"For your servantvoweda vowwhile I was livingat Geshurin Aram,saying,Ifthe LORDshall indeedbringme backto Jerusalem,then I will servethe LORD.'"
So Joabaroseand wentto Geshurand broughtAbsalomto Jerusalem.
AbsalomansweredJoab,"Behold,I sentfor you, saying,'Comehere,that I may sendyou to the king,to say,"Whyhave I comefrom Geshur?It would be betterfor me stillto be there."'Nowtherefore, let me seethe king'sface,and ifthereis iniquityin me, let him putme to death."
The kingsaidto him, "Goin peace."So he aroseand wentto Hebron.
and his second,Chileab,by Abigailthe widowof Nabalthe Carmelite;and the third,Absalomthe sonof Maacah,the daughterof Talmai,kingof Geshur;
Your vowsare [binding] upon me, O God;I will renderthankofferingsto You.
Whenyou makea vowto God,do not be latein payingit; for [He takes] nodelightin fools.Paywhatyou vow!
Becauseyou have said,"We have madea covenantwith death,And with Sheolwe have madea pact.The overwhelmingscourgewill not reachus whenit passesby, For we have madefalsehoodour refugeand we have concealedourselves with deception."
For you have [only] deceivedyourselves;for it is you who sentme to the LORDyour God,saying,"Prayfor us to the LORDour God;and whateverthe LORDour Godsays,tellus so,and we will doit."
"Ifit is disagreeablein your sightto servethe LORD,choosefor yourselves todaywhomyou will serve:whetherthe godswhichyour fathersservedwhichwere beyondthe River,or the godsof the Amoritesin whoselandyou are living;but as for me and my house,we will servethe LORD."
She madea vowand said,"O LORDof hosts,ifYou will indeedlookon the afflictionof Your maidservantand rememberme, and not forgetYour maidservant,but will giveYour maidservanta son,then I will givehim to the LORDallthe daysof his life,and a razorshall nevercomeon his head."
But Samuelsaid,"Howcan I go?When Saulhears[of it], he will killme." And the LORDsaid,"Takea heiferwith you and say,'I have cometo sacrificeto the LORD.'
