Mar 10 - 2 Samuel 19-21
2 Samuel
1Now it was reported to Joab that the king was weeping and mourning for his son2And so the victory on that day was turned into mourning for all the people. For the people heard it said on that day, "The king is grieving over his son.3And the people declined to enter the city on that day, in the manner that the people were accustomed to decline if they had turned and fled from battle4And the king covered his head, and he was crying out in a great voice: "My son, Absalom! Absalom, my son, my son!5Therefore, Joab, entering to the king in the house, said: "Today you have shamed the faces of all your servants, who saved your life, and the lives of your sons and your daughters, and the lives of your wives, and the lives of your concubines6You love those who hate you, and you hate those who love you. And you have revealed this day that you have no concern for your leaders and for your servants. And truly, I know now that if Absalom had lived, and if we all had been killed, then it would have pleased you7Now then, rise up and go out, and speak so as to make amends to your servants. For I swear to you by the Lord that if you will not go forth, not even one person will be left with you this night. And this will be worse for you than all the evils that have come to you, from your youth even to the present.8Therefore, the king rose up, and he sat at the gate. And it was announced to all the people that the king was sitting at the gate. And the entire multitude went before the king. But Israel fled to their own tents9And all the people were conflicted, in all the tribes of Israel, saying: "The king has freed us from the hand of our enemies. He himself saved us from the hand of the Philistines. But now he flees from the land for the sake of Absalom10But Absalom, whom we anointed over us, has died in the war. How long will you be silent, and not lead back the king?11Then truly, king David sent to Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, saying: "Speak to those greater by birth of Judah, saying: ‘Why have you arrived last to lead back the king into his house? (For the talk in all of Israel had reached the king in his house.12You are my brothers; you are my bone and my flesh. Why are you the last to lead back the king?13And say to Amasa: ‘Are you not my bone and my flesh? May God do these things, and may he add these other things, if you will not be the leader of the military in my sight, for all time, in the place of Joab.’ 14And he inclined the heart of all the men of Judah, as if one man. And they sent to the king, saying, "Return, you and all your servants.15And the king returned. And he went as far as the Jordan, and all of Judah went as far as Gilgal, so as to meet the king, and to lead him across the Jordan16And Shimei, the son of Gera, the son of Benjamin, from Bahurim, hurried and descended with the men of Judah to meet king David17with one thousand men from Benjamin, and with Ziba, the servant from the house of Saul. And with him were his fifteen sons and twenty servants. And going into the Jordan18they crossed the fords before the king, so that they might lead across the house of the king, and might act in accord with his order. Then, Shimei, the son of Gera, prostrating himself before the king after he had now gone across the Jordan19said to him: "May you not impute to me, my lord, the iniquity, nor call to mind the injuries, of your servant in the day that you, my lord the king, departed from Jerusalem. And may you not store it up in your heart, O king20For as your servant, I acknowledge my sin. And for this reason, today, I arrive as the first from all the house of Joseph, and I descend to meet my lord the king.21Yet truly, Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, responding, said, "Should not Shimei, because of these words, be killed, since he cursed the Christ of the Lord?22And David said: "What is it to me and to all of you, O sons of Zeruiah? Why are you acting toward me this day like Satan? Why should any man be put to death on this day in Israel? Or do you not know that today I have been made king over Israel?23And the king said to Shimei, "You shall not die." And he swore to him24And Mephibosheth, the son of Saul, descended to meet the king, with unwashed feet and uncut beard. And he had not washed his garments from the day that the king had departed, until the day of his return in peace25And when he had met the king at Jerusalem, the king said to him, "Why did you not go with me, Mephibosheth?26And in response, he said: "My lord the king, my servant spurned me. And I, your servant, spoke to him so that he might saddle a donkey for me, and I might climb upon it and go with the king. For I, your servant, am lame27Moreover, he also accused me, your servant, to you, my lord the king. But you, my lord the king, are like an Angel of God. Do whatever is pleasing to you28For my father’s house was deserving of nothing but death before my lord the king. Yet you have placed me, your servant, among the guests of your table. Therefore, what just complaint might I have? Or what else can I cry out to the king?29Then the king said to him: "Why are you still speaking? What I have spoken is fixed. You and Ziba shall divide the possessions.30And Mephibosheth responded to the king, "But now let him take it all, since my lord the king has been returned peacefully into his own house.31Likewise, Barzillai the Gileadite, descending from Rogelim, led the king across the Jordan, having prepared also to follow him beyond the river32Now Barzillai the Gileadite was very old, that is, eighty years old. And he provided the king with sustenance when he was