2Samuel:18-20

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* And David numbered the people that were with him , and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them . * And David sent forth a third part of the people under the hand of Joab Yow #ab #, and a third part under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah , Joabs 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 . * But the people answered , Thou 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 succour (8675 ) us out of the city . * 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 . * And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai , saying , Deal gently for my sake with the young man na #ar #, even with Absalom . And all the people heard when the king gave all the captains charge concerning Absalom . * So the people went out into the field against Israel Yisra #el #: and the battle was in the wood of Ephraim ; * Where the people of Israel were slain before the servants of David , and there was there a great slaughter that day of twenty thousand men . * For the battle was there scattered over the face of all the country : and the wood devoured more people that day than the sword devoured . * And Absalom met the servants paniym # 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 . * And a certain man saw it , and told Joab Yow #ab #, and said , Behold , I saw Absalom hanged in an oak . * 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 . * And the man said unto Joab Yow #ab #, Though I should receive a thousand shekels of silver in mine hand , yet would I not put forth mine hand against the kings son : for in our hearing the king charged thee and Abishai and Ittai , saying , Beware that none touch the young man Absalom . * Otherwise I should have wrought falsehood against mine own life : for there is no matter hid from the king , and thou thyself wouldest have set thyself against me . * Then said Joab Yow #ab #, I may not tarry thus with thee . And he took three darts in his hand , and thrust them through the heart of Absalom , while he was yet alive in the midst of the oak . * And ten young men that bare Joabs armour compassed about and smote Absalom , and slew him . * And Joab blew the trumpet , and the people returned from pursuing after Israel Yisra #el #: for Joab held back the people . * And they took Absalom , and cast him into a great pit in the wood ya #ar #, and laid a very great heap of stones upon him : and all Israel fled every one to his tent . * Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and reared up for himself a pillar , which is in the kings dale : 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 , Absaloms place . * Then said Ahimaaz #Achiyma #ats # the son of Zadok , Let me now run , and bear # the king tidings , how that the LORD hath avenged him of his enemies yad #. * 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 kings son is dead . * Then said Joab to Cushi , Go tell the king what thou hast seen . And Cushi bowed himself unto Joab Yow #ab #, and ran . * Then said Ahimaaz #Achiyma #ats # the son of Zadok yet again to Joab Yow #ab #, But howsoever , let me , I pray thee , also run after Cushi . And Joab said , Wherefore wilt thou run , my son , seeing that thou hast no tidings ready ? * But howsoever , said he , let me run . And he said unto him , Run . Then Ahimaaz #Achiyma #ats # ran by the way of the plain , and overran Cushi . * And David sat between the two gates sha #ar #: 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 . * And the watchman cried , and told the king . And the king said , If he be alone , there is tidings in his mouth . And he came apace , and drew near . * And the watchman saw another man running : and the watchman called unto the porter show #er #, and said , Behold another man running alone . And the king said , He also bringeth tidings . * And the watchman said , Me thinketh the running of the foremost is like the running of Ahimaaz #Achiyma #ats # the son of Zadok . And the king said , He is a good man , and cometh with good tidings . * And Ahimaaz #Achiyma #ats # called , and said unto the king , All is well . And he fell down to the earth upon his face before the king , and said , Blessed be the LORD thy God , which hath delivered up the men that lifted up their hand against my lord the king . * And the king said , Is the young man Absalom safe ? And Ahimaaz #Achiyma #ats # answered , When Joab sent the kings servant , and me thy servant , I saw a great tumult , but I knew not what it was . * And the king said unto him , Turn aside , and stand here . And he turned aside , and stood still . * And , behold , Cushi came ; and Cushi said , Tidings , my lord the king : for the LORD hath avenged thee this day of all them that rose up against thee . * 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 . * And the king was much moved , and went up to the chamber over the gate sha #ar #, and wept : and as he went , thus he said , O my son Absalom , my son , my son Absalom ! would God I had died for thee , O Absalom , my son , my son ! * And it was told Joab Yow #ab #, Behold , the king weepeth and mourneth for Absalom . * 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 . * And the people gat them by stealth that day into the city , as people being ashamed steal away when they flee in battle . * But the king covered his face , and the king cried with a loud voice , O my son Absalom , O Absalom , my son , my son ! * 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 ; * In that thou lovest thine enemies , and hatest thy friends . For thou hast 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 yashar #. * Now therefore arise , go forth , and 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 now . * Then the king arose , and sat in the gate sha #ar #. And they told unto all the people , saying , Behold , the king doth sit in the gate sha #ar #. And all the people came before the king : for Israel had fled every man to his tent . * And all the people were at strife throughout all the tribes of Israel Yisra #el #, 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 . * And Absalom , whom we anointed over us , is dead in battle . Now therefore why speak ye not a word of bringing # the king back ? * 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 . * Ye are my brethren , ye are my bones and my flesh : wherefore then are ye the last to bring back the king ? * 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 Yow #ab #. * 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 . * So the king returned , and came to Jordan . And Judah came to Gilgal , to go to meet the king , to conductthe king over Jordan . * And Shimei the son of Gera , a Benjamite Ben-y @miyniy #, which was of Bahurim , hasted and came down with the men of Judah to meet king David . * And there were a thousand men of Benjamin Ben-y @miyniy # with him , and Ziba the servant of the house of Saul Sha #uwl #, and his fifteen chamesh # sons and his twenty servants with him ; and they went over Jordan before the king . * And there went over a ferry boat to carry over the kings household , and to do what he thought good . And Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king , as he was come over Jordan ; * And said unto the king , Let not my lord impute iniquity unto me , neither do thou remember that which thy servant did perversely the day that my lord the king went out of Jerusalem , that the king should take it to his heart . * For thy servant doth know that I have sinned : therefore , behold , I am come the first this day of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king . * But Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered and said , Shall not Shimei be put to death for this , because he cursed the LORDS anointed ? * And David said , What have I to do with you , ye sons of Zeruiah , that ye should this day be adversaries unto me ? shall there any man be put to death this day in Israel Yisra #el #? for do not I know that I am this day king over Israel Yisra #el #? * Therefore the king said unto Shimei Shim #iy #, Thou shalt not die . And the king sware unto him . * And Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king , and had neither dressed his feet , nor trimmed his beard , nor washed his clothes , from the day the king departed until the day he came again in peace . * And it came to pass , when he was come to Jerusalem to meet the king , that the king said unto him , Wherefore wentest not thou with me , Mephibosheth ? * And he answered , My lord , O king , my servant deceived me : for thy servant said , I will saddle me an ass , that I may ride thereon , and go to the king ; because thy servant is lame . * And he hath slandered thy servant unto my lord the king ; but my lord the king is as an angel of God : do therefore what is good in thine eyes . * For all of my fathers 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 ? * And the king said unto him , Why speakest thou any more of thy matters ? I have said , Thou and Ziba divide the land . * 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 . * And Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim , and went over Jordan with the king , to conduct him over Jordan . * 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 . * And the king said unto Barzillai , Come thou over with me , and I will feed thee with me in Jerusalem . * And Barzillai said unto the king , How long have I to live shaneh #, that I should go up with the king unto Jerusalem ? * 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 ? * Thy servant will goa little way over Jordan with the king : and why should the king recompense it me with such a reward ? * 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 behold thy servant Chimham ; let him go over with my lord the king ; and do to him what shall seem good towb # unto thee . * And the king answered , Chimham shall go over with me , and I will do to him that which shall seem good towb # unto thee : and whatsoever thou shalt require of me , that will I do for thee . * And all the people went over Jordan . And when the king was