The Bible Study Podcast, episode 536. Today, the Bible Study podcast continues the study of the

kings of Israel and Judah with 2 Samuel 16.

Welcome to the Bible Study podcast from your host, Chris Christensen.

We pick up the story. This is going to be the middle portion of the story of the revolt of Absalom.

We did the beginning of it last week, all the preparations that Absalom did ahead of time to revolt against his father, David.

Before that, we talked a little bit about what might have caused Absalom to revolt

and his difficult relationship with his father, at least after the rape of his sister,

not by David, but by one of David's other sons. And then next week, we're going to conclude this,

but this is kind of this middle portion here.

Now, remember, at this point, David is gone back into the wilderness, and he doesn't know for how long.

He has spent time in the wilderness before running from Saul, and we're back there again.

Again, David is on the run, and again, he doesn't know for how long.

But he did do some things before he left Jerusalem to set up his return, which was to try and

arrange that Absalom would get some bad advice. He left some people in place to give him

bad advice and also prayed to God that this other

counselor who was going over to Absalom would give him bad advice.

So remember that when we get to the third part of today's story.

First part is David and Ziba.

When David had gone a short distance beyond the summit, there was Ziba, the steward of Mephibushath, waiting to meet him. He had a string of donkeys saddled and loaded with 200 loaves of bread, 100 cakes of raisins, a hundred cakes of figs, and a skin of wine. The king asked Ziba, where have we brought these? Ziba answered, the donkeys are for the king's household to ride on,

the bread and the fruit are for the men to eat, and the wine is to refresh those who become

exhausted in the wilderness. The king then asked, where is your master's grandson? Ziba said to him,

he is staying in Jerusalem because he thinks, today the Israelites will restore to me my grandfather's kingdom.

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