The Daily Audio Bible
Today's audio is from the NLT. Switch to the NLT to read along with the audio.
Joab Plots to Reconcile David with Absalom
14 Joab the son of Zeruiah realized that the mind of the king was on Absalom. 2 So Joab sent to Tekoa and took from there a wise woman, and he said to her, “Please pretend to mourn and put on garments of mourning. You should not anoint yourself with oil, and you must act like this woman who has been mourning over the dead for a long time.[a] 3 Then you must go to the king and speak to him according to this word.” Thus Joab put the words in her mouth.
4 So the Tekoite woman spoke to the king, and she fell on her face to the ground and did obeisance. She said, “Help me, O king!” 5 Then the king asked her, “What do you want?”[b] And she said, “Truly I am a widow, and my husband is dead. 6 Your servant had two sons, and they both fought in the open field, and there was no one to part them.[c] One struck the other and killed him. 7 And look, all of the family has risen up against your servant, and they said, ‘Give up the one who struck his brother, that we may kill him in exchange for the life of his brother whom he murdered. We will also wipe out the heir,’ and so they would put out my embers which remain, by not preserving for my husband a name and a remnant on the face of the earth.”
8 Then the king said to the woman, “Go to your house, and I myself will give the command concerning you.” 9 The Tekoite woman said to the king, “On me, my lord the king, is the guilt, and on the house of my father, but the king on[d] his throne is innocent.” 10 The king said, “Whoever has spoken to you, bring him to me, and he will not touch you again.” 11 Then she said, “Please may the king remember Yahweh your God, to prevent the increase of blood avengers who kill,[e] so that they not wipe out my son.” He said, “As Yahweh lives,[f] surely not one hair shall fall from your son to the ground.” 12 The woman said, “Please let your servant speak a word to my lord the king.” And he said, “Speak.” 13 The woman said, “But why have you plotted like this against the people of God? By speaking this word, he is guilty not to bring back his banished one. 14 For we must certainly die,[g] and we are as the waters spilled to the ground which cannot be gathered. God will not take a life but devises plans for a banished person not to be cast out from him. 15 Now I have come to speak this word to my lord the king, because the people made me afraid, and your servant thought, ‘I will speak to the king, perhaps the king will grant[h] the request of his servant. 16 For the king will listen, to deliver his servant from the hand of the man who seeks to destroy me and my son together from the inheritance of God.’ 17 Your servant also thought, ‘May the word of my lord the king bring rest,[i] for as an angel of God, so is my lord the king, to sense what is good and what is bad.’[j] May Yahweh your God be with you.” 18 The king answered and said to the woman, “Please do not withhold from me a thing which I am about to ask you.” The woman said, “Please let my lord the king speak.” 19 The king asked, “Was the hand of Joab with you in all of this?” The woman answered and said, “As your soul lives,[k] my lord the king, surely one cannot go to the right or to the left from all that my lord the king has spoken. Yes, your servant Joab himself commanded me, and he put all of these words in the mouth of your servant. 20 In order to change the situation,[l] your servant Joab did this thing. But my lord has wisdom, as the wisdom of an angel of God, to know all that is on the earth.” 21 Then the king said to Joab, “Look, please, I will grant this thing. Go and bring back the young man Absalom.” 22 Joab fell with his face to the ground and did obeisance. And he blessed the king, and he[m] said, “Today your servant knows that I have found favor in your eyes, my lord the king, in that the king has granted the request of his servant.”
