Good News Translation

Joab Arranges for Absalom’s Return

1 Joab knew that King David missed Absalom very much,

2 so he sent for a clever woman who lived in Tekoa. When she arrived, he said to her, “Pretend that you are in mourning; put on your mourning clothes, and don’t comb your hair. Act like a woman who has been in mourning for a long time.

3 Then go to the king and say to him what I tell you to say.” Then Joab told her what to say.

4 The woman went to the king, bowed down to the ground in respect, and said, “Help me, Your Majesty!”

5 “What do you want?” he asked her.

“I am a poor widow, sir,” she answered. “My husband is dead.

6 Sir, I had two sons, and one day they got into a quarrel out in the fields, where there was no one to separate them, and one of them killed the other.

7 And now, sir, all my relatives have turned against me and are demanding that I hand my son over to them, so that they can kill him for murdering his brother. If they do this, I will be left without a son. They will destroy my last hope and leave my husband without a son to keep his name alive.”

8 “Go back home,” the king answered, “and I will take care of the matter.”

9 “Your Majesty,” she said, “whatever you do, my family and I will take the blame; you and the royal family are innocent.”

10 The king replied, “If anyone threatens you, bring him to me, and he will never bother you again.”

11 She said, “Your Majesty, please pray to theLordyour God, so that my relative who is responsible for avenging the death of my son will not commit a greater crime by killing my other son.”

“I promise by the livingLord,” David replied, “that your son will not be harmed in the least.”

12 “Please, Your Majesty, let me say just one more thing,” the woman said.

“All right,” he answered.

13 She said to him, “Why have you done such a wrong to God’s people? You have not allowed your own son to return from exile, and so you have condemned yourself by what you have just said.

14 We will all die; we are like water spilled on the ground, which can’t be gathered again. Even God does not bring the dead back to life, but the king can at least find a way to bring a man back from exile.

15 Now, Your Majesty, the reason I have come to speak to you is that the people threatened me, and so I said to myself that I would speak to you in the hope that you would do what I ask.

16 I thought you would listen to me and save me from the one who is trying to kill my son and me and so remove us from the land God gave his people.

17 I said to myself that your promise, sir, would make me safe, because the king is like God’s angel and can distinguish good from evil.May theLordyour God be with you!”

18 The king answered, “I’m going to ask you a question, and you must tell me the whole truth.”

“Ask me anything, Your Majesty,” she answered.

19 “Did Joab put you up to this?” he asked her.

She answered, “I swear by all that is sacred, Your Majesty, that there is no way to avoid answering your question.It was indeed your officer Joab who told me what to do and what to say.

20 But he did it in order to straighten out this whole matter. Your Majesty is as wise as the angel of God and knows everything that happens.”

21 Later on the king said to Joab, “I have decided to do what you want. Go and get the young man Absalom and bring him back here.”

22 Joab threw himself to the ground in front of David in respect, and said, “God bless you, Your Majesty! Now I know that you are pleased with me, because you have granted my request.”

23 Then he got up and went to Geshur and brought Absalom back to Jerusalem.

24 The king, however, gave orders that Absalom should not live in the palace. “I don’t want to see him,” the king said. So Absalom lived in his own house and did not appear before the king.

Absalom Is Reconciled to David

25 There was no one in Israel as famous for his good looks as Absalom; he had no defect from head to toe.

26 His hair was very thick, and he had to cut it once a year, when it grew too long and heavy. It would weigh about five pounds according to the royal standard of weights.

27 Absalom had three sons and one daughter named Tamar, a very beautiful woman.

28 Absalom lived two years in Jerusalem without seeing the king.

29 Then he sent for Joab, to ask him to go to the king for him; but Joab would not come. Again Absalom sent for him, and again Joab refused to come.

30 So Absalom said to his servants, “Look, Joab’s field is next to mine, and it has barley growing in it. Go and set fire to it.” So they went and set the field on fire.

31 Joab went to Absalom’s house and demanded, “Why did your servants set fire to my field?”

32 Absalom answered, “Because you wouldn’t come when I sent for you. I wanted you to go to the king and ask for me: ‘Why did I leave Geshur and come here? It would have been better for me to have stayed there.’” And Absalom went on, “I want you to arrange for me to see the king, and if I’m guilty, then let him put me to death.”

33 So Joab went to King David and told him what Absalom had said. The king sent for Absalom, who went to him and bowed down to the ground in front of him. The king welcomed him with a kiss.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/363/32k/2SA/14-750795a09cb92a2579c4d7399bb6104e.mp3?version_id=68—

Absalom Plans Rebellion

1 After this, Absalom provided a chariot and horses for himself, and an escort of fifty men.

2 He would get up early and go and stand by the road at the city gate. Whenever someone came there with a dispute that he wanted the king to settle, Absalom would call him over and ask him where he was from. And after the man had told him what tribe he was from,

3 Absalom would say, “Look, the law is on your side, but there is no representative of the king to hear your case.”

4 And he would add, “How I wish I were a judge! Then anyone who had a dispute or a claim could come to me, and I would give him justice.”

5 When the man would approach Absalom to bow down before him, Absalom would reach out, take hold of him, and kiss him.

6 Absalom did this with every Israelite who came to the king for judgment, and so he won their loyalty.

7 After fouryears Absalom said to King David, “Sir, let me go to Hebron and keep a promise I made to theLord.

8 While I was living in Geshur in Syria, I promised theLordthat if he would take me back to Jerusalem, I would worship him in Hebron.”

