Today's Reading

¹It happened after this, that Absalom the son of David had a beautiful sister, whose name was Tamar; and Amnon the son of David loved her.

²Amnon was so troubled that he fell sick because of his sister Tamar; for she was a virgin; and it seemed hard to Amnon to do anything to her.

³But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David's brother; and Jonadab was a very subtle man.

⁴He said to him, "Why, son of the king, are you so sad from day to day? Won't you tell me?" Amnon said to him, "I love Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister."

⁵Jonadab said to him, "Lie down on your bed, and pretend to be sick. When your father comes to see you, tell him, 'Please let my sister Tamar come and give me bread to eat, and dress the food in my sight, that I may see it, and eat it from her hand.'"

⁶So Amnon lay down and faked being sick. When the king came to see him, Amnon said to the king, "Please let my sister Tamar come, and make me a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat from her hand."

⁷Then David sent home to Tamar, saying, "Go now to your brother Amnon's house, and prepare food for him."

⁸So Tamar went to her brother Amnon's house; and he was laid down. She took dough, and kneaded it, and made cakes in his sight, and baked the cakes.

⁹She took the pan, and poured them out before him; but he refused to eat. Amnon said, "Have all men leave me." Every man went out from him.

¹⁰Amnon said to Tamar, "Bring the food into the room, that I may eat from your hand." Tamar took the cakes which she had made, and brought them into the room to Amnon her brother.

¹¹When she had brought them near to him to eat, he took hold of her, and said to her, "Come, lie with me, my sister!"

¹²She answered him, "No, my brother, do not force me! For no such thing ought to be done in Israel. Do not do this folly.

¹³I, where would I carry my shame? And as for you, you will be as one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, please speak to the king; for he will not withhold me from you."

¹⁴However he would not listen to her voice; but being stronger than she, he forced her, and lay with her.

¹⁵Then Amnon hated her with exceeding great hatred; for the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her. Amnon said to her, "Arise, be gone!"

¹⁶She said to him, "Not so, because this great wrong in sending me away is worse than the other that you did to me!" But he would not listen to her.

¹⁷Then he called his servant who ministered to him, and said, "Put now this woman out from me, and bolt the door after her."

¹⁸She had a garment of various colors on her; for with such robes were the king's daughters who were virgins dressed. Then his servant brought her out, and bolted the door after her.

¹⁹Tamar put ashes on her head, and tore her garment of various colors that was on her; and she laid her hand on her head, and went her way, crying aloud as she went.

²⁰Absalom her brother said to her, "Has Amnon your brother been with you? But now hold your peace, my sister. He is your brother. Do not take this thing to heart." So Tamar remained desolate in her brother Absalom's house.

²¹But when king David heard of all these things, he was very angry.

²²Absalom spoke to Amnon neither good nor bad; for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister Tamar.

²³It happened after two full years, that Absalom had sheepshearers in Baal Hazor, which is beside Ephraim: and Absalom invited all the king's sons.

²⁴Absalom came to the king, and said, "See now, your servant has sheepshearers. Please let the king and his servants go with your servant."

²⁵The king said to Absalom, "No, my son, let us not all go, lest we be burdensome to you." He pressed him; however he would not go, but blessed him.

²⁶Then Absalom said, "If not, please let my brother Amnon go with us." The king said to him, "Why should he go with you?"

²⁷But Absalom pressed him, and he let Amnon and all the king's sons go with him.

²⁸Absalom commanded his servants, saying, "Mark now, when Amnon's heart is merry with wine; and when I tell you, 'Strike Amnon,' then kill him. Do not be afraid. Haven't I commanded you? Be courageous, and be valiant!"

²⁹The servants of Absalom did to Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king's sons arose, and every man got up on his mule, and fled.

³⁰It happened, while they were in the way, that the news came to David, saying, "Absalom has slain all the king's sons, and there is not one of them left!"

³¹Then the king arose, and tore his garments, and lay on the ground; and all his servants stood by with their clothes torn.

³²Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David's brother, answered, "Do not let my lord suppose that they have killed all the young men the king's sons; for Amnon only is dead; for by the appointment of Absalom this has been determined from the day that he forced his sister Tamar.

³³Now therefore do not let my lord the king take the thing to his heart, to think that all the king's sons are dead; for Amnon only is dead."

