Ethan: Welcome to Immerse: the daily bible reading experience.
Day 200 and 6
then Zadok's son Ahimaaz said, Let me run to the king with the good news that the
Lord has rescued him from his enemies.
No, Joab told him, It wouldn't be good news to the king that his son is dead.
You can be my messenger another time, but not today.
Then Joab said to a man from Ethiopia, Go tell the king what you have seen.
The man bowed and ran off.
But Ahimaaz continued to plead with Joab, Whatever happens, please let me go too.
Why should you go, my son?
Joab replied.
There will be no reward for your news.
Yes, but let me go anyway, he begged.
Joab finally said, All right, go ahead.
So Ahimaaz took the less demanding route by way of the plain and ran
to Mahanaim ahead of the Ethiopian.
While David was sitting between the inner and outer gates of the
town, The watchman climbed to the roof of the gateway by the wall.
As he looked, he saw a lone man running toward them.
He shouted the news down to David, and the king replied, If he is alone, he has news.
As the messenger came closer, the watchman saw another man running toward them.
He shouted down, Here comes another one.
The king replied, He also will have news.
The first man runs like Ahimaaz, son of Zadok, the watchman said.
He is a good man and comes with good news, the king replied.
Then Ahimaaz cried out to the king, Everything is all right.
He bowed before the king with his face to the ground and said, Praise
to the Lord your God, who has handed over the rebels who dared
to stand against my lord the king.
What about young Absalom?
The king demanded.
Is he all right?
Ahimaaz replied.
When Joab told me to come, there was a lot of commotion, but I
didn't know what was happening.
Wait here, the king told him.
So Ahimaaz stepped aside.
Then the man from Ethiopia arrived and said, I have good
news for my lord the king.
Today the lord has rescued you from all those who rebelled against you.
What about young Absalom?
The king demanded.
Is he all right?
And the Ethiopian replied, May all of your enemies, my lord the
king, both now and in the future, share the fate of that young man.
The king was overcome with emotion.
He went up to the room over the gateway and burst into tears.
And as he went, he cried, Oh, my son, Absalom!
My son!
My son, Absalom!
If only I had died instead of you!
Oh, Absalom!
My son!
Word soon reached Joab that the king was weeping and mourning for Absalom.
As all the people heard of the king's deep grief for his son, the joy of that day's
victory was turned into deep sadness.
They crept back into the town that day as though they were ashamed
and had deserted in battle.
The king covered his face with his hands and kept on crying, Oh, my son,
Absalom, Oh, Absalom, my son, my son.
Then Joab went to the king's room and said to him, We saved your life today.
And the lives of your sons, your daughters, and your wives and concubines.
Yet you act like this, making us feel ashamed of ourselves.
You seem to love those who hate you, and hate those who love you.
You have made it clear today that your commanders and troops mean nothing to you.
It seems that if Absalom had lived and all of us had died, you would be pleased.
Now go out there and congratulate your troops, for I swear by the Lord
that if you don't go out, not a single one of them will remain here tonight.
Then you will be worse off than ever before.
So the king went out and took his seat at the town gate, and as the
news spread throughout the town that he was there, Everyone went to him.
Meanwhile, the Israelites who had supported Absalom fled to their homes.
And throughout all the tribes of Israel, there was much
discussion and argument going on.
The people were saying, The king rescued us from our enemies and
saved us from the Philistines.
But Absalom chased him out of the country.
Now Absalom, whom we anointed to rule over us, is dead.
Why not ask David to come back and be our king again?
Then King David sent Zadok and Abiathar, the priests.
To say to the elders of Judah, Why are you the last ones to welcome
back the king into his palace?
For I have heard that all Israel is ready.
You are my relatives, my own tribe, my own flesh and blood.
So why are you the last ones to welcome back the king?
And David told them to tell Amasa, Since you are my own flesh and blood,
like Joab, may God strike me and even kill me if I do not appoint you as
commander of my army in his place.
Then Amasa convinced all the men of Judah, and they responded unanimously.
They sent word to the king, Return to us, and bring back all who are with you.
So the king started back to Jerusalem, and when he arrived at the Jordan River,
the people of Judah came to Gilgal to meet him and escort him across the river.
Shimei, son of Gera, the man from Behurim in Benjamin, hurried across with the
men of Judah to welcome King David.
A thousand other men from the tribe of Benjamin were with him,
including Ziba, the chief servant of the house of Saul, and Ziba's
fifteen sons and twenty servants.
They rushed down to the Jordan to meet the king.
They crossed the shallows of the Jordan to bring the king's
household across the river, helping him in every way they could.
As the king was about to cross the river, Shimei fell down before him.
My lord the king, please forgive me, he pleaded.
Forget the terrible thing your servant did when you left Jerusalem.
May the king put it out of his mind.
I know how much I sinned.
That is why I have come here today, the very first person in all
Israel to greet my lord the king.
Then Abishai, son of Zeruiah, said, Shimei should die, for he
cursed the Lord's anointed king.
Who asked your opinion, you sons of Zeruiah?
David exclaimed, Why have you become my adversary today?
This is not a day for execution, for today I am once again the king of Israel.
Then, turning to Shimei, David vowed, Your life will be spared.
Now Mephibosheth, Saul's grandson, came down from Jerusalem to meet the king.
He had not cared for his feet, trimmed his beard, or washed his clothes
since the day the king left Jerusalem.
Why didn't you come with me, Mephibosheth?
The king asked him.
Mephibosheth replied, My lord the king, my servant Ziba deceived me.
I told him, Saddle my donkey so I can go with the king,
for as you know I am crippled.
Ziba has slandered me by saying that I refused to come, but I know that
my lord the king is like an angel of God, so do what you think is best.
All my relatives and I could expect only death from you, my lord, but
instead you have honored me by allowing me to eat at your own table.
What more can I ask?
You've said enough, David replied.
I've decided that you and Ziba will divide your land equally between you.
Give him all of it, Mephibosheth said.
I am content just to have you safely back again, my lord the king.