The Daily Audio Bible
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14 Now Joab son of Zeruiah knew that the king’s heart was toward Absalom.
2 And Joab sent to Tekoah and brought from there a wise woman and said to her, Pretend to be a mourner; put on mourning apparel, do not anoint yourself with oil, but act like a woman who has long been mourning for the dead.
3 And go to the king and speak thus to him. And Joab told her what to say.
4 When the woman of Tekoah spoke to the king, she fell on her face to the ground and did obeisance, and said, Help, O king!
5 The king asked her, What troubles you? She said, I am a widow; my husband is dead.
6 And your handmaid had two sons, and they quarreled with one another in the field. There was no one to separate them, and one struck the other and killed him.
7 And behold, our whole family has risen against your handmaid, and they say, Deliver him who slew his brother, that we may kill him for the life of his brother whom he slew; and so they would destroy the heir also. And so quenching my coal which is left, they would leave to my husband neither name nor remnant upon the earth.
8 David said to the woman, Go home, and I will give orders concerning you.
9 And the woman of Tekoah said to the king, My lord, O king, let the guilt be on me and on my father’s house; let the king and his throne be guiltless.
10 The king said, If anyone says anything to you, bring him to me, and he shall not touch you again.
11 Then she said, I pray you, let the king remember the Lord your God, that the avenger of blood destroy not any more, lest they destroy my son. And David said, As the Lord lives, there shall not one hair of your son fall to the earth.
12 Then the woman said, Let your handmaid, I pray you, speak one word to my lord the king. He said, Say on.
13 [She] said, Why then have you planned such a thing against God’s people? For in speaking this word the king is like one who is guilty, in that [he] does not bring home his banished one.
14 We must all die; we are like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again. And God does not take away life, but devises means so that he who is banished may not be an utter outcast from Him.
15 And now I have come to speak of this thing to my lord the king because the people have made me afraid. And I thought, I will speak to the king; it may be that he will perform the request of his servant.
16 For the king will hear to deliver his handmaid from the hand of the man who would destroy me and my son together from [Israel] the inheritance of God.
17 And the woman said, The word of my lord the king will now give me rest and security, for as an angel of God is my lord the king to hear and discern good and evil. May the Lord your God be with you!
18 Then the king said to the woman, Hide not from me anything I ask you. And the woman said, Let my lord the king speak.
19 The king said, Is the hand of Joab with you in all this? And the woman answered, As your soul lives, my lord the king, none can turn to the right hand or to the left from anything my lord the king has said. It was your servant Joab who directed me; he put all these words in my mouth.
20 In order to change the course of matters [between Absalom and his father] your servant Joab did this. But my lord has wisdom like the wisdom of the angel of God—to know all things that are on the earth.
21 Then the king said to Joab, Behold now, I grant this; go, bring back the young man Absalom.
22 And Joab fell to the ground on his face and did obeisance and thanked the king. And Joab said, Today your servant knows that I have found favor in your sight, my lord, O king, in that the king has performed the request of his servant.
23 So Joab arose, went to Geshur, and brought Absalom to Jerusalem.
24 And the king said, Let him go to his own house, and let him not see my face. So Absalom went to his own house and did not see the king’s face.
25 But in all Israel there was none so much to be praised for his beauty as Absalom; from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him.
26 And when he cut the hair of his head, he weighed it—for at each year’s end he cut it, because its weight was a burden to him—and it weighed 200 shekels by the king’s weight.
27 There were born to Absalom three sons and one daughter whose name was Tamar; she was a beautiful woman.
28 Absalom dwelt two full years in Jerusalem and did not see the king’s face.
29 So Absalom sent for Joab to send him to the king, but he would not come to him; even when he sent again the second time, he would not come.
30 Therefore Absalom said to his servants, See, Joab’s field is near mine, and he has barley there; go and set it on fire. So Absalom’s servants set the field afire.
31 Then Joab arose and went to Absalom at his house and said to him, Why have your servants set my field on fire?
32 Absalom answered Joab, I sent to you, saying, Come here, that I may send you to the king to ask, Why have I come from Geshur? It would be better for me to be there still. Now therefore [Joab], let me see the king, and if there is iniquity and guilt in me, let him kill me.
33 So Joab came to the king and told him. And when David had called for Absalom, he came to him and bowed himself on his face to the ground before the king; and [David] kissed Absalom.
15 After this, Absalom got a chariot and horses, and fifty men to run before him.
2 And [he] rose up early and stood beside the gateway; and when any man who had a controversy came to the king for judgment, Absalom called to him, Of what city are you? And he would say, Your servant is of such and such a tribe of Israel.
3 Absalom would say to him, Your claims are good and right, but there is no man appointed as the king’s agent to hear you.
4 Absalom added, Oh, that I were judge in the land! Then every man with any suit or cause might come to me and I would do him justice!
5 And whenever a man came near to do obeisance to him, he would put out his hand, take hold of him, and kiss him.
6 Thus Absalom did to all Israel who came to the king for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.
7 And after [four] years, Absalom said to the king, I pray you, let me go to Hebron [his birthplace] and pay my vow to the Lord.
8 For your servant vowed while I dwelt at Geshur in Syria, If the Lord will bring me again to Jerusalem, then I will serve the Lord [by offering a sacrifice].
9 And the king said to him, Go in peace. So he arose and went to Hebron.
10 But Absalom sent secret messengers throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then say, Absalom is king at Hebron.
