. 3, 15, 16, 17. b ch. 20. 19. |