and followed after Abner and turned neither to the righthand nor to the left from Abner.

Then said Abner, "Turn thee either to the righthand or to the left and catch one of the young men and take thee his spoil." But Asahel would not depart from him.

And there they left their images, and David and his men took them up.

Then said David, "Is there yet any man left of the house of Saul, that I may show him mercy for Jonathan's sake?"

And while they were yet in the way, tidings came to David that Absalom had slain all the king's sons, so that none was left alive.

And as soon as he had left speaking: behold, the king's sons came and lifted up their voices and wept. And thereto the king and all his servants wept exceedingly.

And by that time, the king turned his mind from pursuing Absalom. For he had left mourning for the death of Amnon.

And behold, the whole kindred arose against thy handmaid and said, 'Deliver us him that smote his brother, that we may kill him for the soul of his brother whom he slew: for he will destroy the heir also.' And so they shall quench my sparkle which is left that he shall stir up neither name or issue upon the earth unto my husband."

Then said the king, "Is not the hand of Joab with thee in all this matter?" And the woman answered, and said, "As sure as thy soul liveth, my lord king, it is neither on the righthand nor on the left that my lord the king hath spoken. For thy servant Joab he bade me, and he put all these words even in the mouth of thine handmaid.

And the king and all his household departed afoot. And he left behind him ten wives that were his concubines, to keep the house.

And thereto he cast stones at David and at all the servants of king David, all the people and all the men of war going; part on his righthand, and part on his left.

And Ahithophel said unto Absalom, "Get thee in unto thy father's concubines which he hath left to keep the house. For when all Israel shall hear that thou hast made thy father to stink, then shall the hands of all that are with thee be strong."

And we will come upon him in one place or other, where we shalt find him, and we will pitch a field against him, even as thick as the dew falleth on the ground. And there shall not one of them be left, neither he nor any of all that are with him.

And it chanced Absalom to come before the servants of David riding upon a mule which carried him under the thick boughs of a great oak. And his head caught in the oak, and he was left between heaven and earth, and the mule that was under him went his way.

And when David was come to his house to Jerusalem, he took the ten wives his concubines that he had left behind him to keep the house, and put them in ward and ministered all things unto them: but lay no more with them. And so they were enclosed unto the day of the death of them, and lived a widow's life.