9 “Go in peace,” the king said. So Absalom went to Hebron.

10 But he sent messengers to all the tribes of Israel to say, “When you hear the sound of trumpets, shout, ‘Absalom has become king at Hebron!’”

11 There were two hundred men who at Absalom’s invitation had gone from Jerusalem with him; they knew nothing of the plot and went in all good faith.

12 And while he was offering sacrifices, Absalom also sent to the town of Gilo for Ahithophel, who was one of King David’s advisers. The plot against the king gained strength, and Absalom’s followers grew in number.

David Flees from Jerusalem

13 A messenger reported to David, “The Israelites are pledging their loyalty to Absalom.”

14 So David said to all his officials who were with him in Jerusalem, “We must get away at once if we want to escape from Absalom! Hurry! Or else he will soon be here and defeat us and kill everyone in the city!”

15 “Yes, Your Majesty,” they answered. “We are ready to do whatever you say.”

16 So the king left, accompanied by all his family and officials, except for ten concubines, whom he left behind to take care of the palace.

17 As the king and all his men were leaving the city, they stopped at the last house.

18 All his officials stoodnext to him as the royal bodyguards passed by in front of him. The six hundred soldiers who had followed him from Gath also passed by,

19 and the king said to Ittai, their leader, “Why are you going with us? Go back and stay with the new king. You are a foreigner, a refugee away from your own country.

20 You have lived here only a short time, so why should I make you wander around with me? I don’t even know where I’m going. Go back and take all your people with you—and may theLordbe kind and faithful to you.”

21 But Ittai answered, “Your Majesty, I swear to you in theLord’s name that I will always go with you wherever you go, even if it means death.”

22 “Fine!” David answered. “March on!” So Ittai went on with all his men and their dependents.

23 The people cried loudly as David’s followers left. The king crossed Kidron Brook, followed by his men, and together they went out toward the wilderness.

24 Zadok the priest was there, and with him were the Levites, carrying the sacred Covenant Box. They set it downand didn’t pick it up again until all the people had left the city. The priest Abiathar was there too.

25 Then the king said to Zadok, “Take the Covenant Box back to the city. If theLordis pleased with me, some day he will let me come back to see it and the place where it stays.

26 But if he isn’t pleased with me—well, then, let him do to me what he wishes.”

27 And he went on to say to Zadok, “Look,take your son Ahimaaz and Abiathar’s son Jonathan and go back to the city in peace.

28 Meanwhile, I will wait at the river crossings in the wilderness until I receive news from you.”

29 So Zadok and Abiathar took the Covenant Box back into Jerusalem and stayed there.

30 David went on up the Mount of Olives crying; he was barefoot and had his head covered as a sign of grief. All who followed him covered their heads and cried also.

31 When David was toldthat Ahithophel had joined Absalom’s rebellion, he prayed, “Please,Lord, turn Ahithophel’s advice into nonsense!”

32 When David reached the top of the hill, where there was a place of worship, his trusted friend Hushai the Archite met him with his clothes torn and with dirt on his head.

33 David said to him, “You will be of no help to me if you come with me,

34 but you can help me by returning to the city and telling Absalom that you will now serve him as faithfully as you served his father. And do all you can to oppose any advice that Ahithophel gives.

35 The priests Zadok and Abiathar will be there; tell them everything you hear in the king’s palace.

36 They have their sons Ahimaaz and Jonathan with them, and you can send them to me with all the information you gather.”

37 So Hushai, David’s friend, returned to the city just as Absalom was arriving.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/363/32k/2SA/15-e8ec8419e9896c2bcb0c8dbf3ebca01d.mp3?version_id=68—

David and Ziba

1 When David had gone a little beyond the top of the hill, he was suddenly met by Ziba, the servant of Mephibosheth, who had with him a couple of donkeys loaded with two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred bunches of raisins, a hundred bunches of fresh fruit, and a leather bag full of wine.

2 King David asked him, “What are you going to do with all that?”

Ziba answered, “The donkeys are for Your Majesty’s family to ride, the bread and the fruit are for the men to eat, and the wine is for them to drink when they get tired in the wilderness.”

3 “Where is Mephibosheth, the grandson of your master Saul?” the king asked him.

“He is staying in Jerusalem,” Ziba answered, “because he is convinced that the Israelites will now restore to him the kingdom of his grandfather Saul.”

4 The king said to Ziba, “Everything that belonged to Mephibosheth is yours.”

“I am your servant,” Ziba replied. “May I always please Your Majesty!”

David and Shimei

5 When King David arrived at Bahurim, one of Saul’s relatives, Shimei son of Gera, came out to meet him, cursing him as he came.

6 Shimei started throwing stones at David and his officials, even though David was surrounded by his men and his bodyguards.

7 Shimei cursed him and said, “Get out! Get out! Murderer! Criminal!

8 You took Saul’s kingdom, and now theLordis punishing you for murdering so many of Saul’s family. TheLordhas given the kingdom to your son Absalom, and you are ruined, you murderer!”

9 Abishai, whose mother was Zeruiah, said to the king, “Your Majesty, why do you let this dog curse you? Let me go over there and cut off his head!”

