wander in going. el Sa. 23. 13. R. 1. 16, 17 & 3. 13. 20 Whereas thou camest but yesterday, 1 Heb. should I this day make thee go up and down with us? seeing I go whither I may, return thou, and take back thy brethren: mercy and truth be with thee. 21 And Ittai answered the king, and said, As the LORD liveth, and as my lord the king liveth, surely in what place my lord the king shall be, whether in death or life, even there also will thy servant be. 22 And David said to Ittai, Go and i pass over. And Ittai the Gittite passed over, and all his men, and all the little ones that were with him. 23 And all the country wept with a loud voice, and all the people passed over: the king also himself passed over the gch. 17. 15, 16. ver. 27. eh. 16, 16. i ver. 23. 1 Ch. 27. 33. k 1 Ki. 2. 37 & 15. 13. 2 Ki. 23. 4, 6, 12, 2 Ch. 15. 16 & 29, 16 & 30. 14. Jer. 31, 40. 2 Called, Jn. 18. 1, Cedron. David's flight.: 33 Unto whom David said, If thou passest on with me, then thou shalt be a burden unto me: 34 But if thou return to the city, and say unto Absalom, dI will be thy servant, O king; as I have been thy father's servant hitherto, so will I now also be thy servant: then mayest thou for me defeat the counsel of Ahithophel. 35 And hast thou not there with thee Zadok and Abiathar the priests? therefore it shall be, that what thing soever thou shalt hear out of the king's house, thou shalt tell it to Zadok and Abiathar the priests. 36 Behold, they have there with them their two sons, Ahimaaz Zadok's son, and Jonathan Abiathar's son; and by them ye shall send unto me every thing that ye can hear. 37 So Hushai David's friend came into the city, and Absalom came into Jerusalem. CHAPTER 16 ANDIwhen David was a little past the brook 2 Kidron, and all the people passed the 15.3032 A top of the hill, behold, "Ziba the in ver. n ch. 9. 2-12. over, toward the way of the wilderness. 24 And lo "Zadok also, and all the Levites were with him, bearing the arko ch. 8. 17 of the covenant of God: and they set down the ark of God; and Abiathar went up, until all the people had done passing out of the city. & 20. 25. 1 Ki. 4. 4, &c. 1 Sa. 22. 20 & 23. 6, 9. ch. 20. 25. 1 Ki. 4. 4. r So Ps. 43. 3. • Ex. 15. 13. Jer. 25. 30. 25 And the king said unto Zadok, Carry back the ark of God into the city: if I shall find favour in the eyes of the Sa. 25. 18. LORD, he will bring me again, and shew me both it, and his habitation: 26 But if he thus say, I have no delightt ch. 22. 20. in thee; behold, here am I, let him do to me as seemeth good unto him. 27 The king said also unto Zadok the priest, Art not thou a "seer? return into the city in peace, and your two sons with you, Ahimaaz thy son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar. 28 See, I will tarry in the plain of the wilderness, until there come word from you to certify me. 29 Zadok therefore and Abiathar carried the ark of God again to Jerusalem; and they tarried there. 30 And David went up by the ascent of mount Olivet, 4 and wept as he went up, and had his head covered, and he went barefoot: and all the people that was with him covered every man his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up. 1 Ki. 10. 9. u ver. 14. ch. 17. 29. ch. 19. 26, 27. 1 Sa. 9. 9. ver. 36. ch. 17. 17 ch. 2. 29 2 Ki. 25. 4, 5. 3 Heb. I do obeisance. ch. 3. 16. 4 Heb. going up and weeping. a Esth. 6. 12. Jer. 14. 3, 4. Cp. ch. 19. 4 ch. 19. 16. 1 Ki. 2. 8, 44. e Isa. 20. 2, 1 5 Or, he still came forth and cursed. 31 And one told David, saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. And David said, Odeh. 16, 23 LORD, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness. 32 And it came to pass, that when David was come to the top of the mount, where he worshipped God, behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his coat rent, and earth upon his head; & 17. 14, 23. 6 Heb. man of blood. Ki 2. 32. ch. 1. 16 & 3. 28, 29 & 4. 11, 12. 1 Jos. 16. 2 ch. 1. 2. 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 And the king said, And where is thy master's son? And Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he abideth at Jerusalem: for he said, To day shall the house of Israel restore me the kingdom of my father. 