17 May - 2 Samuel 16-18

Jude Fri Dec 28, 2018 8:19 pm

My soul doth magnify my YAH, and my spirit hath rejoiced in EL my Saviour; For HE that is mighty hath done to me great things; and Holy is HIS Name. Now unto HIM who is ever present in my helpless estate; who is able to keep me from falling and to present me faultless before the presence of His Glory with exceeding joy, unto the King Eternal, Immortal, Invisible, the only wise EL our Saviour be honour and glory and majesty, dominion and power both now and for ever Halleluyah!

2 SAMUEL 16

1And Dawiḏ had passed on a little from the summit, and saw Tsiḇa the servant of Mephiḇosheth, who met him with a couple of saddled donkeys, and on them two hundred loaves, and one hundred cakes of raisins, and one hundred summer fruit, and a skin of wine.

2And the sovereign said to Tsiḇa, “Why do you have these?” And Tsiḇa said, “The donkeys are for the sovereign’s household to ride on, and the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat, and the wine for the wearied to drink in the wilderness.”

3And the sovereign said, “And where is the son of your master?” And Tsiḇa said to the sovereign, “See, he remains in Yerushalayim, for he said, ‘Today the house of Yisra’ĕl is going to return the reign of my father to me.’ ”

4And the sovereign said to Tsiḇa, “See, all that belongs to Mephiḇosheth is yours.” And Tsiḇa said, “I have bowed myself, let me find favour in your eyes, my master, O sovereign!”

5And when Sovereign Dawiḏ came to Baḥurim he saw a man from the clan of the house of Sha’ul, whose name was Shim‛i son of Gĕra, coming from there. He came out, cursing as he came.

6And he threw Dawiḏ with stones, and all the servants of Sovereign Dawiḏ. And all the people and all the mighty men were on his right and on his left.

7And this is what Shim‛i said as he cursed, “Get out! Get out! O man of blood, and man of Beliya‛al!

8“יהוה has brought upon you all the blood of the house of Sha’ul, in whose place you have reigned. And יהוה has given the reign into the hand of Aḇshalom your son. And see, you are in your own evil, for you are a man of blood!”

9And Aḇishai son of Tseruyah said to the sovereign, “Why should this dead dog curse my master the sovereign? Please, let me pass over and take off his head!”

10And the sovereign said, “What have I to do with you, you sons of Tseruyah? For let him curse, even because יהוה has said to him, ‘Curse Dawiḏ.’ And who should say, ‘Why did you do that?’ ”

11And Dawiḏ said to Aḇishai and all his servants, “See how my son who came from my own body seeks my life, and how much more now this Binyamite? Leave him alone, and let him curse, for יהוה has spoken to him.

12“If so be, יהוה does look on my affliction, and יהוה shall return good to me for his cursing today.”

13And as Dawiḏ and his men went in the way, Shim‛i walked alongside him on the hillside, and cursed as he went, and threw stones at him and kicked up dust.

14And the sovereign and all the people who were with him became weary, and they refreshed themselves there.

15And Aḇshalom and all the people, the men of Yisra’ĕl, came to Yerushalayim, and Aḥithophel was with him.

16And it came to be, when Ḥushai the Arkite, the friend of Dawiḏ, had come to Aḇshalom, that Ḥushai said to Aḇshalom, “Let the sovereign live! Let the sovereign live!”

17And Aḇshalom said to Ḥushai, “Is this your kindness to your friend? Why did you not go with your friend?”

18And Ḥushai said to Aḇshalom, “No, I am for the one whom יהוה and this people and all the men of Yisra’ĕl have chosen, and with him I remain.

19“And besides, whom should I serve? Should it not be before his son? As I have served before your father, so I am before you.”

20And Aḇshalom said to Aḥithophel, “Give your advice. What should we do?”

21And Aḥithophel said to Aḇshalom, “Go in to your father’s concubines, whom he has left to look after the house. And all Yisra’ĕl shall hear that you have made yourself a stench to your father. And the hands of all who are with you shall be strong.”

22So they pitched a tent for Aḇshalom on the top of the house, and Aḇshalom went in to his father’s concubines before the eyes of all Yisra’ĕl.

23Now the advice Aḥithophel gave in those days was as if one had inquired at the word of Elohim. So was all the advice of Aḥithophel both to Dawiḏ and to Aḇshalom.

2 SAMUEL 17

1And Aḥithophel said to Aḇshalom, “Please let me choose twelve thousand men, and let me arise and pursue Dawiḏ tonight,

2and come upon him while he is weary and weak. And I shall make him afraid and all the people who are with him shall flee. And I shall smite the sovereign alone,

3and bring back all the people to you. When all return except the man whom you seek, all the people should be at peace.”

4And the saying pleased Aḇshalom and all the elders of Yisra’ĕl.

5But Aḇshalom said, “Now call Ḥushai the Arkite also, and let us hear what he says too.”