10 “This is none of your business,” the king said to Abishai and his brother Joab. “If he curses me because theLordtold him to, who has the right to ask why he does it?”

11 And David said to Abishai and to all his officials, “My own son is trying to kill me; so why should you be surprised at this Benjaminite? TheLordtold him to curse; so leave him alone and let him do it.

12 Perhaps theLordwill notice my miseryand give me some blessings to take the place of his curse.”

13 So David and his men continued along the road. Shimei kept up with them, walking on the hillside; he was cursing and throwing stones and dirt at them as he went.

14 The king and all his men were worn out when they reached the Jordan,and there they rested.

Absalom in Jerusalem

15 Absalom and all the Israelites with him entered Jerusalem, and Ahithophel was with them.

16 When Hushai, David’s trusted friend, met Absalom, he shouted, “Long live the king! Long live the king!”

17 “What has happened to your loyalty to your friend David?” Absalom asked him. “Why didn’t you go with him?”

18 Hushai answered, “How could I? I am for the one chosen by theLord, by these people, and by all the Israelites. I will stay with you.

19 After all, whom should I serve, if not my master’s son? As I served your father, so now I will serve you.”

20 Then Absalom turned to Ahithophel and said, “Now that we are here, what do you advise us to do?”

21 Ahithophel answered, “Go and have intercourse with your father’s concubines whom he left behind to take care of the palace. Then everyone in Israel will know that your father regards you as his enemy, and your followers will be greatly encouraged.”

22 So they set up a tent for Absalom on the palace roof, and in the sight of everyone Absalom went in and had intercourse with his father’s concubines.

23 Any advice that Ahithophel gave in those days was accepted as though it were the very word of God; both David and Absalom followed it.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/363/32k/2SA/16-99bf5a51b4c50ab994661e8e721a8b7e.mp3?version_id=68—

Hushai Misleads Absalom

1 Not long after that, Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Let me choose twelve thousand men, and tonight I will set out after David.

2 I will attack him while he is tired and discouraged. He will be frightened, and all his men will run away. I will kill only the king

3 and then bring back all his men to you, like a bride returning to her husband. You want to kill only one man;the rest of the people will be safe.”

4 This seemed like good advice to Absalom and all the Israelite leaders.

5 Absalom said, “Now call Hushai, and let us hear what he has to say.”

6 When Hushai arrived, Absalom said to him, “This is the advice that Ahithophel has given us; shall we follow it? If not, you tell us what to do.”

7 Hushai answered, “The advice Ahithophel gave you this time is no good.

8 You know that your father David and his men are hard fighters and that they are as fierce as a mother bear robbed of her cubs. Your father is an experienced soldier and does not stay with his men at night.

9 Right now he is probably hiding in a cave or some other place. As soon as David attacks your men, whoever hears about it will say that your men have been defeated.

10 Then even the bravest men, as fearless as lions, will be afraid because everyone in Israel knows that your father is a great soldier and that his men are hard fighters.

11 My advice is that you bring all the Israelites together from one end of the country to the other, as many as the grains of sand on the seashore, and that you lead them personally in battle.

12 We will find David wherever he is, and attack him before he knows what’s happening. Neither he nor any of his men will survive.

13 If he retreats into a city, our people will all bring ropes and just pull the cityinto the valley below. Not a single stone will be left there on top of the hill.”

14 Absalom and all the Israelites said, “Hushai’s advice is better than Ahithophel’s.” TheLordhad decided that Ahithophel’s good advice would not be followed, so that disaster would come on Absalom.

David Is Warned and Escapes

15 Then Hushai told the priests Zadok and Abiathar what advice he had given to Absalom and the Israelite leaders and what advice Ahithophel had given.

16 Hushai added, “Quick, now! Send a message to David not to spend the night at the river crossings in the wilderness, but to cross the Jordan at once, so that he and his men won’t all be caught and killed.”

17 Abiathar’s son Jonathan and Zadok’s son Ahimaaz were waiting at the spring of Enrogel, on the outskirts of Jerusalem, because they did not dare be seen entering the city. A servant woman would regularly go and tell them what was happening, and then they would go and tell King David.

18 But one day a boy happened to see them, and he told Absalom; so they hurried off to hide in the house of a certain man in Bahurim. He had a well near his house, and they got down in it.

19 The man’s wife took a covering, spread it over the opening of the well and scattered grain over it, so that no one would notice anything.

20 Absalom’s officials came to the house and asked the woman, “Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?”

“They crossed the river,” she answered.

The men looked for them but could not find them, and so they returned to Jerusalem.

21 After they left, Ahimaaz and Jonathan came up out of the well and went and reported to King David. They told him what Ahithophel had planned against him and said, “Hurry up and cross the river.”

22 So David and his men started crossing the Jordan, and by daybreak they had all gone across.

23 When Ahithophel saw that his advice had not been followed, he saddled his donkey and went back to his hometown. After putting his affairs in order, he hanged himself. He was buried in the family grave.

24 David had reached the town of Mahanaim by the time Absalom and the Israelites had crossed the Jordan. (

25 Absalom had put Amasa in command of the army in the place of Joab. Amasa was the son of Jether the Ishmaelite;his mother was Abigail, the daughter of Nahash and the sister of Joab’s mother Zeruiah.)

