Thursday in Season after Pentecost

1Verse 1. Now Ben-hadad king of Aram assembled his entire army. Accompanied by thirty-two kings with their horses and chariots, he marched up, besieged Samaria, and waged war against it. 2Verse 2. Then he sent messengers into the city to Ahab king of Israel, 3Verse 3. saying, “This is what Ben-hadad says: ‘Your silver and gold are mine, and your best wives and children are mine!’” 4Verse 4. And the king of Israel replied, “Just as you say, my lord the king: I am yours, along with all that I have.” 5Verse 5. The messengers came back and said, “This is what Ben-hadad says: ‘I have sent to you to demand your silver, your gold, your wives, and your children. 6Verse 6. But about this time tomorrow I will send my servants to search your palace and the houses of your servants. They will seize and carry away all that is precious to you.’” 7Verse 7. Then the king of Israel summoned all the elders of the land and said, “Please take note and see that this man is looking for trouble, for when he demanded my wives, my children, my silver, and my gold, I did not deny him.” 8Verse 8. And the elders and the people all said, “Do not listen to him or consent to his terms.” 9Verse 9. So Ahab answered the messengers of Ben-hadad, “Tell my lord the king, ‘All that you demanded of your servant the first time I will do, but this thing I cannot do.’” So the messengers departed and relayed the message to Ben-hadad. 10Verse 10. Then Ben-hadad sent another message to Ahab: “May the gods deal with me, and ever so severely, if enough dust remains of Samaria for each of my men to have a handful.” 11Verse 11. And the king of Israel replied, “Tell him: ‘The one putting on his armor should not boast like one taking it off.’” 12Verse 12. Ben-hadad received this message while he and the kings were drinking in their tents, and he said to his servants, “Take your positions.” So they stationed themselves against the city. 13Verse 13. Meanwhile a prophet approached Ahab king of Israel and declared, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Do you see this entire great army? Behold, I will deliver it into your hand this very day, and you will know that I am the LORD.’” 14Verse 14. “By whom?” Ahab asked. And the prophet replied, “This is what the LORD says: ‘By the young officers of the district governors.’” “Who will start the battle?” asked Ahab. “You will,” answered the prophet. 15Verse 15. So Ahab assembled the young officers of the district governors, and there were 232 men. And after them, he assembled the rest of the Israelite troops, 7,000 in all. 16Verse 16. They marched out at noon while Ben-hadad and the 32 kings allied with him were in their tents getting drunk. 17Verse 17. And the young officers of the district governors marched out first. Now Ben-hadad had sent out scouts, who reported to him, “Men are marching out of Samaria.” 18Verse 18. “If they have marched out in peace,” he said, “take them alive. Even if they have marched out for war, take them alive.” 19Verse 19. Meanwhile, these young officers of the district governors marched out of the city, with the army behind them, 20Verse 20. and each one struck down his opponent. So the Arameans fled, with the Israelites in pursuit. But Ben-hadad king of Aram escaped on horseback with the cavalry. 21Verse 21. Then the king of Israel marched out and attacked the horses and chariots, inflicting a great slaughter on the Arameans. 22Verse 22. Afterward, the prophet approached the king of Israel and said, “Go and strengthen your position, and take note what you must do, for in the spring the king of Aram will come up against you.”

23Verse 23. Two years later, when Absalom’s sheepshearers were at Baal-hazor near Ephraim, he invited all the sons of the king. 24Verse 24. And he went to the king and said, “Your servant has just hired shearers. Will the king and his servants please come with me?” 25Verse 25. “No, my son,” the king replied, “we should not all go, or we would be a burden to you.” Although Absalom urged him, he was not willing to go, but gave him his blessing. 26Verse 26. “If not,” said Absalom, “please let my brother Amnon go with us.” “Why should he go with you?” the king asked. 27Verse 27. But Absalom urged him, so the king sent Amnon and the rest of his sons. 28Verse 28. Now Absalom had ordered his young men, “Watch Amnon until his heart is merry with wine, and when I order you to strike Amnon down, you are to kill him. Do not be afraid. Have I not commanded you? Be courageous and valiant!” 29Verse 29. So Absalom’s young men did to Amnon just as Absalom had ordered. Then all the other sons of the king got up, and each one fled on his mule. 30Verse 30. While they were on the way, a report reached David: “Absalom has struck down all the sons of the king; not one of them is left!” 31Verse 31. Then the king stood up, tore his clothes, and lay down on the ground. And all his servants stood by with their clothes torn. 32Verse 32. But Jonadab, the son of David’s brother Shimeah, spoke up: “My lord must not think they have killed all the sons of the king, for only Amnon is dead. In fact, Absalom has planned this since the day Amnon violated his sister Tamar. 33Verse 33. So now, my lord the king, do not take to heart the report that all the sons of the king are dead. Only Amnon is dead.” 34Verse 34. Meanwhile, Absalom had fled. When the young man standing watch looked up, he saw many people coming down the road west of him, along the side of the hill. And the watchman went and reported to the king, “I see men coming from the direction of Horonaim, along the side of the hill.” 35Verse 35. So Jonadab said to the king, “Look, the sons of the king have arrived! It is just as your servant said.” 36Verse 36. And as he finished speaking, the sons of the king came in, wailing loudly. Then the king and all his servants also wept very bitterly. 37Verse 37. Now Absalom fled and went to Talmai son of Ammihud, the king of Geshur. But David mourned for his son every day. 38Verse 38. After Absalom had fled and gone to Geshur, he stayed there three years. 39Verse 39. And King David longed to go to Absalom, for he had been consoled over Amnon’s death.