The Daily Audio Bible
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14 Then Joab, the son of Zeruiah, perceived that the king’s heart was toward Absalom.
2 And Joab sent to Tekoa and brought a cunning woman there, and said to her, “Please pretend to be a mourner, and put on mourning apparel. Do not anoint yourself with oil but be as a woman who has now mourned for the dead a long time.
3 “Go to the king and speak to him in this manner.” For Joab told her what she should say.
4 Then the woman of Tekoa spoke to the king, and fell down on her face to the ground, and prostrated herself, and said, “Help, O king!”
5 Then the king said to her, “What is wrong?” And she answered, “I am indeed a widow, and my husband is dead.
6 “And your handmaid had two sons. And the two struggled together in the field. And there was no one to part them. So, one struck the other and killed him.
7 “And behold, the whole family arose against your handmaid. And they said, ‘Deliver him who struck his brother, so that we may kill him for the soul of his brother whom he killed, so that we may also destroy the heir.’ So shall they quench my ember which is left and shall not leave to my husband either name or posterity upon the Earth.”
8 And the king said to the woman, “Go to your house, and I will give you a charge.”
9 Then the woman of Tekoa said to the king, “My lord, O king! This trespass is on me and on my father’s House. And the king and his throne are guiltless.”
10 And the king said, “Bring him to me, who speaks against you. And he shall no longer touch you.”
11 Then she said, “Please, let the king remember the LORD your God, so that you would not allow revengers of blood to destroy anymore, lest they kill my son.” And he answered, “As the LORD lives, not one hair of your son shall fall to the earth.”
12 Then the woman said, “Please, let your handmaid speak a word to my lord the king.” And he said, “Speak.”
13 Then the woman said, “Why, then, have you thought such a thing against the people of God? Or does the king speak as one who is at fault, in that he will not bring back his banished?
14 “For we must die and be as water, spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again. Yet does God take away life; but He appoints means by which not to cast the expelled out from Him.
15 “Now, therefore, I have come to speak of this thing to my lord the king because the people have made me afraid. Therefore, your handmaid said, ‘I will now speak to the king. It may be that the king will perform the request of his handmaid.
16 ‘For the king will hear and deliver his handmaid (and also my son) out of the hand of the man who would destroy me from the inheritance of God.’
17 “Therefore, your handmaid said, ‘The word of my lord the king shall now be comforting. For my lord the king is as an angel of God in hearing good and bad. Therefore, the LORD your God be with you.’”
18 Then the king answered, and said to the woman, “Please do not hide from me the thing that I shall ask you.” And the woman said, “Let my lord the king now speak.”
19 And the king said, “Is not the hand of Joab with you in all this?” Then the woman answered, and said, “As your soul lives, my lord the king, I will not turn, to the right or to the left, from anything that my lord the king has spoken. For your servant Joab commanded me. And he put all these words in the mouth of your handmaid.
20 “For with the intent of changing appearances, your servant Joab has done this thing. But my lord is wise, according to the wisdom of an angel of God, to understand all things that are on the Earth.”
21 And the king said to Joab, “Behold, now, I have done this thing. Go, then, and bring the young man Absalom back.”
22 And Joab fell to the ground on his face and bowed himself and thanked the king. Then Joab said, “This day your servant knows that I have found grace in your sight, my lord the king, in that the king has fulfilled the request of his servant.”
23 And Joab arose and went to Geshur and brought Absalom to Jerusalem.
24 And the king said, “Let him turn to his own house, and not see my face.” So, Absalom turned to his own house, and did not see the king’s face.
25 Now in all Israel, there was no one to be praised as much for beauty as Absalom. From the sole of his foot to the top of his head there was no blemish on him.
26 And when he shaved his head (for he shaved it at the end of every year because it was too heavy for him, therefore he shaved it), he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred shekels by the king’s weight.
27 And Absalom had three sons and one daughter, named Tamar, who was a fair woman to look upon.
28 So, Absalom dwelt in Jerusalem for the span of two years and did not see the king’s face.
29 Therefore, Absalom sent for Joab, to send him to the king. But he would not come to him. And when he sent for him again, he would not come.
30 Therefore, he said to his servants, “Behold, Joab has a field by my place, and has barley in it. Go and set it on fire!” And Absalom’s servants set the field on fire.
31 Then Joab arose and came to Absalom, to his house, and said to him, “Why have your servants burnt my field with fire?”
32 And Absalom answered Joab, “Behold, I sent for you, saying, ‘Come here, and I will send you to the king to say “Why have I come from Geshur? It would have been better for me to have still been there.”’ Now, therefore, let me see the king’s face. And if there is any trespass in me, let him kill me.”
33 Then Joab came to the king and told him. And he called for Absalom, who came to the king and bowed himself to the ground on his face before the king. And the king kissed Absalom.
15 After this, Absalom prepared chariots for himself, and horses, and fifty men to run before him.
2 And Absalom rose up early and stood by the entrance of the gate. And every man who had any dispute, and had come to the king for judgment, Absalom called to himself, and said, “What city are you from?” And he answered, “Your servant is from…” (one of the tribes of Israel).
3 Then Absalom said to him, “See, your matters are good and righteous; but there is no deputy of the king to hear you.”
4 Moreover, Absalom said, “Oh that I were made judge in the land, so that every man who has any dispute might come to me, so that I might do him justice!”
5 And when any man came near to him and prostrated himself, he put forth his hand and took him and kissed him.
6 And in this manner did Absalom to all Israel who came to the king for judgment. So, Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.
7 And after forty years, Absalom said to the king, “Pleaase let me go to Hebron and render my vow which I have vowed to the LORD.
