2 Samuel 13

• 1. David's son Absalom had a beautiful sister named Tamar. And Amnon, her half brother, fell desperately in love with her.
• 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.
• 3. Now Amnon had a very crafty friend--his cousin Jonadab. He was the son of David's brother Shimea.
• 4. One day Jonadab said to Amnon, "What's the trouble? Why should the son of a king look so dejected morning after morning?" So Amnon told him, "I am in love with Tamar, Absalom's sister."
• 5. "Well," Jonadab said, "I'll tell you what to do. Go back to bed and pretend you are sick. When your father comes to see you, ask him to let Tamar come and prepare some food for you. Tell him you'll feel better if she feeds you."
• 6. So Amnon pretended to be sick. And when the king came to see him, Amnon asked him, "Please let Tamar come to take care of me and cook something for me to eat."
• 7. So David agreed and sent Tamar to Amnon's house to prepare some food for him.
• 8. When Tamar arrived at Amnon's house, she went to the room where he was lying down so he could watch her mix some dough. Then she baked some special bread for him.
• 9. But when she set the serving tray before him, he refused to eat. "Everyone get out of here," Amnon told his servants. So they all left.
• 10. Then he said to Tamar, "Now bring the food into my bedroom and feed it to me here." So Tamar took it to him.
• 11. But as she was feeding him, he grabbed her and demanded, "Come to bed with me, my darling sister."
• 12. "No, my brother!" she cried. "Don't be foolish! Don't do this to me! You know what a serious crime it is to do such a thing in Israel.
• 13. Where could I go in my shame? And you would be called one of the greatest fools in Israel. Please, just speak to the king about it, and he will let you marry me."
• 14. But Amnon wouldn't listen to her, and since he was stronger than she was, he raped her.
• 15. Then suddenly Amnon's love turned to hate, and he hated her even more than he had loved her. "Get out of here!" he snarled at her.
• 16. "No, no!" Tamar cried. "To reject me now is a greater wrong than what you have already done to me." But Amnon wouldn't listen to her.
• 17. He shouted for his servant and demanded, "Throw this woman out, and lock the door behind her!"
• 18. So the servant put her out. She was wearing a long, beautiful robe, as was the custom in those days for the king's virgin daughters.
• 19. But now Tamar tore her robe and put ashes on her head. And then, with her face in her hands, she went away crying.
• 20. Her brother Absalom saw her and asked, "Is it true that Amnon has been with you? Well, don't be so upset. Since he's your brother anyway, don't worry about it." So Tamar lived as a desolate woman in Absalom's house.
• 21. When King David heard what had happened, he was very angry.
• 22. And though Absalom never spoke to Amnon about it, he hated Amnon deeply because of what he had done to his sister.
• 23. Two years later, when Absalom's sheep were being sheared at Baal-hazor near Ephraim, Absalom invited all the king's sons to come to a feast.
• 24. He went to the king and said, "My sheep-shearers are now at work. Would the king and his servants please come to celebrate the occasion with me?"
• 25. The king replied, "No, my son. If we all came, we would be too much of a burden on you." Absalom pressed him, but the king wouldn't come, though he sent his thanks.
• 26. "Well, then," Absalom said, "if you can't come, how about sending my brother Amnon instead?Why Amnon?" the king asked.
• 27. But Absalom kept on pressing the king until he finally agreed to let all his sons attend, including Amnon.
• 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 at Absalom's signal they murdered Amnon. Then the other sons of the king jumped on their mules and fled.
• 30. As they were on the way back to Jerusalem, this report reached David: "Absalom has killed all your sons; not one is left alive!"
• 31. The king jumped up, tore his robe, and fell prostrate on the ground. His advisers also tore their clothes in horror and sorrow.
• 32. But just then Jonadab, the son of David's brother Shimea, arrived and said, "No, not all your sons have been killed! It was only Amnon! Absalom has been plotting this ever since Amnon raped his sister Tamar.
• 33. No, your sons aren't all dead! It was only Amnon."
• 34. Meanwhile Absalom escaped. Then the watchman on the Jerusalem wall saw a great crowd coming toward the city from the west. He ran to tell the king, "I see a crowd of people coming from the Horonaim road along the side of the hill."
• 35. "Look!" Jonadab told the king. "There they are now! Your sons are coming, just as I said."
• 36. They soon arrived, weeping and sobbing, and the king and his officials wept bitterly with them.
• 37. And David mourned many days for his son Amnon. Absalom fled to his grandfather, Talmai son of Ammihud, the king of Geshur.
• 38. He stayed there in Geshur for three years.
• 39. And David, now reconciled to Amnon's death, longed to be reunited with his son Absalom.

2 Samuel 14

• 1. Joab realized how much the king longed to see Absalom.
• 2. So he sent for a woman from Tekoa who had a reputation for great wisdom. He said to her, "Pretend you are in mourning; wear mourning clothes and don't bathe or wear any perfume. Act like a woman who has been in deep sorrow for a long time.
• 3. Then go to the king and tell him the story I am about to tell you." Then Joab told her what to say.
• 4. When the woman approached the king, she fell with her face down to the floor in front of him and cried out, "O king! Help me!"
• 5. "What's the trouble?" the king asked. "I am a widow," she replied.
• 6. "My two sons had a fight out in the field. And since no one was there to stop it, one of them was killed.
• 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. "Leave it to me," the king told her. "Go home, and I'll see to it that no one touches him."
• 9. "Oh, thank you, my lord," she replied. "And I'll take the responsibility if you are criticized for helping me like this."
• 10. "Don't worry about that!" the king said. "If anyone objects, bring them to me. I can assure you they will never complain again!"
• 11. Then she said, "Please swear to me by the LORD your God that you won't let anyone take vengeance against my son. I want no more bloodshed.As surely as the LORD lives," he replied, "not a hair on your son's head will be disturbed!"
• 12. "Please let me ask one more thing of you!" she said. "Go ahead," he urged. "Speak!"
• 13. She replied, "Why don't you do as much for all the people of God as you have promised to do for me? You have convicted yourself in making this decision, because you have refused to bring home your own banished son.
• 14. All of us must die eventually. Our lives are like water spilled out on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again. That is why God tries to bring us back when we have been separated from him. He does not sweep away the lives of those he cares about--and neither should you!
• 15. "But I have come to plead with you for my son because my life and my son's life have been threatened. I said to myself, `Perhaps the king will listen to me
• 16. and rescue us from those who would cut us off from God's people.
• 17. Yes, the king will give us peace of mind again.' I know that you are like an angel of God and can discern good from evil. May the LORD your God be with you."
• 18. "I want to know one thing," the king replied. "Yes, my lord?" she asked.
• 19. "Did Joab send you here?" And the woman replied, "My lord the king, how can I deny it? Nobody can hide anything from you. Yes, Joab sent me and told me what to say.
• 20. He did it to place the matter before you in a different light. But you are as wise as an angel of God, and you understand everything that happens among us!"
• 21. So the king sent for Joab and told him, "All right, go and bring back the young man Absalom."
• 22. Joab fell to the ground before the king and blessed him and said, "At last I know that I have gained your approval, for you have granted me this request!"
• 23. Then Joab went to Geshur and brought Absalom back to Jerusalem.
• 24. But the king gave this order: "Absalom may go to his own house, but he must never come into my presence." So Absalom did not see the king.
• 25. Now no one in Israel was as handsome as Absalom. From head to foot, he was the perfect specimen of a man.
• 26. He cut his hair only once a year, and then only because it was too heavy to carry around. When he weighed it out, it came to five pounds!
• 27. He had three sons and one daughter. His daughter's name was Tamar, and she was very beautiful.
• 28. Absalom lived in Jerusalem for two years without getting to see the king.
• 29. Then Absalom sent for Joab to ask him to intercede for him, but Joab refused to come. Absalom sent for him a second time, but again Joab refused to come.
• 30. So Absalom said to his servants, "Go and set fire to Joab's barley field, the field next to mine." So they set his field on fire, as Absalom had commanded.
• 31. Then Joab came to Absalom and demanded, "Why did your servants set my field on fire?"
• 32. And Absalom replied, "Because I wanted you to ask the king why he brought me back from Geshur if he didn't intend to see me. I might as well have stayed there. Let me see the king; if he finds me guilty of anything, then let him execute me."
• 33. So Joab told the king what Absalom had said. Then at last David summoned his estranged son, and Absalom came and bowed low before the king, and David kissed him.

