2 Samuel
The Book of the Kings : 2 Samuel 1
David Learns That Saul Has Died:
1 After Saul died, David returned to Ziklag. He had won the battle over the Amalekites. He stayed in Ziklag for two days. 2 On the third day a man arrived from Saul's camp. His clothes were torn. He had dust on his head. When he came to David, he fell to the ground to show him respect.
3 David said to him, "Where have you come from?" And he answered, "I've escaped from Israel's camp."
4 David demanded. "What happened? Tell me how the battle went." The man replied, "Our entire army fled. Many men are dead and wounded on the battlefield, and Saul and his son Jonathan have been killed."
5 David spoke to the young man who brought him the report. "How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?"
6 The young man said, "I just happened to be there on Mount Gilboa, and Saul was there too. He was leaning on his spear. The enemy chariots and chariot drivers had almost caught up with him.
7 Then he turned around and saw me. He called out to me. I said, 'What do you want me to do?'
8 "He asked me, 'Who are you?'
" 'An Amalekite,' I answered.
9 Then he said to me, 'Stand over me and kill me! I'm close to death, but I'm still alive.'
10 So I stood over him and killed him. I did it because I knew that after he had lost the battle he would be killed anyway. So I took the crown that was on his head. I also took his armband. I've brought them here to you. You are my master."
This is a lie, because the guy is hoping that David will favor him for this action
11 Then David took hold of his clothes and tore them. All of his men did the same thing.
12 They mourned and wept and fasted all day for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the LORD(Jesus)'s army and the nation of Israel, because so many had died that day.
13 Then David said to the young man who had brought the news, "Where are you from?"And he replied, "I am a foreigner, an Amalekite, who lives in your land."
14 David asked him, "Why weren't you afraid to lift your hand to kill the LORD(Jesus)'s anointed king?"
15 Then David called for one of his men. He said, "Go! Strike him down!" So he struck the man down, and the man died.
16 That's because David had said to him, "Anything that happens to you will be your own fault. What your own mouth has spoken is a witness against you. You said, 'I killed the LORD(Jesus)'s anointed king.' "
David's Song of Sadness About Saul and Jonathan:
(from NIRV)
17 David sang a song of sadness about Saul and his son Jonathan. 18 He ordered that it be taught to the people of Judah. It is called The Song of the Bow. It is written down in the Book of Jashar.
The book of Jashar is one of a few non-scripture references that are quoted in the Bible as being fact. This shows that other writings did exist at this time, which EZRA decided was not canon, but was factual. It would be like us reading the dictionary to find the origin of a word, or another commentary to help us understand a Bible passage!
David sang, 19 "Israel, your glorious leaders lie dead on your hills.
Your mighty men have fallen.
20 "Don't announce it in Gath.
Don't tell it in the streets of Ashkelon.
If you do, the daughters of the Philistines will be glad.
The daughters of men who haven't been circumcised will be joyful.
21 "Mountains of Gilboa,
may no dew or rain fall on you.
May your fields not produce any offerings of grain.
The shield of the mighty king lies polluted there.
The shield of Saul lies there. It isn't rubbed with oil anymore.
22 The bow of Jonathan didn't turn back.
The sword of Saul didn't return without being satisfied.
They spilled the blood of their enemies.
They killed mighty men.
23 "In life Saul and Jonathan were loved and gracious.
In death they were not parted.
They were faster than eagles.
They were stronger than lions.
24 "Daughters of Israel, sob over Saul.
He dressed you in the finest clothes.
He decorated your clothes with ornaments of gold.
25 "Your mighty men have fallen in battle.
Jonathan lies dead on your hills.
26 My brother Jonathan, I'm filled with sadness because of you.
You were very special to me.
Your love for me was wonderful.
It was more wonderful than the love of women.
27 "Israel's mighty men have fallen.
Their weapons of war are broken."
The Book of the Kings : 2 Samuel 2
David Is Anointed King Over Judah:
1 After this, David asked the LORD(Jesus), "Should I move back to Judah?"And the LORD(Jesus) replied, "Yes."Then David asked, "Which town should I go to?"And the LORD(Jesus) replied, "Hebron."2 So David went there with his two wives also. Their names were Ahinoam from Jezreel and Abigail from Carmel. Abigail was Nabal's widow.
3 and his men and their families all moved to Judah, and they settled near the town of Hebron.
4 Then the men of Judah came and there they anointed David to be king over the people of Judah. And David was told that the men of Jabesh Gilead had buried Saul's body.
See 1 Chronicles 11:3
5 SoDavid sent messengers to the men of Jabeshgilead, and said unto them, “Blessed to you with the LORD(Jesus), that you have shewed this kindness to your LORD(Jesus)(adoni), and also that you took Saul, and have buried him.
6 And may he now be kind and faithful to you. David will treat you well for being kind to Saul's body.
7 Now then, be strong and brave. Your master Saul is dead. And the people of Judah have anointed David to be king over them."
8 However, Abner, the son of Ner, was commander of Saul's army. He had brought Saul's son Ish-Bosheth to Mahanaim.
Ish-bosheth--or "Esh-baal" (1 Chronicles 8:33, 9:39). The Hebrews usually changed names ending with Baal into Bosheth ("shame") (compare Judges 9:53 with 2 Samuel 11:21). This prince was so called from his imbecility.
Abner--was first cousin of Saul, commander of the forces, and held in high respect throughout the country.
9 And he made him king over Gilead, Ashuri and Jezreel. He also made him king over Ephraim, Benjamin and other areas of Israel.
10 Ish-Bosheth, Saul's son, was 40 years old when he became king over Israel. He ruled for two years. But the people of Judah followed David.
11 David was king in Hebron over the people of Judah for seven and a half years.
12 Abner, the son of Ner, left Mahanaim and went to Gibeon. The men of Ish-Bosheth, the son of Saul, went with him.
13 Joab, the son of Zeruiah, and David's men also went out. All of them met at the pool in Gibeon. One group sat down on one side of the pool. The other group sat on the other side.
14 Then Abner suggested to Joab, "Let's have a few of our warriors put on an exhibition of hand-to-hand combat." "All right," Joabreplied in agreement.
15 Then there arose twelve young . They went to the side of Benjamin and Saul's son Ish-Bosheth. And there were 12 on David's side also.
16 Each man grabbed one of his enemies by the head. Each one stuck his dagger into the other man's side. And all of them fell down together and died. So that place in Gibeon was named Helkath Hazzurim.
17 There was a very brutal battle that day. Abner and the men of Israel lost the battle to David's men.
18 There were three sons of Zeruiah. Their names were Joab, Abishai and Asahel. Asahel was as quick on his feet as a wild antelope.
19 He chased Abner. He didn't turn to the right or the left as he chased him.
20 When Abner looked back and saw him coming, he called out, "Is that you, Asahel?" He replied back, "Yes, it is."
21 Then Abner said to him, "Go to the right or the left. Fight one of the young men. Take his weapons away from him." But Asahel wouldn't stop chasing him.
22 Again Abner warned Asahel, "Get away fro me! If you don't, I'll strike you down. Then how could I look your brother Joab in the face?"
23 But Asahel would not give up the chase. So Abner drove the dull end of his spear into Asahel's stomach. The spear came out of his back. He fell and died right there on the spot. Every man stopped when he came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died.
24 Joab and Abishai chased Abner. As the sun was going down, they came to the hill of Ammah. It was near Giah on the way to the dry and empty land close to Gibeon.
25 The men of Benjamin gathered in a group around Abner. They took their stand on top of a hill.
26 Abner called out to Joab, "Do you want our swords to keep on killing us off? Don't you know that all of this fighting will end in bitter feelings? How long will it be before you order your men to stop chasing their fellow Israelites?"
27 Joab answered, "It's a good thing you spoke up. If you hadn't, the men would have kept on chasing their fellow Israelites until morning. And that's just as sure as God(Elohim/Theos) is alive."
28 So Joab blew a trumpet(shofar). All of the men stopped. They didn't chase Israel anymore. They didn't fight anymore either.
29 All that night Abner and his men marched through the Arabah Valley. They went across the Jordan River. They kept on going through the whole Bithron. Finally, they came to Mahanaim.
30 Then Joab returned from chasing Abner. He gathered all of his men together. Besides Asahel, only 19 of David's men were missing.
31 David's men had killed 360 men from Benjamin who were with Abner.
32 They got Asahel's body and buried it in his father's tomb at Bethlehem. Then Joab and his men marched all night. They arrived at Hebron at sunrise.
The Book of the Kings : 2 Samuel 3
SIX SONS BORN TO DAVID:
1 Now there was a long war bewteen Saul's royal house and David's royal house. David grew stronger and stronger. But the royal house of Saul grew weaker and weaker.
2 To David, sons were born in Hebron. His first son was Amnon. Amnon's mother was Ahinoam from Jezreel. 3 His second son was Kileab. Kileab's mother was Abigail. She was Nabal's widow from Carmel. The third son was Absalom. His mother was Maacah. She was the daughter of Talmai, the king of Geshur.
4 The fourth son was Adonijah. His mother was Haggith. The fifth son was Shephatiah. His mother was Abital.
5 The sixth son was Ithream. His mother was David's wife Eglah. These sons were born to David in Hebron.
6 After awhile, as the war continued between David's royal house and Saul's royal house. Abner gained more and more power in the royal house of Saul.
7 Now Saul had a concubine named Rizpah. She was the daughter of Aiah. Ish-Bosheth said to Abner, "Why did you have sex with my father's concubine?"
8 Abner became furious because of what Ish-Bosheth said to him. "Do you think I'm only a dog's head? Am I on Judah's side? To this very day I've been true to the royal house of your father Saul. I've been true to his family and friends. I haven't handed you over to David. But now you claim that I've sinned with this woman!
9 I will do for David what the LORD(Jesus) promised him with an oath. If I don't, may God(Elohim/Theos) punish me greatly.
10 I'll take the kingdom away from Saul's royal house. I'll set up the throne of David's kingdom over Israel and Judah. He will rule from Dan all the way to Beersheba."
11 Ish-Bosheth didn't dare to say another word to Abner. He was much too afraid of him.
12 And Abner sent messengers to David to speak for him. They said, "Who will rule over this land? Make a covenant with me. Then I'll help you bring all of the people of Israel over to your side."
13 David said, "Good! I will make a covenant with you. But there's one thing I want you to do. Bring Saul's daughter Michal to me. Don't come to see me unless she's with you."
14 Then David sent messengers to Saul's son Ish-Bosheth. He ordered them to say, "Give me my wife Michal. She was promised to me. I paid for her with the skins I cut off when I circumcised 100 Philistines."
15 So Ish-Bosheth took Michal away from her husband Paltiel. Paltiel was the son of Laish.
16 And her husband went after her to Bahurim. He was crying all the way. Then Abner said to him, "Go back home!" So he did.
17 Abner talked with the elders of Israel. He said, "For some time you have wanted to make David your king.
18 Now do it! The LORD(Jesus) made a promise to David. He said, 'I will save my people Israel from the powerful hand of the Philistines. I will also save them from all of their enemies. I will save them through my servant David.' "
19 Abner also spoke to the people of Benjamin in person. Then he went to Hebron to tell David everything. He told him what Israel and all of the people of Benjamin wanted to do.
20 Abner had 20 men with him. They came to David at Hebron. So David prepared a big dinner for Abner and his men.
21 Then Abner said to David, "Let me go and call all the people of Israel to your side. They will make a covenant with you to make you their king. Then you will be able to rule over everything your heart desires." So David sent Abner safely on his way.
Joab Murders Abner:
22 Just then David's servants and Joab came back from attacking their enemies. They brought with them theplunder they had taken. But Abner wasn't with David in Hebron anymore. That's because David had sent him away, and he had gone in peace.23 When Joab and all of the soldiers who were with him arrived. Then he was told that Abner, the son of Ner, had come to see the king. He was told that the king had sent Abner away. He was also told that Abner had gone in peace.
24 So Joab went to the king. He said, "What have you done? Abner came to you. Why did you let him get away? Now he's gone!
25 You know what Abner, the son of Ner, is like. He came to trick you. He wanted to watch your every move. He came to find out everything you are doing."
26 Then Joab left David. He sent messengers to get Abner. They brought Abner back from the well of Sirah. But David knew nothing about it.
27 When Abner arived at Hebron, Joab took him to one side. He brought him to the entrance of the city gate. Joab acted as if he wanted to speak to him in private. But he really wanted to get even with him. So Joab stabbed him in the stomach. And Abner died. That's because Abner had spilled the blood of Joab's brother Asahel.
28 When David heard about it. He said, "I and the people of my kingdom aren't guilty of spilling the blood of Abner, the son of Ner. We are free of blame forever in the sight of the LORD(Jesus).
29 "Let the blame rest on Joab and his whole family line for spilling Abner's blood! May someone in Joab's family always have an open sore or skin disease. May someone in his family always have to use a crutch to walk. May someone in his family be killed with a sword. And may someone in his family never have enough food to eat."
30 Joab and his brother Abishai murdered Abner. They did it because he had killed their brother Asahel in the battle at Gibeon.
31 David said to Joab and all of the people who were with him. He said, "Tear your clothes. Put on black clothes. Sob when you walk in front of Abner's body." King David himself walked behind it.
32 Abner's body was buried in Hebron. The king sobbed out loud at Abner's tomb. So did the rest of the people.
33 Then the king sang this funeral song for Abner: "Should Abner have died as fools die?
34 Your hands were not bound; your feet were not chained. No, you were murdered – the victim of a wicked plot." All the people wept again for Abner.
35 David had refused to eat anything the day of the funeral, and now everyone begged him to eat. But David had made a vow, saying, "May God(Elohim/Theos) kill me if I eat anything before sundown."
36 All of the people heard it and were pleased. In fact, everything the king did pleased them.
37 So on that day all of the people of Judah and Israel understood. They knew that the king didn't have anything to do with the murder of Abner, the son of Ner.
38 The king spoke to his servants and said, "Don't you realize that a great prince has died in Israel today?
39 I'm the anointed king. But today I'm weak. These sons of Zeruiah are too powerful for me. May the LORD(Jesus) pay back the one who killed Abner! May he pay him back for the evil thing he has done!"
The Book of the Kings : 2 Samuel 4
1 And when Saul's son (Ish-Bosheth), heard that Abner had died in Hebron. Then he wasn't so brave anymore. And all of the people of Israel became alarmed.
3 And the Beerothites fled to Gittaim. They have lived there as outsiders to this very day.
4 Jonathan, the son of Saul, who was lame in his feet. . He was five years old when the news that Saul and Jonathan had died came from Jezreel. His nurse picked him up and ran. But as she hurried to get away, he fell down. That's how his feet were hurt. His name was Mephibosheth.
