2 Samuel Chapter 18
Showing all 33 verses for 2 Samuel Chapter 18.
The People's Bible is written by people, for the people. Each verse below shows:
"And David numbered the people that were with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them. "
"David counted the troops who were with him and appointed commanders over units of a thousand and commanders over units of a hundred."
I don't ask you to switch off your grief to get things done - carry both. Doing the responsible next task in front of you, even with a breaking heart, is its own kind of faithfulness.
"And David sent forth a third part of the people under the hand of Joab, and a third part under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, and a third part under the hand of Ittai the Gittite. And the king said unto the people, I will surely go forth with you myself also. "
"David sent the army out in three divisions - one led by Joab, one by Joab's brother Abishai, and one by Ittai the Gittite - and told the troops, "I'm coming out with you myself.""
Wanting to stand shoulder to shoulder with people you're asking to risk their lives is a good instinct. But love sometimes means letting others insist on protecting you, even when your pride wants to be in the thick of it with them.
"But the people answered, Thou shalt not go forth: for if we flee away, they will not care for us; neither if half of us die, will they care for us: but now thou art worth ten thousand of us: therefore now it is better that thou succour us out of the city. "
"But the troops said, "You mustn't come. If we have to run, no one will care; even if half of us die, no one will care. But you are worth ten thousand of us - it's better if you stay in the city and send help from there.""
Let people who love you tell you when your safety matters more than your pride. Real strength often shows itself in accepting care, not just in giving it.
"And the king said unto them, What seemeth you best I will do. And the king stood by the gate side, and all the people came out by hundreds and by thousands. "
"The king said, "I'll do whatever you think is best," and stood by the city gate while the whole army marched out, unit by unit."
Being willing to be persuaded by people who care about you, even when you outrank them, is not weakness - it's wisdom. Love sometimes means putting down your own plan for someone else's good judgement.
"And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Deal gently for my sake with the young man, even with Absalom. And all the people heard when the king gave all the captains charge concerning Absalom. "
"The king ordered Joab, Abishai and Ittai, with everyone listening, "For my sake, be gentle with the young man Absalom." All the troops heard the king give this order about Absalom."
You can stand firmly against what someone has done and still want good for who they are. Loving someone doesn't mean excusing their actions - it means refusing to let hatred be the last word, even when they've hurt you badly.
"So the people went out into the field against Israel: and the battle was in the wood of Ephraim; "
"The troops marched out into the countryside to fight Israel, and the battle took place in the forest of Ephraim."
When rivalry and conflict are allowed to run their course, the damage often spreads further than anyone intended, catching people and circumstances that were never really the point. It's a reason to work for peace early, before things take on a momentum of their own.
"Where the people of Israel were slain before the servants of David, and there was there a great slaughter that day of twenty thousand men. "
"Israel's army was defeated by David's forces there, and the casualties were enormous - twenty thousand men died that day."
Ambition and unresolved conflict rarely stay contained to the people at the centre of it - they pull in everyone around them. Before pride or the need to win takes hold, it's worth asking who else will pay the price.
"For the battle was there scattered over the face of all the country: and the wood devoured more people that day than the sword devoured. "
"The fighting spread out across the whole region, and the forest itself killed more people that day than the fighting did."
When we set destructive things in motion, we rarely get to control exactly where the damage lands. It's worth remembering that consequences often move in ways we didn't plan and can't take back.
"And Absalom met the servants of David. And Absalom rode upon a mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak, and his head caught hold of the oak, and he was taken up between the heaven and the earth; and the mule that was under him went away. "
"Absalom ran into some of David's soldiers. He was riding his mule, and as it passed under the thick branches of a large oak tree, his head got caught in the branches. He was left hanging in mid-air while the mule kept going without him."
Things we take pride in - our looks, our reputation, our cleverness - can become traps if we build our identity on them rather than on something more solid. What we cling to for status can end up being the very thing that leaves us stuck.
"And a certain man saw it, and told Joab, and said, Behold, I saw Absalom hanged in an oak. "
"A man saw this and reported it to Joab: "I just saw Absalom hanging in an oak tree.""
Sometimes the right thing to do is simply to report what we see honestly and let those with responsibility decide what happens next, rather than taking matters into our own hands.
"And Joab said unto the man that told him, And, behold, thou sawest him, and why didst thou not smite him there to the ground? and I would have given thee ten shekels of silver, and a girdle. "
"Joab said to the man, "You saw him there and didn't kill him on the spot? I would have given you ten pieces of silver and a belt for that.""
Some people measure situations only by outcome and advantage, missing the human cost entirely. It's worth checking whether we're doing the same - treating people as obstacles or assets rather than as someone loved by another human being.
