September 14, 2019

2 SAMUEL 17:21 – 18:8

17:21 And after they departed, they came up out of the well and went and told King David. And they said to David, Rise up and cross quickly over the water, for thus has Ahithophel given counsel against you.
17:22 So David rose up with all the people who were with him, and they crossed over the Jordan; by morning’s light there was not one left who had not crossed over the Jordan.
17:23 And when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his donkey and rose up and went to his house in his city; and he set his house in order and hanged himself. And he died and was buried in the sepulcher of his father.
17:24 Then David came to Mahanaim. And Absalom crossed over the Jordan, he and all the men of Israel with him.
17:25 And Absalom set Amasa over the army, instead of Joab. Now Amasa was the son of a man whose name was Ithra the Israelite, who went in unto Abigail the daughter of Nahash, Zeruiah’s sister, Joab’s mother.
17:26 And Israel and Absalom camped in the land of Gilead.
17:27 And when David came to Mahanaim, Shobi the son of Nahash of Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and Machir the son of Amiel of Lo-debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite of Rogelim,
17:28 Brought beds and basins and earthen vessels and wheat and barley and meal and parched grain and beans and lentils and other parched grain
17:29 And honey and butter and sheep and cheese from the herd to David and the people who were with him for them to eat; for they said, The people are hungry and weary and thirsty in the wilderness.
18:1 Then David mustered the people who were with him, and he set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them.
18:2 And David sent the people out, a third under the hand of Joab and a third under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, and a third under the hand of Ittai the Gittite. And the king said to the people, I myself will surely go forth with you also.
18:3 But the people said, You shall not go forth; for if we flee off, they will not care about us; and if half of us die, they will not care about us. But you are worth ten thousand of us; therefore it is better for you to be available to help us from the city.
18:4 And the king said to them, What seems best in your sight I will do. So the king stood at the side of the gate, and all the people went forth by hundreds and by thousands.
18:5 And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom. And all the people heard when the king gave the command to all the captains concerning Absalom.
18:6 And the people went forth into the field against Israel, and the battle was in the forest of Ephraim.
18:7 And the people of Israel were struck there before the servants of David, and there was a great slaughter of twenty thousand there on that day.
18:8 And the battle was spread there over the face of all the land, and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.