³⁴But Absalom fled. The young man who kept the watch lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold, many people were coming by way of the hillside behind him.

³⁵Jonadab said to the king, "Behold, the king's sons are coming! It is as your servant said."

³⁶It happened, as soon as he had finished speaking, that behold, the king's sons came, and lifted up their voice, and wept. The king also and all his servants wept bitterly.

³⁷But Absalom fled, and went to Talmai the son of Ammihur, king of Geshur. David mourned for his son every day.

³⁸So Absalom fled, and went to Geshur, and was there three years.

³⁹King David longed to go forth to Absalom: for he was comforted concerning Amnon, since he was dead.

¹Now Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king's heart was toward Absalom.

²Joab sent to Tekoa, and fetched there a wise woman, and said to her, "Please act like a mourner, and put on mourning clothing, please, and do not anoint yourself with oil, but be as a woman who has mourned a long time for the dead.

³Go in to the king, and speak like this to him." So Joab put the words in her mouth.

⁴When the woman of Tekoa spoke to the king, she fell on her face to the ground, showed respect, and said, "Help, O king!"

⁵The king said to her, "What ails you?" She answered, "Truly I am a widow, and my husband is dead.

⁶Your handmaid had two sons, and they both fought together in the field, and there was no one to part them, but the one struck the other, and killed him.

⁷Behold, the whole family has risen against your handmaid, and they say, 'Deliver him who struck his brother, that we may kill him for the life of his brother whom he killed, and so destroy the heir also.' Thus they would quench my coal which is left, and would leave to my husband neither name nor remainder on the surface of the earth."

⁸The king said to the woman, "Go to your house, and I will give a command concerning you."

⁹The woman of Tekoa said to the king, "My lord, O king, the iniquity be on me, and on my father's house; and the king and his throne be guiltless."

¹⁰The king said, "Whoever says anything to you, bring him to me, and he shall not touch you any more."

¹¹Then she said, "Please let the king remember the Lord your God, that the avenger of blood destroy not any more, lest they destroy my son." He said, "As the Lord lives, not one hair of your son shall fall to the ground."

¹²Then the woman said, "Please let your handmaid speak a word to my lord the king." He said, "Say on."

¹³The woman said, "Why then have you devised such a thing against the people of God? For in speaking this word the king is as one who is guilty, in that the king does not bring home again his banished one.

¹⁴For we must die, and are as water split on the ground, which can't be gathered up again; neither does God take away life, but devises means, that he who is banished not be an outcast from him.

¹⁵Now therefore seeing that I have come to speak this word to my lord the king, it is because the people have made me afraid: and your handmaid said, 'I will now speak to the king; it may be that the king will perform the request of his servant.'

¹⁶For the king will hear, to deliver his servant out of the hand of the man who would destroy me and my son together out of the inheritance of God.

¹⁷Then your handmaid said, 'Please let the word of my lord the king bring rest; for as an angel of God, so is my lord the king to discern good and bad. May the Lord, your God, be with you.'"

¹⁸Then the king answered the woman, "Please do not hide anything from me that I ask you." The woman said, "Let my lord the king now speak."

¹⁹The king said, "Is the hand of Joab with you in all this?" The woman answered, "As your soul lives, my lord the king, no one can turn to the right hand or to the left from anything that my lord the king has spoken; for your servant Joab, he urged me, and he put all these words in the mouth of your handmaid;

²⁰to change the face of the matter has your servant Joab done this thing. My lord is wise, according to the wisdom of an angel of God, to know all things that are in the earth."

²¹The king said to Joab, "Behold now, I have done this thing. Go therefore, bring the young man Absalom back."

²²Joab fell to the ground on his face, showed respect, and blessed the king. Joab said, "Today your servant knows that I have found favor in your sight, my lord, king, in that the king has performed the request of his servant."

²³So Joab arose and went to Geshur, and brought Absalom to Jerusalem.

²⁴The king said, "Let him return to his own house, but let him not see my face." So Absalom returned to his own house, and did not see the king's face.

²⁵Now in all Israel there was none to be so much praised as Absalom for his beauty: from the sole of his foot even to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him.

²⁶When he cut the hair of his head (now it was at every year's end that he cut it; because it was heavy on him, therefore he cut it); he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred shekels, after the king's weight.

²⁷To Absalom there were born three sons, and one daughter, whose name was Tamar: she was a woman of a beautiful face.