26 Absalom and his men camped in the land of Gilead.

27 When David arrived at Mahanaim, he was met by Shobi son of Nahash, from the city of Rabbah in Ammon, and by Machir son of Ammiel, from Lodebar, and by Barzillai, from Rogelim in Gilead.

28-29 They brought bowls, clay pots, and bedding, and also food for David and his men: wheat, barley, meal, roasted grain, beans, peas,honey, cheese, cream, and some sheep. They knew that David and his men would get hungry, thirsty, and tired in the wilderness.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/363/32k/2SA/17-48f165498208a13c415212a47377f84d.mp3?version_id=68—

Absalom Is Defeated and Killed

1 King David brought all his men together, divided them into units of a thousand and of a hundred, and placed officers in command of them.

2 Then he sent them out in three groups, with Joab and Joab’s brother Abishai and Ittai from Gath, each in command of a group. And the king said to his men, “I will go with you myself.”

3 “You mustn’t go with us,” they answered. “It won’t make any difference to the enemy if the rest of us turn and run, or even if half of us are killed; but you are worth ten thousand of us. It will be better if you stay here in the city and send us help.”

4 “I will do whatever you think best,” the king answered. Then he stood by the side of the gate as his men marched out in units of a thousand and of a hundred.

5 He gave orders to Joab, Abishai, and Ittai: “For my sake don’t harm the young man Absalom.” And all the troops heard David give this command to his officers.

6 David’s army went out into the countryside and fought the Israelites in Ephraim Forest.

7 The Israelites were defeated by David’s men; it was a terrible defeat, with twenty thousand men killed that day.

8 The fighting spread over the countryside, and more men died in the forest than were killed in battle.

9 Suddenly Absalom met some of David’s men. Absalom was riding a mule, and as it went under a large oak tree, Absalom’s head got caught in the branches. The mule ran on and Absalom was left hanging in midair.

10 One of David’s men saw him and reported to Joab, “Sir, I saw Absalom hanging in an oak tree!”

11 Joab answered, “If you saw him, why didn’t you kill him on the spot? I myself would have given you ten pieces of silver and a belt.”

12 But the man answered, “Even if you gave me a thousand pieces of silver, I wouldn’t lift a finger against the king’s son. We all heard the king command you and Abishai and Ittai, ‘For my sake don’t harm the young man Absalom.’

13 But if I had disobeyed the king and killed Absalom, the king would have heard about it—he hears about everything—and you would not have defended me.”

14 “I’m not going to waste any more time with you,” Joab said. He took three spears and plunged them into Absalom’s chest while he was still alive, hanging in the oak tree.

15 Then ten of Joab’s soldiers closed in on Absalom and finished killing him.

16 Joab had the trumpet blown to stop the fighting, and his troops came back from pursuing the Israelites.

17 They took Absalom’s body, threw it into a deep pit in the forest, and covered it with a huge pile of stones. All the Israelites fled to their own hometowns.

18 During his lifetime Absalom had built a monument for himself in King’s Valley, because he had no son to keep his name alive. So he named it after himself, and to this day it is known as Absalom’s Monument.

David Is Told of Absalom’s Death

19 Then Ahimaaz son of Zadok said to Joab, “Let me run to the king with the good news that theLordhas saved him from his enemies.”

20 “No,” Joab said, “today you will not take any good news. Some other day you may do so, but not today, for the king’s son is dead.”

21 Then he said to his Ethiopianslave, “Go and tell the king what you have seen.” The slave bowed and ran off.

22 Ahimaaz insisted, “I don’t care what happens; please let me take the news also.”

“Why do you want to do it, my son?” Joab asked. “You will get no reward for it.”

23 “Whatever happens,” Ahimaaz said again, “I want to go.”

“Then go,” Joab said. So Ahimaaz ran off down the road through the Jordan Valley, and soon he passed the slave.

24 David was sitting in the space between the inner and outer gates of the city. The lookout went up to the top of the wall and stood on the roof of the gateway; he looked out and saw a man running alone.

25 He called down and told the king, and the king said, “If he is alone, he is bringing good news.” The runner kept coming closer.

26 Then the lookout saw another man running alone, and he called down to the gatekeeper, “Look! There’s another man running!”

The king answered, “This one also is bringing good news.”

27 The lookout said, “I can see that the first man runs like Ahimaaz.”

“He’s a good man,” the king said, “and he is bringing good news.”

28 Ahimaaz called out a greeting to the king, threw himself down to the ground before him, and said, “Praise theLordyour God, who has given you victory over the men who rebelled against Your Majesty!”

29 “Is the young man Absalom all right?” the king asked.

Ahimaaz answered, “Sir, when your officer Joab sent me, I saw a great commotion, but I couldn’t tell what it was.”

30 “Stand over there,” the king told him; and he went over and stood there.

31 Then the Ethiopianslave arrived and said to the king, “I have good news for Your Majesty! Today theLordhas given you victory over all who rebelled against you!”

32 “Is the young man Absalom all right?” the king asked.

The slave answered, “I wish that what has happened to him would happen to all your enemies, sir, and to all who rebel against you.”

33 The king was overcome with grief. He went up to the room over the gateway and wept. As he went, he cried, “O my son! My son Absalom! Absalom, my son! If only I had died in your place, my son! Absalom, my son!”

