The king was shaken. He went up to the room over the gateway and wept.  As he went, he said: ‘’O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you -- O Absalom, my son, my son!’’Joab was told, ‘’The king is weeping and mourning for Absalom.’’ And for the whole army the victory that day was turned into mourning, because on that day the troops heard it said, ‘’The king is gri...  Read More

So the king set out, with all the people following him, and they halted at the edge of the city. All his men marched past him, along with all the Kerethites and Pelethites; and all the six hundred Gittites who had accompanied him from Gath marched before the king.The king saId to Ittai the Gittite, ‘’Why should you come along with us?  Go back and stay with King Absalom. You are a foreigner, an ex...  Read More

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