[Ohio-Communities-of-Faith] {Spam?} DONNIE DAILY GEMS FOR SUNDAY APRIL 3

[Donnie Parrett]

DONNIE DAILY GEMS FOR SUNDAY APRIL 3

DAILY BIBLE READING

2 Samuel 16-18 New King James Version
Mephibosheth’s Servant

16 When David was a little past the top of the mountain, there was Ziba the
servant of Mephibosheth, who met him with a couple of saddled donkeys, and
on them two hundred loaves of bread, one hundred clusters of raisins, one
hundred summer fruits, and a skin of wine. 2 And the king said to Ziba,
“What
do you mean to do with these?”

So Ziba said, “The donkeys are for the king’s household to ride on, the
bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat, and the wine for those who
are
faint in the wilderness to drink.”

3 Then the king said, “And where is your master’s son?”

And Ziba said to the king, “Indeed he is staying in Jerusalem, for he said,
‘Today the house of Israel will restore the kingdom of my father to me.’ ”

4 So the king said to Ziba, “Here, all that belongs to Mephibosheth is
yours.”

And Ziba said, “I humbly bow before you, that I may find favor in your
sight, my lord, O king!”

Shimei Curses David

5 Now when King David came to Bahurim, there was a man from the family of
the house of Saul, whose name wasShimei the son of Gera, coming from there.
He
came out, cursing continuously as he came.  6 And he threw 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 Also Shimei said thus when he
cursed: “Come out! Come out! You 
[a]
bloodthirsty man, you 
[b]
rogue! 8 The Lord has brought upon you all the blood of the house of Saul,
in whose place you have reigned; and the Lord has delivered the kingdom into
the hand of Absalom your son. So now you are caught in your own evil,
because you are a 
[c]
bloodthirsty man!”

9 Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead
dog curse my lord the king? Please, let me go over and take off his head!”

10 But the king said, “What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? So
let him curse, because the Lord has said to him, ‘Curse David.’ Who then
shall
say, ‘Why have you done so?’ ”

11 And David said to Abishai and all his servants, “See how my son who came
from my own body seeks my life. How much more now may this Benjamite? Let
him
alone, and let him curse; for so the Lord has ordered him. 12 It may be that
the Lord will look on 
[d]
my affliction, and that the Lord will repay me with good for his cursing
this day.” 13 And as David and his men went along the road, Shimei went
along
the hillside opposite him and cursed as he went, threw stones at him and 
[e]
kicked up dust. 14 Now the king and all the people who were with him became
weary; so they refreshed themselves there.

The Advice of Ahithophel

15 Meanwhile Absalom and all the people, the men of Israel, came to
Jerusalem; and Ahithophel was with him. 16 And so it was, when Hushai the
Archite,
David’s friend, came to Absalom, that Hushai said to Absalom, “Long live the
king! Long live the king!”

17 So Absalom said to Hushai, “Is this your loyalty to your friend? Why did
you not go with your friend?”

18 And Hushai said to Absalom, “No, but whom the Lord and this people and
all the men of Israel choose, his I will be, and with him I will remain.
19 Furthermore,
whom should I serve? Should I not serve in the presence of his son? As I
have served in your father’s presence, so will I be in your presence.”

20 Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give advice as to what we should do.”

21 And Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Go in to your father’s concubines, whom
he has left to keep the house; and all Israel will hear that you are
abhorred
by your father. Then the hands of all who are with you will be strong.”
22 So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the top of the house, and Absalom
went
in to his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.

23 Now the advice of Ahithophel, which he gave in those days, was as if one
had inquired at the oracle of God. So was all the advice of Ahithophel both
with David and with Absalom.

The Advice of Ahithophel and Hushai

17 Moreover Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Now let me choose twelve thousand
men, and I will arise and pursue David tonight.  2 I will come upon him
while
he isweary and weak, and make him 
[f]
afraid. And all the people who are with him will flee, and I will strike
only the king. 3 Then I will bring back all the people to you. When all
return
except the man whom you seek, all the people will be at peace.”  4 And the
saying pleased Absalom and all the elders of Israel.

The Advice of Hushai

5 Then Absalom said, “Now call Hushai the Archite also, and let us hear what
he says too.” 6 And when Hushai came to Absalom, Absalom spoke to him,
saying,
“Ahithophel has spoken in this manner. Shall we do as he says? If not, speak
up.”