4 Then said the king to Ziba, Behold, thine are all that pertained unto Mephibosheth. And Ziba said, 31 humbly beseech thee that I may find grace in thy sight, my lord, O king." 5 And when king David came to Bahurim, behold, thence came out a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera: 5 he came forth, and cursed still as he came. 6 And he cast stones at David, and at all the servants of king David: and all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left. 7 And thus said Shimei when he cursed, Come out, come out, thou 6 bloody man, and thou man of Belial: 8 The LORD hath returned upon thee fall the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned; and the LORD hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son: and, The counsel of Ahithophel II. SAMUEL 16 1 behold, thou art taken in thy mischief, because thou art a bloody man. 9 Then said Abishai the son of Zeruiah unto the king, Why should this 1 Heb. in thy evil. So ch. 3. 8. a dead dog curse my lord the king? leta ch. 9. 8. What have I to 6 ch. 19. 22. Lk. 4 34 10 And the king said, 11 And David said to Abishai, and to 12 It may be that the LORD will look on mine affliction, and that the LORD will requite me good for his cursing this day. 2 Heh. was right in the eyes of, fc. ch. 16, 18, 19. So 2 Ki. 19. 4. 3 Heb. what 5 Heb. word? 13 And as David and his men went by the way, Shimei went along on the hill's side over against him, and cursed as he went, and threw stones at him, and 6 cast 6 Heb. dust. 14 And the king, and all the people that were with him, came weary, and refreshed themselves there. 15 ¶ And Absalom, and all the people the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him. 16 And it came to pass, when Hushai the Archite, David's friend, was come unto Absalom, that Hushai said unto Absalom, 10 God save the king, God save the king. 17 And Absalom said to Hushai, Is this thy kindness to thy friend? why wentest thou not with thy friend? dusted him 8 Heb. bitter 9 ch. 15. 37. Heb. fallen. 10 Heb. 18 And Hushai said unto Absalom, j Jos. 2. 11. Nay; but whom the LORD, and this people, and all the men of Israel, choose, his will I be, and with him will I abide. 19 And again, kwhom should I serve?k should I not serve in the presence of his son? as I have served in thy father's presence, so will I be in thy presence. 20 Then said Absalom to Ahithophel, Give counsel among you what we shall do. ch. 15. 34. So Ge. 22. 17. that thy face, & 20. 3. 21 And Ahithophel said unto Absalom, 22 So they spread Absalom a tent upon the top of the house; and Absalom went in unto his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel. 23 And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counselled in those days, was as if a man had inquired at the 13 oracle of God: so was all the counsel of Ahithophel "both with David and with Absalom, MOREOV and of Hushai. CHAPTER 17 TOREOVER Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Let me now choose out twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue after David this night: 2 And I will come upon him while he is weary and weak handed, and will make him afraid: and all the people that are with him shall flee; and I will smite the king only: 3 And I will bring back all the people unto thee: the man whom thou seekest is as if all returned: so all the people shall be in peace. 4 And the saying 2 pleased Absalom well, and all the elders of Israel. 5 Then said Absalom, Call now dHushai the Archite also, and let us hear likewise 3 what he saith. 6 And when Hushai was come to Absalom, Absalom spake unto him, saying, Ahithophel hath spoken after this manner: shall we do after his 5 saying? if not; speak thou. 7 And Hushai said unto Absalom, The counsel that Ahithophel hath 7given is not good at this time. 8 For, said Hushai, thou knowest thy father and his men, that they be mighty men, and they be 8chafed in their minds, as a bear robbed of her whelps in the field: and thy father is a man of war, and will not lodge with the people. 9 Behold, he is hid now in some pit, or in some other place: and it will come to pass, when some of them be 9 overthrown at the first, that whosoever heareth it will say, There is a slaughter among the people that follow Absalom. 