1
After this, Absalom provided a chariot and horses for himself, and an escort of fifty men.
2
He would get up early and go and stand by the road at the city gate. Whenever someone came there with a dispute that he wanted the king to settle, Absalom would call him over and ask him where he was from. And after the man had told him what tribe he was from,
3
Absalom would say, "Look, the law is on your side, but there is no representative of the king to hear your case."
4
And he would add, "How I wish I were a judge! Then anyone who had a dispute or a claim could come to me, and I would give him justice."
5
When the man would approach Absalom to bow down before him, Absalom would reach out, take hold of him, and kiss him.
6
Absalom did this with every Israelite who came to the king for judgment, and so he won their loyalty.
7
After four years Absalom said to King David, "Sir, let me go to Hebron and keep a promise I made to the LORD.
8
While I was living in Geshur in Syria, I promised the LORD that if he would take me back to Jerusalem, I would worship him in Hebron."
9
"Go in peace," the king said. So Absalom went to Hebron.
10
But he sent messengers to all the tribes of Israel to say, "When you hear the sound of trumpets, shout, 'Absalom has become king at Hebron!' "
11
There were two hundred men who at Absalom's invitation had gone from Jerusalem with him; they knew nothing of the plot and went in all good faith.
12
And while he was offering sacrifices, Absalom also sent to the town of Gilo for Ahithophel, who was one of King David's advisers. The plot against the king gained strength, and Absalom's followers grew in number.
13
A messenger reported to David, "The Israelites are pledging their loyalty to Absalom."
14
So David said to all his officials who were with him in Jerusalem, "We must get away at once if we want to escape from Absalom! Hurry! Or else he will soon be here and defeat us and kill everyone in the city!"
15
"Yes, Your Majesty," they answered. "We are ready to do whatever you say."
16
So the king left, accompanied by all his family and officials, except for ten concubines, whom he left behind to take care of the palace.
17
As the king and all his men were leaving the city, they stopped at the last house.
18
All his officials stood next to him as the royal bodyguards passed by in front of him. The six hundred soldiers who had followed him from Gath also passed by,
19
and the king said to Ittai, their leader, "Why are you going with us? Go back and stay with the new king. You are a foreigner, a refugee away from your own country.
20
You have lived here only a short time, so why should I make you wander around with me? I don't even know where I'm going. Go back and take all your people with you---and may the LORD be kind and faithful to you."
21
But Ittai answered, "Your Majesty, I swear to you in the LORD's name that I will always go with you wherever you go, even if it means death."
22
"Fine!" David answered. "March on!" So Ittai went on with all his men and their dependents.
23
The people cried loudly as David's followers left. The king crossed Kidron Brook, followed by his men, and together they went out toward the wilderness.
24
Zadok the priest was there, and with him were the Levites, carrying the sacred Covenant Box. They set it down and didn't pick it up again until all the people had left the city. The priest Abiathar was there too.
25
Then the king said to Zadok, "Take the Covenant Box back to the city. If the LORD is pleased with me, some day he will let me come back to see it and the place where it stays.
26
But if he isn't pleased with me---well, then, let him do to me what he wishes."
27
And he went on to say to Zadok, "Look, take your son Ahimaaz and Abiathar's son Jonathan and go back to the city in peace.
28
Meanwhile, I will wait at the river crossings in the wilderness until I receive news from you."
29
So Zadok and Abiathar took the Covenant Box back into Jerusalem and stayed there.
30
David went on up the Mount of Olives crying; he was barefoot and had his head covered as a sign of grief. All who followed him covered their heads and cried also.
31
When David was told that Ahithophel had joined Absalom's rebellion, he prayed, "Please, LORD, turn Ahithophel's advice into nonsense!"
32
When David reached the top of the hill, where there was a place of worship, his trusted friend Hushai the Archite met him with his clothes torn and with dirt on his head.
33
David said to him, "You will be of no help to me if you come with me,
34
but you can help me by returning to the city and telling Absalom that you will now serve him as faithfully as you served his father. And do all you can to oppose any advice that Ahithophel gives.
35
The priests Zadok and Abiathar will be there; tell them everything you hear in the king's palace.
36
They have their sons Ahimaaz and Jonathan with them, and you can send them to me with all the information you gather."
37
So Hushai, David's friend, returned to the city just as Absalom was arriving.
