Quotes About Decision

Now Abner conferred with the elders of Israel and said, “In the past you sought David as your king.

So Joab went to the king and said, “What have you done? Look, Abner came to you. Why did you dismiss him? Now he is getting away!

Joab sent to David a full account of the battle

“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.

“Go home,” the king said to the woman, “and I will give orders on your behalf.”

Then the king said to Joab, “I hereby grant this request. Go, bring back the young man Absalom.”

He would get up early and stand beside the road leading to the city gate. Whenever anyone had a grievance to bring before the king for a decision, Absalom would call out and ask, “What city are you from?” And if he replied, “Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel,”

“Go in peace,” said the king. So Absalom got up and went to Hebron.

So the king set out with all the people following him. He stopped at the last house,

Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why should you also go with us? Go back and stay with the new king, since you are both a foreigner and an exile from your homeland.

See, I will wait at the fords of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me.”

David said to him, “If you go on with me, you will be a burden to me.

“Is this the loyalty you show your friend?” Absalom replied. “Why did you not go with your friend?”

Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give me counsel. What should we do?”

Now in those days the advice of Ahithophel was like the consultation of the word of God. Such was the regard that both David and Absalom had for Ahithophelís advice.

Furthermore, Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Let me choose twelve thousand men and set out tonight in pursuit of David.

This proposal seemed good to Absalom and all the elders of Israel.

Then Absalom said, “Summon Hushai the Archite as well, and let us hear what he too has to say.”

So Hushai came to Absalom, who told him, “Ahithophel has spoken this proposal. Should we carry it out? If not, what do you say?”

Hushai replied, “This time the advice of Ahithophel is not sound.”

So Hushai told Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, “This is what Ahithophel has advised Absalom and the elders of Israel, and this is what I have advised.

Now send quickly and tell David, ëDo not spend the night at the fords of the wilderness, but be sure to cross over. Otherwise the king and all the people with him will be swallowed up.í”

After the men had gone, Ahimaaz and Jonathan climbed up out of the well and went to inform King David, saying, “Get up and cross over the river at once, for Ahithophel has given this advice against you.”

When Ahithophel saw that his advice had not been followed, he saddled his donkey and set out for his house in his hometown. He put his affairs in order and hanged himself. So he died and was buried in his fatherís tomb.