5 One day Recab and Baanah, the sons of Rimmon from Beeroth, went to Ishbosheth's home around noon as he was taking a nap.
6 Recab and his brother Baanah went into the inside part of the house. They acted as if they were going to get some wheat. Instead, they stabbed Ish-Bosheth in the stomach. Then they slipped away.
7 They had gone into the house while Ish-Bosheth was lying on his bed in his bedroom. They stabbed him and killed him. Then they cut off his head and took it with them. They traveled all night through the Arabah Valley.
8 They brought the head of Ish-Bosheth to King David at Hebron. They said to him, "Here's the head of Ish-Bosheth, the son of Saul. Saul was your enemy. He often tried to kill you. Today the LORD(Jesus) has paid Saul and his family back. He has let you get even with them. You are our king and master."
9 David answered Recab and his brother Baanah. They were the sons of Rimmon of Beeroth. David said, "The LORD(Jesus) has saved me from all of my troubles.
10 A man once told me, 'Saul is dead.' He thought he was bringing me good news. But I grabbed hold of him. I had him put to death in Ziklag. That's the reward I gave him for his news! And that's just as sure as the LORD(Jesus) is alive.
11 "Now you evil men have killed a man in his own home. He hadn't done anything wrong. You killed him while he was sleeping in his own bed. You spilled his blood. So shouldn't I spill your blood? Shouldn't I wipe you off the face of the earth?"
12 Then David commanded his men to kill Recab and Baanah. They cut off their hands and feet. They hung their bodies by the pool in Hebron. But they buried the head of Ish-Bosheth in Abner's tomb at Hebron.
The Book of the Kings : 2 Samuel 5
David Becomes King Over Israel :
1 Then all of the tribes of Israel came to see David at Hebron. They said, "We are your own flesh and blood.
2 In the past, Saul was our king. But you led the men of Israel on their military campaigns. And the LORD(Jesus) said to you, 'You will be the shepherd over my people Israel. You will become their ruler.' "
3 So all of the elders of Israel came to see King David at Hebron. There the king made a covenant with them in the sight of the LORD(Jesus). They anointed David as king over Israel.4 David was 30 years old when he became king. He ruled for 40 years.
5 In Hebron he ruled over Judah for seven and a half years. In Jerusalem he ruled over all of Israel and Judah for 33 years.
David Captures Jerusalem:
6 The king and his men went and took Jerusalem. They went to attack the Jebusites who lived there. The Jebusites said to David, "You won't get in here. Even blind people and those who are disabled can keep you from coming in." They thought, "David can't get in here."7 But David captured the fort of Zion. It became known as the City of David.
8 On that day David said, "Anyone who wins the battle over the Jebusites will have to crawl through the water tunnel to get into the city. That's the only way he can reach those 'disabled and blind' enemies of mine." That's why people say, "Those who are 'blind and disabled' won't enter David's palace."
9 So David made the fortress his home, and he called it the City of David. He built additional fortifications around the city, starting at the Millo and working
10 David became more and more powerful. That's because the LORD(Jesus) God(Elohim/Theos) of hosts(tsaba') was with him.
11 Hiram was king of Tyre. He sent messengers to David. He sent cedar logs along with them. He also sent skilled workers. They worked with wood and stone. They built a palace for David.
12 Davidrealized the LORD(Jesus) had made his position as king secure. He knew that he had made him king over the whole nation of Israel. He knew that the LORD(Jesus) had greatly honored his kingdom and had made his kingdom great for the sake of his people Israel.
13 After David left Hebron, he married more concubines and wives in Jerusalem. More sons and daughters were born to him there.
14 Here is a list of the children who were born to him in Jerusalem. Their names were Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon,
15 Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia,
16 Elishama, Eliada and Eliphelet.
17 Now when the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel. So their whole army went to look for him. But David heard about it. He went down to his usual place of safety.
18 The Philistines had come and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim.
19 So David asked the LORD(Jesus) for advice. He said, "Should I go and attack the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?" And the LORD(Jesus) answered him: Go. You can be sure that I will hand the Philistines over to you.
20 So David went to Baal Perazim. There he won the battle over the Philistines. He said, "The LORD(Jesus) has broken through against my enemies when I've attacked them, just as water breaks through a dam." That's why the place was called Baal Perazim.
21 The Philistines left their idols there. So David and his men burned them.
They were burnt as ordained by law (Deuteronomy 7:5).
22 Once more the Philistines came up. They spread out in the Valley of Rephaim.
23 So David asked the LORD(Jesus) for advice. The LORD(Jesus) answered: Do not go straight up. Instead, circle around behind them. Attack them in front of the balsam trees.
24 Listen for the sound of marching in the tops of the trees. Then move quickly. The sound will mean that I have gone out in front of you. I will strike down the Philistine army.
25 So David did just as the LORD(Jesus) had commanded him. He struck down the Philistines. He struck them down from Gibeon all the way to Gezer.
The Book of the Kings : 2 Samuel 6
David Brings the Ark to Jerusalem:
1 Again David gathered together all the best men in Israel. The total number was 30,000.
2 David and all of his men arose and went from Baalah in Judah. They wanted to bring the Ark of God(Elohim/Theos) up to Jerusalem from there. The Ark is named after the LORD(Jesus). He is the LORD(Jesus) who rules over all. He sits on his throne between the cherubim that are on the Ark.
The journey to Baale, which is related (1 Chronicles 13:6), is here presupposed, and the historian describes the course of the procession from that place to the capital.
3 They set the Ark of God(Elohim/Theos) on a new cart. Then it was brought from Abinadab's house, which was on a hill. Uzzah and Ahio were guiding the cart. They were the sons of Abinadab.
they set the ark of God(Elohim/Theos) upon a new cart--or a covered wagon This was a hasty and inconsiderate procedure, in violation of an express statute Numbers 7:9, 18:3).
4 The Ark of God(Elohim/Theos) was on the cart. Ahio was walking in front of it.
5 David was celebrating with all his might in the sight of the LORD(Jesus). So was the whole community of Israel. All of them were singing songs. They were also playing harps, lyres, tambourines, rattles and cymbals.
6 They came to the threshing floor of Nacon. Uzzah reached out and took hold of the Ark of God(Elohim/Theos) because the oxen stumbled and shook it loose.
7 Then the anger of the LORD(Jesus) burned against Uzzah. That's because what Uzzah did showed that he didn't have any respect for the LORD(Jesus). So God(Elohim/Theos) struck him down. He died there beside the Ark of God(Elohim/Theos).
8 David was angry with the LORD(Jesus) for the burning anger which had broken out against Uzzah. That's why the place is still called Perez Uzzah to this very day.
9 David was afraid of the LORD(Jesus) that day. He asked, "How can the Ark of the LORD(Jesus) ever be brought to me?"
10 He didn't want to take the Ark of the LORD(Jesus) to be with him in the City of David. Instead, he took it to the house of Obededom. Obed-Edom was from Gath.
11 The Ark of the LORD(Jesus) remained in Obededom's house for three months. And the LORD(Jesus) blessed him and his whole family.
Obed-edom the Gittite--a Levite (1 Chronicles 15:18,21,24, 16:5, 26:4). He is called a Gittite, either from his residence at Gath, or more probably from Gath-rimmon, one of the Levitical cities (Joshua 21:24,25).
12 King David was told, "The LORD(Jesus) has blessed the family of Obededom. He has also blessed everything that belongs to him. That's because the Ark of God(Elohim/Theos) is in Obed-Edom's house." So David went down there and brought up the Ark. With great joy he brought it up from the house of Obed-Edom. He took it to the City of David.
13 Those who were carrying the Ark of the LORD(Jesus) took six steps forward. Then David sacrificed a bull and a fat calf.
14 David was wearing a sacred linen apron. He danced in the sight of the LORD(Jesus) with all his might.
15 So David and all of the house of Israel brought the Ark of the LORD(Jesus), and they shouted. They blew trumpets(shofar).
16 As the Ark of the LORD(Jesus) was brought into the City of David. Saul's daughter Michal was watching from a window and saw King David leaping and dancing in the sight of the LORD(Jesus). That made her hate him in her heart.
17 They brought in the Ark of the LORD(Jesus) to Jerusalem. It was put in its place in the tent David had set up for it. David sacrificed burnt offerings and friendship offerings to the LORD(Jesus).
The old tabernacle remained at Gibeon (1 Chronicles 16:39, 21:29, 2 Chronicles 1:3). Probably it was not removed because it was too large for the temporary place the king had appropriated, and because he contemplated the building of a temple.
18 After he finished sacrificing those offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD(Jesus) who rules over all.
19 He gave to each Israelite, both man and woman, a loaf of matzo. He also gave each one a date cake and a raisin cake. Then all of the people went home.
20 David returned home to bless his family. Saul's daughter Michal came out to meet him. She said, "You are the king of Israel. You have really brought honor to yourself today, haven't you? You have exposed your naked body right in front of the female slaves of your officials. You acted like someone who is very foolish!"
21 David retorted to Michal, "I was dancing before the LORD(Jesus), who chose me above your father and his family! He appointed me as the leader of Israel, the people of the LORD(Jesus). So I am willing to act like a fool in order to show my joy in the LORD(Jesus).
22 Yes, and I am willing to look even more foolish than this, but I will be held in honor by the girls of whom you have spoken!"
23 Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no child unto the day of her death.
The Book of the Kings : 2 Samuel 7
The LORD(Jesus)'s Promise to David that his family will always rule:
1 When the king settled down in his home. The LORD(Jesus) had given him peace and rest from all of his enemies who were around him. 2 Then the king spoke to the prophet Nathan. He said, "Here I am, living in a palace that has beautiful cedar walls. But the ark of God(Elohim/Theos) remains in a tent."
3 Nathan replied to the king, "Go ahead and do what you want to. The LORD(Jesus) is with you."
4 That night the word of the LORD(Jesus) came to Nathan. The LORD(Jesus) said:
5 Go and tell my servant David, 'The says the LORD(Jesus), "Are you the one to build me a house to live in?
6 I have not lived in a house from the day I brought the people of Israel up out of Egypt until now. I have been moving from place to place. I have been living in a tent.
7 I have traveled from place to place with all of the house of Israel. I commanded their leaders to be shepherds over my people. I never asked any of those rulers, 'Why haven't you built me a house that has beautiful cedar walls?' '
8 So tell my servant David, 'The LORD(Jesus) who rules over everything says, "I took you away from the grasslands. That's where you were taking care of your father's sheep and goats. I made you ruler over my people Israel.
9 I have been with you everywhere you have gone. I cut off all of your enemies when you were attacking them. Now I will make your name famous. Your name will be just as famous as the names of the most important people who will ever dwell on earth.
And God certainly did do this!
10 I will provide a place where my people Israel can live. I will plant them in the land. Then they will have a home of their own. They will not be bothered anymore. Evil people will no longer crush them, as they did at first.
This is a FUTURE promise!
11 That is what your enemies have done ever since I appointed leaders over my people Israel. But I will give you peace and rest from all of them. 'And now the LORD(Jesus) declares that he will build a house for you – a dynasty of kings!'
12 Some day your life will come to an end. You will fall asleep and die and be buried among the members of your family who have also died. Then I will make one of your own sons the next king after you. And I will make his kingdom secure.
13 He is the one who will build a house where I will put my Name.
" ' "I will set up the throne of his kingdom. It will last forever.
This will be Solomon at first, and CHRIST in the end!
14 I will be his father. And he will be my son. When he does what is wrong, I will use other men to beat him with rods and whips.
15 I took my love away from Saul. I removed him from being king. You were there when I did it. But I will never take my love away from your son.
16 Your royal house and your kingdom will last forever in my sight. Your throne will last forever!
Forever means forever! This is an unconditional guarantee that David would always have a descendant on his throne! And this has been the case, a in the case of England, a descendant of David sits on the throne.
17 Nathan reported to David all of the words that the LORD(Jesus) had spoken to him.
18 Then King David went and sat down in front of the LORD(Jesus). He said, "LORD(Jesus) God(Elohim/Theos), who am I? My family isn't important. So why have you brought me this far?
19 I would have thought that you had already done more than enough for me. But now, LORD(Jesus) God(Elohim/Theos), you have also spoken about what is going to happen to my royal house in days to come. LORD(Jesus) God(Elohim/Theos), is this your usual way of dealing with people?
20 What more can I say to you? LORD(Jesus) God(Elohim/Theos), you know all about me.
21For the sake of your promise and according to your will, you have done all these great things and have shown them to me.
22 LORD(Jesus) God(Elohim/Theos), how great you are! There isn't anyone like you. There isn't any God(Elohim/Theos) but you. We have heard about it with our own ears.
23 Who is like your people Israel? God(Elohim/Theos), we are the one nation on earth you have saved. You have set us free for yourself. Your name has become famous. You have done great and wonderful things. You have driven out nations and their gods(elohim/theos) to make room for your people. You saved us when you set us free from Egypt.
24 You made Israel your very own people forever. LORD(Jesus), you have become our God(Elohim/Theos).
25 And now, LORD(Jesus) God(Elohim/Theos), keep forever the promise you have made to me and my royal house. Do exactly as you promised.
26 Then your name will be honored forever. People will say, 'The LORD(Jesus) rules over all. He is God(Elohim/Theos) over Israel.' My royal house will be made secure in your sight.
27 LORD(Jesus) who rules over all, you are the God(Elohim/Theos) of Israel. Here's what you have shown me. You told me, 'I will build you a royal house.' So I can boldly offer this prayer to you.
28 And now, O LORD(Jesus) God(Elohim/Theos), thou art that God(Elohim/Theos), and your words be true, and you have promised this goodness unto your servant:
29 Therefore now let if it pleases you: bless the house of your servant, that it may continue for ever before you: for thou, O LORD(Jesus) God(Elohim/Theos), has spoken it: and with your blessing let the house of your servant be blessed for ever.”
The Promise: This promise given here to David is very important to our understanding of the Bible and who we are today. Almighty God had promised David by an unconditional promise that his descendants down through the ages would always sit upon David's throne. Later when we read about the death of Zedekiah (because the king of Babylon killed the sons of Zedekiah before Zedekiah's own startled eyes, then blinded him, and carried him to Babylon, where he later died.) Now, only the king's daughters of the royal seed remained. God's promise to David cannot fail!
Baruch was Jeremiah's personal scribe, companion and friend. Historical evidence suggests that Baruch was also related to the king's daughters—possibly an uncle. At this point, it is important to include a substantial quotation from J.H. Allen's book, Judah's Sceptre and Joseph's Birthright: "Hence we find in the prophecy as it continues the following: "Behold I shall watch over them for evil, and not for good; and all the men of Judah that are in the land of Egypt shall be consumed by the sword and by the famine, until there be an end of them. Yet a small number that escape the sword shall return out of the land of EGYPT.'