10 And he also that is valiant, whose heart is as the heart of a lion, shall utterly melt: for all Israel knoweth that thy father is a mighty man, and they which be with him are valiant men. 11 Therefore I counsel that all Israel be generally gathered unto thee, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, "as the sand that is by the sea for multitude; and 11 that thou go to battle in thine own person. 12 So shall we come upon him in some place where he shall be found, and we will light upon him as the dew falleth on the ground: and of him and of all the men that are with him there shall not be left so much as one. 13 Moreover, if he be gotten into a city, then shall all Israel bring ropes to that city, and we will draw it into the river, until there be not one small stone found there. 14 And Absalom and all the men of pch. 12. 11, 12 Israel said, The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel. For the LORD had 12ap pointed to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, to the intent that the LORD might bring evil upon Absalom. 12 Heb. commanded. ch. 15. 34. 15 Then said Hushai unto Zadok David apprised thereof. II. SAMUEL 17 and to Abiathar the priests, Thus and thus did Ahithophel counsel Absalom and the elders of Israel; and thus and thus have I counselled. b ch. 15. 23. c ch. 15. 28. 16 Now therefore send quickly, and tell a ch. 16. 2. David, saying, Lodge not this night in the plains of the wilderness, but speedily pass over; lest the king be swallowed up, and all the people that are with him. 17 Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz stayed by d En-rogel; for they might not be d Jos. 15.7. seen to come into the city: and a wench went and told them; and they went and told king David. 18 Nevertheless a lad saw them, and ch. 15. 19. told Absalom: but they went both of them away quickly, and came to a man's house fin Bahurim, which had a well in his court; whither they went down. 19 And the woman took and spread a covering over the well's mouth, and spread ground corn thereon; and the thing was not known. 20 And when Absalom's servants came to the woman to the house, they said, Where is Ahimaaz and Jonathan? And kthe woman said unto them, They be gone over the brook of water. And when they had sought and could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem. 21 And it came to pass, after they were departed, that they came up out of the well, and went and told king David, and said unto David, Arise, and pass quickly over the water: for thus hath Ahithophel counselled against you. 22 Then David arose, and all the people that were with him, and they passed over Jordan: by the morning light there lacked not one of them that was not gone over Jordan. 23 And when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not 4followed, he saddled his ass, and arose, and gat him home to his house, to his city, and 5put his household in order, and "hanged, himself, and died, and was buried in the sepulchre of his father. fch. 16. 5. See ch. 3. 16. g ch. 17. 8-10. Cp. Jos. 2. 6. ch. 21. 17. Pro. 27. 22. 1 Heb. set their heart on us. 2 Heb. as ten thousand of us. 3 Heb. be to succour. Cp. Jos 2. 4,5. Jos. 17. 15, 18. 4 Heb. done. m ch. 15. 12. 5 Heb. gave charge concerning his house. 2 Ki. 20. 1. Mt. 27. 5. 6 Heb. multiplied to devour. Ge, 32. 2. Jos. 13. 26. 1 Ki. 2. 8 7 Or, 24 Then David came to Mahanaim. And Absalom passed over Jordan, he and all the men of Israel with him. 25 And Absalom made Amasa cap-p Ge. 35. 4. tain of the host instead of Joab: which Amasa was a man's son, whose name was 7Ithra an Israelite, that went in to 8 Abigail the daughter of 9 Nahash, sister to Zeruiah Joab's mother. 26 So Israel and Absalom pitched in the land of Gilead. 27 And it came to pass, when David was come to Mahanaim, that 'Shobi the son of Nahash of Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and "Machir the son of Ammiel of Lo-debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite of Rogelim, 28 Brought beds, and 10 basons, and earthen vessels, and wheat, and barley, and flour, and parched corn, and beans, and lentiles, and parched pulse, Jether an 1 Ch. 2. 16, 9 Or, Jesse. 1 Ch. 2. 13-16. 9 ch. 10. 