1
When David had gone a little beyond the top of the hill, he was suddenly met by Ziba, the servant of Mephibosheth, who had with him a couple of donkeys loaded with two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred bunches of raisins, a hundred bunches of fresh fruit, and a leather bag full of wine.
2
King David asked him, "What are you going to do with all that?" Ziba answered, "The donkeys are for Your Majesty's family to ride, the bread and the fruit are for the men to eat, and the wine is for them to drink when they get tired in the wilderness."
3
"Where is Mephibosheth, the grandson of your master Saul?" the king asked him. "He is staying in Jerusalem," Ziba answered, "because he is convinced that the Israelites will now restore to him the kingdom of his grandfather Saul."
4
The king said to Ziba, "Everything that belonged to Mephibosheth is yours." "I am your servant," Ziba replied. "May I always please Your Majesty!"
5
When King David arrived at Bahurim, one of Saul's relatives, Shimei son of Gera, came out to meet him, cursing him as he came.
6
Shimei started throwing stones at David and his officials, even though David was surrounded by his men and his bodyguards.
7
Shimei cursed him and said, "Get out! Get out! Murderer! Criminal!
8
You took Saul's kingdom, and now the LORD is punishing you for murdering so many of Saul's family. The LORD has given the kingdom to your son Absalom, and you are ruined, you murderer!"
9
Abishai, whose mother was Zeruiah, said to the king, "Your Majesty, why do you let this dog curse you? Let me go over there and cut off his head!"
10
"This is none of your business," the king said to Abishai and his brother Joab. "If he curses me because the LORD told him to, who has the right to ask why he does it?"
11
And David said to Abishai and to all his officials, "My own son is trying to kill me; so why should you be surprised at this Benjaminite? The LORD told him to curse; so leave him alone and let him do it.
12
Perhaps the LORD will notice my misery and give me some blessings to take the place of his curse."
13
So David and his men continued along the road. Shimei kept up with them, walking on the hillside; he was cursing and throwing stones and dirt at them as he went.
14
The king and all his men were worn out when they reached the Jordan, and there they rested.
15
Absalom and all the Israelites with him entered Jerusalem, and Ahithophel was with them.
16
When Hushai, David's trusted friend, met Absalom, he shouted, "Long live the king! Long live the king!"
17
"What has happened to your loyalty to your friend David?" Absalom asked him. "Why didn't you go with him?"
18
Hushai answered, "How could I? I am for the one chosen by the LORD, by these people, and by all the Israelites. I will stay with you.
19
After all, whom should I serve, if not my master's son? As I served your father, so now I will serve you."
20
Then Absalom turned to Ahithophel and said, "Now that we are here, what do you advise us to do?"
21
Ahithophel answered, "Go and have intercourse with your father's concubines whom he left behind to take care of the palace. Then everyone in Israel will know that your father regards you as his enemy, and your followers will be greatly encouraged."
22
So they set up a tent for Absalom on the palace roof, and in the sight of everyone Absalom went in and had intercourse with his father's concubines.
23
Any advice that Ahithophel gave in those days was accepted as though it were the very word of God; both David and Absalom followed it.
1
Happy are those whose sins are forgiven, whose wrongs are pardoned.
2
Happy is the one whom the LORD does not accuse of doing wrong and who is free from all deceit.
3
When I did not confess my sins, I was worn out from crying all day long.
4
Day and night you punished me, LORD; my strength was completely drained, as moisture is dried up by the summer heat.
5
Then I confessed my sins to you; I did not conceal my wrongdoings. I decided to confess them to you, and you forgave all my sins.
6
So all your loyal people should pray to you in times of need; when a great flood of trouble comes rushing in, it will not reach them.
7
You are my hiding place; you will save me from trouble. I sing aloud of your salvation, because you protect me.
8
The LORD says, "I will teach you the way you should go; I will instruct you and advise you.
9
Don't be stupid like a horse or a mule, which must be controlled with a bit and bridle to make it submit."
10
The wicked will have to suffer, but those who trust in the LORD are protected by his constant love.
11
You that are righteous, be glad and rejoice because of what the LORD has done. You that obey him, shout for joy!
1
"At that time the Kingdom of heaven will be like this. Once there were ten young women who took their oil lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.
2
Five of them were foolish, and the other five were wise.
