Family Verses

Brought beds, and basons, and earthen vessels, and wheat, and barley, and flour, and parched {corn}, and beans, and lentiles, and parched {pulse}, {basons: or, cups}

And David sent forth a third part of the people under the hand of Joab, and a third part under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, and a third part under the hand of Ittai the Gittite. And the king said unto the people, I will surely go forth with you myself also.

And the man said unto Joab, Though I should receive a thousand {shekels} of silver in mine hand, {yet} would I not put forth mine hand against the king's son: for in our hearing the king charged thee and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Beware that none {touch} the young man Absalom. {receive: Heb. weigh upon mine hand} {Beware...: Heb. Beware whosoever ye be of, etc}

Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and reared up for himself a pillar, which {is} in the king's dale: for he said, I have no son to keep my name in remembrance: and he called the pillar after his own name: and it is called unto this day, Absalom's place.

Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok, Let me now run, and bear the king tidings, how that the LORD hath avenged him of his enemies. {avenged...: Heb. judged him from the hand, etc}

And Joab said unto him, Thou shalt not bear tidings this day, but thou shalt bear tidings another day: but this day thou shalt bear no tidings, because the king's son is dead. {bear tidings this: Heb. be a man of tidings, etc}

Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok yet again to Joab, But howsoever, let me, I pray thee, also run after Cushi. And Joab said, Wherefore wilt thou run, my son, seeing that thou hast no tidings ready? {howsoever: Heb. be what may} {ready: or, convenient}

And the watchman said, Me thinketh the running of the foremost is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok. And the king said, He {is} a good man, and cometh with good tidings. {Me...: Heb. I see the running}

And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept: and as he went, thus he said, O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!

And the victory that day was {turned} into mourning unto all the people: for the people heard say that day how the king was grieved for his son. {victory: Heb. salvation, or, deliverance}

But the king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!

And Joab came into the house to the king, and said, Thou hast shamed this day the faces of all thy servants, which this day have saved thy life, and the lives of thy sons and of thy daughters, and the lives of thy wives, and the lives of thy concubines;