8 “For your servant vowed a vow when I remained at Geshur, in Aram, saying, ‘If the LORD shall bring me back indeed to Jerusalem, I will serve the LORD.’”
9 And the king said to him, “Go in peace.” So, he arose and went to Hebron.
10 Then, Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “When you hear the sound of the trumpet, you shall say, ‘Absalom reigns in Hebron!’”
11 And two hundred invited men went out of Jerusalem with Absalom. And they went innocently, knowing nothing.
12 Also, Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, from his city, Giloh, while he offered Sacrifices. And the treason was great. For the people with Absalom steadily increased.
13 Then, a messenger came to David, saying, “The hearts of the men of Israel have turned to follow Absalom.”
14 Then David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, “Up, and let us flee! For we shall not escape from Absalom. Make speed to depart, lest he comes suddenly and takes us and brings evil upon us and strikes the city with the edge of the sword.”
15 And the king’s servants said to him, “Behold, your servants are ready to do according to all that my lord the king shall appoint.”
16 So the king departed, with all his household following him. And the king left ten concubines to keep the house.
17 And the king went forth, with all the people following him, and stayed in a faraway place.
18 And all his servants went around him, and all the Cherethites and all the Pelethites and all the Gittites, six hundred men, who had followed him from Gath, went before the king.
19 Then, the king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why have you also come with us? Return and stay with the king, for you are a stranger. Therefore, depart to your place!
20 “You came yesterday. And should I make you wander today and go with us? I will go where I can. Therefore, you return and carry back your brethren. Mercy and truth be with you.”
21 And Ittai answered the king, and said, “As the LORD lives, and as my lord the king lives, in what place my lord the king shall be, whether in death or life, there will your servant surely be.”
22 Then David said to Ittai, “Come and go forward.” And Ittai the Gittite went, and all his men, and all the children who were with him.
18 When Jesus had spoken these things, He went forth with His disciples over the brook, Kidron; where there was a garden - into which He and His disciples entered.
2 And Judas, who betrayed Him, also knew the place. For Jesus often gathered there with His disciples.
3 Then Judas, after he had procured a cohort and officers of the chief priests, and of the Pharisees, came with lanterns and torches and weapons.
4 Then Jesus, knowing all things that would come to Him, went forth and said to them, “Whom do you seek?”
5 They answered him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “I am He.” Now Judas, who also betrayed Him, stood with them.
6 Then, as soon as He had said to them, “I am He”, they drew back and fell to the ground.
7 Then He asked them again, “Whom do you seek?”And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.”
8 Jesus answered, “I said to you that I am He. Therefore, if you seek Me, let these go their way.”
9 This was so that the Word might be fulfilled which He spoke, ‘Of those whom You gave Me, I have lost none.’
10 Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it, and struck the High Priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. Now the servant’s name was Malchus.
11 Then Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into the sheath. Shall I not drink from the cup which My Father has given Me?”
12 Then the cohort and the captain and the officers of the Jews took Jesus and bound Him;
13 and led Him away to Annas first (for he was father-in-law to Caiaphas, who was the High Priest that same year.)
14 And Caiaphas was the one who had given counsel to the Jews that it was expedient for one Man to die for the people.
15 Now, Simon Peter followed Jesus and another disciple. And that disciple was known by the High Priest. Therefore, he went in with Jesus into the hall of the High Priest.
16 But Peter stood at the door, outside. Then, the other disciple who was known to the High Priest went out and spoke to the doorkeeper and brought in Peter.
17 Then the maid who kept the door said to Peter, “Aren’t you also one of this Man’s disciples?” He said, “I am not.”
18 And the servants and officers who had made a fire of coals, stood there; for it was cold and they warmed themselves. And Peter also stood among them and warmed himself.
19 The High Priest then asked Jesus about His disciples, and about His doctrine.
20 Jesus answered him, “I spoke openly to the world. I always taught in the synagogue and in the Temple, where the Jews gather continually. And I have said nothing in secret.
21 “Why do you ask Me? Ask those who heard Me what I said to them. Behold, they know what I said.”
22 When He had spoken these things, one of the officers who stood by struck Jesus, saying, “You answer the High Priest so?”
23 Jesus answered him, “If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil. But if I have spoken well, why do you strike Me?”
24 Now Annas had sent Him bound to Caiaphas the High Priest.
MEM
97 Oh how love I Your Law! It is my meditation continually.
98 By Your Commandments You have made me wiser than my enemies, for they are ever with me.
99 I have had more understanding than all my teachers, for Your Testimonies are my meditation.
100 I understood more than the aged, because I kept Your Precepts.
101 I have refrained my feet from every evil way, that I might keep Your Word.
102 I have not turned away from Your Judgments, for You have taught me.
103 How sweet are Your promises to my mouth; yea, more than honey to my mouth!
104 By Your Precepts I have gotten understanding. Therefore, I hate all the ways of falsehood.
NUN
105 Your Word is a lantern to my feet, and a light to my paths.
106 I have sworn and will perform it, that I will keep Your righteous Judgments.
107 I am very afflicted, O LORD. Quicken me according to Your Word.
108 O LORD, I beg you, accept the free offering of my mouth and teach me Your Judgments.
109 My life is continually in my hand. Yet, I do not forget Your Law.
110 The wicked have laid a snare for me, but I do not swerve from Your Precepts.
111 I have inherited Your Testimonies forever, for they are the joy of my heart.
112 I have extended my heart to fulfill Your Statutes always, even to the end.
8 Better is a little with righteousness, than great revenues without equity.
9 The heart of man devises his way. But the LORD directs his steps.
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