Old/New Testament
Ziba Meets David
16 When David had passed a short way ·over the top of the Mount of Olives [L beyond the summit], Ziba, Mephibosheth’s [C Jonathan’s son and Saul’s grandson; 4:4] servant, met him. Ziba had a ·row [string; or couple] of donkeys loaded with two hundred loaves of bread, one hundred ·cakes [or clusters] of raisins, one hundred ·cakes of figs [L bunches of summer fruits], and ·leather bags full [skins] of wine. 2 The king asked Ziba, “What are these things for?”
Ziba answered, “The donkeys are for your ·family [household] to ride. The bread and ·cakes of figs [L summer fruit] are for the ·servants [men; soldiers] to eat. And the wine is for anyone to drink who might become ·weak [exhausted; faint] in the ·desert [wilderness].”
3 The king asked, “Where is ·Mephibosheth [L your master’s son/grandson]?”
Ziba answered him, “Mephibosheth is staying in Jerusalem because he thinks, ‘Today the Israelites will ·give [L restore] my father’s kingdom back to me!’”
4 Then the king said to Ziba, “All right. Everything that belonged to Mephibosheth, I now give to you!”
Ziba said, “I ·bow to you [prostrate myself]. ·I hope I will always be able to please you [L May I find favor in your sight/eyes, my lord the king].”
Shimei Curses David
5 As King David came to Bahurim, a man came out ·and cursed him [cursing at them]. He was from ·Saul’s family group [L the clan of the house of Saul], and his name was Shimei son of Gera. 6 He threw stones at David and his ·officers [officials; L servants], but the people and soldiers gathered ·all around David [L to his right and left]. 7 Shimei cursed David, saying, “Get out, get out, you ·murderer [L man of blood], you ·troublemaker [scoundrel]. 8 The Lord is ·punishing [repaying] you for ·the people in Saul’s family you killed [L all the bloodshed of the house of Saul]! You ·took [reigned in] Saul’s place as king, but now the Lord has given the kingdom to your son Absalom! Now you are ·ruined [caught in your own evil] because you are a ·murderer [L man of blood]!”
9 Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse you, the king? Let me go over and cut off his head!”
10 But the king answered, “·This does not concern you [L What have I to do with you], sons of Zeruiah! If ·he is cursing me because the Lord told him to [L the Lord has told him, “Curse David”] , who can ·question him [L say, “Why have you done so”]?”
11 David also said to Abishai and all his ·officers [officials; L servants], “My own ·son [flesh and blood] is trying to kill me! ·This man is a Benjaminite and has more right to kill me [L How much more reason has this Benjaminite; C as a member of Saul’s clan]! Leave him alone and let him ·curse me [L curse], ·because [or if] the Lord told him to do this. 12 Maybe the Lord will see ·my misery [my affliction/distress; or that I am being wronged] and repay me with ·something good [blessing] for Shimei’s curses today!”
13 So David and his men went on down the road, ·but [while] Shimei ·followed [went along] on the nearby hillside. He kept cursing David and throwing stones and ·dirt [flinging dust] at him. 14 When the king and all his people arrived at the Jordan, they were very tired, so they rested there.
15 Meanwhile, Absalom, Ahithophel, and all the ·Israelites [L people/army of Israel] arrived at Jerusalem. 16 David’s friend Hushai the Arkite came to Absalom and said to him, “Long live the king! Long live the king!”
17 Absalom asked, “·Why are you not loyal [L Is this the love/loyalty you show] to your friend David? Why didn’t you leave Jerusalem with your friend?”
18 Hushai said, “I belong to the one chosen by the Lord and by these people and everyone in Israel. I will stay with ·you [L him]. 19 In the past I served your father. So whom should I serve now? David’s son! I will serve you as I served him.”
Ahithophel’s Advice
20 Absalom said to Ahithophel, “·Tell [L Advise; Counsel] us what we should do.”
21 Ahithophel said, “Your father left behind some of his ·slave women [L concubines; C secondary wives; 3:7] to take care of the palace. ·Have sexual relations with [Sleep with; L Go into] them. Then all Israel will hear that ·your father is your enemy [L you have gravely insulted/made yourself odious to your father], and all ·your people [Israel; or those who support you] will be ·encouraged to give you more [stronger in their] support.” 22 So they put up a tent for Absalom on the roof [C the flat roofs of Israelite houses were used for living space] of ·his palace [L the king’s house] where everyone in Israel could see it. And Absalom ·had sexual relations with [slept with; L went in to] his father’s ·slave women [concubines].
23 At that time people thought Ahithophel’s advice was as ·reliable as God’s own word [L if one consulted a word/message/oracle from God]. Both David and Absalom thought ·it was that reliable [so].