Absalom Returns to Jerusalem
23 Then Joab got up and went to Geshur and brought Absalom to Jerusalem. 24 The king said, “Let him go over to his house, and he may not see my face.” So Absalom went over to his house, and did not see the face of the king. 25 As far as Absalom, there was not a more handsome man in all of Israel to admire so much; from the sole of his foot up to his crown, there was no physical defect on him. 26 When he shaved his head, it would happen every year,[n] which he did because it was heavy on him, he would shave it off and weigh the hair of his head: two hundred shekels by the king’s weight.[o] 27 Three sons were born to Absalom and one daughter, whose name was Tamar. She was a woman beautiful of appearance. 28 Absalom lived in Jerusalem two full years,[p] but he did not see the face of the king. 29 So Absalom sent for Joab, in order that he send him to the king, but he was not willing to go to him. He sent again a second time, but he was not willing to go. 30 So he said to his servants, “Look at the tract of land of Joab next to mine,[q] for he has barley plants there. Go, set it ablaze with fire.” So the servants of Absalom set the tract of land ablaze with fire. 31 Then Joab got up and went to Absalom, to the house, and said to him, “Why have your servants set my tract of land ablaze with fire?” 32 Absalom said to Joab, “Look, I have sent to you, saying, ‘Come here that I may send you to the king to say, “Why have I come from Geshur? It would be better for me if I were still there.”’ So then, let me see the face of the king; if there is guilt in me, then let him kill me.” 33 So Joab went to the king and he told him. Then he summoned Absalom, and he came to the king, and he bowed down to him with his face to the ground before the king. Then the king kissed Absalom.
Absalom Leads a Rebellion
15 It happened afterward that Absalom made himself a chariot with horses and fifty men running before him. 2 Absalom used to rise early in the morning, and he stood beside[r] the road at the gate; anyone[s] who had a legal dispute to bring to the king for judgment Absalom would call to him and say, “Where are you from?”[t] And he would say, “Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel.” 3 Then Absalom would say to him, “Look, your case is good and right, but for you there is no hearing with the king.” 4 Then Absalom would say, “Oh, that someone would[u] appoint me as judge in the land, that anyone[v] might come to me who had a legal dispute or a case, and I would give him justice.” 5 It happened whenever anyone drew near to do obeisance to him, that he would stretch his hand and take hold of him and kiss him. 6 Absalom did like this to all of Israel who came to the king for judgment; so Absalom stole the hearts[w] of the people of Israel.
7 It happened at the end of four[x] years that Absalom said to the king, “Please let me go and pay my vow which I have made to Yahweh in Hebron, 8 for your servant made a vow while I was staying in Geshur in Aram, saying, ‘If Yahweh will indeed let me return[y] to Jerusalem, then I will worship Yahweh.’” 9 Then the king said to him, “Go in peace.” So he got up and went to Hebron. 10 Then Absalom sent scouts throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “When you hear the sound of the trumpet, you shall shout ‘Absalom has become king in Hebron!’” 11 Two hundred men from Jerusalem went with Absalom as invited guests, going in their innocence as they did not know anything. 12 Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, the advisor of David, from his city Giloh, while he offered the sacrifices. The conspiracy grew in strength,[z] and the people were going and increasing[aa] with Absalom.
David Flees from Jerusalem
13 Then the messenger came to David, saying, “The hearts[ab] of the men of Israel have gone after Absalom.” 14 Then David said to all his servants who were with him in Jerusalem, “Get up and let us flee, for there will be no escape for us from Absalom! Hurry to go, otherwise he will come quickly and overtake us! And he will bring disaster on us and evil! He will attack the city with the edge of the sword!” 15 Then the servants of the king said to the king, “According to all that my lord the king chooses, your servants are ready to act!”[ac] 16 The king went out with[ad] all his household following him,[ae] but the king left behind ten concubines to look after the house. 17 So the king went out with[af] all the people following him,[ag] and they stopped at the last house.[ah] 18 All his servants were passing by him:[ai] all of the Kerethites and all of the Pelethites and all of the Gittites—six hundred men who had followed him[aj] from Gath—passing before the king.[ak] 19 The king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why are you also coming with us? Return and stay with the king, for you are a foreigner; moreover, you are an exile. You are far from your place.[al] 20 Yesterday when you came and today,[am] I have caused you to wander by going with us. Now I am going to where I am going; return and let your brothers return. May loyal love and faithfulness be with you.” 21 But Ittai answered the king and said, “As Yahweh lives[an] and my lord the king lives,[ao] surely in the place wherever my lord the king shall be, if for death or if for life, surely there your servant will be.” 22 Then David said to Ittai, “Go and pass over.” So Ittai the Gittite passed over and all his men and all of the little children who were with him.