2. ch. 9. 4. a ch. 19. 31, 32. 1 Ki. 2 7. Ezr. 2. 61. f 1 Sa. 18. 4. 10 Or, cups. 11 Heb. weigh upon mine hand. u ver. 5. The defeat of Absalom. 29 And honey, and butter, and sheep, and cheese of kine, for David, and for the people that were with him, to eat: for they said, The people is hungry, and a weary, and thirsty, in the wilderness. CHAPTER 18 AND David numbered the people that thousands and captains of hundreds over them. 2 And David sent forth a third part of the people under the hand of Joab, and a third part under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, and a third part under the hand of Ittai the Gittite. And the king said unto the people, I will surely go forth with you myself also. 3 But the people answered, Thou shalt not go forth: for if we flee away, they will not care for us; neither if half of us die, will they care for us: but now thou art 2 worth ten thousand of us; therefore now it is better that thou 3 succour us out of the city. 4 And the king said unto them, What seemeth you best I will do. And the king stood by the gate side, and all the people came out by hundreds and by thousands. 5 And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Deal gently for my sake with the young man, even with Absalom. And all the people heard when the king gave all the captains charge concerning Absalom. 6¶ So the people went out into the field against Israel: and the battle was in the Iwood of Ephraim; 7 Where the people of Israel were slain before the servants of David, and there was there a great slaughter that day of twenty thousand men. 8 For the battle was there scattered over the face of all the country: and the wood 6 devoured more people that day than the sword devoured. 9 And Absalom met the servants of David. And Absalom rode upon a mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great Poak, and his head caught hold of the oak, and he was taken up between the heaven and the earth; and the mule that was under him went away. 10 And a certain man saw it, and told Joab, and said, Behold, I saw Absalom hanged in an oak. 11 And Joab said unto the man that told him, And, behold, thou sawest him, and why didst thou not smite him there to the ground? and I would have given thee ten shekels of silver, and a 'girdle. 12 And the man said unto Joab, Though I should receive a thousand shekels of silver in mine hand, yet would I not put forth mine hand against the king's son: " for in our hearing the king charged thee The death of Absalom. IL. SAMUEL 18 Beware whosoever ye be of, fc. al Ki. 1. 42. 2 Or, Peace and Abishai and Ittai, saying, 1 Beware Heb. that none touch the young man Absalom. 13 Otherwise I should have wrought falsehood against mine own life: for there is no matter hid from the king, and thou thyself wouldest have set thyself against me. 14 Then said Joab, I may not tarry thus 4 with thee. And he took three darts in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Absalom, while he was yet alive in the 6 midst of the oak. 15 And ten young men that bare Joab's armour compassed about and smote Absalom, and slew him. 16 And Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel: for Joab held back the people. 17 And they took Absalom, and cast him into a great pit in the wood, and laid a very great heap of stones upon him: and all Israel fled every one to his tent. be to thee. Heb. Peace. 3 Heb. shut up. 1 Sa. 17. 46. 4 Heb. before thee. 5 Heb. Is there peace? 6 Heb. heart. 7 Heb. Tidings is brought. b Jos. 7. 26. e ch. 19. 8. 1 Sa. 4. 10. See ch. 20. 22. d 1 Sa. 25. 26. e Ge. 28. 18. f Ge. 14. 17. 18 Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and reared up for himself a pillar, which is in the king's dale: for he said, I have no son to keep my name in remembrance: and he called the pillar Cp. ch. 14. after his own name: and it is called unto this day, Absalom's place. 27. h ch. 19. 4. 19 Then said Ahimaaz the son of ch. 15. 27. Zadok, Let me now run, and bear the king tidings, how that the LORD hath Savenged him of his enemies. 20 And Joab said unto him, Thou shalt not 9 bear tidings this day, but thou shalt bear tidings another day: but this day thou shalt bear no tidings, because the king's son is dead. 21 Then said Joab to Cushi, Go tell the king what thou hast seen. And Cushi bowed himself unto Joab, and ran. 8 Heb. judged him from the hand, fc. 9 Heb. be a man of tidings. 