²⁸Absalom lived two full years in Jerusalem; and he did not see the king's face.

²⁹Then Absalom sent for Joab, to send him to the king; but he would not come to him: and he sent again a second time, but he would not come.

³⁰Therefore he said to his servants, "Behold, Joab's field is near mine, and he has barley there. Go and set it on fire." Absalom's servants set the field on fire. [And the servants of Joab came to him with their clothes rent, and they said to him, "The servants of Absalom have set the field on fire."]

³¹Then Joab arose, and came to Absalom to his house, and said to him, "Why have your servants set my field on fire?"

³²Absalom answered Joab, "Behold, I sent to you, saying, 'Come here, that I may send you to the king, to say, "Why have I come from Geshur? It would be better for me to be there still. Now therefore let me see the king's face; and if there is iniquity in me, let him kill me."'"

³³So Joab came to the king, and told him; and when he had called for Absalom, he came to the king, and bowed himself on his face to the ground before the king: and the king kissed Absalom.

¹It happened after this, that Absalom prepared him a chariot and horses, and fifty men to run before him.

²Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate. It was so, that when any man had a suit which should come to the king for judgment, then Absalom called to him, and said, "What city are you from?" He said, "Your servant is of one of the tribes of Israel."

³Absalom said to him, "Behold, your matters are good and right; but there is no man deputized by the king to hear you."

⁴Absalom said moreover, "Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man who has any suit or cause might come to me, and I would do him justice!"

⁵It was so, that when any man came near to do him obeisance, he put forth his hand, and took hold of him, and kissed him.

⁶Absalom did this sort of thing to all Israel who came to the king for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

⁷It happened at the end of forty years, that Absalom said to the king, "Please let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed to the Lord, in Hebron.

⁸For your servant vowed a vow while I stayed at Geshur in Syria, saying, 'If the Lord shall indeed bring me again to Jerusalem, then I will serve the Lord.'"

⁹The king said to him, "Go in peace." So he arose, and went to Hebron.

¹⁰But Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, "As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then you shall say, 'Absalom is king in Hebron!'"

¹¹Two hundred men went with Absalom out of Jerusalem, who were invited, and went in their simplicity; and they did not know anything.

¹²Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's counselor, from his city, even from Giloh, while he was offering the sacrifices. The conspiracy was strong; for the people increased continually with Absalom.

¹³A messenger came to David, saying, "The hearts of the men of Israel are after Absalom."

¹⁴David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, "Arise, and let us flee; for else none of us shall escape from Absalom. Make speed to depart, lest he overtake us quickly, and bring down evil on us, and strike the city with the edge of the sword."

¹⁵The king's servants said to the king, "Behold, your servants are ready to do whatever my lord the king chooses."

¹⁶The king went forth, and all his household after him. The king left ten women, who were concubines, to keep the house.

¹⁷The king went forth, and all the people after him; and they stayed in Beth Merhak.

¹⁸All his servants passed on beside him; and all the Cherethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, six hundred men who came after him from Gath, passed on before the king.

¹⁹Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, "Why do you also go with us? Return, and stay with the king; for you are a foreigner, and also an exile. Return to your own place.

²⁰Whereas you came but yesterday, should I this day make you go up and down with us, since I go where I may? Return, and take back your brothers. Mercy and truth be with you."

²¹Ittai answered the king, and said, "As the Lord lives, and as my lord the king lives, surely in what place my lord the king shall is, whether for death or for life, even there also will your servant be."

²²David said to Ittai, "Go and pass over." Ittai the Gittite passed over, and all his men, and all the little ones who were with him.

²³All the country wept with a loud voice, and all the people passed over: the king also himself passed over the brook Kidron, and all the people passed over, toward the way of the wilderness.

²⁴Behold, Zadok also came, and all the Levites with him, bearing the ark of the covenant of God; and they set down the ark of God; and Abiathar went up, until all the people finished passing out of the city.

²⁵The king said to Zadok, "Carry back the ark of God into the city. If I find favor in the eyes of the Lord, he will bring me again, and show me both it, and his habitation;

²⁶but if he say thus, 'I have no delight in you;' behold, here am I. Let him do to me as seems good to him."

²⁷The king said also to Zadok the priest, "Aren't you a seer? Return into the city in peace, and your two sons with you, Ahimaaz your son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar.