come over , the king kissed Barzillai , and blessed him ; and he returned unto his own place . * Then the king went on to Gilgal , and Chimham went on with him : and all the people of Judah conducted (8675 ) the king , and also half the people of Israel Yisra #el #. * 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 household , and all Davids men with him , over Jordan ? * And all the men of Judah answered the men of Israel Yisra #el #, Because the king is near of kin to us : wherefore then be ye angry for this matter ? have we eaten at all of the kings cost ? or hath he given us any gift nisse #th #? * 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 Yisra #el #. * And there happened to be there a man of Belial b @liya #al #, whose name was Sheba , the son of Bichri , a Benjamite Ben-y @miyniy #: 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 Yisra #el #. * 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 . * 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 . * Then said the king to Amasa , Assemble me the men of Judah within three days , and be thou here present . * So Amasa went to assemble the men of Judah : but he tarried longer (8675 ) than the set time which he had appointed him . * And David said to Abishai , Now shall Sheba the son of Bichri do us more harm than did Absalom : take thou thy lords servants , and pursue after him , lest he get him fenced cities , and escape us . * And there went out after him Joabs men , and the Cherethites , and the Pelethites , and all the mighty men : and they went out of Jerusalem , to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri . * When they were at the great stone which is in Gibeon Gib #own #, Amasa went before them . And Joabs garment that he had put on was girded unto him , and upon it a girdle with a sword fastened upon his loins in the sheath thereof ; and as he went forth it fell out . * And Joab said to Amasa , Art thou in health , my brother ? And Joab took Amasa by the beard with the right hand to kiss him . * But Amasa took no heed to the sword that was in Joabs hand : so he smote him therewith in the fifth rib , and shed out his bowels to the ground , and struck him not again ; and he died . So Joab and Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba the son of Bichri . * And one of Joabs men stood by him , and said , He that favoureth Joab Yow #ab #, and he that is for David , let him go after Joab Yow #ab #. * 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 . * When he was removed out of the highway , all the people went on after Joab Yow #ab #, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri . * And he went through all the tribes of Israel unto Abel , and to Bethmaachah Beyth Ma #akah #, and all the Berites : and they were gathered together (8675 ), and went also after him . * And they came and besieged him in Abel of Bethmaachah Beyth Ma #akah #, and they cast up a bank against the city , and it stood in the trench : and all the people that were with Joab battered the wall , to throw it down . * Then cried a wise woman out of the city , Hear , hear ; say , I pray you , unto Joab Yow #ab #, Come near hither , that I may speak with thee . * And when he was come near unto her , the woman said , Art thou Joab Yow #ab #? And he answered , I am he . Then she said unto him , Hear the words of thine handmaid . And he answered , I do hear . * Then she spake , saying , They were wont to speak in old time ri #shown #, saying , They shall surely ask counsel at Abel : and so they ended the matter . * I am one of them that are peaceable and faithful in Israel Yisra #el #: thou seekest to destroy a city and a mother in Israel Yisra #el #: why wilt thou swallow up the inheritance of the LORD ? * And Joab answered and said , Far be it , far be it from me , that I should swallow up or destroy . * The matter is not so : but a man of mount Ephraim , Sheba the son of Bichri by name , hath lifted up his hand against the king , even against David : deliver him only , and I will depart from the city . And the woman said unto Joab Yow #ab #, Behold , his head shall be thrown to thee over the wall . * Then the woman went unto all the people in her wisdom . And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri , and cast it out to Joab Yow #ab #. And he blew a trumpet , and they retired from the city , every man to his tent . And Joab returned to Jerusalem unto the king . * Now Joab was over all the host of Israel Yisra #el #: and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites K @ and over the Pelethites : * And Adoram was over the tribute : and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder : * And Sheva Sh @ was scribe : and Zadok and Abiathar were the priests : * And Ira also the Jairite was a chief ruler about David . * Then there was a famine in the days of David three years , year after year ; and David enquired of the LORD . And the LORD answered , It is for Saul Sha #uwl #, and for his bloody house , because he slew the Gibeonites Gib #oniy #.

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