"And the man said unto Joab, Though I should receive a thousand shekels of silver in mine hand, yet would I not put forth mine hand against the king’s son: for in our hearing the king charged thee and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Beware that none touch the young man Absalom. "
"The man replied, "Even if you offered me a thousand pieces of silver, I would not lay a hand on the king's son. We all heard the king personally command you, Abishai and Ittai: 'Protect the young man Absalom, no one touch him.'""
Doing what's right sometimes means resisting pressure from people more powerful than you, even when there's a reward on offer for doing wrong. Integrity is choosing the harder, honest path when the easy path pays better.
"Otherwise I should have wrought falsehood against mine own life: for there is no matter hid from the king, and thou thyself wouldest have set thyself against me. "
"The man continued, "If I had acted deceitfully against his life, it would have put my own life at risk, because nothing stays hidden from the king - and you yourself would have turned against me for it.""
It's wise to be cautious of anyone who asks you to do something wrong "for" them but who wouldn't stand by you if it went badly. Genuine loyalty is tested by whether someone protects you when the truth comes out, not just when it's convenient.
"Then said Joab, I may not tarry thus with thee. And he took three darts in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Absalom, while he was yet alive in the midst of the oak. "
"Joab said, "I'm not going to waste time arguing with you like this." He then took three spears and drove them into Absalom's chest while Absalom was still alive, caught in the tree."
There's a real cost to deciding you know better than the people you're meant to serve, even if you believe your reasons are sound. Overriding someone else's clearly stated wishes, especially about someone they love, breaks trust in ways that are hard to repair.
"And ten young men that bare Joab’s armour compassed about and smote Absalom, and slew him. "
"Then ten of Joab's young armour-bearers surrounded Absalom and struck him until he was dead."
When we go along with a wrong that a leader or group has started, we still carry our own share of responsibility for it - "everyone else was doing it" doesn't erase our own choice to take part.
"And Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel: for Joab held back the people. "
"Joab then sounded the trumpet, and the army stopped chasing Israel's retreating soldiers, because Joab called them back."
Knowing when to stop is its own kind of wisdom. Once a conflict's central problem is resolved, continuing to punish everyone around it only adds unnecessary harm.
"And they took Absalom, and cast him into a great pit in the wood, and laid a very great heap of stones upon him: and all Israel fled every one to his tent. "
"They took Absalom's body and threw it into a large pit in the forest, then piled a huge heap of stones over it. Meanwhile, all the Israelites fled, each man back to his own home."
Ambition and rebellion built on pride and manipulation, however impressive they look at their height, tend to end in emptiness rather than glory. What we build on selfish grounds rarely leaves the legacy we hoped for.
"Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and reared up for himself a pillar, which is in the king’s dale: for he said, I have no son to keep my name in remembrance: and he called the pillar after his own name: and it is called unto this day, Absalom’s place. "
"Now, while he was alive, Absalom had set up a monument for himself in the King's Valley, because he said, "I have no son to keep my name alive." He named it after himself, and it's still called "Absalom's Monument" to this day."
Trying to guarantee your own significance through monuments, image, or self-promotion can't protect you from how your life actually turns out. Lasting worth comes from how you live and love, not from what you build to be remembered by.
"Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok, Let me now run, and bear the king tidings, how that the LORD hath avenged him of his enemies. "
"Then Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok the priest, said, "Let me run and take the news to the king, that the LORD has rescued him from his enemies.""
Enthusiasm to share good news is a fine instinct, but it's worth being sure you actually understand the whole situation before you rush in - especially when someone else's grief is involved.
"And Joab said unto him, Thou shalt not bear tidings this day, but thou shalt bear tidings another day: but this day thou shalt bear no tidings, because the king’s son is dead. "
"Joab told him, "You are not the one to carry news today - you can carry news another day. Not today, because the king's son is dead.""
Even when we're pleased with an outcome, it's worth pausing to think about how devastating news will land on someone else before rushing to share it. Compassion sometimes means holding back rather than being first.
"Then said Joab to Cushi, Go tell the king what thou hast seen. And Cushi bowed himself unto Joab, and ran. "
"So Joab told a man called Cushi, "Go tell the king what you've seen." Cushi bowed to Joab and ran off."
Sometimes the right person for a hard task isn't the one who wants it most, but the one who can carry it without being overwhelmed themselves. Wisdom includes matching the task to the person who can bear it.
"Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok yet again to Joab, But howsoever, let me, I pray thee, also run after Cushi. And Joab said, Wherefore wilt thou run, my son, seeing that thou hast no tidings ready? "
"Ahimaaz asked Joab again, "Whatever happens, please let me run after Cushi too." Joab said, "Why do you want to run, my son? You don't have any news that will bring you a reward.""
