The Reign of David

Then your servant said, 'Please let my lord the king say something that will give me relief; for my lord the king is like an angel of God in discerning good from bad - and may ADONAI your God be with you.'"

The king then answered the woman: "I'm going to ask you a question, and please don't hide anything from me."The woman said, "Let my lord the king now speak."

The king asked, "Did Yo'av put you up to this?"The woman answered, "As you live, my lord the king, when my lord the king speaks, no one can avoid the issue by turning either right or left. Yes, it was your servant Yo'av who had me do this, and he put in my mouth every word you have heard your servant say.

Your servant Yo'av did this in order to bring about some change in the situation. But my lord is wise, he has the wisdom of an angel of God when it comes to understanding anything going on in the land."

The king said to Yo'av, "All right, I am granting this request. Go, and bring back young Avshalom."

Yo'av fell to the ground on his face, prostrating himself, and blessed the king; Yo'av said, "Today your servant knows that I have won your favor, my lord, king, because the king has done what your servant requested."

Then Yo'av got up, went to G'shur and brought Avshalom to Yerushalayim.

However, the king said, "Let him return to his own house, but he is not to appear in my presence."So Avshalom returned to his own house and did not appear before the king.

Now in all Isra'el there was no one more praised for his beauty than Avshalom -there was no defect on him from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head.

He would cut his hair only once a year, at the end of the year; and the only reason he cut it then was because it weighed him down. He weighed the hair from his head at 200 shekels (using the royal weight) [about five pounds].

To Avshalom were born three sons and one daughter, whose name was Tamar; she was a beautiful woman.

Avshalom lived two years in Yerushalayim without appearing before the king.

Then Avshalom summoned Yo'av, planning to send him to the king; but he refused to come to him. He summoned him a second time, but he still wouldn't come.

So he said to his servants, "See, Yo'av's field is close to mine, and he has barley there; go, and set it on fire." Avshalom's servants set the field on fire.

Then Yo'av got up, went to Avshalom at his house and asked him, "Why did your servants set my field on fire?"

Avshalom answered Yo'av, "Look, I sent a message to you to come here, so that I could send you to the king to ask, 'Why did I come from G'shur? It would have been better for me if I had stayed there. So now, let me appear before the king; and if I'm guilty of anything, he can kill me.'"

Yo'av went to the king and told him; and when he had called for Avshalom, he went to the king and prostrated himself with his face to the ground before the king. Then the king kissed Avshalom.

Some time later, Avshalom prepared himself a chariot and horses, with fifty men to run ahead of him.

He would get up early and stand by the road leading to the city gate; and if someone had a case that was to come before the king for judgment, Avshalom would call to him and ask, "What city are you from?" and he would answer, "Your servant is from the such-and-such tribe in Isra'el."

Avshalom would say to him, "Look, your cause is good and just; but the king hasn't deputized anyone to hear your case."

Then Avshalom would continue, "Now if I were made judge in the land, anyone with a suit or other cause could come to me, and I would see that he gets justice!"

Moreover, whenever any man came close to prostrate himself before him, he would put out his hand, take hold of him and kiss him.

This is how Avshalom behaved toward anyone in Isra'el who came to the king for judgment, and in this way Avshalom stole the hearts of the people of Isra'el.

At the end of forty years, Avshalom said to the king, "Please let me go to Hevron and fulfill the vow I made to ADONAI.

Your servant made a vow while I was staying at G'shur in Aram to the effect that if ADONAI would bring me back to Yerushalayim, then I would serve ADONAI."