7 So Hushai said to Absalom: “The advice that Ahithophel has given is not
good at this time.  8 For,” said Hushai, “you know your father and his men,
that
they are mighty men, and they are enraged in their minds, like a bear robbed
of her cubs in the field; and your father is a man of war, and will not camp
with the people.  9 Surely by now he is hidden in some pit, or in some other
place. And it will be, when some of them are overthrown at the first, that
whoever hears it will say, ‘There is a slaughter among the people who follow
Absalom.’ 10 And even he who is valiant, whose heart is like the heart of
a lion, will melt completely. For all Israel knows that your father is a
mighty man, and those who are with him are valiant men. 11 Therefore I
advise
that all Israel be fully gathered to you, from Dan to Beersheba, like the
sand that is by the sea for multitude, and that you go to battle in person. 
12 So we will come upon him in some place where he may be found, and we will
fall on him as the dew falls on the ground. And of him and all the men who
are with him there shall not be left so much as one. 13 Moreover, if he has
withdrawn into a city, then all Israel shall bring ropes to that city; and
we will pull it into the river, until there is not one small stone found
there.”

14 So Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The advice of Hushai the
Archite is better than the advice of Ahithophel.” For the Lord had purposed
to
defeat the good advice of Ahithophel, to the intent that the Lord might
bring disaster on Absalom.

Hushai Warns David to Escape

15 Then Hushai said to Zadok and Abiathar the priests, “Thus and so
Ahithophel advised Absalom and the elders of Israel, and thus and so I have
advised.
 16 Now therefore, send quickly and tell David, saying, ‘Do not spend this
night in the plains of the wilderness, but speedily cross over, lest the
king
and all the people who are with him be swallowed up.’ ” 17 Now Jonathan and
Ahimaaz stayed at En Rogel, for they dared not be seen coming into the city;
so a female servant would come and tell them, and they would go and tell
King David.  18 Nevertheless a lad saw them, and told Absalom. But both of
them
went away quickly and came to a man’s house in Bahurim, who had a well in
his court; and they went down into it.  19 Then the woman took and spread a
covering
over the well’s mouth, and spread ground grain on it; and the thing was not
known.  20 And when Absalom’s servants came to the woman at the house, they
said, “Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?”

So the woman said to them, “They have gone over the water brook.”

And when they had searched and could not find them, they returned to
Jerusalem. 21 Now it came to pass, after they had departed, that they came
up out
of the well and went and told King David, and said to David, “Arise and
cross over the water quickly. For thus has Ahithophel advised against you.”
22 So
David and all the people who were with him arose and crossed over the
Jordan. By morning light not one of them was left who had not gone over the
Jordan.

23 Now when Ahithophel saw that his advice was not followed, he saddled a
donkey, and arose and went home to his house, to his city. Then he 
[g]
put his household in order, and hanged himself, and died; and he was buried
in his father’s tomb.

24 Then David went to Mahanaim. And Absalom crossed over the Jordan, he and
all the men of Israel with him.  25 And Absalom made Amasa captain of the
army
instead of Joab. This Amasa was the son of a man whose name was 
[h]
Jithra, an 
[i]
Israelite, who had gone in to Abigail the daughter of Nahash, sister of
Zeruiah, Joab’s mother.  26 So Israel and Absalom encamped in the land of
Gilead.

27 Now it happened, when David had come to Mahanaim, that Shobi the son of
Nahash from Rabbah of the people of Ammon, Machir the son of Ammiel from Lo
Debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim,  28 brought beds and
basins, earthen vessels and wheat, barley and flour, parched grain and
beans, lentils
and parched seeds,29 honey and curds, sheep and cheese of the herd, for
David and the people who were with him to eat. For they said, “The people
are hungry
and weary and thirsty in the wilderness.”

Absalom’s Defeat and Death

18 And David 
[j]
numbered the people who were with him, and set captains of thousands and
captains of hundreds over them.  2 Then David sent out one third of the
people
under the hand of Joab, one third under the hand of Abishai the son of
Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, and one third under the hand of Ittai the Gittite.
And
the king said to the people, “I also will surely go out with you myself.”

3 But the people answered, “You shall not go out! For if we flee away, they
will not care about us; nor if half of us die, will they care about us. But
you are worth ten thousand of us now. For you are now more help to us in the
city.”

4 Then the king said to them, “Whatever seems best to you I will do.” So the
king stood beside the gate, and all the people went out by hundreds and by
thousands.  5 Now the king had commanded Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, saying,
“Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom.” And all the people
heard
when the king gave all the captains orders concerning Absalom.

6 So the people went out into the field of battle against Israel. And the
battle was in the woods of Ephraim.  7 The people of Israel were overthrown
there
before the servants of David, and a great slaughter of twenty thousand took
place there that day.  8 For the battle there was scattered over the face of
the whole countryside, and the woods devoured more people that day than the
sword devoured.

9 Then Absalom met the servants of David. Absalom rode on a mule. The mule
went under the thick boughs of a great terebinth tree, and his head caught
in
the terebinth; so he was left hanging between heaven and earth. And the mule
which was under him went on. 10 Now a certain man saw it and told Joab, and
said, “I just saw Absalom hanging in a terebinth tree!”

11 So Joab said to the man who told him, “You just saw him! And why did you
not strike him there to the ground? I would have given you ten shekels of
silver
and a belt.”

12 But the man said to Joab, “Though I were to receive a thousand shekels of
silver in my hand, I would not raise my hand against the king’s son. For in
our hearing the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, saying, 
[k]
‘Beware lest anyone touch the young man Absalom!’ 13 Otherwise I would have
dealt falsely against my own life. For there is nothing hidden from the
king,
and you yourself would have set yourself against me.”

14 Then Joab said, “I cannot linger with you.” And he took three spears in
his hand and thrust them through Absalom’s heart, while he was still alive
in
the midst of the terebinth tree. 15 And ten young men who bore Joab’s armor
surrounded Absalom, and struck and killed him.

16 So Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing Israel.
For Joab held back the people.  17 And they took Absalom and cast him into a
large pit in the woods, and laid a very large heap of stones over him. Then
all Israel fled, everyone to his tent.

18 Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and set up a 
[l]
pillar for himself, which is in the King’s Valley. For he said, “I have no
son to keep my name in remembrance.” He called the pillar after his own
name.
And to this day it is called Absalom’s Monument.

David Hears of Absalom’s Death

19 Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, “Let me run now and take the news to
the king, how the Lord has 
[m]
avenged him of his enemies.”

20 And Joab said to him, “You shall not take the news this day, for you
shall take the news another day. But today you shall take no news, because
the
king’s son is dead.”  21 Then Joab said to the Cushite, “Go, tell the king
what you have seen.” So the Cushite bowed himself to Joab and ran.

22 And Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said again to Joab, “But 
[n]
whatever happens, please let me also run after the Cushite.”

So Joab said, “Why will you run, my son, since you have no news ready?”

23 “But whatever happens,” he said, “let me run.”

So he said to him, “Run.” Then Ahimaaz ran by way of the plain, and outran
the Cushite.

24 Now David was sitting between the two gates. And the watchman went up to
the roof over the gate, to the wall, lifted his eyes and looked, and there
was a man, running alone.  25 Then the watchman cried out and told the king.
And the king said, “If he is alone, there is news in his mouth.” And he came
rapidly and drew near.

26 Then the watchman saw another man running, and the watchman called to the
gatekeeper and said, “There is another man, running alone!”

And the king said, “He also brings news.”

27 So the watchman said, 
[o]
“I think the running of the first is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of
Zadok.”

And the king said, “He is a good man, and comes with good news.”

28 So Ahimaaz called out and said to the king, 
[p]
“All is well!” Then he bowed down with his face to the earth before the
king, and said, “Blessed be the Lord your God, who has delivered up the men
who
raised their hand against my lord the king!”

29 The king said, “Is the young man Absalom safe?”

Ahimaaz answered, “When Joab sent the king’s servant and me your servant, I
saw a great tumult, but I did not know what it was about.”

30 And the king said, “Turn aside and stand here.” So he turned aside and
stood still.

31 Just then the Cushite came, and the Cushite said, “There is good news, my
lord the king! For the Lord has avenged you this day of all those who rose
against you.”

32 And the king said to the Cushite, “Is the young man Absalom safe?”

So the Cushite answered, “May the enemies of my lord the king, and all who
rise against you to do harm, be like that young man!”

David’s Mourning for Absalom

33 Then the king was deeply moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate,
and wept. And as he went, he said thus: “O my son Absalom—my son, my son
Absalom—if
only I had died in your place! O Absalom my son, my son!”

Footnotes
list of 16 items
a. 
2 Samuel 16:7
Lit. man of bloodshed 
b. 
2 Samuel 16:7
worthless man 
c. 
2 Samuel 16:8
Lit. man of bloodshed 
d. 
2 Samuel 16:12
So with Kt., LXX, Syr., Vg.; Qr. my eyes;  Tg. tears of my eyes 
e. 
2 Samuel 16:13
Lit. dusted him with dust 
f. 
2 Samuel 17:2
tremble with fear 
g. 
2 Samuel 17:23
Lit. gave charge concerning his house 
h. 
2 Samuel 17:25
Jether,  
1 Chr. 2:17
i. 
2 Samuel 17:25
So with MT, some LXX mss., Tg.; some LXX mss. Ishmaelite  (cf. 
1 Chr. 2:17
); Vg. of Jezrael 
j. 
2 Samuel 18:1
Lit. attended to 
k. 
2 Samuel 18:12
Vss. ‘Protect the young man Absalom for me!’ 
l. 
2 Samuel 18:18
monument 
m. 
2 Samuel 18:19
vindicated 
n. 
2 Samuel 18:22
Lit. be what may 
o. 
2 Samuel 18:27
Lit. I see the running 
p. 
2 Samuel 18:28
Peace be to you