17 Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Let me choose twelve thousand men and chase David tonight. 2 I’ll catch him while he is tired and ·weak [discouraged], and I’ll ·frighten [terrorize] him so all his ·people [troops] will run away. But I’ll ·kill [strike down] only King David. 3 Then I’ll bring everyone back to you [L as a bride returns to her husband].[a] ·If the man you are looking for is dead [Since you seek the life of only one man], everyone else will ·return safely [be at peace].” 4 This plan ·seemed good to [pleased] Absalom and to all the ·leaders [elders] of Israel.
5 But Absalom said, “Now call Hushai the Arkite, so I can hear what he says.” 6 When Hushai came to Absalom, Absalom said to him, “This is the plan Ahithophel gave. Should we follow it? If not, ·tell us [give us your view].”
7 Hushai said to Absalom, “Ahithophel’s advice is not good this time.” 8 Hushai added, “You know your father and his men are ·strong [L mighty fighters/warriors]. They are as ·angry [fierce] as a bear that is robbed of its cubs. Your father is a ·skilled [experienced; expert] ·fighter [in war]. He won’t stay all night with the ·army [troops]. 9 He is probably already hiding in a cave or ·some other place [L pit; hollow]. ·If the first attack fails [L When some of our men fall at the first attack], people will hear the news and think, ‘Absalom’s followers are ·losing [being slaughtered]!’ 10 Then even the men who are ·as brave as lions [L valiant, with the heart of a lion] will ·be frightened [L melt/be paralyzed with fear], because all the Israelites know your father is a ·fighter [L mighty warrior]. They know his men are brave!
11 “This is what I ·suggest [advise; counsel]: Gather all the Israelites from Dan to Beersheba [C in the far north and south of Israel]. There will be as many people as grains of sand by the sea. Then you ·yourself must go [personally lead them] into the battle. 12 We will ·go to [attack; come at] David wherever he is hiding. We will fall on him as dew falls on the ground. ·We will kill him and all of his men so that no one [L Neither he nor any of his men] will be left alive. 13 If David ·escapes [withdraws] into a city, all the Israelites will bring ropes to that city and pull it into the valley. Not ·a stone will be left [a pebble will be found there]!”
14 Absalom and all the Israelites said, “The ·advice [counsel] of Hushai the Arkite is better than ·that [the counsel] of Ahithophel.” (The Lord had ·planned [determined; resolved; ordained] to ·destroy [thwart; defeat; frustrate] the good ·advice [counsel] of Ahithophel so the Lord could bring ·disaster [calamity; ruin] on Absalom.)
15 Hushai told Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, what Ahithophel had ·suggested [advised; counseled] to Absalom and the elders of Israel. He also reported to them what he himself had ·suggested [advised; counseled]. Hushai said, 16 “Quickly! Send a message to David. Tell him not to stay tonight at the ·crossings into the desert [fords in the wilderness] but to cross over the Jordan River at once. ·If he crosses the river, he and all his people won’t be destroyed [L Otherwise the king and everyone with him will be swallowed up].”
17 Jonathan and Ahimaaz were waiting at En Rogel. They did not want to ·be [risk being] seen going into the city, so a servant girl would go out to them and give them messages. Then Jonathan and Ahimaaz would go and tell King David.
18 But a ·boy [lad; young man] saw Jonathan and Ahimaaz and told Absalom. So Jonathan and Ahimaaz left quickly and went to a man’s house in Bahurim. He had a well in his courtyard, and they climbed down into it. 19 The man’s wife spread a ·sheet [covering] over the opening of the well and ·covered [scattered] it with grain. ·No one could tell that anyone was hiding there [L Nothing was known].
20 Absalom’s ·servants [men] came to the woman at the house and asked, “Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?”
She said to them, “They have already crossed the brook.”
Absalom’s ·servants [men] then went to ·look [search] for Jonathan and Ahimaaz, but they could not find them. So they went back to Jerusalem.
21 After ·Absalom’s servants [they] left, Jonathan and Ahimaaz climbed out of the well and went to tell King David. They said, “Hurry, cross over the ·river [water]! Ahithophel has ·said [advised; counseled] these things against you!” 22 So David and all his people crossed the Jordan River. By dawn, everyone had crossed the Jordan.
23 When Ahithophel saw that the Israelites did not ·accept his advice [follow his counsel], he saddled his donkey and went to his hometown. He ·left orders for his family and property [set his affairs/house in order], and then he hanged himself. He died and was buried in his father’s tomb.