"Remember that the masses of the house of Judah, of the Jewish people, were in captivity in Babylon, where they were to stay for seventy years. Also remember that this remnant which came into Egypt were only the ragged end of the nation, i.e., the poor of the land, and a few captains of small military forces. Now, the Lord proposes to destroy this rag-tag remnant, out of which `a small number shall escape.' Now, let us take our bearings.
"1. We have in this company, which has come down into Egypt from Judah, `the king's daughters.' Since the plural form of speech is used there are at least two of them—history says there were three. These are the royal seed of the house of David, who are fleeing from the slayers of their father, Zedekiah, the last king of the house of Judah, and the slayers of their brothers, the sons of Zedekiah and princes of Judah.
"2. In company with these princesses is Jeremiah, their grandfather, whom also the Lord has chosen to do the work of building and planting. In the princesses the prophet has royal material with which to build and plant.
"3. In company with Jeremiah and his royal charge we have Baruch, his faithful scribe, whom expert genealogists prove to have been uncle to the royal seed.
"4. God has promised that the lives of this `small number,' only five or six at most, shall be to them a prey (reward) in all lands whither they shall go.
"5. Prior to this, at a time when Jeremiah was greatly troubled, when in his great distress and anguish of heart he cried unto the Lord, saying: `Remember me, visit me, and revenge me of my persecutors'; then the Lord said, `Verily it shall be well with thy remnant; verily I will cause the enemy to entreat thee well in the time of evil and in the time of affliction... And I will make thee to pass with thine enemies into a land which thou knowest not' (Jeremiah l5:11-14).
"Note the expression `thy remnant,' i.e., Jeremiah's, for it is he who must build and plant that royal seed. Understand also that Jeremiah and his little remnant were well acquainted with Egypt, and since it was well known to them it could not have been their final destination. Hence, this escaping royal remnant must journey back to Judea, and then—whither?
"`Into an unknown land!' Why? `For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant, and they that escape out of Mount Zion (on which were the royal dwellings). The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this. And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah (royal line) shall again take root downward and bear fruit upward' (Isaiah 37:31, 32).
"Hear it! O hear it! Ye men of earth, HEAR IT! `Shall again take root downward'—be planted! `and bear fruit upward'—be builded! Where? God should tell us where in His Word, and He does" (Judah's Sceptre and Joseph's Birthright, pages 197, 198).
Allen says, "Furthermore, the expression, `this shall not be the same,' taken together with the prophecy concerning the overturns, lead us to expect a change of dynasty, at least on the side of the male line, and also a change in the territorial or geographical situation. This is still more apparent when we note that there are to be three overturns, and that, after the third overturn shall have been accomplished. there are to be no more until another certain person comes. Also, after the diadem has been removed from the head of the prince who wore it at the time of the first overturn and placed upon the head of `him that is low,' it is to he noted that then either this man, who is the person understood as the antecedent of the personal pronoun, `him,' or his lineage, is to he dethroned by the Lord in favor of that other person, who is designated as `He whose right it is,' to whom it shall then be given" (Judah's Sceptre and Joseph's Birthright, pages 202 and 203).
The truth is that God does not lie. The world is unaware of this fact, but David has always had an heir on the throne of David!
The Book of the Kings : 2 Samuel 8
1 After this, David subdued and humbled the Philistines by conquering Gath, their largest city
3 David destroyed Hadadezer, the son of Rehob. Hadadezer was king of Zobah. He had gone to take back control of the land along the Euphrates River.
4 David captured 1,000 of Hadadezer's chariots, 7,000 chariot riders and 20,000 soldiers on foot. He cut the legs of all but 100 of the chariot horses.
5 The Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadadezer, the king of Zobah. David struck down 22,000 of them.
6 Then David placed soldiers in the Aramean kingdom of Damascus. The people of Aram were brought under his rule. They gave him the gifts he required them to bring him. The Lord helped David win his battles everywhere he went.
7 David took the gold shields that belonged to the officers of Hadadezer. He brought the shields to Jerusalem.
8 He took a huge amount of bronze from Tebah and Berothai. Those towns belonged to Hadadezer.
9 Tou was king of Hamath. He heard that David had won the battle over the entire army of Hadadezer.
10 So Tou sent his son Joram to King David. Joram greeted David. He praised him because he had won the battle over Hadadezer. Hadadezer had been at war with Tou. So Joram brought with him articles that were made out of silver, gold and bronze.
11 King David dedicated for the Lord. He had done the same thing with the silver and gold he had taken from the other nations he had brought under his control.
12 Those nations were Edom, Moab, Ammon, Philistia and Amalek. He also set apart for the Lord what he had taken from Hadadezer, the son of Rehob. Hadadezer was king of Zobah.
13 David became very famous when he returned after he had struck down 18,000 men of Edom in the Valley of Salt.
Instead of Syrians, the Septuagint version reads "Edomites," which is the true reading, as is evident from 2 Samuel 8:14. This conquest, made by the army of David, was due to the skilful generalship and gallantry of Abishai and Joab. (1 Chronicles 18:12; compare Psalms 60:1, title.) The valley was the ravine of salt (the Ghor), adjoining the Salt Mountain, at the southwestern extremity of the Dead Sea, separating the ancient territories of Judah and Edom [ROBINSON].
14 He stationed some soldiers all through Edom. The whole nation of Edom was brought under his rule. The Lord helped David win his battles everywhere he went.
15 David ruled over all Israel. David executed judgment and justice unto all his people.
16 Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was commander over the army. Jehoshaphat, the son of Ahilud, kept the records.
17 Zadok, the son of Ahitub, was a priest. Ahimelech, the son of Abiathar, was also a priest. Seraiah was the secretary.
Zadok . . . and Ahimelech . . . were the priests--On the massacre of the priests at Nob, [1 Samuel 22:19], Saul conferred the priesthood on Zadok, of the family of Eleazar (1 Chronicles 6:50), while David acknowledged Ahimelech, of Ithamar's family, who fled to him. The two high priests exercised their office under the respective princes to whom they were attached. But, on David's obtaining the kingdom over all Israel, they both retained their dignity; Ahimelech officiating at Jerusalem, and Zadok at Gibeon (1 Chronicles 16:39).
18 Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, was commander over the Kerethites and Pelethites. And David's sons were royal advisers.
The Book of the Kings : 2 Samuel 9
DAVID AND MEPHIBOSHETH:
1 David asked, "Is anyone left from the house of Saul? If there is, that I can show him kindness for the sake of Jonathan?"
3 The king asked, "Isn't anyone left from the royal house of Saul? God(Elohim/Theos) has been very kind to me. I would like to be kind to someone in the same way." Ziba answered the king, "A son of Jonathan is still living. Both of his feet were hurt."
4 "Where is he?" the king asked. Ziba answered, "He's in the town of Lo Debar. He's staying at the house of Makir, the son of Ammiel."
5 So David sent for him and brought him from Makir's home.
6 So King David had Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan; Saul's son, came to David brought from Makir's house in Lo Debar--Mephibosheth bowed down to David to show him respect. David said, "Mephibosheth!"
And he answered David, "I'm ready to serve you."
7 David then said to him, "Don't be afraid, you can be sure that I will be kind to you because of your father Jonathan. I'll give back to you all of the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul. And I'll always provide all you need."
8 Mephibosheth bowed down to David. He said, "Who am I? Why should you pay attention to me? I'm nothing but a dead dog."
9 Then the king sent Ziba, Saul's servant and said to him, "I'm giving your master's grandson everything that belonged to Saul and his family.
10 You and your sons and your servants must farm the land for him. You must bring in the crops. Then he'll be taken care of. I'll always provide what he needs." Ziba had 15 sons and 20 servants.
11 Then Ziba said to the king, "I'll do anything you command me to do. You are my king and lord(adoni)." So David provided what Mephibosheth needed. He treated him like one of the king's sons.
Lower case “Lord(adonay)” always means “sir” or “master” and has no godly inference.
12 Mephibosheth had a young son named Mica. All of the members of Ziba's family became servants of Mephibosheth.
13 Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem. The king always provided what he needed. Both of his feet were hurt.
The Book of the Kings : 2 Samuel 10
WAR AGAINST AMMON:
1 In time, the king of Ammon died. His son Hanun became the next king after him.
2 David said, "I'm going to be kind to Hanun. His father Nahash was kind to me." So David sent ambassadors to Hanun, to express how sad he was that Hanun's father had died. David's messengers went to the land of Ammon.
3 The nobles of Amnon spoke to their master Hanun. They said, "David has sent messengers to tell you he is sad. They say he wants to honor your father. Don't believe it! The real reason they've come is to look the city over. They want to destroy it."
4 So Hanun grabbed hold of David's men. He shaved off half of each man's beard. He cut their clothes off just below the waist and and sent them away.
5 When David was told about it, he sent messengers to his men because they were filled with shame. King David said to them, "Stay at Jericho until your beards grow out again. Then come back here."
6 The Ammonites realized that how mad they had made David, they hired 20,000 Aramean soldiers. The soldiers came from Beth Rehob and Zobah. The Ammonites also hired the king of Maacah and 1,000 men. And they hired 12,000 men from Tob.
7 David heard about it. So he sent Joab out with the entire army.
8 The Ammonites marched out. They took up their battle positions at the entrance of their city gate. The Arameans of Zobah and Rehob gathered their troops together in the open country. So did the men of Tob and Maacah.
9 When Joab saw that he was being attacked from front and behind, he chose some of the best troops in Israel. He sent them to march out against the Arameans.
10 He put the rest of the men under the command of his brother Abishai. Joab sent them to march out against the Ammonites.
11 He said, "If the Arameans are too strong for me. Then you must come and help me. But suppose the Ammonites are too strong for you. Then I'll come and help you.
12 "Be courageous. Let's be brave as we fight for our people and the cities of our God(Elohim/Theos). The LORD(Jesus) will do what he thinks is best."
13 Then Joab and the troops who were with him marched out to attack the Arameans. They ran away from him.
14 The Ammonites saw that the Arameans were running away. So they ran away from Abishai. They went inside the city. After Joab had fought against the Ammonites, he went back to Jerusalem.
15 The Arameans saw that they had been driven away by Israel. So they brought their troops together.
16 Hadadezer had some Arameans brought from east of the Euphrates River. They went to Helam under the command of Shobach. He was the commander of Hadadezer's army.
17 David was told about it. So he gathered the whole army of Israel together. They went across the Jordan River to Helam. The Arameans lined up their soldiers to go to war against David. They began to fight against him.
18 But then they ran away from Israel. David killed 700 of their chariot riders. He killed 40,000 of their soldiers who were on foot. He also struck down Shobach, the commander of their army. Shobach died there.
19 All of the kings who were under the rule of Hadadezer saw that Israel had won the battle over them. So they made a peace treaty with the Israelites. They were brought under Israel's rule.
After that, the Arameans were afraid to help the Ammonites anymore.
The Book of the Kings : 2 Samuel 11
DAVID COMMITS ADULTERY WITH BATHSHEBA:
1 It was the time when kings go off to war. So David sent Joab out with the king's special troops and the whole army of Israel. They destroyed the Ammonites. They went to the city of Rabbah. They surrounded it and got ready to attack it. But David remained in Jerusalem.
the time when kings go forth to battle--The return of spring was the usual time of commencing military operations. This expedition took place the year following the war against the Syrians; and it was entered upon because the disaster of the former campaign having fallen chiefly upon the Syrian mercenaries, the Ammonites had not been punished for their insult to the ambassadors.
2 One afternoon David got up from his bed. He walked around on the roof of his palace. From the roof he saw a woman taking a bath. She was very beautiful. The Hebrews, like other Orientals, rose at daybreak, and always took a nap during the heat of the day. Afterwards they lounged in the cool of the evening on their flat-roofed terraces. It is probable that David had ascended to enjoy the open-air refreshment earlier than usual.(Jamieson)
3 David sent and enquided to find out who she was. The messenger returned and said, "She is Bathsheba. She's the daughter of Eliam. She's the wife of Uriah. He's a Hittite."
She seems to have been a celebrated beauty, whose renown had already reached the ears of David, as happens in the East, from reports carried by the women from harem to harem. (Jamieson)
Bath-sheba, the daughter of Eliam--or Ammiel (1 Chronicles 3:5), one of David's worthies (2 Samuel 23:34), and son of Ahithophel.
4 Then David sent messengers to take her. She came to him. And he had sex with her. Then she went back home. All of that took place after she had already made herself "clean" from her monthly period.
5 Later, Bathsheba found out she was pregnant. She sent a message to David. It said, "I'm pregnant."
6 So David sent a message to Joab. It said, "Send me Uriah, the Hittite." Joab sent him to David.
7 Uriah came to David. David asked him how Joab and the soldiers were doing. He also asked him how the war was going.
8 David said to Uriah, "Go home and relax! Spend some time with your wife." So Uriah left the palace. Then the king sent him a gift.
9 Uriah didn't go home. Instead, he slept at the entrance to the palace. He stayed there with all of his master's servants.
10 When David was told, "Uriah didn't go home." So he sent for Uriah. He said to him, "You have been away for a long time. Why didn't you go home?"
11 Uriah said to David, "The ark and Israel, and Judah are out there in tents. My master(adoni) Joab and yroops are camped in the open fields. How could I go to my house to eat and drink? How could I go there and make love to my wife? I could never do a thing like that. And that's just as sure as you are alive!"
12 Then David said to him, "Stay here today. Tomorrow I'll send you back to the battle." So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day and the next.
13 David called Uriah to dine and drink with him. David got him drunk, but Uriah still didn't go home. In the evening he went out and slept on his mat. He stayed there among his master's servants.
14 The next morning David wrote a letter to Joab. He sent it along with Uriah.
15 And in the letter he wrote, "Put Uriah on the front lines. That's where the fighting is the heaviest. Then pull your men back from him. When you do, the Ammonites will strike him down and kill him."
16 So Joab attacked the city. He put Uriah at a place where he knew the strongest enemy fighters were.
17 The troops came out of the city. They fought against Joab. Some of the troops in David's army were killed. Uriah, the Hittite, also died.
18 Joab sent David a full report of the battle.
19 He told the messenger, "Tell the king everything that happened in the battle. When you are finished,
20 his anger might explode. He might ask you, 'Why did you go so close to the city to fight against it? Didn't you know that the enemy soldiers would shoot arrows down from the wall?
21 Don't you remember how Abimelech, the son of Jerub-Besheth, was killed? A woman dropped a large millstone on his head from the wall. That's how he died there in Thebez. So why did you go so close to the wall?' If the king asks you that, tell him, 'Your servant Uriah, the Hittite, is also dead.' "
22 The messenger started out for Jerusalem. When he arrived there, he told David everything Joab had said to him to say.
23 The messenger said to David, "The men who were in the city were more powerful than we were. They came out to fight against us in the open. But we drove them back to the entrance of the city gate.