6And Ḥushai came to Aḇshalom, and Aḇshalom spoke to him, saying, “Aḥithophel has spoken according to this word. Should we do as he says? If not, speak up.”

7And Ḥushai said to Aḇshalom, “The advice that Aḥithophel has given is not good at this time.”

8And Ḥushai said, “You know your father and his men, that they are mighty men, and they are as bitter in being as a bear robbed of her cubs in the field. And your father is a man of battle, and would not spend the night with the people.

9“See, by now he is hidden in some pit, or in some place. And it shall be, when some of them fall at the first, that whoever hears it shall say, ‘There has been a slaughter among the people who are following Aḇshalom.’

10“And even he who is brave, whose heart is like the heart of a lion, would utterly melt. For all Yisra’ĕl knows that your father is a mighty man, and those who are with him are brave men.

11“But I advise: Let all Yisra’ĕl without fail be gathered to you, from Dan to Be’ĕrsheḇa, as numerous as the sand by the sea, and that you yourself go to battle.

12“And we shall come upon him in some place where he is found, and fall on him as the dew falls on the ground. And there shall be left of him and of all the men with him not even one.

13“And if he withdraws into a city, then all Yisra’ĕl shall bring ropes to that city. And we shall pull it into the wadi, until there is not one small stone found there.”

14Aḇshalom and all the men of Yisra’ĕl then said, “The advice of Ḥushai the Arkite is better than the advice of Aḥithophel.” For יהוה had ordained to nullify the good advice of Aḥithophel, for the sake of יהוה bringing evil upon Aḇshalom.

15Ḥushai then said to Tsaḏoq and to Eḇyathar the priests, “Aḥithophel has advised Aḇshalom and the elders of Yisra’ĕl such and such, but I have advised so and so.

16“And now, send hastily and inform Dawiḏ, saying, ‘Do not spend this night in the desert plains of the wilderness, but pass over without fail, lest the sovereign and all the people with him be swallowed up.’ ”

17And Yehonathan and Aḥima‛ats were stationed at Ěn Rog̅ĕl, and a female servant would come and inform them, and they would go and inform Sovereign Dawiḏ, for they could not be seen entering the city.

18But a youth saw them, and informed Aḇshalom. So the two of them went away at once and came to a man’s house in Baḥurim, who had a well in his courtyard, and they went down into it.

19And the woman took and spread a covering over the well’s mouth, and spread ground grain on it, so the matter was not known.

20And the servants of Aḇshalom came to the woman at the house and said, “Where are Aḥima‛ats and Yehonathan?” And the woman said to them, “They have passed over the stream of water.” And they looked and did not find them, and returned to Yerushalayim.

21And it came to be, after they had left, that they came up out of the well and went and informed Sovereign Dawiḏ, and said to Dawiḏ, “Arise and pass over the water quickly. For thus Aḥithophel has advised against you.”

22And Dawiḏ and all the people who were with him rose up and passed over the Yardĕn. And by morning light not even one remained who had not gone over the Yardĕn.

23And Aḥithophel saw that his advice was not followed, so he saddled his donkey, and rose up and went home to his house, to his city. Then he gave charge to his house, and hanged himself, and died. And he was buried in his father’s tomb.

24And Dawiḏ came to Maḥanayim. And Aḇshalom passed over the Yardĕn, he and all the men of Yisra’ĕl with him.

25And Aḇshalom appointed Amasa over the army instead of Yo’aḇ. Now Amasa was the son of a man whose name was Yithra, an Yisra’ĕlite, who had gone in to Aḇig̅ayil the daughter of Naḥash, sister of Tseruyah, Yo’aḇ’s mother.

26And Yisra’ĕl and Aḇshalom encamped in the land of Gil‛aḏ.

27And it came to be, when Dawiḏ had come to Maḥanayim, that Shoḇi son of Naḥash from Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and Maḵir son of Ammi’ĕl from Lo Ḏeḇar, and Barzillai the Gil‛aḏite from Rog̅elim,

28brought beds and basins, and earthen vessels and wheat, and barley and flour, and roasted grain and beans, and lentils, and parched vegetables,

29and honey and curds, and sheep and cheese of the herd, for Dawiḏ and the people who were with him to eat. For they said, “The people are hungry and weary and thirsty in the wilderness.”

2 SAMUEL 18

1And Dawiḏ mustered the people who were with him, and set commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds over them.

2And Dawiḏ sent out one third of the people under the hand of Yo’aḇ, and one third under the hand of Aḇishai son of Tseruyah, Yo’aḇ’s brother, and one third under the hand of Ittai the Gittite. And the sovereign said to the people, “I shall certainly go out with you too.”

3But the people answered, “Do not go out, for if we flee away, they would not set heart upon us. Even if half of us die, they would not set heart upon us. For now, ten thousand are like us. Therefore, it is better for you to support us from the city.”