staying at the encampment. For indeed, he was an exceedingly rich man33And so the king said to Barzillai, "Come with me, so that you may rest securely with me in Jerusalem.34And Barzillai said to the king: "How many days remain in the years of my life, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem35Today I am eighty years old. Are my senses quick to discern sweet and bitter? Or is food and drink able to delight your servant? Or can I still hear the voice of men and women singers? Why should your servant be a burden to my lord the king36I, your servant, shall proceed a little ways from the Jordan with you. I am not in need of this recompense37But I beg you that I, your servant, may be returned and may die in my own city, and may be buried beside the sepulcher of my father and my mother. But there is your servant Chimham; let him go with you, my lord the king. And do for him whatever seems good to you.38And so the king said to him: "Let Chimham cross over with me, and I will do for him whatever will be pleasing to you. And all that you ask of me, you shall obtain.39And when the entire people and the king had crossed over the Jordan, the king kissed Barzillai, and he blessed him. And he returned to his own place40Then the king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham went with him. Now all the people of Judah had led the king across, but only as much as one half part of the people of Israel were there41And so, all the men of Israel, running to the king, said to him: "Why have our brothers, the men of Judah, stolen you away. And why have they led the king and his house across the Jordan, and all the men of David with him?42And all the men of Judah responded to the men of Israel: "Because the king is nearer to me. Why are you angry over this matter? Have we eaten anything belonging to the king, or have any gifts been given to us?43And the men of Israel responded to the men of Judah, and said: "I have the greater amount, ten parts, with the king, and so David belongs to me more so than to you. Why have you caused me injury, and why was it not announced to me first, so that I might lead back my king?" But the men of Judah answered more firmly than the men of Israel
1And it happened that there was, in that place, a man of Belial, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a man of Benjamin. And he sounded the trumpet, and he said: "There is no portion for us in David, nor any inheritance in the son of Jesse. Return to your own tents, O Israel.2And all of Israel separated from David, and they were following Sheba, the son of Bichri. But the men of Judah clung to their king, from the Jordan as far as Jerusalem3And when the king had entered his house at Jerusalem, he took the ten women concubines, whom he had left behind to care for the house, and he put them into custody, allowing them provisions. But he did not enter to them. Instead, they were enclosed, even until the day of their deaths, living as widows4Then the king said to Amasa, "Summon to me all the men of Judah on the third day, and you shall be present also.5Therefore, Amasa went away, so that he might summon Judah. But he delayed beyond the agreed time that the king had appointed to him6And David said to Abishai: "Now Sheba, the son of Bichri, will afflict us more so than Absalom did. Therefore, take the servants of your lord, and pursue him, otherwise he may find fortified cities, and escape from us.7And so, the men of Joab departed with him, along with the Cherethites and the Pelethites. And all the able-bodied men went out from Jerusalem to pursue Sheba, the son of Bichri8And when they were beside the great stone, which is in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. Now Joab was wearing a close-fitting coat of equal length with his garment. And over these, he was girded with a sword hanging down to his thigh, in a scabbard which was made so that the sword could be removed with the least motion, and then strike9Then Joab said to Amasa, "Be well, my brother." And he held Amasa by the chin with his right hand, as if to kiss him10But Amasa did not notice the sword that Joab had. And he struck him in the side, and his intestines poured out to the ground. And he did not inflict a second wound, and he died. Then Joab and his brother Abishai pursued Sheba, the son of Bichri11Meanwhile, certain men, from the company of Joab, when they had stopped beside the dead body of Amasa, said: "Behold, the one who wished to be in the place of Joab, the companion of David.12Now Amasa was covered with blood, and was lying in the middle of the road. A certain man saw this, with all the people standing nearby to look at him, and he removed Amasa from the road into a field. And he covered him with a garment, so that those passing by would not stop because of him13Then, when he had been removed from the road, all the men continued on, following Joab in the pursuit of Sheba, the son of Bichri14Now he had passed through all the tribes of Israel into Abel and Bethmaacah. And all the elect men had gathered together to him15And so, they went and besieged him at Abel and Bethmaacah. And they surrounded the city with siege works, and the city was blockaded. Then the entire crowd who were with Joab strove to destroy the walls16And a wise woman exclaimed from the city: "Listen, listen, and say to Joab: Draw near, and I will speak with you.17And when he had drawn near to her, she said to him, "Are you Joab?" And he responded, "I am." And she spoke in this way to him, "Listen to the words of your handmaid." He responded, "I am listening.18And again she spoke: "A word was said in the old proverb, ‘Those who would inquire, let them inquire in Abel.’ And so they would reach a conclusion19Am I not the one who responds with the truth in Israel? And yet you are seeking to overthrow the city, and to overturn a mother in Israel! Why would you cast down the inheritance of the Lord?20And responding, Joab said: "May this be far, may this be far from me! May I not cast down, and may I not demolish21The matter is not as you said. Rather, a man from mount Ephraim, Sheba, the son of Bichri, by name, has lifted up his hand against king David. Deliver him alone, and we will withdraw from the city." And the woman said to Joab, "Behold, his head will be thrown down to you from the wall.22Therefore, she entered to all the people, and she spoke to them wisely. And they cut off the head of Sheba, the son of Bichri, and they threw it down to Joab. And he sounded the trumpet, and they withdrew from the city, each one to his own tent. But Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king23Thus Joab was over the entire army of Israel. And Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, was over the Cerethites and Phelethites24Yet truly, Adoram was over the tributes. And Jehoshaphat, the son of Ahilud, was the keeper of records25Now Sheva was the scribe. And truly Zadok and Abiathar were the priests26But Ira, the Jairite, was the priest of David
1And a famine occurred, during the days of David, for three years continuously. And David consulted the oracle of the Lord. And the Lord said: "This is because of Saul, and his house of bloodshed. For he killed the Gibeonites.2Therefore, the king, calling for the Gibeonites, spoke to them. Now the Gibeonites were not of the sons of Israel, but were the remnant of the Amorites. And the sons of Israel had sworn an oath to them, but Saul wished to strike them in zeal, as if on behalf of the sons of Israel and Judah3Therefore, David said to the Gibeonites: "What shall I do for you? And what shall be your satisfaction, so that you may bless the inheritance of the Lord?4And the Gibeonites said to him: "There is no quarrel for us over silver or gold, but against Saul and against his house. And we do not desire that any man of Israel be put to death." The king said to them, "Then what do you wish that I should do for you?5And they said to the king: "The man who unjustly afflicted and oppressed us, we ought to destroy in such manner that not even one of his stock may be left behind in all the parts of Israel6Let seven men from his sons be given to us, so that we may crucify them to the Lord in Gibeon of Saul, formerly the chosen place of the Lord." And the king said, "I will give them.7But the king spared Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, because of the oath of the Lord which had been made between David and Jonathan, the son of Saul8And so the king took the two sons of Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah, whom she bore to Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth, and the five sons of Michal, the daughter of Saul, whom she conceived of Adriel, the son of Barzillai, who was from Meholath9and he gave them into the hands of the Gibeonites. And they crucified them on a hill in the sight of the Lord. And these seven fell together in the first days of the harvest, when the barley is beginning to be reaped10Then Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah, taking a haircloth, spread it under herself on a rock, from the beginning of the harvest until water dropped from heaven upon them. And she did not permit the birds to tear them by day, nor the beasts by night11And it was reported to David what Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah, the concubine of Saul, had done12And David went and took the bones of Saul, and the bones of his son Jonathan, from the men of Jabesh Gilead, who had stolen them from the street of Bethshan, where the Philistines had suspended them after they had slain Saul at Gilboa13And he brought the bones of Saul, and the bones of his son Jonathan, from there. And they collected the bones of those who had been crucified14And they buried them with the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan, in the land of Benjamin, to the side of the sepulcher of his father Kish. And they did all that the king had instructed. And after these things, God showed favor again to the land15Then the Philistines again undertook a battle against Israel. And David descended, and his servants with him, and they fought against the Philistines. But when David grew faint16Ishbibenob, who was of the ancestry of Arapha, the iron of whose spear weighed three hundred ounces, who had been girded with a new sword, strove to strike down David17And Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, defended him, and striking the Philistine, he killed him. Then David’s men swore an oath to him, saying, "You shall no longer go out to war with us, lest you extinguish the lamp of Israel.18Also, a second war occurred in Gob against the Philistines. Then Sibbecai from Hushah struck down Saph, from the stock of Arapha, of the ancestry of the giants19Then there was a third war in Gob against the Philistines, in which Adeodatus, a son of the forest, a weaver from Bethlehem, struck down Goliath the Gittite, the shaft of whose spear was like the beam used by a cloth maker20A fourth battle was in Gath. In that place, there was a lofty man, who had six digits on each hand and each foot, that is, twenty-four in all, and he was from the origins of Arapha21And he blasphemed Israel. So Jonathan, the son of Shimei, the brother of David, struck him down22These four men were born of Arapha in Gath, and they fell by the hand of David and his servants