10 Heb. salvation, or, deliverance. 1 Sa. 11. 9, 13. ch. 23. 10, 12 22 Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok yet again to Joab, But 11 howsoever, let me, I pray thee, also run after Cushi.ver. And Joab said, Wherefore wilt thou run, my son, seeing that thou hast no tidings 12 ready? 32. ch. 18. 4, 24. 11 Heb. be what may. k ch. 15. 30. 12 Or, convenient. 23 But howsoever, said he, let me run. And he said unto him, Run. Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the plain, and | Deu. 34. 3. overran Cushi. 24 And David sat between the two gates: and "the watchman went up to the roof over the gate unto the wall, and lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold a man running alone. 25 And the watchman cried, and told the king. And the king said, If he be alone, there is tidings in his mouth. And he came apace, and drew near. 26 And the watchman saw another man running and the watchman called unto the porter, and said, Behold another man running alone. And the king said, He also bringeth tidings. 27 And the watchman said, 16 Me thinketh the running of the foremost is "like the running of Ähimaaz the son of Zadok. m ch. 13. 34. 2 Ki. 9. 17. 13 Heb. By loving, fe. 14 Heh, that princes or servants are not to thee. 15 Heb. to the heart of thy servants. 16 Heb. I see the running. n Cp. 2 Ki. 9. 20. David mourneth for him. And the king said, "He is a good man, and cometh with good tidings. 28 And Ahimaaz called, and said unto the king, 2 All is well. And he fell down to the earth upon his face before the king, and said, Blessed be the LORD thy God, which hath 3delivered up the men that lifted up their hand against my lord the king. 29 And the king said, Is the young man Absalom safe? And Ahimaaz anSwered, When Joab sent the king's servant, and me thy servant, I saw a great tumult, but I knew not what it was. 30 And the king said unto him, Turn aside, and stand here. And he turned aside, and stood still. 31 And, behold, Cushi came; and Cushi said, Tidings, my lord the king: for the LORD hath avenged thee this day of all them that rose up against thee. 32 And the king said unto Cushi, Is the young man Absalom safe? And Cushi answered, dThe enemies of my lord the king, and all that rise against thee to do thee hurt, be as that young man is. 33 And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept: and as he went, thus he said, O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son! 2 And the 10 victory that day was turned into mourning unto all the people: for the people heard say that day how the king was grieved for his son. 3 And the people gat them by stealth that day into the city, as people being ashamed steal away when they flee in battle. 4 But the king kcovered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son! 5 And Joab came into the house to the king, and said, Thou hast shamed this day the faces of all thy servants, which this day have saved thy life, and the lives of thy sons and of thy daughters, and the lives of thy wives, and the lives of thy concubines; 6 13 In that thou lovest thine enemies. and hatest thy friends. For thou hast declared this day, 14that thou regardest neither princes nor servants: for this day I perceive, that if Absalom had lived, and all we had died this day, then it had pleased thee well. 7 Now therefore arise, go forth, and speak 15 comfortably unto thy servants: for I swear by the LORD, if thou go not forth, there will not tarry one with thee this night: and that will be worse unto thee than all the evil that befell thee from thy youth until now. Zadoke ch. 15. 24-29. So ch. 16. 17. 11 And king David sent to and to Abiathar the priests, saying, Speak unto the elders of Judah, saying, Why are ye the last to bring the king back to his house? seeing the speech of all Israel is come to the king, even to his house. 12 Ye are my brethren, ye are my 9 ch. 5. 1. bones and my flesh: wherefore then are ye the last to bring back the king? 13 And say ye to Amasa, Art thou notch. 17. 