²⁸Behold, I will stay at the fords of the wilderness, until word comes from you to inform me."

²⁹Zadok therefore and Abiathar carried the ark of God again to Jerusalem; and they stayed there.

³⁰David went up by the ascent of the Mount of Olives, and wept as he went up; and he had his head covered, and went barefoot: and all the people who were with him covered every man his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up.

³¹Someone told David, saying, "Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom." David said, "Lord, please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness."

³²It happened that when David had come to the top, where God was worshiped, behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his coat torn, and earth on his head.

³³David said to him, "If you pass on with me, then you will be a burden to me;

³⁴but if you return to the city, and tell Absalom, 'I will be your servant, O king. As I have been your father's servant in time past, so will I now be your servant; then will you defeat for me the counsel of Ahithophel.'

³⁵Do you not have Zadok and Abiathar the priests there with you? Therefore it shall be, that whatever thing you shall hear out of the king's house, you shall tell it to Zadok and Abiathar the priests.

³⁶Behold, they have there with them their two sons, Ahimaaz, Zadok's son, and Jonathan, Abiathar's son; and by them you shall send to me everything that you shall hear."

³⁷So Hushai, David's friend, came into the city; and Absalom came into Jerusalem.

¹But a certain man named Ananias, with Sappirah, his wife, sold a possession,

²and kept back part of the price, his wife also being aware of it, and brought a certain part, and put it at the apostles' feet.

³But Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit, and to keep back part of the price of the land?

⁴While you kept it, did not it remain your own? After it was sold, was not it in your power? How is it that you have conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men, but to God."

⁵Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and died. Great fear came on all who heard it.

⁶The young men arose and wrapped him up, and they carried him out and buried him.

⁷About three hours later, his wife, not knowing what had happened, came in.

⁸Peter answered her, "Tell me whether you sold the land for so much." She said, "Yes, for so much."

⁹But Peter asked her, "How is it that you have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out."

¹⁰She fell down immediately at his feet, and died. The young men came in and found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her by her husband.

¹¹Great fear came on the whole church, and on all who heard these things.

¹²By the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people. They were all with one accord in Solomon's porch.

¹³None of the rest dared to join them, however the people honored them.

¹⁴More believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women.

¹⁵They even carried out the sick into the streets, and put them on cots and mattresses, so that as Peter came by, at the least his shadow might overshadow some of them.

¹⁶Multitudes also came together from the cities around Jerusalem, bringing sick people, and those who were tormented by unclean spirits: and they were all healed.

¹⁷But the high priest rose up, and all those who were with him (which is the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with jealousy,

¹⁸and laid hands on the apostles, and put them in public custody.

¹⁹But an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors by night, and brought them out, and said,

²⁰"Go stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life."

²¹When they heard this, they entered into the temple about daybreak, and taught. But the high priest came, and those who were with him, and called the council together, and all the senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought.

²²But the officers who came did not find them in the prison. They returned and reported,

²³"We found the prison shut and locked, and the guards standing before the doors, but when we opened them, we found no one inside!"

²⁴Now when the captain of the temple, and the chief priests heard these words, they were very perplexed about them and what might become of this.

²⁵One came and told them, "Behold, the men whom you put in prison are in the temple, standing and teaching the people."

²⁶Then the captain went with the officers, and brought them without violence, for they were afraid that the people might stone them.

²⁷When they had brought them, they set them before the council. The high priest questioned them,

²⁸saying, "Did not we strictly command you not to teach in this name? Behold, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and intend to bring this man's blood on us."

²⁹But Peter and the apostles answered, "We must obey God rather than men.

³⁰The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you killed, hanging him on a tree.

³¹God exalted him with his right hand to be a Prince and a Savior, to give repentance to Israel, and remission of sins.

³²We are witnesses of these things; and so also is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him."

³³But they, when they heard this, were cut to the heart, and wanted to kill them.

³⁴But one stood up in the council, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the Law, honored by all the people, and commanded to put the men out for a little while.

³⁵He said to them, "You men of Israel, be careful concerning these men, what you are about to do.

³⁶For before these days Todah rose up, making himself out to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves: who was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were dispersed, and came to nothing.

³⁷After this man, Judas of Galilee rose up in the days of the enrollment, and drew away some people after him. He also perished, and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered abroad.