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/363/32k/2SA/18-41a36e27fac7a008696bf25afb55447a.mp3?version_id=68—

Joab Reprimands David

1 Joab was told that King David was weeping and mourning for Absalom.

2 And so the joy of victory was turned into sadness for all of David’s troops that day, because they heard that the king was mourning for his son.

3 They went back into the city quietly, like soldiers who are ashamed because they are running away from battle.

4 The king covered his face and cried loudly, “O my son! My son Absalom! Absalom, my son!”

5 Joab went to the king’s house and said to him, “Today you have humiliated your men—the men who saved your life and the lives of your sons and daughters and of your wives and concubines.

6 You oppose those who love you and support those who hate you! You have made it clear that your officers and men mean nothing to you. I can see that you would be quite happy if Absalom were alive today and all of us were dead.

7 Now go and reassure your men. I swear by theLord’s name that if you don’t, not one of them will be with you by tomorrow morning. That would be the worst disaster you have suffered in all your life.”

8 Then the king got up, and went and sat near the city gate. His men heard that he was there, and they all gathered around him.

David Starts Back to Jerusalem

Meanwhile all the Israelites had fled to their own hometowns.

9 All over the country they started quarreling among themselves. “King David saved us from our enemies,” they said to one another. “He rescued us from the Philistines, but now he has fled from Absalom and left the country.

10 We anointed Absalom as our king, but he has been killed in battle. So why doesn’t somebody try to bring King David back?”

11 The news of what the Israelites were saying reached King David.So he sent the priests Zadok and Abiathar to ask the leaders of Judah, “Why should you be the last to help bring the king back to his palace?

12 You are my relatives, my own flesh and blood; why should you be the last to bring me back?”

13 David also told them to say to Amasa, “You are my relative. From now on I am putting you in charge of the army in place of Joab. May God strike me dead if I don’t!”

14 David’s words won the complete loyalty of all the men of Judah, and they sent him word to return with all his officials.

15 On his way back the king was met at the Jordan River by the men of Judah, who had come to Gilgal to escort him across the river.

16 At the same time the Benjaminite Shimei son of Gera from Bahurim hurried to the Jordan to meet King David.

17 He had with him a thousand men from the tribe of Benjamin. And Ziba, the servant of Saul’s family, also came with his fifteen sons and twenty servants, and they arrived at the Jordan before the king.

18 They crossedthe river to escort the royal party across and to do whatever the king wanted.

David Shows Kindness to Shimei

As the king was getting ready to cross, Shimei threw himself down in front of him

19 and said, “Your Majesty, please forget the wrong I did that day you left Jerusalem. Don’t hold it against me or think about it any more.

20 I know, sir, that I have sinned, and this is why I am the first one from the northern tribes to come and meet Your Majesty today.”

21 Abishai son of Zeruiah spoke up: “Shimei should be put to death because he cursed the one whom theLordchose as king.”

22 But David said to Abishai and his brother Joab, “Who asked your opinion? Are you going to give me trouble? I am the one who is king of Israel now, and no Israelite will be put to death today.”

23 And he said to Shimei, “I give you my word that you will not be put to death.”

David Shows Kindness to Mephibosheth

24 Then Mephibosheth, Saul’s grandson, came down to meet the king. He had not washed his feet, trimmed his beard, or washed his clothes from the time the king left Jerusalem until he returned victorious.

25 When Mephibosheth arrived fromJerusalem to meet the king, the king said to him, “Mephibosheth, you didn’t go with me. Why not?”

26 He answered, “As you know, Your Majesty, I am crippled. I told my servant to saddle my donkey so that I could ride along with you, but he betrayed me.

27 He lied about me to Your Majesty, but you are like God’s angel, so do what seems right to you.

28 All of my father’s family deserved to be put to death by Your Majesty, but you gave me the right to eat at your table. I have no right to ask for any more favors from Your Majesty.”

29 The king answered, “You don’t have to say anything more. I have decided that you and Ziba will share Saul’s property.”

30 “Let Ziba have it all,” Mephibosheth answered. “It’s enough for me that Your Majesty has come home safely.”

David Shows Kindness to Barzillai

31 Barzillai, from Gilead, had also come down from Rogelim to escort the king across the Jordan.

32 Barzillai was a very old man, eighty years old. He was very rich and had supplied the king with food while he was staying at Mahanaim.

33 The king said to him, “Come with me to Jerusalem, and I will take care of you.”

34 But Barzillai answered, “I don’t have long to live; why should I go with Your Majesty to Jerusalem?

35 I am already eighty years old, and nothing gives me pleasure any more. I can’t taste what I eat and drink, and I can’t hear the voices of singers. I would only be a burden to Your Majesty.

36 I don’t deserve such a great reward. So I will go just a little way with you beyond the Jordan.

37 Then let me go back home and die near my parents’ grave. Here is my son Chimham, who will serve you; take him with you, Your Majesty, and do for him as you think best.”

38 The king answered, “I will take him with me and do for him whatever you want. And I will do for you anything you ask.”

39 Then David and all of his men crossed the Jordan. He kissed Barzillai and gave him his blessing, and Barzillai went back home.

Judah and Israel Argue over the King

40 When the king had crossed, escorted by all the people of Judah and half the people of Israel, he went on to Gilgal, and Chimham went with him.

41 Then all the Israelites went to the king and said to him, “Your Majesty, why did our brothers, the men of Judah, think they had the right to take you away and escort you, your family, and your men across the Jordan?”

