Meanwhile, Absalom and all the men of Israel came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel was with him.  . . . Absalom said to Ahithophel, ‘’Give us your advice. What should we do?’’ Ahithophel answered, ‘’Sleep with your father’s concubines whom he left to take care of the palace. Then all Israel will hear that you have made yourself obnoxious to your father, and the hands of everyone with you will be more ...  Read More

As King David approached Bahurim, a man from the same clan as Saul’s family came out from there. His name was Shimei . . . and he cursed as he came out. He pelted David and all the king’s officials with stones, though all the troops and the special guard were on David’s right and left. As he cursed, Shimei said, ‘’Get out, get out, you murderer, you scoundrel! The LORD has repaid you for all the b...  Read More

A messenger came and told David, ‘’The hearts of the people of Israel are with Absalom.’’ Then David said to all his officials who were with him in Jerusalem, ‘’Come!We must flee, or none of us will escape from Absalom. We must leave immediately, or he will move quickly to overtake us and bring ruin on us and put the city to the sword.’’. . . The king set out, with his entire household following h...  Read More

In the course of time, Absalom provided himself with a chariot and horses and with fifty men to run ahead of him. He would get up early and stand by the side of the road leading to the city gate. Whenever anyone came with a complaint to be placed before the king for a decision, Absalom would call out to him, ‘’What town are you from?’’ . . . Then Absalom would say to him, ‘’Look, your claims are v...  Read More

  21 When King David heard all this, he was furious. And Absalom never said a word to Amnon, either good or bad; he hated Amnon because he had disgraced his sister Tamar.Two years later, when Absalom’s sheep shearers were at Baal Hazor near the border of Ephraim, he invited all the king’s sons to come there.Absalom went to the king and said . . .  ‘‘Will the king and his attendants please join me?...  Read More

In the course of time, Amnon son of David fell in love with Tamar, the beautiful sister of Absalom son of David. Amnon became so obsessed with his sister Tamar that he made himself ill.  . . .Now Amnon had an adviser named Jonadab . . . a very shrewd man.  He asked Amnon, ‘’Why do you, the king’s son, look so haggard morning after morning? Won’t you tell me?’’ Amnon said to him, ‘’I’m in love with...  Read More

Then David comforted his wife Bathsheba, and he went to her and made love to her. She gave birth to a son, and they named him Solomon. The LORD loved him; and because the LORD loved him, he sent word through Nathan the prophet to name him Jedidiah.2 Samuel 12: 24-25. The love of God is so comforting! The love of God is so pure! The love of God is so refreshing! The love of God is so magnanimous th...  Read More

One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of his palace.  From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful, and David sent someone to find out about her.  . . . Then David sent messengers to get her. She came to him, and he slept with her.  . . . Then she went back home. The woman conceived and sent word to David, saying, ‘’I am pregnant.’’  2 Samuel 11:...  Read More

David noticed that his attendants were whispering among themselves, and he realized the child was dead.  . . . Then David got up from the ground. After he had washed, put on lotions and changed his clothes, he went into the house of the LORD and worshiped. Then he went to his own house, and at his request they served him food, and he ate.His attendants asked him, ‘’Why are you acting this way? Whi...  Read More

After Nathan had gone home, the LORD struck the child that Uriah’s wife had borne to David, and he became ill.David pleaded with God for the child. He fasted and spent the nights lying in sackcloth, on the ground. The elders of his household stood beside him to get him up from the ground, but he refused, and he would not eat any food with them. On the seventh day the child died. David’s attendants...  Read More

‘Now therefore, the sword will never depart from your house, because you despised me and took the wife of Uriah to be your own.’ This is what the LORD says: ‘’Out of your own household I am going to bring calamity on you. Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to one who is close to you, and he will sleep with your wives in broad daylight. You did it in secret, but I will do th...  Read More

(Oh, that I had someone to hear me!I sign now my defense -- let the Almighty answer me;Let my accuser put his indictment in writing.Surely I would wear it on my shoulder, I would put it on like a crown.I would give him an account of my every step;I would present it to him as to a ruler.) Job 31:35-37 Job was at a point in his suffering when he desperately needed to hear from God!He felt innocent b...  Read More