David said to him, "How did it go? Please tell me." He answered, "The people have fled from the battle, and many of the people also have fallen and are dead; and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also."

When he looked behind him, he saw me, and called to me. I answered, 'Here I am.'

He said to me, 'Who are you?' I answered him, 'I am an Amalekite.'

He said to me, 'Please stand beside me, and kill me; for anguish has taken hold of me, because my life is yet whole in me.'

So I stood beside him, and killed him, because I was sure that he could not live after that he had fallen. I took the crown that was on his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them here to my lord."

I grieve for you, my brother Jonathan. You have been very pleasant to me. Your love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women.

Now may the LORD show loving kindness and truth to you. I also will reward you for this kindness, because you have done this thing.

Now therefore let your hands be strong, and be valiant; for Saul your lord is dead, and also the house of Judah have anointed me king over them."

Abner said again to Asahel, "Turn aside from following me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How then should I hold up my face to Joab your brother?"

Now Saul had a concubine, whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah: and Ishbosheth said to Abner, "Why have you gone in to my father's concubine?"

Then was Abner very angry for the words of Ishbosheth, and said, "Am I a dog's head that belongs to Judah? Today I show kindness to the house of Saul your father, to his brothers, and to his friends, and have not delivered you into the hand of David; and yet you charge me this day with a fault concerning this woman.

Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying, "Whose is the land?" and saying, "Make your alliance with me, and behold, my hand shall be with you, to bring all Israel around to you."

He said, "Good; I will make a treaty with you; but one thing I require of you. That is, you shall not see my face, unless you first bring Michal, Saul's daughter, when you come to see my face."

David sent messengers to Ishbosheth, Saul's son, saying, "Deliver me my wife Michal, whom I pledged to be married to me for one hundred foreskins of the Philistines."

Now then do it; for the LORD has spoken of David, saying, 'By the hand of my servant David, I will save my people Israel out of the hand of the Philistines, and out of the hand of all their enemies.'"

Abner said to David, "I will arise and go, and will gather all Israel to my lord the king, that they may make a covenant with you, and that you may reign over all that your soul desires." David sent Abner away; and he went in peace.

Afterward, when David heard it, he said, "I and my kingdom are guiltless before the LORD forever of the blood of Abner the son of Ner.

All the people came to cause David to eat bread while it was yet day; but David swore, saying, "God do so to me, and more also, if I taste bread, or anything else, until the sun goes down."

I am this day weak, though anointed king; and these men the sons of Zeruiah are too hard for me. May the LORD reward the evildoer according to his wickedness."

They brought the head of Ishbosheth to David to Hebron, and said to the king, "Behold, the head of Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, your enemy, who sought your life. The LORD has avenged my lord the king this day of Saul, and of his seed."

David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said to them, "As the LORD lives, who has redeemed my soul out of all adversity,

when someone told me, 'Behold, Saul is dead,' thinking to have brought good news, I took hold of him, and killed him in Ziklag, which was the reward I gave him for his news.

In times past, when Saul was king over us, it was you who led out and brought in Israel. The LORD said to you, 'You shall be shepherd of my people Israel, and you shall be prince over Israel.'"

David inquired of the LORD, saying, "Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will you deliver them into my hand?" The LORD said to David, "Go up; for I will certainly deliver the Philistines into your hand."

David came to Baal Perazim, and David struck them there; and he said, "The LORD has broken through my enemies before me, like a breakthrough of waters." Therefore he called the name of that place Baal Perazim.

David was afraid of the LORD that day; and he said, "How shall the ark of the LORD come to me?"

David said to Michal, "It was before the LORD, who chose me above your father, and above all his house, to appoint me prince over the people of the LORD, over Israel. therefore I will celebrate before the LORD.

I will be yet more vile than this, and will be humble in my own eyes. But of the handmaids of whom you have spoken, they shall honor me."

"Go and tell my servant David, 'Thus says the LORD, "Shall you build me a house for me to dwell in?

In all places in which I have walked with all the children of Israel, did I say a word to any of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to be shepherd of my people Israel, saying, 'Why have you not built me a house of cedar?'"'

Now therefore you shall tell my servant David this, 'Thus says the LORD of hosts, "I took you from the sheep pen, from following the sheep, that you should be prince over my people, over Israel.