War Between David and Absalom
24 David arrived at Mahanaim. And Absalom and all ·his Israelites [L the men/army of Israel] crossed over the Jordan River. 25 Absalom had made Amasa ·captain [commander; head] of the army instead of Joab. Amasa was the son of a man named ·Jether [or Ithra] the Ishmaelite.[b] Amasa’s mother was Abigail daughter of Nahash and sister of Zeruiah, Joab’s mother. 26 Absalom and the Israelites camped in the land of Gilead.
27 Shobi, Makir, and Barzillai were at Mahanaim when David arrived. Shobi son of Nahash was from the Ammonite town of Rabbah. Makir son of Ammiel was from Lo Debar, and Barzillai was from Rogelim in Gilead. 28 They brought beds, bowls, clay pots, wheat, barley, flour, roasted grain, beans, ·small peas [lentils], 29 honey, milk curds, sheep, and cheese made from ·cows’ milk [L the herd] for David and his people. They said, “The people are hungry and tired and thirsty in the ·desert [wilderness].”
18 David ·counted [mustered; reviewed] his men and placed over them commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds. 2 He sent the troops out in three groups. Joab commanded one-third of the men. Joab’s brother Abishai son of Zeruiah commanded another third. And Ittai from Gath commanded the last third. King David said to them, “I will also go with you.”
3 But the men said, “You must not go ·with us [out]! If we ·run away in the battle [flee], Absalom’s men won’t care. Even if half of us are killed, Absalom’s men won’t care. But you’re worth ten thousand of us! ·You can help us most by staying in the city [It is better that you support us from the city].”
4 The king said to his people, “I will do what ·you think is best [L is good in your sight/eyes].” So the king stood at the side of the gate as the army went out in groups of a hundred and a thousand.
5 The king commanded Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, “Be gentle with young Absalom for my sake.” Everyone heard the king’s orders to the commanders about Absalom.
6 David’s army went out into the field against ·Absalom’s Israelites [Israel], and they fought in the forest of Ephraim. 7 There David’s army defeated the Israelites. ·Many died [L The slaughter was/casualties were great] that day—twenty thousand men. 8 The battle spread through all the ·country [countryside], but that day more men ·died [L were devoured/swallowed up] in the forest than ·in the fighting [L by the sword].
Absalom Dies
9 Then Absalom happened to ·meet [run into; come upon] David’s ·troops [L servants]. As Absalom was riding his mule, it went under the thick branches of a large oak tree. Absalom’s head got caught in the tree, and his mule ran out from under him. So Absalom was left hanging ·above the ground [L between heaven and earth].
10 When one of the men saw it happen, he told Joab, “I saw Absalom ·hanging [dangling] in an oak tree!”
11 Joab said to him, “You saw him? Why didn’t you ·kill him and let him fall to [L strike him to] the ground? I would have given you a belt and ·four ounces [L ten pieces] of silver!”
12 The man answered, “I wouldn’t ·touch [L raise my hand against] the king’s son even if ·you gave me [L I felt in my hand the weight of] ·twenty-five pounds [L a thousand pieces] of silver. We heard the king command you, Abishai, and Ittai, ‘·Be careful not to hurt [For my sake protect/spare] young Absalom.’ 13 If I had ·killed him [betrayed the king by killing his son], ·the king would have found out [and there is nothing hidden from the king], and you would ·not have protected [have kept your distance/aloof from] me!”
14 Joab said, “I won’t waste time here with you!” Absalom was still alive in the oak tree, so Joab took three spears and stabbed him in the heart. 15 Ten young men who carried Joab’s armor also gathered around Absalom and struck him and killed him.
16 Then Joab blew the trumpet, so the troops ·stopped [returned from] chasing the Israelites. 17 Then Joab’s men took Absalom’s body and threw it into a ·large [deep] pit in the forest and ·filled the pit with [L piled over him] many stones. All the Israelites ·ran away [fled] to their homes.
18 When Absalom was alive, he had ·set up a pillar for [built a monument to] himself in the King’s Valley. He said, “I have no son to keep my name alive.” So he named the ·pillar [monument] after himself, and it is called Absalom’s Monument even today.
19 Ahimaaz son of Zadok said to Joab, “Let me run and take the news to King David. I’ll tell him the Lord has ·saved [rescued; T delivered] him from his enemies.”
20 Joab answered Ahimaaz, “No, you are not the one to take the news today. You may do it another time, but do not take it today, because the king’s son is dead.”
21 Then Joab said to a man from Cush, “Go, tell the king what you have seen.” The Cushite bowed to Joab and ran to tell David.
22 But Ahimaaz son of Zadok begged Joab again, “No matter what happens, please let me ·go along [run] with the Cushite!”
Joab said, “Son, why do you want to ·carry the news [run]? You won’t get any reward.”