3
The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any extra oil with them,
4
while the wise ones took containers full of oil for their lamps.
5
The bridegroom was late in coming, so they began to nod and fall asleep.
6
"It was already midnight when the cry rang out, 'Here is the bridegroom! Come and meet him!'
7
The ten young women woke up and trimmed their lamps.
8
Then the foolish ones said to the wise ones, 'Let us have some of your oil, because our lamps are going out.'
9
'No, indeed,' the wise ones answered, 'there is not enough for you and for us. Go to the store and buy some for yourselves.'
10
So the foolish ones went off to buy some oil; and while they were gone, the bridegroom arrived. The five who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast, and the door was closed.
11
"Later the others arrived. 'Sir, sir! Let us in!' they cried out.
12
'Certainly not! I don't know you,' the bridegroom answered."
13
And Jesus concluded, "Watch out, then, because you do not know the day or the hour.
14
"At that time the Kingdom of heaven will be like this. Once there was a man who was about to leave home on a trip; he called his servants and put them in charge of his property.
15
He gave to each one according to his ability: to one he gave five thousand gold coins, to another he gave two thousand, and to another he gave one thousand. Then he left on his trip.
16
The servant who had received five thousand coins went at once and invested his money and earned another five thousand.
17
In the same way the servant who had received two thousand coins earned another two thousand.
18
But the servant who had received one thousand coins went off, dug a hole in the ground, and hid his master's money.
19
"After a long time the master of those servants came back and settled accounts with them.
20
The servant who had received five thousand coins came in and handed over the other five thousand. 'You gave me five thousand coins, sir,' he said. 'Look! Here are another five thousand that I have earned.'
21
'Well done, you good and faithful servant!' said his master. 'You have been faithful in managing small amounts, so I will put you in charge of large amounts. Come on in and share my happiness!'
22
Then the servant who had been given two thousand coins came in and said, 'You gave me two thousand coins, sir. Look! Here are another two thousand that I have earned.'
23
'Well done, you good and faithful servant!' said his master. 'You have been faithful in managing small amounts, so I will put you in charge of large amounts. Come on in and share my happiness!'
24
Then the servant who had received one thousand coins came in and said, 'Sir, I know you are a hard man; you reap harvests where you did not plant, and you gather crops where you did not scatter seed.
25
I was afraid, so I went off and hid your money in the ground. Look! Here is what belongs to you.'
26
'You bad and lazy servant!' his master said. 'You knew, did you, that I reap harvests where I did not plant, and gather crops where I did not scatter seed?
27
Well, then, you should have deposited my money in the bank, and I would have received it all back with interest when I returned.
28
Now, take the money away from him and give it to the one who has ten thousand coins.
29
For to every person who has something, even more will be given, and he will have more than enough; but the person who has nothing, even the little that he has will be taken away from him.
30
As for this useless servant---throw him outside in the darkness; there he will cry and gnash his teeth.'
31
"When the Son of Man comes as King and all the angels with him, he will sit on his royal throne,
32
and the people of all the nations will be gathered before him. Then he will divide them into two groups, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
33
He will put the righteous people at his right and the others at his left.
34
Then the King will say to the people on his right, 'Come, you that are blessed by my Father! Come and possess the kingdom which has been prepared for you ever since the creation of the world.
35
I was hungry and you fed me, thirsty and you gave me a drink; I was a stranger and you received me in your homes,
36
naked and you clothed me; I was sick and you took care of me, in prison and you visited me.'
37
The righteous will then answer him, 'When, Lord, did we ever see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you a drink?
38
When did we ever see you a stranger and welcome you in our homes, or naked and clothe you?
39
When did we ever see you sick or in prison, and visit you?'
40
The King will reply, 'I tell you, whenever you did this for one of the least important of these followers of mine, you did it for me!'
41
"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Away from me, you that are under God's curse! Away to the eternal fire which has been prepared for the Devil and his angels!
42
I was hungry but you would not feed me, thirsty but you would not give me a drink;
43
I was a stranger but you would not welcome me in your homes, naked but you would not clothe me; I was sick and in prison but you would not take care of me.'
44
Then they will answer him, 'When, Lord, did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and we would not help you?'
45
The King will reply, 'I tell you, whenever you refused to help one of these least important ones, you refused to help me.'
46
These, then, will be sent off to eternal punishment, but the righteous will go to eternal life."