42 The men of Judah answered, “We did it because the king is one of us. So why should this make you angry? He hasn’t paid for our food nor has he given us anything.”

43 The Israelites replied, “We have ten times as many claims on King David as you have, even if he is one of you. Why do you look down on us? Don’t forget that we were the first to talk about bringing the king back!”

But the men of Judah were more violent in making their claims than the men of Israel.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/363/32k/2SA/19-7ac6dcac3cb399f2332811a5bca71409.mp3?version_id=68—

Sheba’s Rebellion

1 There happened to be in Gilgal a worthless character named Sheba son of Bikri, of the tribe of Benjamin. He blew the trumpet and called out, “Down with David! We won’t follow him! Men of Israel, let’s go home!”

2 So the Israelites deserted David and went with Sheba, but the men of Judah remained loyal and followed David from the Jordan to Jerusalem.

3 When David arrived at his palace in Jerusalem, he took the ten concubines he had left to take care of the palace, and put them under guard. He provided for their needs, but did not have intercourse with them. They were kept confined for the rest of their lives, living like widows.

4 The king said to Amasa, “Call the men of Judah together and be back here with them by the day after tomorrow.”

5 Amasa went to call them, but he did not get back by the time the king had told him to.

6 So the king said to Abishai, “Sheba will give us more trouble than Absalom. Take my men and go after him, or else he may occupy some fortified towns and escape from us.”

7 So Joab’s men, the royal bodyguards, and all the other soldiers left Jerusalem with Abishai to go after Sheba.

8 When they reached the large rock at Gibeon, Amasa met them. Joab was dressed for battle, with a sword in its sheath fastened to his belt. As he came forward, the sword fell out.

9 Joab said to Amasa, “How are you, my friend?” and took hold of his beard with his right hand in order to kiss him.

10 Amasa was not on guard against the sword that Joab was holding in his other hand, and Joab stabbed him in the belly, and his insides spilled out on the ground. He died immediately, and Joab did not have to strike again.

Then Joab and his brother Abishai went on after Sheba.

11 One of Joab’s men stood by Amasa’s body and called out, “Everyone who is for Joab and David follow Joab!”

12 Amasa’s body, covered with blood, was lying in the middle of the road. Joab’s man saw that everybody was stopping, so he dragged the body from the road out into the field and threw a blanket over it.

13 After the body had been removed from the road, everyone followed Joab in pursuit of Sheba.

14 Sheba passed through the territory of all the tribes of Israel and came to the city of Abel Beth Maacah, and all the members of the clan of Bikriassembled and followed him into the city.

15 Joab’s men heard that Sheba was there, and so they went and besieged the city. They built ramps of earth against the outer wall and also began to dig under the wall to make it fall down.

16 There was a wise woman in the city who shouted from the wall, “Listen! Listen! Tell Joab to come here; I want to speak with him.”

17 Joab went, and she asked, “Are you Joab?”

“Yes, I am,” he answered.

“Listen to me, sir,” she said.

“I’m listening,” he answered.

18 She said, “Long ago they used to say, ‘Go and get your answer in the city of Abel’—and that’s just what they did.

19 Ours is a great city, one of the most peaceful and loyal in Israel. Why are you trying to destroy it? Do you want to ruin what belongs to theLord?”

20 “Never!” Joab answered. “I will never ruin or destroy your city!

21 That is not our plan. A man named Sheba son of Bikri, who is from the hill country of Ephraim, started a rebellion against King David. Hand over this one man, and I will withdraw from the city.”

“We will throw his head over the wall to you,” she said.

22 Then she went to the people of the city with her plan, and they cut off Sheba’s head and threw it over the wall to Joab. He blew the trumpet as a signal for his men to leave the city, and they went back home. And Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king.

David’s Officials

23 Joab was in command of the army of Israel; Benaiah son of Jehoiada was in charge of David’s bodyguards;

24 Adoniram was in charge of the forced labor; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was in charge of the records;

25 Sheva was the court secretary; Zadok and Abiathar were the priests,

26 and Ira from the town of Jair was also one of David’s priests.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/363/32k/2SA/20-1a17ebf342bc9eda6feeb69af944d6fa.mp3?version_id=68—

Saul’s Descendants Are Put to Death

1 During David’s reign there was a severe famine which lasted for three full years. So David consulted theLordabout it, and theLordsaid, “Saul and his family are guilty of murder; he put the people of Gibeon to death.” (

2 The people of Gibeon were not Israelites; they were a small group of Amorites whom the Israelites had promised to protect, but Saul had tried to destroy them because of his zeal for the people of Israel and Judah.)

3 So David summoned the people of Gibeon and said to them, “What can I do for you? I want to make up for the wrong that was done to you, so that you will bless theLord’s people.”

4 They answered, “Our quarrel with Saul and his family can’t be settled with silver or gold, nor do we want to kill any Israelite.”

“What, then, do you think I should do for you?” David asked.

5 They answered, “Saul wanted to destroy us and leave none of us alive anywhere in Israel.

6 So hand over seven of his male descendants, and we will hang them before theLordat Gibeah, the hometown of Saul, theLord’s chosen king.”

“I will hand them over,” the king answered.

7 But because of the sacred promise that he and Jonathan had made to each other, David spared Jonathan’s son Mephibosheth, the grandson of Saul.

