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Absalom Slain
18 Then David [a]numbered the people who were with him and (A)set over them commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds. 2 David sent the people out, (B)one third under the [b]command of Joab, one third under the [c]command of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, and one third under the [d]command of (C)Ittai the Gittite. And the king said to the people, “I myself will surely go out with you also.” 3 But the people said, “(D)You should not go out; for if we indeed flee, they will not care about us; even if half of us die, they will not care about us. But [e]you are worth ten thousand of us; therefore now it is better that you be ready to help us from the city.” 4 Then the king said to them, “Whatever seems best to you I will do.” So (E)the king stood beside the gate, and all the people went out by hundreds and thousands. 5 The king charged Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, “Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom.” And (F)all the people heard when the king charged all the commanders concerning Absalom.
6 Then the people went out into the field against Israel, and the battle took place in (G)the forest of Ephraim. 7 The people of Israel were [f]defeated there before the servants of David, and the slaughter there that day was great, 20,000 men. 8 For the battle there was spread over the whole countryside, and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.
9 Now Absalom happened to meet the servants of David. For Absalom was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the thick branches of a great oak. And (H)his head caught fast in the oak, so he was [g]left hanging between heaven and earth, while the mule that was under him kept going. 10 When a certain man saw it, he told Joab and said, “Behold, I saw Absalom hanging in an oak.” 11 Then Joab said to the man who had told him, “Now behold, you saw him! Why then did you not strike him there to the ground? And I would have given you ten pieces of silver and a belt.” 12 The man said to Joab, “Even if I should receive a thousand pieces of silver in my hand, I would not put out my hand against the king’s son; for (I)in our hearing the king charged you and Abishai and Ittai, saying, ‘[h]Protect for me the young man Absalom!’ 13 Otherwise, if I had dealt treacherously against his life (and (J)there is nothing hidden from the king), then you yourself would have stood aloof.” 14 Then Joab said, “I will not [i]waste time here with you.” (K)So he took three spears in his hand and thrust them through the heart of Absalom while he was yet alive in the [j]midst of the oak. 15 And ten young men who carried Joab’s armor gathered around and struck Absalom and killed him.
16 Then (L)Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing Israel, for Joab restrained the people. 17 They took Absalom and cast him into [k]a deep pit in the forest and (M)erected over him a very great heap of stones. And (N)all Israel fled, each to his tent. 18 Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and (O)set up for himself a pillar which is in (P)the King’s Valley, for he said, “(Q)I have no son [l]to preserve my name.” So he named the pillar after his own name, and it is called Absalom’s Monument to this day.
David Is Grief-stricken
19 Then (R)Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, “Please let me run and bring the king news (S)that the Lord has [m]freed him from the hand of his enemies.” 20 But Joab said to him, “You are not the man to carry news this day, but you shall carry news another day; however, you shall carry no news today because the king’s son is dead.” 21 Then Joab said to the Cushite, “Go, tell the king what you have seen.” So the Cushite bowed to Joab and ran. 22 Now Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said once more to Joab, “But whatever happens, please let me also run after the Cushite.” And Joab said, “Why would you run, my son, since (T)you will have no reward for going?” 23 “But whatever happens,” he said, “I will run.” So he said to him, “Run.” Then Ahimaaz ran by way of the plain and passed up the Cushite.
24 Now (U)David was sitting between the two gates; and (V)the watchman went up to the roof of the gate by the wall, and raised his eyes and looked, and behold, a man running by himself. 25 The watchman called and told the king. And the king said, “If he is by himself there is good news in his mouth.” And he came nearer and nearer. 26 Then the watchman saw another man running; and the watchman called to the gatekeeper and said, “Behold, another man running by himself.” And the king said, “This one also is bringing good news.” 27 The watchman said, “I [n]think the running of the first one (W)is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok.” And the king said, “(X)This is a good man and comes with good news.”