³⁸Now I tell you, withdraw from these men, and leave them alone. For if this counsel or this work is of man, it will be overthrown.

³⁹But if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them, and you would be found even to be fighting against God!"

⁴⁰They agreed with him. Summoning the apostles, they beat them and commanded them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.

⁴¹They therefore departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the Name.

⁴²Every day, in the temple and at home, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming Jesus, the Messiah.

¹Lord, you God to whom vengeance belongs, you God to whom vengeance belongs, shine forth.

²Rise up, you judge of the earth. Pay back the proud what they deserve.

³Lord, how long will the wicked, how long will the wicked triumph?

⁴They pour out arrogant words. All the evildoers boast.

⁵They break your people in pieces, Lord, and afflict your heritage.

⁶They kill the widow and the alien, and murder the fatherless.

⁷They say, "Yah will not see, neither will Jacob's God consider."

⁸Consider, you senseless among the people; you fools, when will you be wise?

⁹He who implanted the ear, won't he hear? He who formed the eye, won't he see?

¹⁰He who disciplines the nations, won't he punish? He who teaches man knows.

¹¹The Lord knows the thoughts of man, that they are futile.

¹²Blessed is the man whom you discipline, Yah, and teach out of your Law;

¹³that you may give him rest from the days of adversity, until the pit is dug for the wicked.

¹⁴For the Lord won't reject his people, neither will he forsake his inheritance.

¹⁵For judgment will return to righteousness. All the upright in heart shall follow it.

¹⁶Who will rise up for me against the wicked? Who will stand up for me against the evildoers?

¹⁷Unless the Lord had been my help, my soul would have soon lived in silence.

¹⁸When I said, "My foot is slipping!" Your loving kindness, Lord, held me up.

¹⁹In the multitude of my thoughts within me, your comforts delight my soul.

²⁰Shall the throne of wickedness have fellowship with you, which brings about mischief by statute?

²¹They gather themselves together against the soul of the righteous, and condemn the innocent blood.

²²But the Lord has been my high tower, my God, the rock of my refuge.

²³He has brought on them their own iniquity, and will cut them off in their own wickedness. The Lord, our God, will cut them off.

¹The proverbs of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel:

²to know wisdom and instruction; to discern the words of understanding;

³to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity;

⁴to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the young man:

⁵that the wise man may hear, and increase in learning; that the man of understanding may attain to sound counsel:

⁶to understand a proverb, and parables, the words and riddles of the wise.

⁷The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; but the foolish despise wisdom and instruction.

⁸My son, listen to your father's instruction, and do not forsake your mother's teaching:

⁹for they will be a garland to grace your head, and chains around your neck.

¹⁰My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent.

¹¹If they say, "Come with us, Let's lie in wait for blood; let's lurk secretly for the innocent without cause;

¹²let's swallow them up alive like Sheol, and whole, like those who go down into the pit.

¹³We'll find all valuable wealth. We'll fill our houses with spoil.

¹⁴You shall cast your lot among us. We'll all have one purse."

¹⁵My son, do not walk in the way with them. Keep your foot from their path,

¹⁶for their feet run to evil. They hurry to shed blood.

¹⁷For in vain is the net spread in the sight of any bird:

¹⁸but these lie in wait for their own blood. They lurk secretly for their own lives.

¹⁹So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain. It takes away the life of its owners.

²⁰Wisdom calls aloud in the street. She utters her voice in the public squares.

²¹She calls at the head of noisy places. At the entrance of the city gates, she utters her words:

²²"How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity? How long will mockers delight themselves in mockery, and fools hate knowledge?

²³Turn at my reproof. Behold, I will pour out my spirit on you. I will make known my words to you.

²⁴Because I have called, and you have refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no one has paid attention;

²⁵but you have ignored all my counsel, and wanted none of my reproof;

²⁶I also will laugh at your disaster. I will mock when calamity overtakes you;

²⁷when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when your disaster comes on like a whirlwind; when distress and anguish come on you.

²⁸Then will they call on me, but I will not answer. They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me;

²⁹because they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord.

³⁰They wanted none of my counsel. They despised all my reproof.

³¹Therefore they will eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own schemes.

³²For the backsliding of the simple will kill them. The careless ease of fools will destroy them.

³³But whoever listens to me will dwell securely, and will be at ease, without fear of harm."