8 However, he took Armoni and Mephibosheth, the two sons that Rizpah the daughter of Aiah had borne to Saul; he also took the five sons of Saul’s daughter Merab, whom she had borne to Adriel son of Barzillai, who was from Meholah.

9 David handed them over to the people of Gibeon, who hanged them on the mountain before theLord—and all seven of them died together. It was late in the spring, at the beginning of the barley harvest, when they were put to death.

10 Then Saul’s concubine Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah, used sackcloth to make a shelter for herself on the rock where the corpses were, and she stayed there from the beginning of harvest until the autumn rains came. During the day she would keep the birds away from the corpses, and at night she would protect them from wild animals.

11 When David heard what Rizpah had done,

12 he went and got the bones of Saul and of his son Jonathan from the people of Jabesh in Gilead. (They had stolen them from the public square in Beth Shan, where the Philistines had hanged the bodies on the day they killed Saul on Mount Gilboa.)

13 David took the bones of Saul and Jonathan and also gathered up the bones of the seven men who had been hanged.

14 Then they buried the bones of Saul and Jonathan in the grave of Saul’s father Kish, in Zela in the territory of Benjamin, doing all that the king had commanded. And after that, God answered their prayers for the country.

Battles against Philistine Giants

15 There was another war between the Philistines and Israel, and David and his men went and fought the Philistines. During one of the battles David grew tired.

16 A giant named Ishbibenob, who was carrying a bronze spear that weighed about seven and a half pounds and who was wearing a new sword, thought he could kill David.

17 But Abishai son of Zeruiah came to David’s help, attacked the giant, and killed him. Then David’s men made David promise that he would never again go out with them to battle. “You are the hope of Israel, and we don’t want to lose you,” they said.

18 After this there was a battle with the Philistines at Gob, during which Sibbecai from Hushah killed a giant named Saph.

19 There was another battle with the Philistines at Gob, and Elhanan son of Jairfrom Bethlehem killed Goliath from Gath, whose spear had a shaft as thick as the bar on a weaver’s loom.

20 Then there was another battle at Gath, where there was a giant who loved to fight. He had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot.

21 He defied the Israelites, and Jonathan, the son of David’s brother Shammah, killed him.

22 These four were descendants of the giants of Gath, and they were killed by David and his men.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/363/32k/2SA/21-e6d15fb96dafcd7cf8ba2b4f1505fb35.mp3?version_id=68—

David’s Song of Victory

1 When theLordsaved David from Saul and his other enemies, David sang this song to theLord:

2 TheLordis my protector;

he is my strong fortress.

3 My God is my protection,

and with him I am safe.

He protects me like a shield;

he defends me and keeps me safe.

He is my savior;

he protects me and saves me from violence.

4 I call to theLord,

and he saves me from my enemies.

Praise theLord!

5 The waves of death were all around me;

the waves of destruction rolled over me.

6 The danger of death was around me,

and the grave set its trap for me.

7 In my trouble I called to theLord;

I called to my God for help.

In his temple he heard my voice;

he listened to my cry for help.

8 Then the earth trembled and shook;

the foundations of the sky rocked and quivered

because God was angry!

9 Smoke poured out of his nostrils,

a consuming flame and burning coals from his mouth.

10 He tore the sky open and came down,

with a dark cloud under his feet.

11 He flew swiftly on his winged creature;

he traveled on the wings of the wind.

12 He covered himself with darkness;

thick clouds, full ofwater, surrounded him;

13 burning coals flamed up from the lightning before him.

14 Then theLordthundered from the sky,

and the voice of Almighty God was heard.

15 He shot his arrows and scattered his enemies;

with flashes of lightning he sent them running.

16 The floor of the ocean was laid bare,

and the foundations of the earth were uncovered

when theLordrebuked his enemies

and roared at them in anger.

17 TheLordreached down from above and took hold of me;

he pulled me out of the deep waters.

18 He rescued me from my powerful enemies

and from all those who hate me—

they were too strong for me.

19 When I was in trouble, they attacked me,

but theLordprotected me.

20 He helped me out of danger;

he saved me because he was pleased with me.

21 TheLordrewards me because I do what is right;

he blesses me because I am innocent.

22 I have obeyed the law of theLord;

I have not turned away from my God.

23 I have observed all his laws;

I have not disobeyed his commands.

24 He knows that I am faultless,

that I have kept myself from doing wrong.

25 And so he rewards me because I do what is right,

because he knows that I am innocent.

26 OLord, you are faithful to those who are faithful to you,

and completely good to thosewho are perfect.

27 You are pure to those who are pure,

but hostile to those who are wicked.

28 You save those who are humble,

but you humble those who are proud.

29 You,Lord, are my light;

you dispel my darkness.

30 You give me strength to attack my enemies

and power to overcome their defenses.

31 This God—how perfect are his deeds,

how dependable his words!

He is like a shield

for all who seek his protection.

32 TheLordalone is God;

God alone is our defense.

33 This God is my strong refuge;

he makesmy pathway safe.

34 He makes me sure-footed as a deer;

he keeps me safe on the mountains.

35 He trains me for battle,

so that I can use the strongest bow.

36 OLord, you protect me and save me;

your help has made me great.

37 You have kept me from being captured,

and I have never fallen.

38 I pursue my enemies and defeat them;

I do not stop until I destroy them.