28 Ahimaaz called and said to the king, “[o]All is well.” And (Y)he prostrated himself before the king with his face to the ground. And he said, “(Z)Blessed is the Lord your God, who has delivered up the men who lifted their hands against my lord the king.” 29 The king said, “(AA)Is it well with the young man Absalom?” And Ahimaaz answered, “When Joab sent the king’s servant, and your servant, I saw a great tumult, but (AB)I did not know what it was.” 30 Then the king said, “Turn aside and stand here.” So he turned aside and stood still.
31 Behold, the Cushite arrived, and the Cushite said, “Let my lord the king receive good news, for (AC)the Lord has [p]freed you this day from the hand of all those who rose up against you.” 32 Then the king said to the Cushite, “(AD)Is it well with the young man Absalom?” And the Cushite answered, “(AE)Let the enemies of my lord the king, and all who rise up against you for evil, be as that young man!”
33 [q]The king was deeply moved and went up to the chamber over the gate and wept. And thus he said as he walked, “(AF)O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! (AG)Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!”
Joab Reproves David’s Lament
19 Then it was told Joab, “Behold, (AH)the king is weeping and mourns for Absalom.” 2 The [r]victory that day was turned to mourning for all the people, for the people heard it said that day, “The king is grieved for his son.” 3 So the people went by stealth into the city that day, as people who are humiliated steal away when they flee in battle. 4 The king (AI)covered his face and [s]cried out with a loud voice, “(AJ)O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!” 5 Then Joab came into the house to the king and said, “Today you have covered with shame the faces of all your servants, who today have saved your life and the lives of your sons and daughters, the lives of your wives, and the lives of your concubines, 6 by loving those who hate you, and by hating those who love you. For you have shown today that [t]princes and servants are nothing to you; for I know this day that if Absalom were alive and all of us were dead today, then [u]you would be pleased. 7 Now therefore arise, go out and speak [v]kindly to your servants, for I swear by the Lord, if you do not go out, surely (AK)not a man will pass the night with you, and this will be worse for you than all the evil that has come upon you from your youth until now.”
David Restored as King
8 So the king arose and sat in the gate. When they told all the people, saying, “Behold, the king is (AL)sitting in the gate,” then all the people came before the king.
Now (AM)Israel had fled, each to his tent. 9 All the people were quarreling throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “(AN)The king delivered us from the [w]hand of our enemies and (AO)saved us from the [x]hand of the Philistines, but now (AP)he has fled out of the land from Absalom. 10 However, Absalom, whom we anointed over us, has died in battle. Now then, why are you silent about bringing the king back?”
The Empty Tomb
20 (A)Now on the first day of the week (B)Mary Magdalene *came early to the tomb, while it *was still dark, and *saw (C)the stone already taken away from the tomb. 2 So she *ran and *came to Simon Peter and to the other (D)disciple whom Jesus loved, and *said to them, “(E)They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.” 3 (F)So Peter and the other disciple went forth, and they were going to the tomb. 4 The two were running together; and the other disciple ran ahead faster than Peter and came to the tomb first; 5 and (G)stooping and looking in, he *saw the (H)linen wrappings lying there; but he did not go in. 6 And so Simon Peter also *came, following him, and entered the tomb; and he *saw the linen wrappings lying there, 7 and (I)the face-cloth which had been on His head, not lying with the (J)linen wrappings, but rolled up in a place by itself. 8 So the other disciple who (K)had first come to the tomb then also entered, and he saw and believed. 9 For as yet (L)they did not understand the Scripture, (M)that He must rise again from the dead. 10 So the disciples went away again (N)to their own homes.