Jesus Is Betrayed and Arrested
18 When[a] Jesus had said these things, he went out with his disciples to the other side of the ravine of the Kidron, where there was a garden into which he and his disciples entered. 2 (Now Judas, the one who betrayed him, also knew about the place, because Jesus often gathered there with his disciples.) 3 So Judas, taking the cohort and officers from the chief priests and from the Pharisees, came there with lanterns and torches and weapons. 4 Then Jesus, because he[b] knew all the things that were coming upon him, went out and said to them, “Who are you looking for?” 5 They replied to him, “Jesus the Nazarene.” He said to them, “I am he.”[c] (Now Judas, the one who betrayed him, was also standing with them.) 6 So when he said to them, “I am he,”[d] they drew back[e] and fell to the ground. 7 Then he asked them again, “Who are you looking for?” And they said, “Jesus the Nazarene.” 8 Jesus replied, “I said to you that I am he![f] So if you are looking for me, let these men go,” 9 in order that the word that he had spoken would be fulfilled: “Those whom you have given to me—I have not lost anyone of them.”[g]
10 Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his right ear. (Now the name of the slave was Malchus.) 11 So Jesus said to Peter, “Put the sword into its[h] sheath! The cup that the Father has given me—shall I not drink it?”
Jesus Taken to Annas
12 Then the cohort and the military tribune and the officers of the Jews seized Jesus and tied him up, 13 and brought him[i] to Annas first, for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year. 14 (Now it was Caiaphas who had advised the Jews that it was better that one man die for the people.)
Peter Denies Jesus the First Time
15 So Simon Peter and another disciple followed Jesus. (Now that disciple was known to the high priest, and entered with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest.) 16 But Peter was standing by the door outside. So the other disciple who was known to the high priest went out and spoke to the doorkeeper and brought Peter in. 17 Then the female slave who was the doorkeeper said to Peter, “You are not also one of the disciples of this man, are you?”[j] He said, “I am not!” 18 (Now the slaves and the officers were standing there, having made a charcoal fire because it was cold, and they were warming themselves. And Peter was also standing there with them and warming himself.)
Jesus Before Annas
19 So the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and about his teaching. 20 Jesus replied to him, “I have spoken openly to the world. I always taught in the synagogue and in the temple courts[k] where all the Jews assemble, and I have said nothing in secret. 21 Why are you asking me? Ask those who heard what I have said to them! Behold, these people know what I said.” 22 Now when[l] he had said these things, one of the officers who was standing by gave a slap in the face to Jesus, saying, “Do you reply to the high priest in this way?” 23 Jesus replied to him, “If I have spoken wrongly, testify about what is wrong! But if I have spoken[m] correctly, why do you strike me?” 24 Then Annas sent him, tied up, to Caiaphas the high priest.
Mem
97 How I love your law!
The whole day it is my meditation.
98 Your commands make me wiser than my enemies,
because they[a] are ever with me.
99 I have more insight than all my teachers,
for your testimonies are my meditation.
100 I understand more than the elders,
for I keep your precepts.
101 I have restrained my feet from every evil way,
so that I may heed your word.
102 I have not turned aside from your ordinances,
for you have taught me.
103 How smooth[b] are your words[c] to my palate,
more than honey in my mouth.
104 From your precepts I get understanding,
therefore I hate every false way.
Nun
105 Your word is a lamp to my feet
and a light to my path.
106 I have sworn an oath and confirmed it,
to heed your righteous ordinances.[d]
107 I am very much afflicted;
O Yahweh, revive me according to your word.
108 Please accept the freewill offerings of my mouth, O Yahweh,
and teach me your ordinances.
109 My life is in danger[e] continually,
yet I do not forget your law.
110 The wicked have laid a snare for me,
yet I do not wander from your precepts.
111 I have taken as my own your testimonies forever,
for they are the joy of my heart.
112 I have inclined my heart to do your statutes
forever, to the end.
8 Better is little with righteousness
than great income with no justice.
9 The mind[a] of a person will plan his ways,
and Yahweh will direct his steps.
2012 by Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software