Wanting to be involved or to please someone isn't always wise if we don't fully understand what's actually happening. It's worth listening to people who can see the situation more clearly than we can, even when we're eager to act.
"But howsoever, said he, let me run. And he said unto him, Run. Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the plain, and overran Cushi. "
"Ahimaaz said, "Whatever happens, let me run." So Joab said, "Run then." Ahimaaz ran by way of the plain and overtook Cushi."
Being first or fastest isn't always the same as being the right person for the moment. Sometimes what matters most is not speed or eagerness, but being ready to handle what's actually needed when we arrive.
"And David sat between the two gates: and the watchman went up to the roof over the gate unto the wall, and lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold a man running alone. "
"David was sitting between the two gates of the city. The watchman climbed up to the roof of the gate, over the wall, looked out, and saw a man running alone."
There's something deeply human and understandable in this kind of anxious waiting for word about someone we love, regardless of what they've done. Love doesn't switch off because someone has hurt us.
"And the watchman cried, and told the king. And the king said, If he be alone, there is tidings in his mouth. And he came apace, and drew near. "
"The watchman shouted and told the king. The king said, "If he's alone, he's bringing news." The runner kept coming closer."
Even amid deep worry, we can often still function and think clearly about practical matters - anxiety doesn't have to swallow every part of us at once.
"And the watchman saw another man running: and the watchman called unto the porter, and said, Behold another man running alone. And the king said, He also bringeth tidings. "
"The watchman saw another man running and called out to the gatekeeper, "Look, another man running alone." The king said, "He's bringing news too.""
We often want to rush towards an answer, but sometimes the truth arrives in stages, and patience is required even when the wait itself is painful.
"And the watchman said, Me thinketh the running of the foremost is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok. And the king said, He is a good man, and cometh with good tidings. "
"The watchman said, "I think the way the first man runs looks like Ahimaaz, son of Zadok." The king said, "He's a good man, he'll come with good news.""
It's natural to hope that a trustworthy person brings good news, but a person's good character doesn't control the facts of what has happened. We can trust someone's integrity while still needing to brace for hard truths.
"And Ahimaaz called, and said unto the king, All is well. And he fell down to the earth upon his face before the king, and said, Blessed be the LORD thy God, which hath delivered up the men that lifted up their hand against my lord the king. "
"Ahimaaz called out, "All is well!" and bowed down before the king with his face to the ground, saying, "Blessed be the LORD your God, who has handed over the men who rebelled against my lord the king.""
Telling only part of the truth, even with good intentions, can leave someone unprepared for what's coming. Real kindness usually means being honest, even when it's hard, rather than delaying the pain.
"And the king said, Is the young man Absalom safe? And Ahimaaz answered, When Joab sent the king’s servant, and me thy servant, I saw a great tumult, but I knew not what it was. "
"The king asked, "Is the young man Absalom safe?" Ahimaaz replied, "When Joab sent your servant, I saw a great commotion, but I didn't know what it was.""
What we ask about first, when we finally get news, reveals what we truly value. David shows us that even a king's priorities can be entirely personal and relational - love for a child outweighing every political concern.
"And the king said unto him, Turn aside, and stand here. And he turned aside, and stood still. "
"The king said, "Step aside and stand here." So Ahimaaz moved aside and stood there."
Sometimes we sense the truth before we're told it outright, and there's a kind of courage in waiting for it to be spoken rather than avoiding it.
"And, behold, Cushi came; and Cushi said, Tidings, my lord the king: for the LORD hath avenged thee this day of all them that rose up against thee. "
"Then Cushi arrived and said, "News for my lord the king! The LORD has rescued you today from all who rose up against you.""
Good news and hard truths can exist together in the same moment; delivering both honestly, rather than only the easy part, is what real integrity in communication looks like.
"And the king said unto Cushi, Is the young man Absalom safe? And Cushi answered, The enemies of my lord the king, and all that rise against thee to do thee hurt, be as that young man is. "
"The king asked, "Is the young man Absalom safe?" Cushi answered, "May the enemies of my lord the king, and all who rise up against you to harm you, end up like that young man.""
Even necessary truths can be delivered with care and without cruelty, but they still have to be delivered. Compassion doesn't mean withholding reality forever - it means finding a way to speak it honestly.
"And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept: and as he went, thus he said, O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son! "
"The king was deeply shaken. He went up to the room over the gate and wept, crying out as he went, "My son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you, Absalom, my son, my son!""
Love doesn't require the other person to have earned it, and grief for someone who wronged us is not weakness or a mistake to correct. I tell you: this kind of love - that keeps loving even betrayal, even rebellion, even attempted murder - is exactly the kind of love that reflects what real love is meant to be.