11 With Absalom went 200 men from Jerusalem, who were invited [as guests to his sacrificial feast]; and they went in their simplicity, and they knew not a thing.
12 And while Absalom was offering the sacrifices, he sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, from his city Giloh. And the conspiracy was strong; the people with Absalom increased continually.
13 And there came a messenger to David, saying, The hearts of the men of Israel have gone after Absalom.
14 David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, Arise and let us flee, or else none of us will escape from Absalom. Make haste to depart, lest he overtake us suddenly and bring evil upon us and smite the city with the sword.
15 And the king’s servants said to the king, Behold, your servants are ready to do whatever my lord the king says.
16 So the king and all his household after him went forth. But he left ten women who were concubines to keep the house.(A)
17 The king went forth with all the people after him, and halted at the last house.
18 All David’s servants passed on beside him, along with [his bodyguards] all the Cherethites, Pelethites; also all the Gittites, 600 men who came after him from Gath, passed on before the king.
19 The king said to Ittai the Gittite, Why do you go with us also? Return to your place and remain with the king [Absalom], for you are a foreigner and an exile.
20 Since you came only yesterday, should I make you go up and down with us? Since I must go where I may, you return, and take back your brethren with you. May loving-kindness and faithfulness be with you.
21 But Ittai answered the king, As the Lord lives, and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king shall be, whether for death or life, even there also will your servant be.
22 So David said to Ittai, Go on and pass over [the Kidron]. And Ittai the Gittite passed over and all his men and all the little ones who were with him.
18 Having said these things, Jesus went out with His disciples beyond (across) the winter torrent of the Kidron [in the ravine]. There was a garden there, which He and His disciples entered.
2 And Judas, who was betraying Him and delivering Him up, also knew the place, because Jesus had often retired there with His disciples.
3 So Judas, obtaining and taking charge of the band of soldiers and some guards (attendants) of the high priests and Pharisees, came there with lanterns and torches and weapons.
4 Then Jesus, knowing all that was about to befall Him, went out to them and said, Whom are you seeking? [Whom do you want?]
5 They answered Him, Jesus the Nazarene. Jesus said to them, I am He. Judas, who was betraying Him, was also standing with them.
6 When Jesus said to them, I am He, they went backwards (drew back, lurched backward) and fell to the ground.
7 Then again He asked them, Whom are you seeking? And they said, Jesus the Nazarene.
8 Jesus answered, I told you that I am He. So, if you want Me [if it is only I for Whom you are looking], let these men go their way.
9 Thus what He had said was fulfilled and verified, Of those whom You have given Me, I have not lost even one.(A)
10 Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant and cut off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus.
11 Therefore, Jesus said to Peter, Put the sword [back] into the sheath! The cup which My Father has given Me, shall I not drink it?
12 So the troops and their captain and the guards (attendants) of the Jews seized Jesus and bound Him,
13 And they brought Him first to Annas, for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was the high priest that year.
14 It was Caiaphas who had counseled the Jews that it was expedient and for their welfare that one man should die for (instead of, in behalf of) the people.(B)
15 Now Simon Peter and another disciple were following Jesus. And that disciple was known to the high priest, and so he entered along with Jesus into the court of the palace of the high priest;
16 But Peter was standing outside at the door. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the maid who kept the door and brought Peter inside.
17 Then the maid who was in charge at the door said to Peter, You are not also one of the disciples of this [a]Man, are you? He said, I am not!
18 Now the servants and the guards (the attendants) had made a fire of coals, for it was cold, and they were standing and warming themselves. And Peter was with them, standing and warming himself.
19 Then the high priest questioned Jesus about His disciples and about His teaching.
20 Jesus answered him, I have spoken openly to the world. I have always taught in a synagogue and in the temple [area], where the Jews [habitually] congregate (assemble); and I have spoken nothing secretly.
21 Why do you ask Me? Ask those who have heard [Me] what I said to them. See! They know what I said.
22 But when He said this, one of the attendants who stood by struck Jesus, saying, Is that how [b]You answer the high priest?
23 Jesus replied, If I have said anything wrong [if I have spoken abusively, if there was evil in what I said] tell what was wrong with it. But if I spoke rightly and properly, why do you strike Me?
24 Then Annas sent Him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.
97 Oh, how love I Your law! It is my meditation all the day.(A)
98 You, through Your commandments, make me wiser than my enemies, for [Your words] are ever before me.
99 I have better understanding and deeper insight than all my teachers, because Your testimonies are my meditation.(B)
100 I understand more than the aged, because I keep Your precepts [hearing, receiving, loving, and obeying them].
101 I have restrained my feet from every evil way, that I might keep Your word [hearing, receiving, loving, and obeying it].(C)
102 I have not turned aside from Your ordinances, for You Yourself have taught me.
103 How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!(D)
104 Through Your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way.
105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.(E)
106 I have sworn [an oath] and have confirmed it, that I will keep Your righteous ordinances [hearing, receiving, loving, and obeying them].(F)
107 I am sorely afflicted; renew and quicken me [give me life], O Lord, according to Your word!
108 Accept, I beseech You, the freewill offerings of my mouth, O Lord, and teach me Your ordinances.(G)
109 My life is continually in my hand, yet I do not forget Your law.
110 The wicked have laid a snare for me, yet I do not stray from Your precepts.
111 Your testimonies have I taken as a heritage forever, for they are the rejoicing of my heart.(H)
112 I have inclined my heart to perform Your statutes forever, even to the end.
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