David Flees from Absalom

Today’s Daily Bible Reading is from 2 Samuel 15:19-37. David and his men were fleeing from Absalom. He asked Ittai the Gittite, “Why are you going with us?” He told him to go back and stay with the king, speaking of Absalom. David told him that he was an exile and a stranger.

David reminded him that he only came the day before so why should he go with them when they didn’t even know where they were going. David told him to go back and take his people with him. David blessed him saying, “Mercy and truth be with thee.”

Ittai answered the king, saying, “As the LORD lives, and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king is, in death or life, also will your servant be.”

David told Ittai to go ahead and pass over. Ittai the Gittite did as David instructed and passed over, with his men, and all those with him.

The people cried with a loud voice as they and the king passed over and went by the brook Kidron toward the wilderness.

Zadok and all the Levites were with him, bearing the ark of the covenant of God. They set down the ark of God; and Abiathar went up, until all the people were through passing out of the city.

The king told Zadok to carry the ark of God back to the city. He said, if he found favor in the eyes of the LORD, then the LORD would bring him back, and show it to him again and his habitation.

David said, If the LORD says, He has no delight in me; here I am, let him do to me whatever he pleases.”\

The king asked Zadok the priest, “Are you not a seer?” He told him to return to the city in peace, and take his two sons with him, Ahimaaz your son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar.

David told him that he would stay in the plain of the wilderness, until he heard word from him.

Zadok and Abiathar carried the ark of God back to Jerusalem and stayed there.

David went up by the ascent of mount Olivet. He cried as he went up. He covered his head, and was barefoot. All the people who were with David covered their heads as well, as they went up, weeping.

Someone told David that Ahithophel was one of the conspirators with Absalom. David cried out to God, “O LORD, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.”

When David got to the top of the mount, he worshiped God. Hushai the Archite came to meet him. His coat was torn, and he had dirt on his head.

David said to Hushai, If you go on with me, then you will be a burden to me. If you return to the city and tell Absalom that you will be his servant, like you have been his father’s servant then you will be able to defeat the counsel of Ahithophel for me.

You will have Zadok and Abiathar the priests with you. Whatever you hear from the king’s house, you can tell Zadok and Abiathar the priests.

They also have their two sons there with them, Ahimaaz, who is Zadok’s son, and Jonathan, who is Abiathar’s son. You can send messages to me about everything you hear by them.

Hushai. David’s friend, went to the city. Absalom came to Jerusalem.

David and his people didn’t want to leave Jerusalem. Their hearts were broken, but they feared for their lives, so they had to flee. Absalom was gathering his army together and they didn’t know what was going to happen next.

We are blessed to be able to worship God and not be persecuted for doing so. There are those around the world even today who are persecuted for their belief in Jesus Christ. We need to pray and seek God’s face for the future of the world we live in today.

Daily Bible Reading:

2 Samuel 15:19-37

19 Then said the king to Ittai the Gittite, Wherefore goest thou also with us? return to thy place, and abide with the king: for thou art a stranger, and also an exile.
20 Whereas thou camest but yesterday, should I this day make thee go up and down with us? seeing I go whither I may, return thou, and take back thy brethren: mercy and truth be with thee.
21 And Ittai answered the king, and said, As the LORD liveth, and as my lord the king liveth, surely in what place my lord the king shall be, whether in death or life, even there also will thy servant be.
22 And David said to Ittai, Go and pass over. And Ittai the Gittite passed over, and all his men, and all the little ones that were with him.
23 And all 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.
24 And lo Zadok also, and all the Levites were 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 had done passing out of the city.
25 And the king said unto Zadok, Carry back the ark of God into the city: if I shall find favour in the eyes of the LORD, he will bring me again, and shew me both it, and his habitation:
26 But if he thus say, I have no delight in thee; behold, here am I, let him do to me as seemeth good unto him.
27 The king said also unto Zadok the priest, Art not thou a seer? return into the city in peace, and your two sons with you, Ahimaaz thy son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar.
28 See, I will tarry in the plain of the wilderness, until there come word from you to certify me.
29 Zadok therefore and Abiathar carried the ark of God again to Jerusalem: and they tarried there.
30 And David went up by the ascent of mount Olivet, and wept as he went up, and had his head covered, and he went barefoot: and all the people that was with him covered every man his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up.
31 And one told David, saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. And David said, O LORD, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.
32 And it came to pass, that when David was come to the top of the mount, where he worshipped God, behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his coat rent, and earth upon his head:
33 Unto whom David said, If thou passest on with me, then thou shalt be a burden unto me:
34 But if thou return to the city, and say unto Absalom, I will be thy servant, O king; as I have been thy father’s servant hitherto, so will I now also be thy servant: then mayest thou for me defeat the counsel of Ahithophel.
35 And hast thou not there with thee Zadok and Abiathar the priests? therefore it shall be, that what thing soever thou shalt hear out of the king’s house, thou shalt tell it to Zadok and Abiathar the priests.
36 Behold, they have there with them their two sons, Ahimaaz Zadok’s son, and Jonathan Abiathar’s son; and by them ye shall send unto me every thing that ye can hear.
37 So Hushai David’s friend came into the city, and Absalom came into Jerusalem.

Things to think about:

Why was David leaving Jerusalem?
What was the people’s reaction to him leaving?
Who went with David?
Who did David send back to Jerusalem? Why?

Prayer of the Day:

As we read this Scripture in 2 Samuel w see that David and his people were saddened to be leaving Jerusalem, but they feared for their lives. Help us not to take for granted the freedoms we have to serve and worship You. Help those who are persecuted because of their faith in You. Protect them and watch over them. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

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Featured Book:

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The Book of Zechariah: A Story of Dreams and Visions is a Daily Bible Reading study by Deborah H. Bateman. It is a study of Zechariah from the Old Testament of the Bible. Zechariah was a prophet during Old Testament times. He tells of eight dreams or visions he has where the LORD communicates with him.

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