24 Then those who were armed with bows shot arrows at us from the wall. Some of your special troops were killed. And oh, by the way, your servant Uriah, the Hittite, is also dead."
25 David told the messenger, "Tell Joab, 'Don't get upset over what happened. Swords kill one person as well as another. So keep on attacking the city. Destroy it.' Tell that to Joab. It will cheer him up."
26 Uriah's wife (Bathesheba) heard that her husband was dead. She sobbed over him.
27 When her time of sadness was over, David had her brought to his house. She became his wife. And she had a son by him. But the LORD(Jesus) was angry with what David had done.
The various arts and stratagems by which the king tried to cajole Uriah, till at last he resorted to the horrid crime of murder--the cold-blooded cruelty of despatching the letter by the hands of the gallant but much-wronged soldier himself, the enlistment of Joab to be a partaker of his sin, the heartless affectation of mourning, and the indecent haste of his marriage with Bath-sheba--have left an indelible stain upon the character of David, and exhibit a painfully humiliating proof of the awful lengths to which the best of men may go when they forfeit the restraining grace of God.(Jamieson)
The Book of the Kings : 2 Samuel 12
GOD FORGIVES!
DAVID'S SON DIES BECAUSE OF HIS SIN:
1 The LORD(Jesus) sent Nathan to David. When Nathan came to him, he said, "Two men lived in the same city. One was rich. The other was poor.
3 But all the poor man had was one little female lamb, which he bought and raised. It grew up with him and his children. It shared his food. It drank from his cup. It even slept in his arms. It was just like a daughter to him.
4 One day a traveler came to the rich man. But instead of killing a lamb from his own flocks for food, he took the poor man's lamb and killed it and served it to his guest."5 David was furious against the rich man. He said to Nathan, " As sure as the LORD(Jesus) is alive, the man who did this deserves to die!
This punishment was more severe than the case deserved, or than was warranted by the divine statute (Exodus 22:1). The sympathies of the king had been deeply enlisted, his indignation aroused, but his conscience was still asleep; and at the time when he was most fatally indulgent to his own sins, he was most ready to condemn the delinquencies and errors of others.(Jamieson)
6 He must pay back four times as much as that lamb was worth because he showed no pity (for the poor man)."
7 Then Nathan said to David, "You are the man! The LORD(Jesus), the God(Elohim/Theos) of Israel, says: I anointed you king over Israel. I saved you from Saul's powerful hand.
You ARE the man--These awful words pierced his heart, aroused his conscience, and brought him to his knees. The sincerity and depth of his penitent sorrow are evinced by the Psalms he composed (Psalms 32:1-11, 51:1-19, 103:1-22). He was pardoned, so far as related to the restoration of the divine favor. But as from his high character for piety, and his eminent rank in society, his deplorable fall was calculated to do great injury to the cause of religion, it was necessary that God should testify His abhorrence of sin by leaving even His own servant to reap the bitter temporal fruits. David was not himself doomed, according to his own view of what justice demanded (2 Samuel 12:5); but he had to suffer a quadruple expiation in the successive deaths of four sons, besides a lengthened train of other evils.(Jamieson)
8 I gave you all that belonged to your master. I even gave you his wives – into your arms! I made you king over the people of Israel and Judah. And if all of that had not been enough for you, I would have given you even more.
Notice that GOD gave David his wives, he even told him that if he wanted more wives, riches or anything, he would have given him even more. Those that argue that God does not allow and sometime even inspire polygamy are just not reading what God says!
9 Why, then, have you despised the word of the word of the LORD(Jesus)? Why did you do what is evil in my sight. You have murdered Uriah the Hittire and has taken away his wife to be your own. You let the men of Ammon kill him with their swords.
10 From this moment on, members of your own royal house will be killed with swords. That's because you turned your back on me. You took the wife of Uriah, the Hittite, to be your own wife.
11 The LORD(Jesus) also says: I am going to bring evil upon you. It will come from your own family! I will take your wives in front of your own eyes. I will give your wives to a another man. He will have sex with them in the middle of the day, (for all to see).
12 You committed your sins in secret. But I will make sure that the sin the man commits with your wives will take place in the middle of the day. Everyone in Israel will see it.
13 Then David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD(Jesus)." Then Nathan replied, "The LORD(Jesus) has taken away your sin. You aren't going to die.
14 you have dared to make fun of the LORD(Jesus). So the son who has been born to you will die."
15 Nathan went home. Then the LORD(Jesus) made the child that had been born to Uriah's wife by David very sick.
16 David then begged God(Elohim/Theos) to heal the child. David fasted. He spent his nights lying on the ground.
17 His most leaders of his house stood beside him. They wanted him to get up from the ground. But he refused to do it. And he wouldn't eat any food with them.
18 On the seventh day the child died. David's servants were afraid to tell him the child was dead. They thought, "While the child was still alive, we spoke to David. But he wouldn't listen to us. So how can we tell him the child is dead? He might do something terrible to himself."
19 David noticed that his servants were whispering to each other. He realized the child was dead. "Has the child died?" he asked.
"Yes," they replied. "He's dead."
20 Then David got up from the ground. After he washed himself, he put on (oilive oil) lotions and his changed his clothes. Then he went into the house of the LORD(Jesus) and worshiped him. Then he went to his own house. He asked for some food. They served it to him. And he ate it.
21 His servants asked him, "Why are you acting like this? While the child was still alive, you fasted. You cried a lot... But now that the child is dead, you get up and eat!"
22 And he said to them, "While the child was yet alive, fasted, I cried a lot and I thought, 'Who knows? The LORD(Jesus) might show me grace. He might let the child live.'
23 But now he's dead. So why should I go on fasting? Can I bring him back to life again? I will go to him. But he won't return to me."
It is this faith, and this humility towards God, that won David his life, and the everlasting love of the Eternal! Unlike Saul, who likewise begged for forgiveness, David did not act as Saul did. David was not more worried of what others thought of him than what God thought of him. This is why david became a man after God's own heart! David, flawed as we was, had PERFECT CHARACTER towards God! David is the example of serving the LORD and loving God first!
24 Then David comforted Bathsheba, his wife. He went to her and made love to her, and she had a son. He was given the name Solomon. The LORD(Jesus) loved him.
25 And sent word through Nathan the prophet that his name should be Jedidiah – "beloved of the Eternal(Yahweh)" – because the LORD(Jesus) loved him.
26 Joab fought against Rabbah. It was the royal city of Ammon. It had high walls around it. Joab was about to capture it.
27 He sent messengers to David. He told them to say, "I have fought against Rabbah. I've taken control of the city's water supply.
28 So bring the rest of the army together. Surround the city and get ready to attack it. Then capture it. If you don't, I'll capture it myself. Then it will be named after me."
29 So David brought the whole army together and went to Rabbah. He attacked it and captured it.
30 He took the gold crown off the head of the king of Ammon. The crown weighed 75 pounds. It had jewels in it. It was placed on David's head. He took a huge amount of plunder from the city.
31 He brought out the people who were there. He made them work with saws and iron picks and axes. He forced them to make bricks. He did that to all of the towns in Ammon. Then David and all his army returned to Jerusalem.
The Book of the Kings : 2 Samuel 13
AMNON RAPES TAMAR:
1 Some time later, David's son Amnon fell in love with Tamar. She was the very beautiful (half) sister of Absalom. He was another one of David's sons.
2 Amnon became so obsessed with Tamar that he became ill. She was a virgin, and it seemed impossible that he could ever fulfill his love for her.Unmarried daughters were kept in close seclusion from the company of men; no strangers, nor even their relatives of the other sex, being permitted to see them without the presence of witnesses. Of course, Amnon must have seen Tamar, for he had conceived a violent passion for her, which, though forbidden by the law (Leviticus 18:11), yet with the sanction of Abraham's example (Genesis 20:12), and the common practice in neighboring countries for princes to marry their half sisters, he seems not to have considered an improper connection. But he had no means of making it known to her, and the pain of that disappointment preying upon his mind produced a visible change in his appearance and health.(Jamieson)
3 Amnon had a friend named Jonadab. He was the son of David's brother Shimeah. Jonadab was a very clever man.
4 He asked Amnon, "You are the king's son, aren't you? So why do you look so worn out every morning? Won't you tell me?" Amnon answered, "I'm in love with Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister."
In Eastern countries, where polygamy prevails, the girls are considered to be under the special care and protection of their uterine brother, who is the guardian of their interests and their honor, even more than their father himself
5 Jonadab said to him. " Go lie on your bed and pretend to be sick. Your father will come to see you. When he does, tell him, 'I would like my sister Tamar to come and give me something to eat. Let her prepare the food right here in front of me where I can watch her. Then she can feed it to me.' "
6 So Amnon went to bed. He acted sick. The king came to see him. Amnon said to him, "I would like my sister Tamar to come here. I want to watch her make some special cakes. Then she can feed it to me."
notice here he calls her HIS sister, not Absalom's!
The cakes seem to have been a kind of fancy bread, in the preparation of which Oriental ladies take great delight. Tamar, flattered by the invitation, lost no time in rendering the required service in the house of her sick brother.
7 David sent a message to Tamar saying, "Go to your brother Amnon's house. Prepare some food for him."
8 So Tamar went to the house of her brother Amnon. He was lying in bed. She got some dough and mixed it. She shaped the bread right there in front of him. And she baked it.
9 Then she took a pan and served it to him. But he refused to eat it. "Send everyone out of here," Amnon said. So everyone left him.
10 Then he said to Tamar, "Bring the food here into my bedroom. Please feed it to me." So Tamar picked up the bread she had prepared. She brought it to her brother Amnon in his bedroom.
11 She took it to him so he could eat it. But he grabbed hold of her. He said, "My sister, come and have sex with me."
12 "Don't do this, my brother!" she said to him. "Don't rape me! It is an evil thing that should never be done in Israel! Don't be foolish!
13 Think of me? How could I ever get rid of my shame? And what about you? You would be as foolish as any evil person in Israel. Please speak to the king. He won't keep me from getting married to you."
In bidding him, however, "speak to the king, for he will not withhold me from thee," it is probable that she urged this as her last resource, saying anything she thought would please him, in order to escape for the present out of his hands, or she thought it would at least be better if David made the “rape” somewhat legal. I do not understand her motives here. SEE VERSE 16
14 But Amnon wouldn't listen to her. He was stronger than she was. So he raped her.
15 Then Amnon became filled with deep hatred for Tamar. In fact, he hated her now more than he had loved her before. He said to her, "Get up! Get out!"
16 "No!" she said to him. "Don't now send me away! That would be worse than what you have already done to me." But he refused to listen to her.
The rape now required the marriage and she knew it.
17 He called for his servant. He said, "Throw this woman out of here and lock the door behind her."
18 Tamar was wearing a beautiful robe. It was the kind of robe the virgin daughters of the king wore. The servant threw her out. Then he locked the door behind her.
19 Tamar put ashes on her head. She tore the beautiful robe she was wearing. She put her hands on her head and went away. She was sobbing out loud as she went.
Oriental manners would probably see nothing beyond a strong sense of the injury she had sustained, if Tamar actually rent her garments. But, as her veil is not mentioned, it is probable that Amnon had turned her out of doors without it, and she raised her hand with the design to conceal her face. By these signs, especially the rending of her distinguishing robe, Absalom at once conjectured what had taken place. Recommending her to be silent about it and not publish her own and her family's dishonor, he gave no inkling of his angry feelings to Amnon. But all the while he was in secret "nursing his wrath to keep it warm," and only "biding his time" to avenge his sister's wrongs, and by the removal of the heir-apparent perhaps further also his ambitious designs. (Jamieson)
20 When Absalom, her brother saw her, he spoke to her. He said, "Has Amnon, that brother of yours, raped you? My sister, don't let it upset you. Don't let it bother you. He's your brother." After that, Tamar lived in her brother Absalom's house. She remained desolate.
21 King David heard about everything that had happened. So he was furious.
22 Absalom never said a word of any kind to Amnon. He hated Amnon because he had raped his sister Tamar.
Absalom Kills Amnon:
23 Two years later, Absalom invited all of the king's sons to come to Baal Hazor. It was near the border of Ephraim. The workers who clipped the wool off Absalom's sheep were there.24 Absalom went to the king. He said, "I've had my workers come to clip the wool. Will you and your officials please join me?"
25 And the king replied, "No, my son, all of us shouldn't go. It would be too much trouble for you." Although Absalom begged him, the king still refused to go. But he gave Absalom his blessing.
26 Then Absalom said, "If you won't come, please let my brother Amnon come with us." The king asked him, "Why should he go with you?"
27 But Absalom begged him. So the king sent Amnon with him. He also sent the rest of his sons.
28 Absalom told his men, "Wait until Amnon gets drunk; then at my signal, kill him! Don't be afraid. I'm the one who has given the command. Take courage and do it!"
29 So Absalom's men killed Amnon, just as Absalom had ordered. Then all of the king's sons got on their mules and rode away.
30 While they were on their way, a report came to David. It said, "Absalom has struck down all of your sons. Not one of them is left alive."
This really wasn't the case only Amnon was killed. -It was natural that in the consternation and tumult caused by so atrocious a deed, an exaggerated report should reach the court, which was at once plunged into the depths of grief and despair. But the information of Jonadab, who seems to have been aware of the plan, and the arrival of the other princes, made known the real extent of the catastrophe.
31 The king arose and tore his clothes and laid down on the ground. All of his servants stood near him. They had also torn their clothes.
32 Jonadab, the son of David's brother Shimeah, spoke up. He said, "You shouldn't think that all of the princes have been killed. The only one who is dead is Amnon. Absalom had planned to kill him ever since the day Amnon raped his sister Tamar.
33 You are my king and master. You shouldn't be concerned about this report. It's not true that all of your sons are dead. The only one who is dead is Amnon."
34 Absalom fled. The man on guard duty at Jerusalem looked up. He saw many people coming on the road west of him. They were coming down the side of the hill. He went and spoke to the king. He said, "I see men coming down the road from Horonaim. They are coming down the side of the hill."
35 Jonadab said to the king, "See, your sons are coming. It has happened just as I said it would."
36 As he finished speaking, the king's sons came in. They were sobbing out loud. The king and all of his servants were also sobbing very bitterly.
37 So Absalom fled, and went to Talmai, the son of Ammihud. Talmai was king of Geshur. King David sobbed over his son every day.
The law as to premeditated murder (Numbers 35:21) gave him no hope of remaining with impunity in his own country. The cities of refuge could afford him no sanctuary, and he was compelled to leave the kingdom, taking refuge at the court of Geshur, with his maternal grandfather, who would, doubtless, approve of his conduct.