4And the sovereign said to them, “That which is good in your eyes I do.” And the sovereign stood beside the gate, and all the people went out by hundreds and by thousands.

5And the sovereign ordered Yo’aḇ, and Aḇishai and Ittai, saying, “Be gentle with the young man Aḇshalom for my sake.” And all the people heard when the sovereign gave all the commanders orders concerning Aḇshalom.

6So the people went out into the field to meet Yisra’ĕl. And the battle was in the forest of Ephrayim,

7and the people of Yisra’ĕl were smitten there before the servants of Dawiḏ. And the slaughter there that day was great – twenty thousand.

8And the battle there was scattered over the face of all the land, and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.

9And when Aḇshalom met the servants of Dawiḏ, Aḇshalom was riding on a mule, and the mule went under the thick branches of a great terebinth tree, and his head caught in the terebinth. And he was suspended between the heavens and earth while the mule which was under him passed on.

10And a certain man saw it and informed Yo’aḇ, and said, “Look, I saw Aḇshalom hanging in a terebinth tree!”

11And Yo’aḇ said to the man who informed him, “Now look, you saw, and why did you not smite him to the earth there? Then I would have given you ten pieces of silver and a belt.”

12But the man answered Yo’aḇ, “Though I were to receive a thousand pieces of silver in my hand, I would not raise my hand against the son of the sovereign. Because in our hearing the sovereign ordered you and Aḇishai and Ittai, saying, ‘Take heed, you who go against the youth, against Aḇshalom!’

13“Otherwise I would have been untrue to my own life. For no matter is hidden from the sovereign, and you yourself would have set yourself against me.”

14And Yo’aḇ said, “Let me not waste time here with you.” And he took three spears in his hand and thrust them through Aḇshalom’s heart, while he was still alive in the midst of the terebinth tree.

15And ten young men who bore Yo’aḇ’s armour went around, and smote Aḇshalom and put him to death.

16And Yo’aḇ blew the ram’s horn, and the people returned from pursuing Yisra’ĕl, for Yo’aḇ had held the people back.

17And they took Aḇshalom and threw him into a large pit in the forest, and heaped a very large pile of stones over him. And all Yisra’ĕl fled, each one to his tent.

18And Aḇshalom in his lifetime had taken and set up a monument for himself, which is in the Sovereign’s Valley. For he said, “I have no son to keep my name in remembrance.” And he called the monument after his own name. And to this day it is called Aḇshalom’s Monument.

19And Aḥima‛ats son of Tsaḏoq said, “Please let me run and take the news to the sovereign, for יהוה has avenged him of his enemies.”

20But Yo’aḇ said to him, “You are not the man to take the news today, but you shall take the news another day. But today you do not take news, because the sovereign’s son is dead.”

21And Yo’aḇ said to the Kushite, “Go, inform the sovereign what you have seen.” And the Kushite bowed himself to Yo’aḇ and ran.

22And Aḥima‛ats son of Tsaḏoq said again to Yo’aḇ, “And whatever might be, please let me also run after the Kushite.” And Yo’aḇ said, “Why would you run, my son, there is no news to bring you reward.”

23“And whatever might be,” he said, “let me run.” So he said to him, “Run.” And Aḥima‛ats ran by the way of the plain, and passed the Kushite.

24Now Dawiḏ was sitting between the two gates. And the watchman went up to the roof over the gate, to the wall, and lifted his eyes and looked and saw a man, running alone.

25So the watchman called out and told the sovereign. And the sovereign said, “If he is alone, there is news in his mouth.” And he came nearer and nearer.

26And the watchman saw another man running, and the watchman called out to the gatekeeper and said, “See, a man, running by himself!” And the sovereign said, “This one is also bringing news.”

27And the watchman said, “I see the running of the first is like the running of Aḥima‛ats son of Tsaḏoq.” And the sovereign said, “This is a good man, and he comes with good news.”

28And Aḥima‛ats called out and said to the sovereign, “Peace!” Then he bowed down with his face to the earth before the sovereign, and said, “Blessed be יהוה your Elohim, who has surrendered the men who raised their hand against my master the sovereign!”

29And the sovereign said, “Peace to the young man, to Aḇshalom?” And Aḥima‛ats answered, “When Yo’aḇ sent the sovereign’s servant and me your servant, I saw a great crowd, but I did not know why.”

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

31And see, the Kushite came, and the Kushite said, “Receive news, my master the sovereign! For יהוה has avenged you this day of all those who rose against you.”

32And the sovereign said to the Kushite, “Peace to the young man, to Aḇshalom?” And the Kushite answered, “Let the enemies of my master the sovereign, and all who rise against you for evil, be as that young man is!”

33And the sovereign was shaken, and went up to the room over the gate, and wept. And as he went, he said this, “O my son Aḇshalom! My son, my son Aḇshalom, if only I had died instead of you! O Aḇshalom my son, my son!”