And David said to him, Where do you come from? And he said to him, I have escaped out of the camp of Israel.

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

And David said to the young man who told him, How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?

And he said to me, Who are you? And I answered him, I am an Amalekite.

He said to me again, Please stand over me and kill me, for anguish has come upon me, because all my life is still in me.

And David said to the young man who told him, From where are you? And he answered, I am the son of a stranger, an Amalekite.

And David said to him, Your blood be upon your head, for your mouth has testified against you, saying, I have slain Jehovah's anointed.

And he said to teach the sons of Judah The Song of the Bow. Behold, it is written in the Book of Jasher:

And it happened after this, David inquired of Jehovah, saying, Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah? And Jehovah said to him, Go up! And David said, Where shall I go? And He said, To Hebron.

And David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-gilead. And he said to them, Blessed are you of Jehovah, that you have shown this kindness to your lord, to Saul, and have buried him.

And Abner said to Joab, Let the young men now arise and play before us. And Joab said, Let them arise.

And Abner said to him, Turn aside to your right hand or to your left, and lay hold on one of the young men, and take for yourself. But Asahel would not turn aside from following him.

And 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?

And her husband went along with her, weeping behind her, to Bahurim. And Abner said to him, Go, return! And he returned.

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

And David said to Joab and to all the people with him, Tear your clothes and gird yourselves with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner. And King David followed the bier.

And the king said to his servants, Do you not know that there is a prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel?

And they brought the head of Ishbosheth to David at Hebron, and said to the king, Behold the head of Ishbosheth the son of Saul, your enemy who sought your life. And Jehovah has avenged my lord the king this day of Saul and of his seed.

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

Also in time past, when Saul was king over us, you were he who led Israel out and brought them in. And Jehovah said to you, You shall feed My people Israel, and you shall be a leader over Israel.

And David inquired of Jehovah, saying, Shall I go up to the Philistines? Will You deliver them into my hand? And Jehovah said to David, Go up! For I will surely deliver the Philistines into your hand.

And David said to Michal, It was before Jehovah, who chose me before your father, and before all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of Jehovah, over Israel. And I danced before Jehovah.

the king said to Nathan the prophet, See now, I live in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells within curtains.

And Nathan said to the king, Go, do all that is in your heart, for Jehovah is with you.

And there was of the house of Saul a servant whose name was Ziba. And they called him to David, and the king said to him, Are you Ziba? And he said, Your servant.

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

And the king said to him, Where is he? And Ziba said to the king, Behold, he is in the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, in Lodebar.

And David said to him, Do not fear, for I will surely show you kindness for Jonathan your father's sake, and will restore you all the land of Saul your father. And you shall eat bread at my table forever.

Then the king called to Ziba, Saul's servant, and said to him, I have given to your master's son all that belonged to Saul and to all his house.

And Ziba said to the king, According to all that my lord the king has commanded his servant, so shall your servant do. And Mephibosheth was eating at my table like one of the king's sons.

And the leaders of the sons of Ammon said to Hanun their lord, Do you think that David honors your father, that he has sent comforters to you? Has not David sent his servants to you to search the city, and to spy it out, and to overthrow it?

And David said to Uriah, Go down to your house and wash your feet. And Uriah left the king's house. And a gift from the king went out after him.

And they told David, saying, Uriah did not go to his house. And David said to Uriah, Did you not come from a journey? Why have you not gone down to your house?

And Uriah said to David, The ark and Israel and Judah abide in tents. And my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord, are camped in the open fields. Shall I then go to 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.

And David said to Uriah, Stay here today also, and tomorrow I will let you go. And Uriah stayed in Jerusalem that day and the next day.

And the messenger said to David, Surely the men prevailed against us, and came out to us to the field, and we were upon them even to the entering of the gate.

Then David said to the messenger, So you shall say to Joab, Do not let this thing displease you, for the sword devours one as well as another. Make your battle stronger against the city and overthrow it. And you encourage him.