38 So Absalom ran away and went to Geshur. He stayed there for three years.
39 After some time the king got over his sorrow because of Amnon's death. Then he longed to go to Absalom.
The Book of the Kings : 2 Samuel 14
ABSALOM RETURNS:
1 Joab realized how much the king longed to see Absalom. 2 So Joab sent someone to Tekoa to have a wise woman brought back from there. Joab said to her, "Pretend you are filled with sadness. Put on black clothes. Don't use any makeup. Act like a woman who has spent many days sobbing over someone who has died.
3 Then go to the king. Give him the message I'm about to give you." And Joab told her what to say.
4 The woman from Tekoa went to the king. She bowed down with her face toward the ground. She did it to show him respect. She said, "King David, please help me!"
5 The king asked her, "What's bothering you?" She said, "I'm a widow. My husband is dead.
6 I had two sons. They got into a fight with each other in the field. No one was there to separate them. One of my sons struck the other one down and killed him.
7 Now the rest of the family is demanding, 'Let us have your son. We will execute him for murdering his brother. He doesn't deserve to inherit his family's property.' But if I do that, I will have no one left, and my husband's name and family will disappear from the face of the earth."
8 The king said to the woman, "Go home. I'll give an order that you are taken care of."
9 But the woman from Tekoa said to him, "You are my king and master(adoni). No matter what you do, I and my family will take the blame for it. You and your royal family won't be guilty of doing anything wrong."
lord, sir or master are all from the Hebrew adonay..
10 The king said, "If people give you any trouble, bring them to me. They won't bother you again."
11 Then she said, "Please swear to me by the LORD(Jesus) your God(Elohim/Theos) that you won't let anyone take vengeance against my son. I want no more bloodshed.""As surely as the LORD(Yaheh) lives," he replied, "not a hair on your son's head will be disturbed!"
12 Then the woman said, "King David, please let me say something else to you." He said back to her, "Go ahead."
13 The woman said, "You are the king. So why have you done something that brings so much harm on God(Elohim/Theos)'s people? When you do that, you hand down a sentence against yourself. You won't let the son you drove away come back.
14 All of us must die. We are like water that is spilled on the ground. It can't be put back into the jar. But God(Elohim/Theos) doesn't take life away. Instead, he finds a way to bring back anyone who was driven away from him.
15 I've come here to say this to you now. I've done it because people have made me afraid. I thought, 'I'll go and speak to the king. Perhaps he'll do what I'm asking.
16 Perhaps he'll agree to save me from the man who is trying to cut off me and my son from the property God(Elohim/Theos) gave us.'”
17 And she continued, “So now I'm saying, 'May what you have told me bring me peace and rest. You are like an angel of God(Elohim/Theos). You know what is good and what is evil. May the LORD(Jesus) your God(Elohim/Theos) be with you.' "
18 Then the king said to the woman, "I'm going to ask you a question. I want you to tell me the truth."
"Please ask me anything you want to," the woman said.
19 The king asked, "Joab told you to say all of this, didn't he?" The woman answered, "What you have told me is exactly right. And that's just as sure as you are alive. It's true that Joab directed me to do this. He told me everything he wanted me to say.
20 He did it to change the way things now are. You are as wise as an angel of God(Elohim/Theos). You know everything that happens in the land."
21 So the king said to Joab, "All right. I'll do what you want. Go. Bring the young man Absalom back."
22 Joab bowed down with his face toward the ground. He did it to honor the king. And he asked God(Elohim/Theos) to bless the king. He said, "You are my king and lord(adoni). Today I know that you are pleased with me. You have given me what I asked for."
23 Then Joab went to Geshur. He brought Absalom back to Jerusalem.
24 But the king said, "He must go to his own house. I don't want him to come and see me." So Absalom went to his own house. He didn't go to see the king.
25 In the whole land of Israel there wasn't any man as handsome as Absalom was. That's why everyone praised him. From the top of his head to the bottom of his feet he didn't have any flaws. 26 He used to cut his hair when it became too heavy for him. Then he would weigh it. It weighed five pounds in keeping with the standard weights that were used in the palace.
27 Three sons and a daughter were born to Absalom. The daughter's name was Tamar. She became a beautiful woman.
Obviously named as a tribute to his sister and maybe as a jab at david...
28 Absalom lived in Jerusalem for two years without going to see the king.
29 Then Absalom sent for Joab. He wanted to send him to the king. But Joab refused to come to Absalom. So Absalom sent for him a second time. But Joab still refused to come.
30 Then Absalom said to his servants, "Joab's field is next to mine. He has barley growing there. Go and set it on fire." So Absalom's servants set the field on fire as he told them to do.
31 Joab finally went to Absalom's house. He said to Absalom, "Why did your servants set my field on fire?"
32 Absalom said to Joab, "I sent a message to you. It said, 'Come here. I want to send you to the king. I want you to ask him for me, "Why did you bring me back from Geshur? I would be better off if I were still there!" ' Now then, I want to go and see the king. If I'm guilty of doing anything wrong, let him put me to death."
33 So Joab went to the king and told him that. Then the king sent for Absalom. He came in and bowed down to the king with his face toward the ground. And the king kissed Absalom.
The Book of the Kings : 2 Samuel 15
ABSALOM MAKES SECRET PLANS AGAINST DAVID:
1 Some time later, Absalom got a chariot and horses for himself. He also got 50 men to run in front of him. 2 Absalom would get up early. He would stand by the side of the road that led to the city gate. Sometimes a person would come with a case for the king to decide. Then Absalom would call out to him, "What town are you from?" The person would answer, "I'm from one of the tribes of Israel."
3 Absalom would say, "You've really got a strong case here! It's too bad the king doesn't have anyone to hear it.
4 I wish I were appointed judge in the land! Then anyone who has a case or a claim could come to me. I would make sure he is treated fairly."
5 When people would approach Absalom and bow down to him. Then he would reach out his hand. He would take hold of them and kiss them.
6 Absalom did that to all of the people of Israel who came to the king with their cases or claims. That's why the hearts of the people were turned toward him.
7 After Absalom had lived in Jerusalem for four* years, he went and spoke to the king. He said, "Let me go to Hebron. I want to keep my vow which I made to the LORD(Jesus).
* KJV reads: after forty years--It is generally admitted that an error has here crept into the text, and that instead of "forty," we should read with the Syriac and Arabic versions, and JOSEPHUS, "four years"-- that is, after Absalom's return to Jerusalem, and his beginning to practice the base arts of gaining popularity.
my vow, which I have made to the Lord--during his exile in Geshur. The purport of it was, that whenever God's providence should pave the way for his re-establishment in Jerusalem, he would offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving. Hebron was the spot selected for the performance of this vow, ostensibly as being his native place (2 Samuel 3:3), and a famous high place, where sacrifices were frequently offered before the temple was built; but really as being in many respects the most suitable for the commencement of his rebellious enterprise. David, who always encouraged piety and desired to see religious engagements punctually performed, gave his consent and his blessing.
8 When I was living at Geshur in Aram, I made a promise. I said, 'If the LORD(Jesus) takes me back to Jerusalem, I'll go to Hebron and worship him there.' "
9 The king said to him, "Go in peace." So he went to Hebron.
10 Then Absalom sent messengers secretly to all of the tribes of Israel. They said, "Listen for the sound of trumpets. As soon as you hear them, say, 'Absalom has become king in Hebron.' "
11 Absalom had taken 200 men from Jerusalem with him to Hebron. He had invited them to be his guests. They went without having any idea what was going to happen.
12 While Absalom was offering sacrifices, he sent for Ahithophel. Ahithophel was David's adviser. He came to Absalom from Giloh, his hometown. The number of people who followed Absalom kept growing. So he became more and more able to carry out his plans against David.
DAVID RUNS AWAY FROM ABSALOM:
13 A messenger came and spoke to David. He told him, "The hearts of the people are turned toward Absalom."14 Then David spoke to all of his officials who were with him in Jerusalem. He said, "Come on! We have to leave right away! If we don't, none of us will escape from Absalom. He'll move quickly to catch up with us. He'll destroy us. His men will kill everyone in the city with their swords."
15 The king's officials answered him, "You are our king and lord(adoni). We're ready to do anything you want."
16 So the king and all his house went fled. But he left ten concubines behind to take care of the palace.
17. The king and his people set out on foot, and they paused at the edge of the city
18 All of David's officials marched past him. All of the Kerethites and Pelethites marched along with them. And all of the 600 men who had come with him from Gath marched in front of him.
19 The king spoke to Ittai. He was from Gath. The king said to him, "Why do you want to come along with us? Go back. Stay with King Absalom. You are a stranger. You left your own country.
20 You came to join me only a short time ago. So why should I make you wander around with us now? I don't even know where I'm going. So go on back. Take with you the others who are from your country. And may the LORD(Jesus) be kind and faithful to you."
21 But Ittai replied to the king, "You are my king and master(adoni). I want to be where you are. It doesn't matter whether I live or die. And that's just as sure as the LORD(Jesus) and you are alive."
22 David said to Ittai, "Go ahead then. Keep marching with my men." Ittai, the Gittite, kept marching. All of his men and their families marched with him.
23 All of the people in the countryside sobbed out loud as David and all of his followers passed by. The king went across the Kidron Valley. He and all of the people who were with him moved on toward the desert.
24 Zadok also went with them. Some of the Levites went with him. They were carrying the Ark of the Covenant of God(Elohim/Theos). They set the Ark down. Abiathar offered sacrifices until all of the people had left the city.
25 Then the king said to Zadok, "Take the Ark of God(Elohim/Theos) back into the city. If the LORD(Jesus) is pleased with me, he'll bring me back. He'll let me see the Ark again. He'll also let me see Jerusalem again. That's the place where he lives.
26 But suppose he says, 'I am not pleased with you.' Then I accept that. Let him do to me what he thinks is best."
27 The king spoke again to the priest Zadok. He said, "You are a prophet, aren't you? Go back to the city in peace. Take your son Ahimaaz with you. Also take Abiathar and his son Jonathan with you.
28 I'll wait at the place in the desert where we can go across the Jordan River. I'll wait there until you send word to let me know what's happening."
29 So Zadok and Abiathar took the ark of God(Elohim/Theos) back to Jerusalem. They stayed there.
30 After awhile, David went on up the Mount of Olives. He was crying as he went. His head was covered, and he was barefoot. All of the people who were with him covered their heads too. And they were also crying as they went up.
31 David had been told, "Ahithophel is one of those who are making secret plans with Absalom against you." So David prayed, "LORD(Jesus), make Ahithophel's advice look foolish."
32 David arrived at the top of the Mount of Olives. That's where people used to worship God(Elohim/Theos). Hushai, the Arkite, was there to meet him. His robe was torn. There was dust on his head.
33 David said to him, "If you go with me, you will be too much trouble for me.
34 So return to the city. Say to Absalom, 'King Absalom, I'll be your servant. In the past, I was your father's servant. But now I'll be your servant.' If you do that, you can help me by making sure Ahithophel's advice fails.
35 The priests Zadok and Abiathar will be there with you. Tell them everything you hear in the king's palace.
36 They have their sons Ahimaaz and Jonathan there with them. Send them to tell me everything you hear."
37 So David's friend Hushai went to Jerusalem. He arrived just as Absalom was entering the city.
The Book of the Kings : 2 Samuel 16
1 When David went a little past the top of the hill, behold, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him, with a couple of asses saddled, and upon them two hundred loaves of bread, and an hundred bunches of raisins, and an hundred of summer fruits, and a bottle of wine.
2 And the king said unto Ziba, What meanest thou by these? And Ziba said, The asses be for the king's household to ride on; and the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat; and the wine, that such as be faint in the wilderness may drink. 3 Then the king asked, "Where is your master's grandson Mephibosheth?" Ziba said to him, "He's staying in Jerusalem. He thinks, 'Today the people of Israel will give me back my grandfather Saul's kingdom.' "
4 Then the king said to Ziba, "Everything that belonged to Mephibosheth belongs to you now." To that Ziba said, "You are my king and master, I make myself low in front of you. I bow down to you. May you be pleased with me."
5 David and his party approached Bahurim. As they did, a man came out toward them. The man was from the same family group that Saul was from. His name was Shimei. He was the son of Gera. As he came out of the town, he called down curses on them.
6 He threw stones at the king and all of his officials. Then the warriors surrounded them.
7 "Get out! Get out, you murderer! You are a worthless and evil man!” He shouted at David
8 “You spilled the blood of a lot of people in Saul's family. You took over his kingdom. Now the LORD(Jesus) is paying you back. He has handed the kingdom over to your son Absalom. You have been destroyed because you are a murderer!"
9 Then Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, spoke to the king. He said, "My lord, why should we let this dead dog call down curses on you? Let me go over there. I'll cut off his head."
10 But the king said, "You and Joab are sons of Zeruiah. What do you and I have in common? Maybe the LORD(Jesus) said to him, 'Call down curses on David.' If he did, who can ask him, 'Why are you doing this?' "
11 Then David spoke to Abishai and all of his officials. He said, "My very own son Absalom is trying to kill me. How much more should this man from Benjamin want to kill me! Leave him alone. Let him call down curses. The LORD(Jesus) has told him to do it.
12 Maybe the LORD(Jesus) will see how much I'm suffering. Maybe he'll reward me with good things in place of the curses that are being called down on me today."
13 So David and his men kept going along the road. At the same time, Shimei was going along the hillside across from him. He was calling down curses as he went. He was throwing stones at David. He was showering him with dirt.
14 The king and all of the people who were with him came to the Jordan River. They were very tired. So David rested there.
15 During that time, Absalom and all of the men of Israel came to Jerusalem. Ahithophel was with him.
16 Then Hushai, the Arkite, went to Absalom. He said to him, "May the king live a long time! May the king live a long time!" Hushai was David's friend.
17 Absalom asked Hushai, "Is this the way you show love to your friend? Why didn't you go with him?"
18 Hushai said to Absalom, "Why should I? You are the one the LORD(Jesus) has chosen. These people and all of the men of Israel have also chosen you. I want to be on your side. I want to stay with you.
19 After all, who else should I serve? Shouldn't I serve the king's son? I will serve you, just as I served your father."
20 Absalom said to Ahithophel, "Give us your advice. What should we do?"
21 Ahithophel answered, "Your father left some concubines behind to take care of the palace. Go and have sex with them. Then all of the people of Israel will hear about it. They will hear that you have made yourself smell very bad to your father. Everyone who is with you will become braver."
22 So they set up a tent for Absalom on the roof of the palace. He went in and had sex with his father's concubines. Everyone in Israel saw it.
23 In those days the advice Ahithophel gave was as good as advice from someone who asks God(Elohim/Theos) for guidance. That's what David and Absalom thought about all of Ahithopel's advice.
The Book of the Kings : 2 Samuel 17
1 Now, one day Ahithophel said to Absalom, "Here's what I suggest. Choose 12,000 men. Start out tonight and go after David.
2 I will catch up to him while he is weary and discouraged. He along with his troops will panic, and everyone will run away. Then I will kill only the King,
3 And I will bring all the people back to you as a bride returns to her husband. After all, it is only this man's life that you seek. Then all the people will remain in peace and unharmed.
4 The plan seemed good to Absalom. It also seemed good to all of the elders of Israel. 5 But Absalom said, "Send for Hushai, the Arkite. Then we can find out what he suggests."
6 Hushai came to him. Absalom said, "Ahithophel has given us his advice. Should we do what he says? If we shouldn't, tell us what you would do."
7 Hushai replied to Absalom, "The advice Ahithophel has given you isn't good this time.
8 You know your father and his men. They are fighters. They are as strong as a wild bear whose cubs have been stolen from her. Besides, your father really knows how to fight. He won't spend the night with his troops.
9 He has probably hidden in some pit or some other place: and when he comes out and attacks in a few of your young men fall, there will be panic among your troops, and everyone will start shouting at your men are being slaughtered.
10 Then the hearts of your soldiers will melt away in fear. Even those who are as brave as a lion will be terrified. That's because everyone in Israel knows that your father is a fighter. They know that those who are with him are brave.
11 So this is what I suggest. Bring together all of the men of Israel from the town of Dan all the way to Beersheba. They are as many as the grains of sand on the seashore. You yourself should lead them into battle.
12 Then we'll attack David no matter where we find him. As dew completely covers the ground, we'll completely overpower his entire army. We won't leave him or any of his men alive.
13 He might try to get away by going into a city. If he does, all of us will bring ropes to that city. We'll drag the whole city down into the valley. No one will be able to find even a piece of that city."
14 Absalom and all of the men of Israel agreed. They said, "The advice of Hushai, the Arkite, is better than the advice of Ahithophel." The LORD(Jesus) had decided that Ahithophel's good advice would fail. The LORD(Jesus) wanted to bring horrible trouble on Absalom.
15 Hushai spoke to the priests Zadok and Abiathar. He said, "Ahithophel has given advice to Absalom and the elders of Israel. He suggested that they should do one thing. But I suggested something else.
16 "Send a message right away. Tell David, 'Don't spend the night at the place in the desert where people can go across the Jordan River. Make sure you go on across. If you don't, you and all of the people who are with you will be swallowed up.' "
17 Jonathan and Ahimaaz had been staying at En Rogel just outside Jerusalem. They knew they would be in danger if anyone saw them entering the city. A female servant was supposed to go and tell them what had happened. Then they were supposed to go and tell King David.
18 But a young man saw Jonathan and Ahimaaz and told Absalom about it. So the two men left quickly. They went to the house of a man in Bahurim. He had a well in his courtyard. They climbed down into it.
19 The man's wife got a covering and spread it out over the opening of the well. Then she scattered grain on the covering. So no one knew that the men were hiding in the well.
20 When Absalom's men arrived, they asked her, “have you seen Ahimaaz and Jonathan?” and she replied, “they were here, but they crossed back over the brook.” Absalom's men looked for them without success and returned to Jerusalem.
21 After the men had gone, Jonathan and Ahimaaz climbed out of the well. They went to tell King David what they had found out. They said to him, "Go across the river right away. Ahithophel has told Absalom how to come after you and strike you down."
22 So David and all of the people who were with him started out. They went across the Jordan River. By sunrise, everyone had crossed over.
23 Ahithophel saw that his advice wasn't being followed. So he put a saddle on his donkey. He started out for his house in his hometown. When he got there, he put everything in order. He made out his will. Then he killed himself. So he died, and his body was buried in his father's tomb.
24 David went to Mahanaim. Absalom went across the Jordan River with all of the men of Israel.
25 Absalom had made Amasa commander of the army in place of Joab. Amasa was the son of a man named Jether. Jether belonged to the family line of Ishmael. He had gotten married to Abigail. She was the daughter of Nahash and the sister of Zeruiah. Zeruiah was the mother of Joab.
26 Absalom and the people of Israel camped in the land of Gilead.
27 After a while, David came to Mahanaim. Shobi, the son of Nahash, met him there. Shobi was from Rabbah in the land of Ammon. Makir, the son of Ammiel from Lo Debar, met him there too. So did Barzillai from Rogelim in the land of Gilead.
28 They brought beds, bowls and clay pots. They brought wheat, barley, flour, and grain that had been cooked. They brought beans and lentils.
29 They brought honey, butter, sheep and cheese that was made from cows' milk. They brought all of that food for David and his people to eat. They said, "These people have become hungry. They've become tired and thirsty in the desert."
The Book of the Kings : 2 Samuel 18
ABSALOM IS KILLED:
1 David Counted the people that were with him, and appointed captains of thousands and captives of hundreds over the others.
2 One third was placed under Joab, one third under Joab's brother Abishai, who was the son of Zeruiah, and one third under Ittai the Gittite. End the king said to the people, “I am going to go with you.”
3 But the men said, "You must not go out. If we are forced to run away, our enemies won't care about us. Even if half of us die, they won't care. However, you are worth 10,000 of us! So it would be better for you to stay here in the city and send us help if we need it."
4 The king said, "I'll do what you think is best." So the king stood beside the city gate. The whole army marched out in companies of hundreds and companies of thousands.
5 And commanded Joab, Abishai and Ittai; “ for my sake deal gently with my son Absalom.” all the troops heard the king give this order to them.
6 David's army marched into the field to fight against Israel. The battle took place in the forest of Ephraim.
7 There David's men won the battle over Israel's army. A huge number of men were wounded or killed that day. The total number was 20,000.
8 The fighting took place over the countryside and many died in the forest; In fact more than died in fighting.
9 During the battle, Absalom happened to come across some of David's men. He was riding his mule. The mule try to escape by running under the thick branches of a giant oak tree. Absalom's head got caught in the tree. He was left hanging in the air. The mule he was riding kept on going.
10 One of David's men saw what had happened. He told Joab, "I just saw Absalom hanging in an oak tree."
11 Joab said to the man, "What! You saw him? Why didn't you strike him down right there? Then I would have had to give you four ounces of silver and a soldier's belt."
12 The man replied, "I wouldn't lift my hand to harm the king's son. I wouldn't do it even for 25 pounds of silver. We heard the king's command to you and Abishai and Ittai. He said, 'Be careful not to hurt the young man Absalom. Do it for me.'
13 Suppose I had put my life in danger by killing him. The king would have found out about it. Nothing is hidden from him. And you wouldn't have stood up for me."
14 Then Joab said, " enough of this nonsense." So he got three javelins. Then he went over and drove them into Absalom's heart. He did it while Absalom was still hanging there alive in the oak tree.
15 Ten of the men who were carrying Joab's armor surrounded Absalom. They struck him down and killed him.
16 Then Joab blew the trumpet and ordered his troops to stop chasing Israel's army.
17 And they took Absalom, and threw them into a great pit in the forest, and placed a great pile of stones upon him. All of Israel fled to their homes.
18 During his lifetime, Absalom had constructed a monument to himself which is located in an area called “the Kings Valley,” and he said “I have no son to carry on my name.” He then named the monument after himself and it is known as Absalom's Monument to this very day.
19 Then Ahimaaz, he son of Zadok said to Joab, "Let me run and take the news to the king. Let me tell him that the LORD(Jesus) has saved him from the power of his enemies."
20 Joab told him, "I don't want you to take the news to the king today. You can do it some other time. But you must not do it today, because the king's son is dead."
21 Also Joab said to a man from Cush, "Go. Tell the king what you have seen." The man bowed down in front of Joab. Then he ran off.
22 Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok, spoke again to Joab again, "Whatever happens, please let me run behind the man from Cush." But Joab replied, "My son, why do you want to go? You don't have any news that will bring you a reward."
23 He said, "I don't care what happens. I want to run." So Joab Relented and said, "Run!" Then Ahimaaz ran across the flatlands of the Jordan River. As he ran, he passed the man from Cush.
24 Now David was sitting in the area between the inner and outer gates of the city. The watchman went up to the roof over the entrance of the gate by the wall. As he looked out, he saw someone running alone.
25 He called out to the king and reported it. The king said, "If the runner is alone, he must be bringing good news." The man came closer and closer.
26 Then the watchman saw another man running. He called out to the man who was guarding the gate. He said, "Look! There's another man running alone!" The king said, "He must be bringing good news too."
27 The watchmen said, "I can see that the first one runs like Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok." The king replied that, "He's a good man. He's bringing good news."
28 Then Ahimaaz called out to the king, "Everything's all right!" He bowed down in front of the king with his face toward the ground. He said, "You are my king and master. Give praise to the LORD(Jesus) your God(Elohim/Theos)! He has handed over to you the men who lifted their hands to kill you."
29 The king asked, "Is the young man Absalom safe?" Ahimaaz answered, "I saw total disorder. I saw it just as Joab was about to send the king's servant and me to you. But I don't know what it was all about."
30 The king said, "Stand over there and wait." So he stepped over to one side and stood there.
31 Then the man from Cush arrived. He said, "You are my king and master. I'm bringing you some good news. The LORD(Jesus) has saved you today from all those who were trying to kill you."
32 The king asked the man from Cush, "Is the young man Absalom safe?" The man replied, "King David, may your enemies be like that young man. May all those who rise up to harm you be like him."
33 The king became very upset. He went up to the room over the entrance of the gate and cried. As he went, he said, "My son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! I wish I had died instead of you. Absalom! My son, my son!"
The Book of the Kings : 2 Samuel 19
1 It was told to Joab, "The king is crying over Absalom. He's filled with sadness because his son has died."
2 The victory that day was turned into mourning for all the people. That's because someone had told the troops, "The king is filled with sorrow because his son is dead." 3 The people came quietly into the city that day. They were like fighting men who are ashamed because they've run away from a battle.
4 The king covered his face. He cried aloud, "Oh my son Absalom! Absalom, my son, my son!"
5 Then Joab went into the king's house. He said to him, "Today you have made all of your men feel ashamed. They have just saved your life. They have saved the lives of your sons and daughters. And they have saved the lives of your wives and concubines.
6 You love those who hate you. You hate those who love you. The commanders and their troops don't mean anything to you. You made that very clear today. I can see that you would be pleased if Absalom were alive today and all of us were dead.
7 Now go out there and cheer up your men. If you don't, you won't have any of them left with you by sunset. That will be worse for you than all of the troubles you have ever had in your whole life. That's what I promise you with an oath in the LORD(Jesus)'s name."
8 Then the king arose, and sat in the city's gate. His men were told, "The king is sitting in the entrance of the gate." Then all of them came and stood in front of him. While all of that was going on, the Israelites had run back to their homes.
DAVID RETURNS TO JERUSALEM:
9 The people from all of the tribes of Israel began to argue among themselves. They were saying, "The king saved us from the power of our enemies. He saved us from the power of the Philistines. But now he has left the country because of Absalom.10 We anointed Absalom to rule over us. But he has died in battle. So why aren't any of you talking about bringing the king back?"
11 King David sent Zadok and Abiathar, the priests to say: "Speak to the elders of Judah. Tell them I said, 'News has reached me where I'm staying. People all over Israel are talking about bringing me back to my palace. Why should you be the last to do something about it?
12 You are my relatives. You are my own flesh and blood. So why should you be the last to bring me back?'
13 And Say to Amasa, 'Aren't you my own flesh and blood? From now on you will be the commander of my army in place of Joab. If that isn't true, may God(Elohim/Theos) punish me greatly.' "
14 Now he convinced all the men of Judah, and they all agreed and said to send word to the king “return to us, and bring back all those who are with you.”
15 So the king returned, and arrived at the Jordan River. The people of Judah came to Gilgal to meet with the king and to escort him across the Jordan.
16 Shimei, the son of Gera, was among them. Shimei was from Bahurim in the territory of Benjamin. He hurried down to welcome King David back.
17 And there were 1,000 people from Benjamin with him. Ziba, the manager of Saul's house, was with him too. And so were Ziba's 15 sons and 20 servants. All of them hurried down to the Jordan. That's where the king was.
18 They crossed the river on fairy with all the king's household, helping them in every way they could. Shemei the son of Gera fell down before the king as he crossed over the Jordan.
19 He said to him, "You are my king and master. Please don't hold me guilty. Please forgive me for the wrong things I did on the day you left Jerusalem. Please forget all about them.
20 I know I've sinned. But today I've come down here to welcome you. I'm the first member of Joseph's whole family to do it." (Psalms 77:15, 80:1, 81:5, Zechariah 10:6).
21 Then Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, said, "Shouldn't Shimei be put to death for what he did? He called down curses on you. And you are the LORD(Jesus)'s anointed king."
22 David replied to him, "You and Joab are sons of Zeruiah. What do we have in common? Abishai, you have become my enemy! Should anyone be put to death in Israel today? Don't I know that today I am king over Israel again?"
23 So the king took an oath and made a promise to Shimei. He said to him, "You aren't going to be put to death."
24 Mephibosheth The grandson of Saul came to meet the king. He had not taken care of his feet. He hadn't trimmed his mustache or washed his clothes. He hadn't done any of those things from the day the king left Jerusalem until the day he returned safely.
25 He came from Jerusalem to welcome the king. The king asked him, "Mephibosheth, why didn't you go with me?"
26 He answered, "You are my king(lord-adoni) and master. I'm disabled. So I thought, 'I'll have a saddle put on my donkey. I'll ride on it. Then I can go with the king.' But my servant Ziba turned against me.
27 He has slandered me by saying that I refuse to come to my King, but my lord(adoni) you are like an angel of God(Elohim/Theos). So do what pleases you.
28 All my relatives including myself could only expect that from you, my lord(adoni) but instead you have honored me among those who eat at your own table. How can I complain about that?
29 The king said to him, "You don't have to say anything else. I have decided that you and Ziba are to divide up Saul's fields between you."
30 Mephibosheth said to the king, "I'm happy that you have arrived home safely. So just let Ziba have everything."
31 Barzillai had also come down to go across the Jordan with the king. He wanted to send the king on his way from there. Barzillai was from Rogelim in the land of Gilead.
32 Now Barzillaie was a very old man. He was 80 years old. He had given the king everything he needed while the king was staying in Mahanaim. That's because he was very wealthy.
33 The king said to Barzillai, "Come over with me and stay with me in Jerusalem. I'll take good care of you."
34 Then Barzillai said to the king, " I'm not going to live very much longer, so why should I go up to Jerusalem with you?
35 I'm already 80 years old. I can no longer enjoy anything. Food and wine are no longer tasty, and I can't hear the musicians as they play. I would only be a burden to you my lord(adoni) and King.
36 Just to cross the river with you is all the honor I will ever need!
37 Let me return home. Then I can die in my own city. I can be buried there in the tomb of my father and mother. But let Kimham take my place. Let him go across the river with you. Do for him what pleases you."
