You have put us to the test, God; as silver is purified by fire, so you have tested us.

You let our enemies trample us; we went through fire and flood, but now you have brought us to a place of safety.

LORD, how happy are those you instruct, the ones to whom you teach your law!

You give them rest from days of trouble until a pit is dug to trap the wicked.

Now, in every generation some of your descendants will die a violent death because you have disobeyed me and have taken Uriah's wife.

David's son Absalom had a beautiful unmarried sister named Tamar. Amnon, another of David's sons, fell in love with her.

But he had a friend, a very shrewd man named Jonadab, the son of David's brother Shammah.

Jonadab said to him, "Pretend that you are sick and go to bed. When your father comes to see you, say to him, 'Please ask my sister Tamar to come and feed me. I want her to fix the food here where I can see her, and then serve it to me herself.' "

So David sent word to Tamar in the palace: "Go to Amnon's house and fix him some food."

and emptied them out of the pan for him to eat, but he wouldn't. He said, "Send everyone away"---and they all left.

As she offered them to him, he grabbed her and said, "Come to bed with me!"

How could I ever hold up my head in public again? And you---you would be completely disgraced in Israel. Please, speak to the king, and I'm sure that he will give me to you."

Then Amnon was filled with a deep hatred for her; he hated her now even more than he had loved her before. He said to her, "Get out!"

he called in his personal servant and said, "Get this woman out of my sight! Throw her out and lock the door!"

She sprinkled ashes on her head, tore her robe, and with her face buried in her hands went away crying.

When King David heard what had happened, he was furious.

Two years later Absalom was having his sheep sheared at Baal Hazor, near the town of Ephraim, and he invited all the king's sons to be there.

"No, my son," the king answered. "It would be too much trouble for you if we all went." Absalom insisted, but the king would not give in, and he asked Absalom to leave.

But Absalom kept on insisting until David finally let Amnon and all his other sons go with Absalom. Absalom prepared a banquet fit for a king

So the servants followed Absalom's instructions and killed Amnon. All the rest of David's sons mounted their mules and fled.

The king stood up, tore his clothes in sorrow, and threw himself to the ground. The servants who were there with him tore their clothes also.

So don't believe the news that all your sons are dead; only Amnon was killed."

Jonadab said to David, "Those are your sons coming, just as I said they would."

Absalom fled and went to the king of Geshur, Talmai son of Ammihud, and stayed there three years. David mourned a long time for his son Amnon;

but when he got over Amnon's death, he was filled with longing for his son Absalom.

When David had gone a little beyond the top of the hill, he was suddenly met by Ziba, the servant of Mephibosheth, who had with him a couple of donkeys loaded with two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred bunches of raisins, a hundred bunches of fresh fruit, and a leather bag full of wine.

"Where is Mephibosheth, the grandson of your master Saul?" the king asked him. "He is staying in Jerusalem," Ziba answered, "because he is convinced that the Israelites will now restore to him the kingdom of his grandfather Saul."

When King David arrived at Bahurim, one of Saul's relatives, Shimei son of Gera, came out to meet him, cursing him as he came.

Shimei cursed him and said, "Get out! Get out! Murderer! Criminal!

Abishai, whose mother was Zeruiah, said to the king, "Your Majesty, why do you let this dog curse you? Let me go over there and cut off his head!"

And David said to Abishai and to all his officials, "My own son is trying to kill me; so why should you be surprised at this Benjaminite? The LORD told him to curse; so leave him alone and let him do it.

So David and his men continued along the road. Shimei kept up with them, walking on the hillside; he was cursing and throwing stones and dirt at them as he went.

Absalom and all the Israelites with him entered Jerusalem, and Ahithophel was with them.

"What has happened to your loyalty to your friend David?" Absalom asked him. "Why didn't you go with him?"

After all, whom should I serve, if not my master's son? As I served your father, so now I will serve you."

Ahithophel answered, "Go and have intercourse with your father's concubines whom he left behind to take care of the palace. Then everyone in Israel will know that your father regards you as his enemy, and your followers will be greatly encouraged."

Any advice that Ahithophel gave in those days was accepted as though it were the very word of God; both David and Absalom followed it.

Happy is the person whom God corrects! Do not resent it when he rebukes you.

God bandages the wounds he makes; his hand hurts you, and his hand heals.

He makes them listen to what he says, and they are frightened at his warnings.

He will not let them be destroyed; he saves them from death itself.

Those who are sick lose their appetites, and even the finest food looks revolting.

they are about to go to the world of the dead.

In mercy the angel will say, "Release them! They are not to go down to the world of the dead. Here is the ransom to set them free."

when they pray, God will answer; they will worship God with joy; God will set things right for them again.

He kept me from going to the world of the dead, and I am still alive."

each one saves a person's life, and gives him the joy of living.

My child, when the LORD corrects you, pay close attention and take it as a warning.

The LORD corrects those he loves, as parents correct a child of whom they are proud.

I went down to the very roots of the mountains, into the land whose gates lock shut forever. But you, O LORD my God, brought me back from the depths alive.

But we are judged and punished by the Lord, so that we shall not be condemned together with the world.

We felt that the death sentence had been passed on us. But this happened so that we should rely, not on ourselves, but only on God, who raises the dead.

as you help us by means of your prayers for us. So it will be that the many prayers for us will be answered, and God will bless us; and many will raise their voices to him in thanksgiving for us.

as unknown, yet we are known by all; as though we were dead, but, as you see, we live on. Although punished, we are not killed;

Our human fathers punished us for a short time, as it seemed right to them; but God does it for our own good, so that we may share his holiness.

When we are punished, it seems to us at the time something to make us sad, not glad. Later, however, those who have been disciplined by such punishment reap the peaceful reward of a righteous life.