Hello, this is Father Paul, and I'm glad we're
taking this journey together to read the Bible
in a year. Today's reading is from 2 Samuel chapters
15 and 16, as well as Psalms 3 and 7. 2 Samuel
chapter 15. After this, it happened that Absalom
proved himself with chariots and horses and 50
men to run before him. Now Absalom would rise
early and stand beside the way to the gate. so
it was whenever anyone who had a lawsuit came
to the king for a decision that Absalom would
call to him and say what city are you from and
he would say your servant is from such and such
a tribe of Israel then Absalom would say to him
look your case is good and right but there is
no deputy of the king to hear you Moreover, Absalom
would say, O that I were made judge in the land,
and everyone who has any suit or cause would
come to me, then I would give him justice. And
so it was, whenever anyone came near to bow down
to him, that he would put out his hand and take
him and kiss him. In this manner Absalom acted
toward all Israel who came to the king for judgment.
So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.
Now it came to pass after forty years that Absalom
said to the king, Please let me go to Hebron
and pay the vow which I made to the Lord. For
your servant took a vow while I dwelt at Geshur
in Syria, saying, If the Lord indeed brings me
back to Jerusalem, then I will serve the Lord.
And the king said to him, Go in peace. So he
arose and went to Hebron. Then Absalom sent spies
throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying,
As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet,
then you shall say, Absalom reigns in Hebron.
And with Absalom went 200 men invited from Jerusalem,
and they went along innocently and did not know
anything. Then Absalom sent for Ahitophel the
Gilonite, David's counselor from his city, from
Gilo, while he offered sacrifices. And the conspiracy
grew strong, for the people with Absalom continually
increased in number. Now a messenger came to
David, saying, The hearts of the men of Israel
are with Absalom. So Absalom said to all his
servants who were with him at Jerusalem, Arise
and let us flee, or we shall not escape from
Absalom. make haste to depart lest he overtake
us suddenly and bring disaster upon us and strike
the city with the edge of the sword and the king's
servants said to the king we are your servants
ready to do whatever my lord the king commands
then the king went out with all his household
after him But the king left ten women, concubines,
to keep the house. And the king went out with
all the people after him and stopped at the outskirts.
Then all his servants passed before him. And
all the Caritites, all the Pellitites, and all
the Gittites, six hundred men, who had followed
him from Gad, passed before the king. Then the
king said to Etai the Gittite, Why are you also
going with us? Return and remain with the king.
For you are a foreigner and also an exile from
your own place. In fact, you came only yesterday.
Should I make you wander up and down with us
today? Since I go, I know not where. Return and
take your brethren back. Mercy and truth be with
you. But Ittai answered the king and said, As
the Lord lives, and as my lord the king lives,
surely in whatever place my lord the king shall
be, whether in death or life, even there also
your servant will be. So David said to Ittai,
Go and cross the river. Then Ittai the Gittite
and all his men and all the little ones who were
with him crossed over, and all the country wept
with a loud voice, and all the people crossed
over. The king himself also crossed over the
brook Kidron, and all the people crossed over
toward the way of the wilderness. There was Zadok
also, and all the Levites with him, bearing the
ark of the covenant of God. And they set down
the ark of God, and Abiathar went up until all
the people had finished crossing over from the
city. Then the king said to Zadok, Carry the
ark of God back into the city. If I find favor
in the eyes of the Lord, he will bring me back
and show me both it and his dwelling place. But
if he says thus, I have no delight in you, here
I am. Let him do to me as seems good to him.
The king also said to Zadok the priest, Are you
not a seer? Return to the city in peace, and
your two sons with you, Ahimaaz your son, and
Jonathan the son of Abiathar. See, I will wait
in the plains of the wilderness until word comes
from you to inform me. Therefore Zadok and Abiathar
carried the ark of God back to Jerusalem, and
they remained there. So David went up by the
ascent of the Mount of Olives and wept as he
went up. And he had his head covered and went
barefoot. And all the people who were with him
covered their heads and went up, weeping as they
went up. Then someone told David, saying, Ahithophel
is among the conspirators with Absalom. And David
said, O Lord, I pray, turn the counsel of Ahithophel
into foolishness. Now it happened when David
had come to the top of the mountain where he
worshipped God. There was Hushai the archite
coming to meet him with his robe torn and dust
on his head. David said to him, If you go on
with me, then you will become a burden to me.
But if you return to the city and say to Absalom,
I will be your servant, O king, as I was your
father's servant previously, so I will now also
be your servant. Then you may defeat the council
of Ahitophel for me. And do you not have Zadok
and Abiathar the priests with you there? Therefore
it will be that whatever you hear from the king's
house, you shall tell to Zadok and Abiathar the
priests. Indeed they have there with them their
two sons, Ahimaz, Zadok's son, and Jonathan,
Abiathar's son. And by them you shall send me
everything you hear. So Hushai, David's friend,
went into the city, and Absalom came into Jerusalem.
Psalm 3, Inscription A Psalm of David, when he
fled from Absalom his son. Lord, how they have
increased who trouble me! Many are they who rise
up against me! Many are they who say of me, there
is no help for him in God. Salah. But you, O
Lord, are a shield for me, my glory and the one
who lifts up my head. I cried to the Lord with
my voice, and he heard me from his holy hill.