I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in their own place, and be moved no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as at the first,

and as from the day that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel. I will cause you to rest from all your enemies. Moreover the LORD tells you that the LORD will make you a house.

He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.

I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men;

but my loving kindness shall not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before you.

And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever."'"

Then David the king went in, and sat before the LORD; and he said, "Who am I, Lord GOD, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far?

Now therefore let it please you to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever before you; for you, Lord GOD, have spoken it. Let the house of your servant be blessed forever with your blessing."

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

The king said, "Is there not yet any of the house of Saul, that I may show the kindness of God to him?" Ziba said to the king, "Jonathan has yet a son, who is lame of his feet."

David said to him, "Do not be afraid of him; for I will surely show you kindness for Jonathan your father's sake, and will restore to you all the land of Saul your father. You shall eat bread at my table continually."

You shall till the land for him, you, and your sons, and your servants; and you shall bring in the harvest, that your master's son may have bread to eat: but Mephibosheth your master's son shall eat bread always at my table." Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.

Then Ziba said to the king, "According to all that my lord the king commands his servant, so your servant shall do." As for Mephibosheth, he shall eat at my table like one of the king's sons.

David said, "I will show kindness to Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father showed kindness to me." So David sent by his servants to comfort him concerning his father. David's servants came into the land of the children of Ammon.

He said, "If the Syrians are too strong for me, then you shall help me; but if the children of Ammon are too strong for you, then I will come and help you.

David sent to Joab, "Send me Uriah the Hittite." Joab sent Uriah to David.

Uriah said to David, "The ark, Israel, and Judah, are staying in tents; and my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord, are encamped in the open field. Shall I then go into my house to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? As you live, and as your soul lives, I will not do this thing."

He wrote in the letter, saying, "Send Uriah to the forefront of the hottest battle, and retreat from him, that he may be struck, and die."

Now therefore the sword will never depart from your house, because you have despised me, and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.'

He said, "While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, 'Who knows whether the LORD will not be gracious to me, that the child may live?'

But now he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he will not return to me."

Now therefore gather the rest of the people together, and encamp against the city, and take it; lest I take the city, and it be called after my name."

He said to him, "Why, son of the king, are you so sad from day to day? Won't you tell me?" Amnon said to him, "I love Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister."

Jonadab said to him, "Lie down on your bed, and pretend to be sick. When your father comes to see you, tell him, 'Please let my sister Tamar come and give me bread to eat, and dress the food in my sight, that I may see it, and eat it from her hand.'"

So Amnon lay down and faked being sick. When the king came to see him, Amnon said to the king, "Please let my sister Tamar come, and make me a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat from her hand."

She took the pan, and poured them out before him; but he refused to eat. Amnon said, "Have all men leave me." Every man went out from him.

Amnon said to Tamar, "Bring the food into the room, that I may eat from your hand." Tamar took the cakes which she had made, and brought them into the room to Amnon her brother.

When she had brought them near to him to eat, he took hold of her, and said to her, "Come, lie with me, my sister."

She answered him, "No, my brother, do not force me. For no such thing ought to be done in Israel. Do not do this folly.

I, where would I carry my shame? And as for you, you will be as one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, please speak to the king; for he will not withhold me from you."

She said to him, "Not so, because this great wrong in sending me away is worse than the other that you did to me." But he would not listen to her.

Then he called his servant who ministered to him, and said, "Put now this woman out from me, and bolt the door after her."

Absalom her brother said to her, "Has Amnon your brother been with you? But now hold your peace, my sister. He is your brother. Do not take this thing to heart." So Tamar remained desolate in her brother Absalom's house.

The king said to Absalom, "No, my son, let us not all go, lest we be burdensome to you." He pressed him; however he would not go, but blessed him.

Then Absalom said, "If not, please let my brother Amnon go with us." The king said to him, "Why should he go with you?"

Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David's brother, answered, "Do not let my lord suppose that they have killed all the young men the king's sons; for Amnon only is dead; for by the appointment of Absalom this has been determined from the day that he forced his sister Tamar.

Now therefore do not let my lord the king take the thing to his heart, to think that all the king's sons are dead; for Amnon only is dead."

The king said to her, "What ails you?" She answered, "Truly I am a widow, and my husband is dead.

Behold, the whole family has risen against your handmaid, and they say, 'Deliver him who struck his brother, that we may kill him for the life of his brother whom he killed, and so destroy the heir also.' Thus they would quench my coal which is left, and would leave to my husband neither name nor remainder on the surface of the earth."

The woman of Tekoa said to the king, "My lord, O king, the iniquity be on me, and on my father's house; and the king and his throne be guiltless."

The king said, "Whoever says anything to you, bring him to me, and he shall not touch you any more."

Then she said, "Please let the king remember the LORD your God, that the avenger of blood destroy not any more, lest they destroy my son." He said, "As the LORD lives, not one hair of your son shall fall to the ground."

Then the woman said, "Please let your handmaid speak a word to my lord the king." He said, "Say on."

Now therefore seeing that I have come to speak this word to my lord the king, it is because the people have made me afraid: and your handmaid said, 'I will now speak to the king; it may be that the king will perform the request of his servant.'

For the king will hear, to deliver his servant out of the hand of the man who would destroy me and my son together out of the inheritance of God.

Then your handmaid said, 'Please let the word of my lord the king bring rest; for as an angel of God, so is my lord the king to discern good and bad. May the LORD, your God, be with you.'"

Then the king answered the woman, "Please do not hide anything from me that I ask you." The woman said, "Let my lord the king now speak."

The king said, "Is the hand of Joab with you in all this?" The woman answered, "As your soul lives, my lord the king, no one can turn to the right hand or to the left from anything that my lord the king has spoken; for your servant Joab, he urged me, and he put all these words in the mouth of your handmaid;

to change the face of the matter has your servant Joab done this thing. My lord is wise, according to the wisdom of an angel of God, to know all things that are in the earth."

Joab fell to the ground on his face, showed respect, and blessed the king. Joab said, "Today your servant knows that I have found favor in your sight, my lord, king, in that the king has performed the request of his servant."

The king said, "Let him return to his own house, but let him not see my face." So Absalom returned to his own house, and did not see the king's face.

Then Joab arose, and came to Absalom to his house, and said to him, "Why have your servants set my field on fire?"

Absalom answered Joab, "Behold, I sent to you, saying, 'Come here, that I may send you to the king, to say, "Why have I come from Geshur? It would be better for me to be there still. Now therefore let me see the king's face; and if there is iniquity in me, let him kill me."'"

Absalom said moreover, "Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man who has any suit or cause might come to me, and I would do him justice."

It happened at the end of four years, that Absalom said to the king, "Please let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed to the LORD, in Hebron.

For your servant vowed a vow while I stayed at Geshur in Syria, saying, 'If the LORD shall indeed bring me again to Jerusalem, then I will serve the LORD.'"

The king's servants said to the king, "Behold, your servants are ready to do whatever my lord the king chooses."

Whereas you came but yesterday, should I this day make you go up and down with us, since I go where I may? Return, and take back your brothers. Mercy and truth be with you."

Ittai answered the king, and said, "As the LORD lives, and as my lord the king lives, surely in what place my lord the king shall is, whether for death or for life, even there also will your servant be."

The king said to Zadok, "Carry back the ark of God into the city. If I find favor in the eyes of the LORD, he will bring me again, and show me both it, and his habitation;

but if he say thus, 'I have no delight in you;' behold, here am I. Let him do to me as seems good to him."

Behold, I will stay at the fords of the wilderness, until word comes from you to inform me."

David said to him, "If you pass on with me, then you will be a burden to me;

but if you return to the city, and tell Absalom, 'I will be your servant, O king. As I have been your father's servant in time past, so will I now be your servant; then will you defeat for me the counsel of Ahithophel.'

Behold, they have there with them their two sons, Ahimaaz, Zadok's son, and Jonathan, Abiathar's son; and by them you shall send to me everything that you shall hear."

The king said to Ziba, "What do you mean by these?" Ziba said, "The donkeys are for the king's household to ride on; and the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat; and the wine, that such as are faint in the wilderness may drink."

The king said, "Where is your master's son?" Ziba said to the king, "Behold, he is staying in Jerusalem; for he said, 'Today the house of Israel will restore me the kingdom of my father.'"

Then the king said to Ziba, "Behold, all that pertains to Mephibosheth is yours." Ziba said, "I do obeisance. Let me find favor in your sight, my lord, O king."

Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, "Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Please let me go over and take off his head."