38 The king answered, "Kimham will go across with me. I'll do for him what pleases you. And I'll do for you anything you want me to do."
39 So all of the people went across the Jordan (River). Then the king crossed over. The king kissed Barzillai and gave him his blessing. And Barzillai went back home.
40 After the king had gone across the river, he went to Gilgal. Kimham had gone across with him. All of the troops of Judah and half of the troops of Israel had taken the king across.
41 Soon all of the men of Israel were coming to the king. They were saying to him, "Why did the men of Judah take you away from us? They are our relatives. What right did they have to bring you and your family across the Jordan River? What right did they have to bring all of your men over with you?"
42 All of the men of Judah answered the men of Israel. They said, "We did that because the king is our close relative. So why should you be angry about what happened? Have we eaten any of the king's food? Have we taken anything for ourselves?"
43 Then the men of Israel answered the men of Judah. They said, "We have ten of the 12 tribes in the kingdom. So we have a stronger claim on David than you have. Why then are you acting as if you hate us? Weren't we the first ones to talk about bringing back our king?" The argument continued back-and-forth and the men of Judah were very harsh in their replies.
The Book of the Kings : 2 Samuel 20
SHEBA TELLS ISRAEL NOT TO FOLLOW DAVID:
1 There was a man of Belial, whose name was Sheba, he was the son of Bichri- a Benjamite. He blew a trumpet and shouted, “we have nothing to do with David. We we do not want any part of this son of Jesse. Come on, let's all go back home!”2 So every man of Israel left David. They followed Sheba, the son of Bicri. But the men of Judah stayed with their king. They remained with him from the Jordan all the way to Jerusalem.
3 When David came back to his house in Jerusalem, he ordered that his 10 concubines idiot left to keep the house should now be placed in seclusion. Their every need was to be cared for but he said that he would never again have sex with them so they would all become like a widow until they died.
David did this because his son had had sex with them on the rooftop of the castle in front of all Israel to see.
4 The king said to Amasa, "Assemble the men of Judah. Tell them to come to me within three days. And be here yourself."
5 So Amasa went to get the men of Judah. But he took longer than the time the king had set for him.
6 David said to Abishai, "The instigator Sheba is going to hurt us more than Absalom ever did! Now take my troops and chase after him before he can get into the fortified city and will we will never reach him.”
7 So Joab's men marched out with the Kerethites and Pelethites. They went out with all of the mighty soldiers. All of them were under Abishai's command. They marched out from Jerusalem and went after Sheba, the son of Bicri.
8 They arrived at the great stone in Gibeon. Amasa met them. Joab was wearing his military clothes. Over them at his waist he strapped on a belt that held a dagger. As he stepped forward, the dagger fell out.
9 Joab said to Amasa, "How are you, my brother?" Then Joab reached out and took him by the beard with his right hand, as though he was going to kiss him.
10 Amasa didn't pay any attention to the dagger that was in Joab's left hand. Joab stuck it into his stomach. His insides spilled out on the ground. Joab didn't have to stab him again. Amasa was already dead. Then Joab and his brother Abishai went after Sheba, the son of Bicri.
11 One of Joab's men stood beside Amasa's body. He said to the other men, "Are you pleased with Joab? Are you on David's side? Then follow Joab!"
12 Now Amasa's lay in his own blood in the middle of the road. The man saw that all of the troops stopped there. He realized that everyone was stopping to look at Amasa's body. So he dragged it from the road into a field. Then he threw some clothes on top of it.
13 After that happened, all of the men continued on with Joab. They went after Sheba, the son of Bicri.
14 When they removed his body from the highway, all the people followed after Joab in order to pursue Sheba, the son of Bichri.
15 When Joab's forces arrived, they attacked him in Abel (Bethmaachah) and build a ramp against the city wall and began to ram it down.
16 While that was going on, a wise woman called out from the city. She shouted, "Listen! Listen! Tell Joab to come here. I want to speak to him."
17 As he approached the woman asked him, “are you Joab?” And he replied that he was and she said to him, “listen carefully to your servant.” And he said to her that he was listening.
18 She said, "Many years ago people used to say, 'Get your answer at Abel.' And that would settle the matter.
19 We are the most peaceful and faithful people in Israel. You are trying to destroy a city that is like a mother in Israel. Why do you want to swallow up what belongs to the LORD(Jesus)?"
20 And Joab answered and said, “believe me I do not want to destroy your city!
21 That isn't what I have in mind at all. There's a man named Sheba, the son of Bicri, in your city. He's from the hill country of Ephraim. He's trying to kill King David. Hand that man over to me. Then I'll pull my men back from your city." The woman said to Joab, "We'll throw his head down to you from the wall."
22 Then the woman gave her wise advice to all of the people in the city. They cut off the head of Sheba, the son of Bicri. They threw it down to Joab. So he blew his trumpet. Then his men pulled back from the city. Each of them returned to his home. And Joab went back to the king in Jerusalem.
23 Joab was commander over Israel's entire army. Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, was commander over the Kerethites and Pelethites.
24 Adoniram was in charge of those who were forced to work hard. Jehoshaphat, the son of Ahilud, kept the records.
25 Sheva was the secretary. Zadok and Abiathar were priests.
26 Ira, the Jairite, was David's priest.
The Book of the Kings : 2 Samuel 21
1 There was a famine during the days of David that lasted for three-years. So David asked the LORD(Jesus) why he wasn't showing his favor to his people. The LORD(Jesus) said, "It is because Saul and his family committed murder. He put the people of Gibeon to death."
1 There was a famine during the days of David that lasted for three-years. So David asked the LORD(Jesus) why he wasn't showing his favor to his people. The LORD(Jesus) said, "It is because Saul and his family committed murder. He put the people of Gibeon to death."
The sacred history has not recorded either the time or the reason of this massacre. Some think that they were sufferers in the atrocity perpetrated by Saul at Nob (1 Samuel 22:19), where many of them may have resided as attendants of the priests; while others suppose it more probable that the attempt was made afterwards, with a view to regain the popularity he had lost throughout the nation by that execrable outrage.
(compare 1 Samuel 22:7)
3 David asked them, "What would you like me to do for you? How can I make up for the wrong things that were done to you? I want you to be able to pray that the LORD(Jesus) will once again bless his land."
4 The Gibeonites said to him, “well money won't do it, and we don't want to see the Israelites executed in revenge.” And David asked them what else he could do?
5 They answered the king, "Saul nearly destroyed us. He made plans to wipe us out. We don't have anywhere to live in Israel.
6 So let seven of the males in his family line be given to us. We'll kill them. We'll put their dead bodies out in the open in the sight of the LORD(Jesus). We'll do it at Gibeah of Saul. Saul was the LORD(Jesus)'s chosen king." So King David said, "I'll give seven males to you."
7 The king spared Mephibosheth. He was the son of Jonathan and the grandson of Saul. David had taken an oath in the sight of the LORD(Jesus). He had promised to be kind to Jonathan and the family line of his father Saul.
8 But the king chose Armoni and another Mephibosheth. They were the two sons of Aiah's daughter Rizpah. Saul was their father. The king also chose the five sons of Saul's daughter Merab. Adriel, the son of Barzillai, was their father. Adriel was from Meholah.
9 He handed them over to the people of Gibeon. They killed them. They put their dead bodies out in the open on a hill in the sight of the LORD(Jesus). So all seven of them died together during the days of the barley harvest.
10 Aiah's daughter Rizpah got some black cloth. She spread it out for herself on a rock. She stayed there from the beginning of the harvest until it rained. The rain poured down from the sky on the dead bodies of the seven males. She didn't let the birds of the air touch them by day. She didn't let the wild animals touch them at night.
11 Someone told David what Rizpah had done. She was Aiah's daughter and Saul's concubine.
12 David got the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan. He got them from the citizens of Jabesh Gilead. They had taken them in secret from the main street in Beth Shan. That's where the Philistines had hung their bodies up on the city wall. They had done it after they struck Saul down on Mount Gilboa.
13 He brought the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan from Jabesh Gilead. The bones of the seven males who had been killed and put out in the open were also gathered up.
14 The bones of Saul and his son Jonathan were buried in the tomb of Saul's father Kish. The tomb was at Zela in the territory of Benjamin. Everything the king commanded was done. After that, God(Elohim/Theos) answered prayer and blessed the land.
15 Once again there was war between the Philistines and Israel. During the battle David and his men became exhausted.
16 Ishbi-Benob belonged to the family line of Rapha [Rephaites]. The tip of his bronze spear weighed seven and a half pounds. He was also armed with a new sword. He said he would kill David.
As in Greek version; Hebrew reads a descendant of the Rephaites; also in 21:18, 20, 22. Rephaites means “giants. The same ones that were before and after the flood. The men of renown.
17 But Abishai, Zeruiah's son came to his rescue and killed the Philistine. After that, David's men shouted, “we do not want you to fight again, we do not want you killed.”
18 There was another battle against the Philistines. It took place at Gob. At that time Sibbecai killed Saph. Sibbecai was a Hushathite. Saph was from the family line of Rephaites.
19 In another battle against the Philistines at Gob, Elhanan killed Goliath's brother. Elhanan was the son of Jaare-Oregim from Bethlehem. Goliath was from the city of Gath. His spear was as big as a weaver's rod.
20 There was still another battle. It took place at Gath. A huge man lived there. He had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot. So the total number of his toes and fingers was 24. He was also from the family of Rephaites.
21 He made fun of Israel. So Jonathan killed him. Jonathan was the son of David's brother Shimeah.
22 Those four Philistine men lived in Gath. They were from the family line of Rephaites. David and his men killed them.
The Book of the Kings : 2 Samuel 22
DAVID'S SONG TO THE LORD:(NIRV version)
1 David sang the words of this song to the LORD(Jesus). He sang them when the LORD(Jesus) saved him from the powerful hand of all of his enemies and of Saul.
3 My God(Elohim/Theos) is my rock. I go to him for safety.
He is like a shield to me. He's the power that saves me.
He's my place of safety. I go to him for help. He's my Savior.
He saves me from those who want to hurt me.
He is like a shield to me. He's the power that saves me.
He's my place of safety. I go to him for help. He's my Savior.
He saves me from those who want to hurt me.
7 When I was in trouble I called out to the LORD(Jesus).
I called out to my God(Elohim/Theos).
From his temple he heard my voice.
My cry for help reached his ears.
I called out to my God(Elohim/Theos).
From his temple he heard my voice.
My cry for help reached his ears.
8 "The earth trembled and shook.
The pillars of the heavens rocked back and forth.
They trembled because the LORD(Jesus) was angry.
The pillars of the heavens rocked back and forth.
They trembled because the LORD(Jesus) was angry.
10 He opened the heavens and came down.
Dark clouds were under his feet.
11 He got on the cherubim and flew.
The wings of the wind lifted him up.
12 He covered himself with darkness.
The dark rain clouds of the sky were like a tent around him.
13 From the brightness that was all around him
flashes of lightning blazed out.
14 The LORD(Jesus) thundered from heaven.
The voice of the Most High God(Elohim/Theos) was heard.
15 He shot his arrows and scattered our enemies.
He sent flashes of lightning and chased the enemies away.
16 The bottom of the sea could be seen.
The foundations of the earth were uncovered.
It happened when the LORD(Jesus)'s anger blazed out.
It came like a blast of breath from his nose.
17 "He reached down from heaven. He took hold of me.
He lifted me out of deep waters.
18 He saved me from my powerful enemies.
He set me free from those who were too strong for me.
19 They stood up to me when I was in trouble.
But the LORD(Jesus) helped me.
20 He brought me out into a wide and safe place.
He saved me because he was pleased with me.
21 "The LORD(Jesus) has been good to me because I do what is right.
He has rewarded me because I lead a pure life.
22 I have lived the way the LORD(Jesus) wanted me to.
I haven't done evil by turning away from my God(Elohim/Theos).
23 I keep all of his laws in mind.
I haven't turned away from his commands.
24 He knows that I am without blame.
He knows I've kept myself from sinning.
25 The LORD(Jesus) has rewarded me for doing what is right.
He has rewarded me because I haven't done anything wrong.
26 "LORD(Jesus), to those who are faithful you show that you are faithful.
To those who are without blame you show that you are without blame.
27 To those who are pure you show that you are pure.
But to those whose paths are crooked you show that you are clever.
28 You save those who aren't proud.
But you watch the proud to bring them down.
29 LORD(Jesus), you are my lamp.
You bring light into my darkness.
30 With your help I can attack a troop of soldiers.
With the help of my God(Elohim/Theos) I can climb over a wall.
31 "God(Elohim/Theos)'s way is perfect.
The word of the LORD(Jesus) doesn't have any flaws.
He is like a shield
to all who go to him for safety.
32 Who is God(Elohim/Theos) except the LORD(Jesus)?
Who is the Rock except our God(Elohim/Theos)?
33 God(Elohim/Theos) gives me strength for the battle.
He makes my way perfect.
34 He makes my feet like the feet of a deer.
He helps me stand on the highest places.
35 He trains my hands to fight every battle.
My arms can bend a bow of bronze.
36 LORD(Jesus), you are like a shield that keeps me safe.
You help me win the battle.
You bend down to make me great.
37 You give me a wide path to walk in
so that I don't twist my ankles.
38 "I chased my enemies and crushed them.
I didn't turn back until they were destroyed.
39 I crushed them completely so that they couldn't get up.
They fell under my feet.
40 LORD(Jesus), you gave me strength to fight the battle.
You made my enemies bow down at my feet.
41 You made them turn their backs and run away.
So I destroyed my enemies.
42 They cried out for help. But there was no one to save them.
They called out to you. But you didn't answer them.
43 I beat them as fine as the dust of the earth.
I pounded them and walked on them like mud in the streets.
44 "You saved me when my own people attacked me.
You have kept me as the ruler over nations.
People I didn't know serve me now.
45 People from other lands bow down to me in fear.
As soon as they hear me, they obey me.
46 All of them give up hope.
They come trembling out of their hiding places.
47 "The LORD(Jesus) lives! Give praise to my Rock!
Give honor to God(Elohim/Theos), the Rock! He is my Savior!
48 He is the God(Elohim/Theos) who pays my enemies back.
He brings the nations under my control.
49 He sets me free from my enemies.
You have honored me more than them.
You have saved me from men who want to hurt me.
50 LORD(Jesus), I will praise you among the nations.
I will sing praises to you.
51 You help me win great battles.
You show your faithful love to your anointed king.
You show it to me and my family forever."
Dark clouds were under his feet.
11 He got on the cherubim and flew.
The wings of the wind lifted him up.
12 He covered himself with darkness.
The dark rain clouds of the sky were like a tent around him.