11 (O)But Mary was standing outside the tomb weeping; and so, as she wept, she (P)stooped and looked into the tomb; 12 and she *saw (Q)two angels in white sitting, one at the head and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had been lying. 13 And they *said to her, “(R)Woman, why are you weeping?” She *said to them, “Because (S)they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.” 14 When she had said this, she turned around and *(T)saw Jesus standing there, and (U)did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus *said to her, “(V)Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing Him to be the gardener, she *said to Him, “Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away.” 16 Jesus *said to her, “Mary!” She turned and *said to Him (W)in [a]Hebrew, “(X)Rabboni!” (which means, Teacher). 17 Jesus *said to her, “Stop clinging to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to (Y)My brethren and say to them, ‘I (Z)ascend to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God.’” 18 (AA)Mary Magdalene *came, (AB)announcing to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord,” and that He had said these things to her.
Jesus among His Disciples
19 So when it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for (AC)fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and *said to them, “[b](AD)Peace be with you.” 20 And when He had said this, (AE)He showed them both His hands and His side. The disciples then (AF)rejoiced when they saw the Lord. 21 So Jesus said to them again, “(AG)Peace be with you; (AH)as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” 22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them and *said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 (AI)If you forgive the sins of any, their sins [c]have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained.”
24 But (AJ)Thomas, one of (AK)the twelve, called [d](AL)Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples were saying to him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see in (AM)His hands the imprint of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, (AN)I will not believe.”
26 [e]After eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus *came, the doors having been [f]shut, and stood in their midst and said, “(AO)Peace be with you.” 27 Then He *said to Thomas, “(AP)Reach here with your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand and put it into My side; and do not be unbelieving, but believing.” 28 Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Jesus *said to him, “Because you have seen Me, have you believed? (AQ)Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.”
Why This Gospel Was Written
30 (AR)Therefore many other [g](AS)signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these have been written (AT)so that you may believe that Jesus is [h]the Christ, (AU)the Son of God; and that (AV)believing you may have life in His name.
Resh.
153 (A)Look upon my (B)affliction and rescue me,
For I do not (C)forget Your law.
154 (D)Plead my cause and (E)redeem me;
Revive me according to Your [a]word.
155 Salvation is (F)far from the wicked,
For they (G)do not seek Your statutes.
156 [b](H)Great are Your mercies, O Lord;
Revive me according to Your ordinances.
157 Many are my (I)persecutors and my adversaries,
Yet I do not (J)turn aside from Your testimonies.
158 I behold the (K)treacherous and (L)loathe them,
Because they do not keep Your [c]word.
159 Consider how I (M)love Your precepts;
(N)Revive me, O Lord, according to Your lovingkindness.
160 The (O)sum of Your word is (P)truth,
And every one of Your righteous ordinances (Q)is everlasting.
Shin.
161 (R)Princes persecute me without cause,
But my heart (S)stands in awe of Your words.
162 I (T)rejoice at Your [d]word,
As one who (U)finds great spoil.
163 I (V)hate and despise falsehood,
But I (W)love Your law.
164 Seven times a day I praise You,
Because of Your (X)righteous ordinances.
165 Those who love Your law have (Y)great peace,
And [e](Z)nothing causes them to stumble.
166 I (AA)hope for Your salvation, O Lord,
And do Your commandments.
167 My (AB)soul keeps Your testimonies,
And I (AC)love them exceedingly.
168 I (AD)keep Your precepts and Your testimonies,
For all my (AE)ways are before You.
Tav.
169 Let my (AF)cry [f]come before You, O Lord;
(AG)Give me understanding (AH)according to Your word.
170 Let my (AI)supplication come before You;
(AJ)Deliver me according to Your [g]word.
171 Let my (AK)lips utter praise,
For You (AL)teach me Your statutes.
172 Let my (AM)tongue sing of Your [h]word,
For all Your (AN)commandments are righteousness.
173 Let Your (AO)hand be [i]ready to help me,
For I have (AP)chosen Your precepts.
174 I (AQ)long for Your salvation, O Lord,
And Your law is my (AR)delight.
175 Let my (AS)soul live that it may praise You,
And let Your ordinances help me.
176 I have (AT)gone astray like a lost sheep; seek Your servant,
For I do (AU)not forget Your commandments.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.