April 12 Daily Devotional

2 Samuel 14–18

David, the king, had a number of sons. One of them was Absalom. There was none to be so much praised as he for beauty and there was no blemish in him. But he was a proud, wicked person and he caused his father great affliction. He tried to turn the people away from the king and said, “Oh, that I were made judge in the land, that every man who hath any suit or cause might come unto me, and I would do him justice.” He sought to become king in his father’s stead.

One day Absalom went to Hebron and sent men through all the tribes of Israel, saying, “As soon as ye hear the sound of the trumpet, then ye shall say, Absalom is king at Hebron.” And many people were joined to him. Then a messenger came to David, saying, “The hearts of the men of Israel are after Absalom.” And David said to his servants, “Arise, let us flee; for we shall not else escape from Absalom: make speed and depart, lest he overtake us suddenly, and smite the city with the edge of the sword.”

And the king went barefoot from Jerusalem, weeping, and all his people with him. They went over the brook Kidron, going up by the ascent of the mount of Olives. And the people went out by hundreds and by thousands. And David commanded Joab, “Deal gently for my sake with the young man, even with Absalom.” And they passed over Jordan. In the forest of Ephraim a great battle was fought between Absalom’s men and the men of David. Absalom was with his men riding upon his mule. But he and his men were defeated by the men of David. And Absalom was fleeing and passed under the boughs of a big oak tree. And his long hair was entangled in the boughs, while his mule went on. Thus he was hanging between heaven and earth. When Joab, David’s captain, heard about this, he took three darts and thrust them through the heart of Absalom and some young men that bore Joab’s armor killed him. And they took his body and cast it into a deep pit in the forest, raising over it a very large heap of stones. Then Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing Israel; for Joab held back the people. And the people returned to their homes.

David was sitting between the two gates, when a messenger came and said, “Blessed be the Lord thy God, which hath delivered up the men that lifted up their hand against my lord the king.” And the king said, “Is the young man Absalom safe?” And when the king heard of his death, he was much moved and went and wept; and as he went, he said, lamenting, “O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!”