13 From the brightness that was all around him
flashes of lightning blazed out.
14 The LORD(Jesus) thundered from heaven.
The voice of the Most High God(Elohim/Theos) was heard.
15 He shot his arrows and scattered our enemies.
He sent flashes of lightning and chased the enemies away.
16 The bottom of the sea could be seen.
The foundations of the earth were uncovered.
It happened when the LORD(Jesus)'s anger blazed out.
It came like a blast of breath from his nose.
17 "He reached down from heaven. He took hold of me.
He lifted me out of deep waters.
18 He saved me from my powerful enemies.
He set me free from those who were too strong for me.
19 They stood up to me when I was in trouble.
But the LORD(Jesus) helped me.
20 He brought me out into a wide and safe place.
He saved me because he was pleased with me.
21 "The LORD(Jesus) has been good to me because I do what is right.
He has rewarded me because I lead a pure life.
22 I have lived the way the LORD(Jesus) wanted me to.
I haven't done evil by turning away from my God(Elohim/Theos).
23 I keep all of his laws in mind.
I haven't turned away from his commands.
24 He knows that I am without blame.
He knows I've kept myself from sinning.
25 The LORD(Jesus) has rewarded me for doing what is right.
He has rewarded me because I haven't done anything wrong.
26 "LORD(Jesus), to those who are faithful you show that you are faithful.
To those who are without blame you show that you are without blame.
27 To those who are pure you show that you are pure.
But to those whose paths are crooked you show that you are clever.
28 You save those who aren't proud.
But you watch the proud to bring them down.
29 LORD(Jesus), you are my lamp.
You bring light into my darkness.
30 With your help I can attack a troop of soldiers.
With the help of my God(Elohim/Theos) I can climb over a wall.
31 "God(Elohim/Theos)'s way is perfect.
The word of the LORD(Jesus) doesn't have any flaws.
He is like a shield
to all who go to him for safety.
32 Who is God(Elohim/Theos) except the LORD(Jesus)?
Who is the Rock except our God(Elohim/Theos)?
33 God(Elohim/Theos) gives me strength for the battle.
He makes my way perfect.
34 He makes my feet like the feet of a deer.
He helps me stand on the highest places.
35 He trains my hands to fight every battle.
My arms can bend a bow of bronze.
36 LORD(Jesus), you are like a shield that keeps me safe.
You help me win the battle.
You bend down to make me great.
37 You give me a wide path to walk in
so that I don't twist my ankles.
38 "I chased my enemies and crushed them.
I didn't turn back until they were destroyed.
39 I crushed them completely so that they couldn't get up.
They fell under my feet.
40 LORD(Jesus), you gave me strength to fight the battle.
You made my enemies bow down at my feet.
41 You made them turn their backs and run away.
So I destroyed my enemies.
42 They cried out for help. But there was no one to save them.
They called out to you. But you didn't answer them.
43 I beat them as fine as the dust of the earth.
I pounded them and walked on them like mud in the streets.
44 "You saved me when my own people attacked me.
You have kept me as the ruler over nations.
People I didn't know serve me now.
45 People from other lands bow down to me in fear.
As soon as they hear me, they obey me.
46 All of them give up hope.
They come trembling out of their hiding places.
47 "The LORD(Jesus) lives! Give praise to my Rock!
Give honor to God(Elohim/Theos), the Rock! He is my Savior!
48 He is the God(Elohim/Theos) who pays my enemies back.
He brings the nations under my control.
49 He sets me free from my enemies.
You have honored me more than them.
You have saved me from men who want to hurt me.
50 LORD(Jesus), I will praise you among the nations.
I will sing praises to you.
51 You help me win great battles.
You show your faithful love to your anointed king.
You show it to me and my family forever."
The Book of the Kings : 2 Samuel 23
DAVID'S LAST WORDS:
1 These are the last words of David:David son of Jesse. The man made great by the Most High God(Elohim/Theos) speaks. He is the appointed king of the God(Elohim/Theos) of Jacob; he is the sweet singer of Israel:
2 The LORD(Jesus)'s Spirit spoke through me, and his word was on my tongue.
3 The God(Elohim/Theos) of Israel spoke; the Rock of Israel said to me: 'Whoever rules fairly over people, who rules with respect for God(Elohim/Theos),
4 is like the morning light at dawn, like a morning without clouds. He is like sunshine after a rain
that makes the grass sprout from the ground.'
5 This is how God(Elohim/Theos) has cared for my family. God(Elohim/Theos) made a lasting Covenant with me, right and sure in every way. He will accomplish my salvation and satisfy all my desires.
This is the everlasting promise to David by God that he would always have an heir sitting on his throne.
6 But all godless(Belial) people will be thrown away like thorns that cannot be held in a hand.
7 Anyone that touches them must be captured with force and be utterly burned with fire in that same place
8 These are the names of David's warriors:
Josheb-Basshebeth, the Tahkemonite. He killed eight hundred men at one time.
9 Next was Eleazar son of Dodai the Ahohite. Eleazar was one of the three soldiers who were with David when they challenged the Philistines. The Philistines were gathered for battle, and the Israelites drew back.
10 But Eleazar stayed where he was and fought the Philistines until he was so tired his hand stuck to his sword. The LORD(Jesus) gave a great victory for the Israelites that day. The troops came back after Eleazar had won the battle, but only to take weapons and armor from the enemy.
11 next in rank was Shammah, the son of Agee from Harar. One time the Philistines gathered at Lehi and attacked the Israelites in a field full of lentils. They all fled.
13 Once, three of the Thirty, David's chief soldiers, came down to him at the cave of Adullam during harvest. The Philistine army had camped in the Valley of Rephaim.
14 At that time David was in the stronghold, and some of the Philistines were in Bethlehem.
15 David had a strong desire for some water. He said, "Oh, I wish someone would get me water from the well near the city gate of Bethlehem!"
16 So the three warriors broke through the Philistine army and took water from the well near the city gate of Bethlehem. Then they brought it to David, but he refused to drink it. He poured it out before the LORD(Jesus),
17 saying, "May the LORD(Jesus) keep me from drinking this water! It would be like drinking the blood of the men who risked their lives!" So David refused to drink it. These were the brave things that the three warriors did.
18 Abishai, brother of Joab son of Zeruiah, was captain of the Three. Abishai fought three hundred soldiers with his spear and killed them. He became as famous as the Three
19 and was more honored than the Three. He became their commander even though he was not one of them.
20 Benaiah son of Jehoiada was a brave fighter from Kabzeel who did mighty things. He killed two of the best warriors from Moab. He also went down into a pit and killed a lion on a snowy day.
21 Benaiah killed a large Egyptian who had a spear in his hand. Benaiah had a club, but he grabbed the spear from the Egyptian's hand and killed him with his own spear.
22 These were the things Benaiah son of Jehoiada did. He was as famous as the Three.
23 He received more honor than the Thirty, but he did not become a member of the Three. David made him leader of his bodyguards.
24 The following men were among the Thirty: Asahel brother of Joab; Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem;
25 Shammah the Harodite; Elika the Harodite;
26 Helez the Paltite; Ira son of Ikkesh from Tekoa;
27 Abiezer the Anathothite; Mebunnai the Hushathite;
28 Zalmon the Ahohite; Maharai the Netophathite;
29 Heled son of Baanah the Netophathite; Ithai son of Ribai from Gibeah in Benjamin;
30 Benaiah the Pirathonite; Hiddai from the ravines of Gaash;
31 Abi-Albon the Arbathite; Azmaveth the Barhumite;
32 Eliahba the Shaalbonite; the sons of Jashen; Jonathan
33 son of Shammah the Hararite; Ahiam son of Sharar the Hararite;
34 Eliphelet son of Ahasbai the Maacathite; Eliam son of Ahithophel the Gilonite;
35 Hezro the Carmelite; Paarai the Arbite;
36 Igal son of Nathan of Zobah; the son of Hagri;
37 Zelek the Ammonite; Naharai the Beerothite, who carried the armor of Joab son of Zeruiah;
38 Ira the Ithrite; Gareb the Ithrite,
39 and Uriah the Hittite.
There were thirty-seven in all.
The Book of the Kings : 2 Samuel 24
DAVID TAKES A CENSUS:
"Again" carries us back to the former tokens of His wrath in the three years' famine [2 Samuel 21:1]. God, though He cannot tempt any man (James 1:13), is frequently described in Scripture as doing what He merely permits to be done; and so, in this case, He permitted Satan to tempt David. Satan was the active mover, while God only withdrew His supporting grace, and the great tempter prevailed against the king. (See Exodus 7:13, 1 Samuel 26:19, 2 Samuel 16:10, Psalms 105:25, Isaiah 7:17, &c.). The order was given to Joab, who, though not generally restrained by religious scruples, did not fail to present, in strong terms every argument to dissuade the king from his purpose. The sacred history has not mentioned the objections which he and other distinguished officers urged against it in the council of David. But it expressly states that they were all overruled by the inflexible resolution of the king.(Jamieson)
2 For the king said to Joab, the commander of the army, "Go through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, and count the people. Then I will know how many there are."
3 But Joab said to the king, "May the LORD(Jesus) your God(Elohim/Theos) give you a hundred times more people, and may my master the king live to see this happen. Why do you want to do this?"
4 But the king commanded Joab and the commanders of the army, so they left the king to count the Israelites.
5 After crossing the Jordan, they camped near Aroer on the south side of the city in the ravine. They went through Gad and on to Jazer.
6 Then they went to Gilead and the land of Tahtim Hodshi and to Dan Jaan and around to Sidon.
7 They went to the strong, walled city of Tyre and to all the cities of the Hivites and Canaanites. Finally, they went to southern Judah, to Beersheba.
8 After nine months and twenty days, they had gone through all the land. Then they came back to Jerusalem.
9 Joab gave the list of the people to the king. There were eight hundred thousand men in Israel who could use the sword and five hundred thousand men in Judah.
The amount here stated, compared with 1 Chronicles 21:5, gives a difference of three hundred thousand. The discrepancy is only apparent, and admits of an easy reconciliation; thus (see 1 Chronicles 27:1-15), there were twelve divisions of generals, who commanded monthly, and whose duty was to keep guard on the royal person, each having a body of troops consisting of twenty-four thousand men, which, together, formed an army of two hundred eighty-eight thousand; and as a separate detachment of twelve thousand was attendant on the twelve princes of the twelve tribes mentioned in the same chapter, so both are equal to three hundred thousand. These were not reckoned in this book, because they were in the actual service of the king as a regular militia. But 1 Chronicles 21:5 joins them to the rest, saying, "all those of Israel were one million, one hundred thousand"; whereas the author of Samuel, who reckons only the eight hundred thousand, does not say, "all those of Israel," but barely "and Israel were," &c. It must also be observed that, exclusive of the troops before mentioned, there was an army of observation on the frontiers of the Philistines' country, composed of thirty thousand men, as appears from 2 Samuel 6:1; which, it seems, were included in the number of five hundred thousand of the people of Judah by the author of Samuel. But the author of Chronicles, who mentions only four hundred seventy thousand, gives the number of that tribe exclusive of those thirty thousand men, because they were not all of the tribe of Judah, and therefore he does not say, "all those of Judah," as he had said, "all those of Israel," but only, "and those of Judah." Thus both accounts may be reconciled [DAVIDSON].
10 David felt ashamed after he had counted the people. He said to the LORD(Jesus), "I have sinned greatly by what I have done. LORD(Jesus), I beg you to forgive me, your servant, because I have been very foolish."
11 When David got up in the morning, the LORD(Jesus) spoke his word to Gad, who was a prophet and David's seer.
12 The LORD(Jesus) told Gad, "Go and tell David, 'This is what the LORD(Jesus) says: I offer you three choices. Choose one of them and I will do it to you.' "
13 So Gad went to David and said to him, "Should three years of hunger come to you and your land? Or should your enemies chase you for three months? Or should there be three days of disease in your land? Think about it. Then decide which of these things I should tell the LORD(Jesus) who sent me."
The act of numbering the people was not in itself sinful; for Moses did it by the express authority of God. But David acted not only independently of such order of sanction, but from motives unworthy of the delegated king of Israel; from pride and vainglory; from self-confidence and distrust of God; and, above all, from ambitious designs of conquest, in furtherance of which he was determined to force the people into military service, and to ascertain whether he could muster an army sufficient for the magnitude of the enterprises he contemplated. It was a breach of the constitution, an infringement of the liberties of the people, and opposed to that divine policy which required that Israel should continue a separate people. His eyes were not opened to the heinousness of his sin till God had spoken unto him by His commissioned prophet.
(Jamieson)
14 David said to Gad, "I am in great trouble. Let the LORD(Jesus) punish us, because the LORD(Jesus) is very merciful. Don't let my punishment come from human beings!"15 So the LORD(Jesus) sent a terrible disease on Israel. It began in the morning and continued until the chosen time to stop. From Dan to Beersheba seventy thousand people died.
16 When the angel raised his arm toward Jerusalem to destroy it, the LORD(Jesus) felt very sorry about the terrible things that had happened. He said to the angel who was destroying the people, "That is enough! Put down your arm!" The angel of the LORD(Jesus) was then by the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.
17 When David saw the angel that killed the people, he said to the LORD(Jesus), "I am the one who sinned and did wrong. These people only followed me like sheep. They did nothing wrong. Please punish me and my family."
18 That day Gad came to David and said, "Go and build an altar to the LORD(Jesus) on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite."
Araunah--or Ornan (1 Chronicles 21:18), the Jebusite, one of the ancient inhabitants, who, having become a convert to the true religion, retained his house and possessions. He resided on Mount Moriah, the spot on which the temple was afterwards built (2 Chronicles 3:1); but that mount was not then enclosed in the town. This is also the spot where Abraham offered up his son Isaac, and is today's Temple Mount located in Jerusalem.
19 So David did what Gad told him to do, just as the LORD(Jesus) commanded.
20 Araunah looked and saw the king and his servants coming to him. So he went out and bowed facedown on the ground before the king.
21 He said, "Why has my master the king come to me?" David answered, "To buy the threshing floor from you so I can build an altar to the LORD(Jesus). Then the terrible disease will stop."
22 Araunah said to David, "My master and king, you may take anything you want for a sacrifice. Here are some oxen for the whole burnt offering and the threshing boards and the yokes for the wood.
23 My king, I give everything to you." Araunah also said to the king, "May the LORD(Jesus) your God(Elohim/Theos) be pleased with you."
24 But the king answered Araunah, "No, I will pay you for the land. I won't offer to the LORD(Jesus) my God(Elohim/Theos) burnt offerings that cost me nothing." So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for one and one-fourth pounds of silver.
25 He built an altar to the LORD(Jesus) there and offered whole burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. Then the LORD(Jesus) answered his prayer for the country, and the disease in Israel stopped.