Salah. I lay down and slept. I awoke, for the
Lord sustained me. I will not be afraid of ten
thousands of people who have set themselves against
me all around. Arise, O Lord, save me, O my God,
for you have struck all my enemies on the cheekbone.
You have broken the teeth of the ungodly. Salvation
belongs to the Lord. Your blessing is upon your
people. Salah 2 Samuel 16 When David was a little
past the top of the mountain, there was Ziba
the servant of Mephibosheth, who met him with
a couple of saddled donkeys, and on them two
hundred loaves of bread, one hundred clusters
of raisins, one hundred summer fruits, and a
skin of wine. And the king said to Ziba, What
do you mean to do with these? So Ziba said, The
donkeys are for the king's household to ride
on. The bread and summer fruit for the young
men to eat, and the wine are for those who are
faint in the wilderness to drink. Then the king
said, And where is your master's son? And Ziba
said to the king, Indeed he is staying in Jerusalem.
For he said, Today the house of Israel will restore
the kingdom of my father to me. So the king said
to Ziba, Here, all that belongs to Mephibosheth
is yours. And Ziba said, I humbly bow before
you, that I may find favor in your sight, my
lord, O king. Now when king David came to Bahurim,
there was a man from the family of the house
of Saul, whose name was Shimei the son of Gerah,
coming from there. He came out cursing continuously
as he came, and he threw stones at David and
at all the servants of king David, and all the
people and all the mighty men were on his right
hand and on his left. Also Shimei said thus when
he cursed, Come out, come out, you bloodthirsty
man, you rogue. The Lord has brought upon you
all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose
place you have reigned. And the Lord has delivered
the kingdom into the hand of Absalom your son.
So now you are caught in your own evil, because
you are a bloodthirsty man. Then Abishai the
son of Zeruiah said to the king, Why should this
dead dog curse my lord the king? Please let me
go over and take off his head. But the king said,
What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah?
So let him curse, because the Lord has said to
him, Curse David. Who then shall say, Why have
you done so? And David said to Abishai and all
his servants, See how my son, who came from my
own body, seeks my life. How much more now may
this Benjamite? Let him alone, and let him curse.
For so the Lord has ordered him. It may be that
the Lord will look on my affliction and that
the Lord will repay me with good for his cursing
this day. And as David and his men went along
the road, Shimei went along the hillside opposite
him and cursed as he went, threw stones at him
and kicked up dust. Now the king and all the
people who were with him became weary, so they
refreshed themselves there. Meanwhile, Absalom
and all the people, the men of Israel, came to
Jerusalem, and Ahitophel was with him. And so
it was when Hushai the archite, David's friend,
came to Absalom, that Hushai said to Absalom,
Long live the king, long live the king. So Absalom
said to Hushai, Is this your loyalty to your
friend? Why did you not go with your friend?
And Hushai said to Absalom, No, but whom the
Lord and this people and all the men of Israel
choose, his I will be, and with him I will remain.
Furthermore, whom should I serve? Should I not
serve in the presence of his son? As I have served
in your father's presence, so will I be in your
presence. Then Absalom said to Ahitophel, Give
advice as to what we should do. And Ahitophel
said to Absalom, Go into your father's concubines,
whom he has left to keep the house, and all Israel
will hear that you are abhorred by your father.
Then the hands of all who are with you will be
strong. So they pitched a tent for Absalom on
the top of the house, and Absalom went into his
father's concubines in the sight of all Israel.
Now the advice of Ahitophel, which he gave in
those days, was as if one had inquired at the
oracle of God. So was all the advice of Ahitophel,
both with David and with Absalom. Psalm 7 Inscription
A meditation of David, which he sang to the Lord
concerning the words of Cush, a Benjamite. Yes,
let him trample my life to the earth and lay
my honor in the dust. Salah. Arise, O Lord, in
your anger. Lift yourself up because of the rage
of my enemies. Rise up for me to the judgment
you have commanded, so the congregation of the
peoples shall surround you. For their sakes,
therefore, return on high. The Lord shall judge
the peoples. Judge me, O Lord, according to my
righteousness, and according to my integrity
within me. O let the wickedness of the wicked
come to an end, but establish the just. For the
righteous God tests the hearts and minds. My
defense is of God, who saves the upright in heart.
God is a just judge, and God is angry with the
wicked every day. If he does not turn back, he
will sharpen his sword. He bends his bow and
makes it ready. He also prepares for himself
instruments of death. He makes his arrows into
fiery shafts. Behold, the wicked brings forth
iniquity. Yes, he conceives trouble and brings
forth falsehood. He made a pit and dug it out,
and has fallen into the ditch which he made.
His trouble shall return upon his own head, and
his violent dealing shall come down on his own
crown. I will praise the Lord according to his
righteousness, and will sing praise to the name
of the Lord Most High. I hope you enjoyed today's
reading as much as I did and I look forward to
seeing you again tomorrow to continue on our
journey. God bless you and have a great day.