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1 Samuel 27 8
David and his men spent their time raiding the Geshurites, the Girzites, and the Amalekites— people who had lived near Shur, toward the land of Egypt, since ancient times.
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1 Chronicles 3 1
These are the sons of David who were born in Hebron: The oldest was Amnon, whose mother was Ahinoam from Jezreel. The second was Daniel, whose mother was Abigail from Carmel.
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1 Samuel 25 3
This man’s name was Nabal, and his wife, Abigail, was a sensible and beautiful woman. But Nabal, a descendant of Caleb, was crude and mean in all his dealings.
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Deuteronomy 3:14
Jair, a leader from the tribe of Manasseh, conquered the whole Argob region in Bashan, all the way to the border of the Geshurites and Maacathites. Jair renamed this region after himself, calling it the Towns of Jair, as it is still known today.)
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2 Samuel 13 20-2 Samuel 13 28
Her brother Absalom saw her and asked,“ Is it true that Amnon has been with you? Well, my sister, keep quiet for now, since he’s your brother. Don’t you worry about it.” So Tamar lived as a desolate woman in her brother Absalom’s house.When King David heard what had happened, he was very angry.And though Absalom never spoke to Amnon about this, he hated Amnon deeply because of what he had done to his sister.Two years later, when Absalom’s sheep were being sheared at Baal hazor near Ephraim, Absalom invited all the king’s sons to come to a feast.He went to the king and said,“ My sheep shearers are now at work. Would the king and his servants please come to celebrate the occasion with me?”The king replied,“ No, my son. If we all came, we would be too much of a burden on you.” Absalom pressed him, but the king would not come, though he gave Absalom his blessing.“ Well, then,” Absalom said,“ if you can’t come, how about sending my brother Amnon with us?”“ Why Amnon?” the king asked.But Absalom kept on pressing the king until he finally agreed to let all his sons attend, including Amnon. So Absalom prepared a feast fit for a king.Absalom told his men,“ Wait until Amnon gets drunk; then at my signal, kill him! Don’t be afraid. I’m the one who has given the command. Take courage and do it!”
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2 Samuel 13 37-2 Samuel 13 38
And David mourned many days for his son Amnon. Absalom fled to his grandfather, Talmai son of Ammihud, the king of Geshur.He stayed there in Geshur for three years.
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1 Samuel 25 42
Quickly getting ready, she took along five of her servant girls as attendants, mounted her donkey, and went with David’s messengers. And so she became his wife.
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2 Samuel 2 2
David’s two wives were Ahinoam from Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal from Carmel. So David and his wives
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Joshua 13:13
But the Israelites failed to drive out the people of Geshur and Maacah, so they continue to live among the Israelites to this day.
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2 Samuel 17 1-2 Samuel 17 14
Now Ahithophel urged Absalom,“ Let me choose 12,000 men to start out after David tonight.I will catch up with him while he is weary and discouraged. He and his troops will panic, and everyone will run away. Then I will kill only the king,and I will bring all the people back to you as a bride returns to her husband. After all, it is only one man’s life that you seek. Then you will be at peace with all the people.”This plan seemed good to Absalom and to all the elders of Israel.But then Absalom said,“ Bring in Hushai the Arkite. Let’s see what he thinks about this.”When Hushai arrived, Absalom told him what Ahithophel had said. Then he asked,“ What is your opinion? Should we follow Ahithophel’s advice? If not, what do you suggest?”“ Well,” Hushai replied to Absalom,“ this time Ahithophel has made a mistake.You know your father and his men; they are mighty warriors. Right now they are as enraged as a mother bear who has been robbed of her cubs. And remember that your father is an experienced man of war. He won’t be spending the night among the troops.He has probably already hidden in some pit or cave. And when he comes out and attacks and a few of your men fall, there will be panic among your troops, and the word will spread that Absalom’s men are being slaughtered.Then even the bravest soldiers, though they have the heart of a lion, will be paralyzed with fear. For all Israel knows what a mighty warrior your father is and how courageous his men are.“ I recommend that you mobilize the entire army of Israel, bringing them from as far away as Dan in the north and Beersheba in the south. That way you will have an army as numerous as the sand on the seashore. And I advise that you personally lead the troops.When we find David, we’ll fall on him like dew that falls on the ground. Then neither he nor any of his men will be left alive.And if David were to escape into some town, you will have all Israel there at your command. Then we can take ropes and drag the walls of the town into the nearest valley until every stone is torn down.”Then Absalom and all the men of Israel said,“ Hushai’s advice is better than Ahithophel’s.” For the Lord had determined to defeat the counsel of Ahithophel, which really was the better plan, so that he could bring disaster on Absalom!