2 Samuel 15

• 1. After this, Absalom bought a chariot and horses, and he hired fifty footmen to run ahead of him.
• 2. He got up early every morning and went out to the gate of the city. When people brought a case to the king for judgment, Absalom would ask where they were from, and they would tell him their tribe.
• 3. Then 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 the judge. Then people could bring their problems to me, and I would give them justice!"
• 5. And when people tried to bow before him, Absalom wouldn't let them. Instead, he took them by the hand and embraced them.
• 6. So in this way, Absalom stole the hearts of all the people of Israel.
• 7. After four years, Absalom said to the king, "Let me go to Hebron to offer a sacrifice to the LORD in fulfillment of a vow I made to him.
• 8. For while I was at Geshur, I promised to sacrifice to him in Hebron if he would bring me back to Jerusalem."
• 9. "All right," the king told him. "Go and fulfill your vow." So Absalom went to Hebron.
• 10. But while he was there, he sent secret messengers to every part of Israel to stir up a rebellion against the king. "As soon as you hear the trumpets," his message read, "you will know that Absalom has been crowned king in Hebron."
• 11. He took two hundred men from Jerusalem with him as guests, but they knew nothing of his intentions.
• 12. While he was offering the sacrifices, he sent for Ahithophel, one of David's counselors who lived in Giloh. Soon many others also joined Absalom, and the conspiracy gained momentum.
• 13. A messenger soon arrived in Jerusalem to tell King David, "All Israel has joined Absalom in a conspiracy against you!"
• 14. "Then we must flee at once, or it will be too late!" David urged his men. "Hurry! If we get out of the city before he arrives, both we and the city of Jerusalem will be spared from disaster."
• 15. "We are with you," his advisers replied. "Do what you think is best."
• 16. So the king and his household set out at once. He left no one behind except ten of his concubines to keep the palace in order.
• 17. The king and his people set out on foot, and they paused at the edge of the city
• 18. to let David's troops move past to lead the way. There were six hundred Gittites who had come with David from Gath, along with the king's bodyguard.
• 19. Then the king turned to Ittai, the captain of the Gittites, and asked, "Why are you coming with us? Go on back with your men to King Absalom, for you are a guest in Israel, a foreigner in exile.
• 20. You arrived only yesterday, and now should I force you to wander with us? I don't even know where we will go. Go on back and take your troops with you, and may the LORD show you his unfailing love and faithfulness. "
• 21. But Ittai said to the king, "I vow by the LORD and by your own life that I will go wherever you go, no matter what happens--whether it means life or death."
• 22. David replied, "All right, come with us." So Ittai and his six hundred men and their families went along.
• 23. There was deep sadness throughout the land as the king and his followers passed by. They crossed the Kidron Valley and then went out toward the wilderness.
• 24. Abiathar and Zadok and the Levites took the Ark of the Covenant of God and set it down beside the road. Then they offered sacrifices there until everyone had passed by.
• 25. David instructed Zadok to take the Ark of God back into the city. "If the LORD sees fit," David said, "he will bring me back to see the Ark and the Tabernacle again.
• 26. But if he is through with me, then let him do what seems best to him."
• 27. Then the king told Zadok the priest, "Look, here is my plan. You and Abiathar should return quietly to the city with your son Ahimaaz and Abiathar's son Jonathan.
• 28. I will stop at the shallows of the Jordan River and wait there for a message from you. Let me know what happens in Jerusalem before I disappear into the wilderness."
• 29. So Zadok and Abiathar took the Ark of God back to the city and stayed there.
• 30. David walked up the road that led to the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went. His head was covered and his feet were bare as a sign of mourning. And the people who were with him covered their heads and wept as they climbed the mountain.
• 31. When someone told David that his adviser Ahithophel was now backing Absalom, David prayed, "O LORD, let Ahithophel give Absalom foolish advice!"
• 32. As they reached the spot at the top of the Mount of Olives where people worshiped God, David found Hushai the Arkite waiting for him. Hushai had torn his clothing and put dirt on his head as a sign of mourning.
• 33. But David told him, "If you go with me, you will only be a burden.
• 34. Return to Jerusalem and tell Absalom, `I will now be your adviser, just as I was your father's adviser in the past.' Then you can frustrate and counter Ahithophel's advice.
• 35. Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, are there. Tell them the plans that are being made to capture me,
• 36. and they will send their sons Ahimaaz and Jonathan to find me and tell me what is going on."
• 37. So David's friend Hushai returned to Jerusalem, getting there just as Absalom arrived.

New Living Translation: 97 of 324 days.