23 Ahimaaz answered, “No matter what happens, I will run.”
So Joab said to Ahimaaz, “Run!” Then Ahimaaz ran by way of the ·Jordan Valley [plain] and ·passed [outran] the Cushite.
24 David was sitting between the inner and outer gates of the city. The watchman went up to the roof of the gate by the walls, and as he looked up, he saw a man running alone. 25 He shouted the news to the king.
The king said, “If he is alone, he ·is bringing good news [has news to give/L in his mouth]!”
The man came nearer and nearer to the city. 26 Then the watchman saw another man running, and he called to the gatekeeper, “Look! Another man is running alone!”
The king said, “He is also bringing ·good news [news]!”
27 The watchman said, “I think the first man runs like Ahimaaz son of Zadok.”
The king said, “Ahimaaz is a good man. He must be bringing good news!”
28 Then Ahimaaz called a greeting to the king. He ·bowed facedown on the ground [prostrated himself] before the king and said, “·Praise [Blessed be] the Lord your God! The Lord has ·defeated [handed over] those who ·were [L raised their hand] against ·you, my [L my lord the] king.”
29 The king asked, “Is young Absalom ·all right [well]?”
Ahimaaz answered, “When Joab sent me, I saw some great ·excitement [commotion; confusion], but I don’t know what it was.”
30 The king said, “Step over here and wait.” So Ahimaaz stepped aside and stood there.
31 Then the Cushite arrived. He said, “·Master and [My Lord the] king, hear the good news! Today the Lord has ·punished [rescued/T delivered you from] those who ·were [rebelled; L rose up] against you!”
32 The king asked the Cushite, “Is young Absalom ·all right [well]?”
The Cushite answered, “May your enemies and all who ·come to hurt you [L rise up to do you harm] ·be like [share the fate of] that young man!”
33 Then the king was ·very upset [overcome with emotion], and he went to the room over the city gate and cried. As he went, he cried out, “My son Absalom, my son Absalom! ·I wish [Would that] I had died and not you. Absalom, my son, my son!”
God’s Kingdom Is Within You
20 Some of the Pharisees asked Jesus, “When will the kingdom of God come?”
Jesus answered, “God’s kingdom ·is coming, but not in a way that you will be able to see with your eyes [L is not coming with observable/visible signs; C perhaps the heavenly signs described in Jewish apocalyptic literature]. 21 People will not say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or, ‘There it is!’ because God’s kingdom is ·within you [or among you; in your midst].”
When Jesus, the Son of Man, Comes Again(A)
22 Then Jesus said to ·his followers [the disciples], “The time will come when you will ·want very much [long] to see one of the days of the Son of Man [C the full revelation of the kingdom at Jesus’ return]. But you will not see it. 23 People will say to you, ‘Look, ·there he is [or over there]!’ or, ‘Look, ·here he is [or over here]!’ ·Stay where you are [L Don’t leave/go out]; don’t go away and ·search [pursue; chase after].
24 “For as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so ·it will be when the Son of Man comes again [L will be the Son of Man in his day].[a] 25 But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by ·the people of this time [L this generation]. 26 Just as it was ·when Noah lived [L in the days of Noah; Gen. 6—9], so it will be ·when the Son of Man comes again [L in the days of the Son of Man]. 27 People were eating, drinking, marrying, and ·giving their children to be married [or being given in marriage] until the day Noah entered the boat. Then the flood came and ·killed [destroyed] them all. 28 It will be the same as ·during the time [L in the days] of Lot. People were eating, drinking, buying, selling, planting, and building. 29 But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and ·sulfur [T brimstone] rained down from ·the sky [heaven] and ·killed [destroyed] them all [Gen. 19]. 30 This is how it will be ·when [L the day] the Son of Man ·comes again [L is revealed].
31 “On that day, a person who is on the roof [C roofs were typically flat and used as extra rooms] and whose belongings are in the house should not ·go inside [L come down] to get them. A person who is in the field should not ·go back home [L turn back]. 32 Remember Lot’s wife [C who was judged for longingly looking back at Sodom; Gen. 19:15–17, 26]. 33 Those who try to ·keep [preserve; keep secure] their lives will lose them. But those who ·give up [lose; let go of] their lives will save them. 34 I tell you, on that night two people will be sleeping in one bed; one will be taken and the other will be left. 35 There will be two women grinding grain together; one will be taken, and the other will be left. |36 Two people will be in the field. One will be taken, and the other will be left.|”[b]
37 ·The followers [L They] asked Jesus, “·Where will this be [L Where], Lord?”
Jesus answered, “Where there is a ·dead body [corpse], there the vultures will gather [C the carnage will make the place of judgment obvious to all].”
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