39 I strike them down, and they cannot rise;

they lie defeated before me.

40 You give me strength for the battle

and victory over my enemies.

41 You make my enemies run from me;

I destroy those who hate me.

42 They look for help, but no one saves them;

they call to theLord, but he does not answer.

43 I crush them, and they become like dust;

I trample on them like mud in the streets.

44 You saved me from my rebellious people

and maintained my rule over the nations;

people I did not know have now become my subjects.

45 Foreigners bow before me;

when they hear me, they obey.

46 They lose their courage

and come tremblingfrom their fortresses.

47 TheLordlives! Praise my defender!

Proclaim the greatness of the strong God who saves me!

48 He gives me victory over my enemies;

he subdues the nations under me

49 and saves me from my foes.

OLord, you give me victory over my enemies

and protect me from violent men.

50 And so I praise you among the nations;

I sing praises to you.

51 God gives great victories to his king;

he shows constant love to the one he has chosen,

to David and his descendants forever.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/363/32k/2SA/22-71d3aa50725af7f4a10967f6e36f3b27.mp3?version_id=68—

David’s Last Words

1 David son of Jesse was the man whom God made great, whom the God of Jacob chose to be king, and who was the composer of beautiful songs for Israel. These are David’s last words:

2 The spirit of theLordspeaks through me;

his message is on my lips.

3 The God of Israel has spoken;

the protector of Israel said to me:

“The king who rules with justice,

who rules in obedience to God,

4 is like the sun shining on a cloudless dawn,

the sun that makes the grass sparkle after rain.”

5 And that is how God will bless my descendants,

because he has made an eternal covenant with me,

an agreement that will not be broken,

a promise that will not be changed.

That is all I desire;

that will be my victory,

and God will surely bring it about.

6 But godless people are like thorns that are thrown away;

no one can touch them barehanded.

7 You must use an iron tool or a spear;

they will be burned completely.

David’s Famous Soldiers

8 These are the names of David’s famous soldiers: the first was Josheb Basshebeth from Tachemon, who was the leader of “The Three”;he fought with his spearagainst eight hundred men and killed them all in one battle.

9 The second of the famous three was Eleazar son of Dodo, of the clan of Ahoh. One day he and David challenged the Philistines who had gathered for battle. The Israelites fell back,

10 but he stood his ground and fought the Philistines until his hand was so cramped that he could not let go of his sword. TheLordwon a great victory that day. After it was over, the Israelites returned to where Eleazar was and stripped the armor from the dead.

11 The third of the famous three was Shammah son of Agee from Harar. The Philistines had gathered at Lehi, where there was a field of peas. The Israelites fled from the Philistines,

12 but Shammah stood his ground in the field, defended it, and killed the Philistines. TheLordwon a great victory that day.

13 Near the beginning of harvest timethree of “The Thirty” went down to Adullam Cave, where David was, while a band of Philistines was camping in Rephaim Valley.

14 At that time David was on a fortified hill, and a group of Philistines had occupied Bethlehem.

15 David grew homesick and said, “How I wish someone would bring me a drink of water from the well by the gate at Bethlehem!”

16 The three famous soldiers forced their way through the Philistine camp, drew some water from the well, and brought it back to David. But he would not drink it; instead he poured it out as an offering to theLord

17 and said, “Lord, I could never drink this! It would be like drinking the blood of these men who risked their lives!” So he refused to drink it.

Those were the brave deeds of the three famous soldiers.

18 Joab’s brother Abishai (their mother was Zeruiah) was the leader of “The Famous Thirty.” He fought with his spear against three hundred men and killed them, and became famous among “The Thirty.”

19 He was the most famous of “The Thirty”and became their leader, but he was not as famous as “The Three.”

20 Benaiah son of Jehoiada from Kabzeel was another famous soldier; he did many brave deeds, including killing two great Moabite warriors. He once went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion.

21 He also killed an Egyptian, a huge man who was armed with a spear. Benaiah attacked him with his club, snatched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand, and killed him with it.

22 Those were the brave deeds of Benaiah, who was one of “The Thirty.”

23 He was outstanding among them, but was not as famous as “The Three.” David put him in charge of his bodyguard.

24-39 Other members of “The Thirty” included:

Asahel, Joab’s brother

Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem

Shammah and Elika from Harod

Helez from Pelet

Ira son of Ikkesh from Tekoa

Abiezer from Anathoth

Mebunnai from Hushah

Zalmon from Ahoh

Maharai from Netophah

Heleb son of Baanah from Netophah

Ittai son of Ribai from Gibeah in Benjamin

Benaiah from Pirathon

Hiddai from the valleys near Gaash

Abialbon from Arabah

Azmaveth from Bahurim

Eliahba from Shaalbon

The sons of Jashen

Jonathan

Shammah from Harar

Ahiam son of Sharar from Harar

Eliphelet son of Ahasbai from Maacah

Eliam son of Ahithophel from Gilo

Hezro from Carmel

Paarai from Arab

Igal son of Nathan from Zobah

Bani from Gad

Zelek from Ammon

Naharai from Beeroth, Joab’s armorbearer

Ira and Gareb from Jattir

Uriah the Hittite.

There were thirty-seven famous soldiers in all.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/363/32k/2SA/23-f93ce02b357237c6337c9e2a35e69542.mp3?version_id=68—