²¹ The crucible is for silver, And the furnace for gold; But man is refined by his praise.

³ The refining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold, But Yahweh tests the hearts.

¹² Beloved, don't be astonished at the fiery trial which has come upon you, to test you, as though a strange thing happened to you.

⁷ that the proof of your faith, which is more precious than gold that perishes even though it is tested by fire, may be found to result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ--

³ and he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi, and refine them as gold and silver; and they shall offer to Yahweh offerings in righteousness.

⁹ I will bring the third part into the fire, And will refine them as silver is refined, And will test them like gold is tested. They will call on my name, and I will hear them. I will say, 'It is my people;' And they will say, 'Yahweh is my God.'"

¹⁰ For you, God, have tested us. You have refined us, as silver is refined.

⁶ The words of Yahweh are flawless words, As silver refined in a clay furnace, purified seven times.

⁶ In this manner Absalom did to all Israel who came to the king for judgment: so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

⁷ It happened at the end of forty years, that Absalom said to the king, please let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed to Yahweh, in Hebron.

⁸ For your servant vowed a vow while I abode at Geshur in Syria, saying, If Yahweh shall indeed bring me again to Jerusalem, then I will serve Yahweh.

⁹ The king said to him, Go in peace. So he arose, and went to Hebron.

¹⁰ But Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then you shall say, Absalom is king in Hebron.

¹¹ With Absalom went two hundred men out of Jerusalem, who were invited, and went in their simplicity; and they didn't know anything.

¹² Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's counselor, from his city, even from Giloh, while he was offering the sacrifices. The conspiracy was strong; for the people increased continually with Absalom.

²⁵ Now in all Israel there was none to be so much praised as Absalom for his beauty: from the sole of his foot even to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him.

³⁰ Then the princes of the Philistines went forth: and it happened, as often as they went forth, that David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul; so that his name was much set by.

¹⁵ When Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he stood in awe of him.

¹⁶ But all Israel and Judah loved David; for he went out and came in before them.

⁷ The women sang one to another as they played, and said, Saul has slain his thousands, David his ten thousands.

⁸ Saul was very angry, and this saying displeased him; and he said, They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom?