And Abner said again to Asahel, "Turn from me! Why wilt thou that I smite thee to the ground? For then how should I hold up my face before Joab thy brother?"

And Abner had communication with the elders of Israel, saying, "Ye have long gone about that David should be king over you.

Then Joab went to the king, and said, "What hast thou done? See, Abner came unto thee, why hast thou sent him away, that he should escape quite?

Then went the king and his men to Jerusalem, unto the Jebusites the inhabiters of the land. And they said unto David, "Except thou take away the blind and the lame thou shalt not come in hither" - meaning thereby that David should not have come in thither.

And David was then afraid of the LORD and said, "How should the Ark of the LORD come to my house?"

And it chanced in an evening that David arose from his couch and walked upon the roof of the king's palace; and from the roof saw a very beautiful woman washing herself. And he sent to enquire what woman it should be.

And Uriah said unto David, "The ark and Israel and Judah dwell in pavilions; and my lord Joab and the servants of my lord lie in tents upon the flat earth - and should I then go into mine house, to eat and to drink and to lie with my wife? By thy life and as sure as thy soul liveth, I will not do that thing."

Then David arose from the earth and washed and anointed himself and changed his apparel, and went into the house of the LORD and prayed; and after came to his own house and bade that they should set meat before him, and he did eat.

But now, seeing it is dead, wherefore should I fast? Can I bring him again any more? I shall go to him: but he shall not come again to me."

And go to the king and speak of thus manner unto him." And so Joab taught her what she should say.

And the woman said, "Wherefore then hast thou determined on this same manner against the people of God? - That the king should speak this thing and be faulty therein, so that the king should not fetch home again his banished.

Then Absalom said moreover, "Oh, that I were a judge in the land, and that all men which have pleas and matter in the law, should come to me. For I would do them justice."

Thou camest but yesterday, and should I unquiet thee today to go with us? I will go whither I go. But return thou and carry again thy brethren. Mercy and truth be with thee."

honey, butter, sheep and cheese of kine - for David, and all the people that were with him, to eat. For they supposed that the people should be hungry, fainty, and thirsty in the wilderness.

And Joab said unto him that told him, "Lo, sawest thou him? And why didst thou not there smite him to the ground, that I should have given thee ten sicles of silver and a soldier's girdle?"

And king David sent to Zadok and Abiathar the priests, saying, "Speak unto the elders of Judah and say, 'Why should ye be the last that should bring again the king to his house, seeing that such tidings is come from all Israel unto the king, even to his house?

Ye are my brethren, my bones and my flesh: wherefore then should ye be the last that should come to bring the king home again?'

And he bowed the hearts of all the men of Judah, as a man would bow the heart of one man: so that they sent word to the king, that he should return with all his servants.

and said unto him, "Let not my lord impute wickedness unto me, nor let him not remember the wickedness that thy servant did, when my lord the king departed out of Jerusalem that the king should take it to heart.

And the king said, "What matter is between you and me ye sons of Zeruiah, that ye should this day be adversaries unto me? There shall no man die this day in Israel: for I know that I am this day king over Israel."

But Barzillai said unto the king, "Of what age am I of, that I should go with the king into Jerusalem?

let thy servant go a little way over Jordan with the king, for why should the king render me such a reward?

And Joab answered and said, "God forbid! God forbid it me, that I should either devour or destroy it.

And thou madest me space to walk in, that my feet should not stumble.

and said, "The LORD forbid that I should do so! Should I drink the blood of men that were in jeopardy of their lives?" And so he would not drink it. These things did these three mighty men.