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2 Samuel 18 33
The king was overcome with emotion. He went up to the room over the gateway and burst into tears. And as he went, he cried,“ O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you! O Absalom, my son, my son.”
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2 Samuel 18 9-2 Samuel 18 18
During the battle, Absalom happened to come upon some of David’s men. He tried to escape on his mule, but as he rode beneath the thick branches of a great tree, his hair got caught in the tree. His mule kept going and left him dangling in the air.One of David’s men saw what had happened and told Joab,“ I saw Absalom dangling from a great tree.”“ What?” Joab demanded.“ You saw him there and didn’t kill him? I would have rewarded you with ten pieces of silver and a hero’s belt!”“ I would not kill the king’s son for even a thousand pieces of silver,” the man replied to Joab.“ We all heard the king say to you and Abishai and Ittai,‘ For my sake, please spare young Absalom.’And if I had betrayed the king by killing his son— and the king would certainly find out who did it— you yourself would be the first to abandon me.”“ Enough of this nonsense,” Joab said. Then he took three daggers and plunged them into Absalom’s heart as he dangled, still alive, in the great tree.Ten of Joab’s young armor bearers then surrounded Absalom and killed him.Then Joab blew the ram’s horn, and his men returned from chasing the army of Israel.They threw Absalom’s body into a deep pit in the forest and piled a great heap of stones over it. And all Israel fled to their homes.During his lifetime, Absalom had built a monument to himself in the King’s Valley, for he said,“ I have no son to carry on my name.” He named the monument after himself, and it is known as Absalom’s Monument to this day.
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2 Samuel 14 24-2 Samuel 15 18
But the king gave this order:“ Absalom may go to his own house, but he must never come into my presence.” So Absalom did not see the king.Now Absalom was praised as the most handsome man in all Israel. He was flawless from head to foot.He cut his hair only once a year, and then only because it was so heavy. When he weighed it out, it came to five pounds!He had three sons and one daughter. His daughter’s name was Tamar, and she was very beautiful.Absalom lived in Jerusalem for two years, but he never got to see the king.Then Absalom sent for Joab to ask him to intercede for him, but Joab refused to come. Absalom sent for him a second time, but again Joab refused to come.So Absalom said to his servants,“ Go and set fire to Joab’s barley field, the field next to mine.” So they set his field on fire, as Absalom had commanded.Then Joab came to Absalom at his house and demanded,“ Why did your servants set my field on fire?”And Absalom replied,“ Because I wanted you to ask the king why he brought me back from Geshur if he didn’t intend to see me. I might as well have stayed there. Let me see the king; if he finds me guilty of anything, then let him kill me.”So Joab told the king what Absalom had said. Then at last David summoned Absalom, who came and bowed low before the king, and the king kissed him.After this, Absalom bought a chariot and horses, and he hired fifty bodyguards to run ahead of him.He got up early every morning and went out to the gate of the city. When people brought a case to the king for judgment, Absalom would ask where in Israel they were from, and they would tell him their tribe.Then Absalom would say,“ You’ve really got a strong case here! It’s too bad the king doesn’t have anyone to hear it.I wish I were the judge. Then everyone could bring their cases to me for judgment, and I would give them justice!”When people tried to bow before him, Absalom wouldn’t let them. Instead, he took them by the hand and kissed them.Absalom did this with everyone who came to the king for judgment, and so he stole the hearts of all the people of Israel.After four years, Absalom said to the king,“ Let me go to Hebron to offer a sacrifice to the Lord and fulfill a vow I made to him.For while your servant was at Geshur in Aram, I promised to sacrifice to the Lord in Hebron if he would bring me back to Jerusalem.”“ All right,” the king told him.“ Go and fulfill your vow.” So Absalom went to Hebron.But while he was there, he sent secret messengers to all the tribes of Israel to stir up a rebellion against the king.“ As soon as you hear the ram’s horn,” his message read,“ you are to say,‘ Absalom has been crowned king in Hebron.’”He took 200 men from Jerusalem with him as guests, but they knew nothing of his intentions.While Absalom was offering the sacrifices, he sent for Ahithophel, one of David’s counselors who lived in Giloh. Soon many others also joined Absalom, and the conspiracy gained momentum.A messenger soon arrived in Jerusalem to tell David,“ All Israel has joined Absalom in a conspiracy against you!”“ Then we must flee at once, or it will be too late!” David urged his men.“ Hurry! If we get out of the city before Absalom arrives, both we and the city of Jerusalem will be spared from disaster.”“ We are with you,” his advisers replied.“ Do what you think is best.”So the king and all his household set out at once. He left no one behind except ten of his concubines to look after the palace.The king and all his people set out on foot, pausing at the last houseto let all the king’s men move past to lead the way. There were 600 men from Gath who had come with David, along with the king’s bodyguard.