25. of my bone, and of my flesh? God do so to me, and more also, if thou be not /captain of the host before me continually in the room of Joab. See Ge. 29. h ch. 16. 3. Ru. 1. 17. k 1 Sa. 29. 9. 12 Ki. 4. 13. 2 Heb. men of death. m ch. 9. 7, 10, 13. 14 And he bowed the heart of all the men of Judah, " even as the heart of one man; so that they sent this word unto then Judg. 20. L. king, Return thou, and all thy servants. 15 Se the king returned, and came to Jordan. And Judah came to " Gilgal, to o Jos. 5. 9. go to meet the king, to conduct the king over Jordan. p ch. 16. 5. 1 Ki. 2. 8. 7 ch. 3. 16. 16 And Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite, which was of Bahurim, hasted and came down with the men of Judah to meet king David. 17 And there were a thousand men of r I Ki. 2. 7. Benjamin with him, and Ziba the ser- 8 ch. 9. 2, 10 vant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen & 16. 1-4. sons and his twenty servants with him; and they went over Jordan before the king. 18 And there went over a ferry boat to carry over the king's household, and to do 3 what he thought good. And Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king, as he was come over Jordan; 19 And said unto the king, Let not my lord impute iniquity unto me, neither do thou remember that which thy servant "did perversely the day that my lord the king went out of Jerusalem, that the king should "take it to his heart. 20 For thy servant doth know that I have sinned: therefore, behold, I am come the first this day of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king. 21 But Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered and said, Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the LORD'S anointed? 22 And David said, "What have I to do 1 ch. 17. 27. 3 Heb. the good in his eyes. 4 Heb. Howe many days are the years of my life. u ch. 7. 14. v ch. 13. 33, w 1 Ki. 11. 28. Am. 5. 6. r Ex. 22. 28. ch. 16. 7. y ch. 16. 10. 1 Sa. 26. 6. unto Jerusalem. with you, ye sons of Zeruiah, that ye should this day be adversaries unto me? "shall there any man be put to death this day in Israel? for do not I know that I am this day king over Israel? 23 Therefore the king said unto Shimei, Thou shalt not die. And the king sware unto him. 24 And d Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king, and had neither dressed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came again in peace. 25 And it came to pass, when he was come to Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said unto him, Wherefore wentest not thou with me, Mephibosheth? 26 And he answered, My lord, O king, my servant deceived me: for thy servant said, I will saddle me an ass, that I may ride thereon, and go to the king; because thy servant is lame. 27 And he hath slandered thy servant unto my lord the king; but my lord the king is kas an angel of God: do therefore what is good in thine eyes. 28 For all of my father's house were but 2 dead men before my lord the king: yet didst thou set thy servant among them that did eat at thine own table. What right therefore have I yet to cry any more unto the king? 29 And the king said unto him, Why speakest thou any more of thy matters? I have said, Thou and Ziba divide the land. 30 And Mephibosheth said unto the king, Yea, let him take all, forasmuch as my lord the king is come again in peace unto his own house. 31 T And Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim, and went over Jordan with the king, to conduct him over Jordan. 32 Now Barzillai was a very aged man, even fourscore years old: and the had provided the king of sustenance while he lay at Mahanaim; for he was a very great man. 33 And the king said unto Barzillai, Come thou over with me, and I will feed thee with me in Jerusalem. 34 And Barzillai said unto the king, 4 How long have I to live, that I should go up with the king unto Jerusalem? 35 I am this day fourscore years old: and can I discern between good and evil? can thy servant taste what I eat or what I drink? can I hear any more the voice of singing men and singing women? wherefore then should thy servant be yet a burden unto my lord the king? 36 Thy servant will go a little way over Jordan with the king: and why should the king recompense it me with such a reward? |