And Jehovah sent Nathan to David. And he came to him and said to him, There were two men in one city, one rich and one poor.

And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man. And he said to Nathan, As the Lord lives, the man who has done this shall surely die.

And Nathan said to David, You are the man! So says Jehovah, the God of Israel, I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul.

And David said to Nathan, I have sinned against Jehovah. And Nathan said to David, Jehovah also has put away your sin; you shall not die.

But David saw that his servants whispered. And David understood that the child was dead. And David said to his servants, Is the boy dead? And they said, He is dead.

Then his servants said to him, What is this that you have done? You fasted and wept for the living boy, but when the child was dead you arose and ate bread!

And he said to him, Why are you, the king's son, lean from day to day? Will you not tell me? And Amnon said to him, I love Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister.

And Jonadab said to him, Lay down on your bed and make yourself sick. And when your father comes to see you, say to him, Please let my sister Tamar come and give me food, and prepare the food in my sight so that I may see and eat it at her hand.

And Amnon lay down and made himself sick. And when the king had come to see him, Amnon said to the king, Please let my sister Tamar come and make me a couple of cakes in my sight, so that I may eat at her hand.

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

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

Then Amnon hated her with a great hatred. And the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her. And Amnon said to her, Get up and go.

And she said to him, There is no cause. This evil in sending me away is greater than the other that you did to me. But he would not listen to her.

And 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 set your heart on this thing. And Tamar remained desolate in the house of her brother Absalom.

And the king said to Absalom, No, my son, let us not all go now, lest we be too heavy upon you. And he pressed him. He would not go, however, but blessed him.

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

And Jonadab said to the king, Behold, the king's sons come; as your servant said, so it is.

And Joab sent to Tekoah and brought a wise woman from there. And he said to her, Please pretend yourself to be a mourner, and put on mourning clothes now, and do not anoint yourself with oil. But be like a woman who has mourned for the dead a long time.

And the king said to her, What ails you? And she answered, I am indeed a widow, and my husband died.

And the king said to the woman, Go to your house, and I will give command concerning you.

And the woman of Tekoah said to the king, My lord, O king, may the iniquity be on me and on my father's house. And may the king and his throne be without guilt.

And the king answered and said to the woman, Please do not hide from me the thing that I shall ask you. And the woman said, Let my lord the king now speak.

And the king said to Joab, Behold now, I have done this thing. Go therefore and bring the young man Absalom again.

And he said to his servants, See, Joab's field is near mine, and he has barley there. Go and set it on fire! And Absalom's servants set the field on fire.

And Joab arose and came to Absalom's house, and said to him, Why have your servants set my field on fire?

And Absalom rose up early and stood beside the way of the gate. And it was so, if any man had a suit to come before the king for judgment, then Absalom called to him and said, What city are you from? And he said, Your servant is of one of the tribes of Israel.

And Absalom said to him, See! Your matters are good and right. But no listener from the king will hear you.

And it happened at the end of forty years, Absalom said to the king, Please let me go and pay my vow which I have vowed to Jehovah in Hebron.

And the king said to him, Go in peace. And he arose and went to Hebron.

And David said to all his servants with him at Jerusalem, Arise, and let us flee! For otherwise we shall not escape from Absalom. Make haste to depart, lest he overtake us suddenly and bring evil upon us, and strike the city with the edge of the sword.

And the king's servants said to the king, Behold, your servants will do whatever my lord the king shall choose.

Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, Why do you also go with us? Return to your place, and stay with the king. For you are a stranger, and also an exile.

And David said to Ittai, Go and pass over. And Ittai the Gittite passed over, and all his men, and all the little ones with him.

And the king said to Zadok, Carry the ark of God back into the city. If I shall find favor in the eyes of Jehovah, He will bring me again and show it to me, and its dwelling place also.

The king also said to Zadok the priest, Are you a seer? Return to the city in peace, and your two sons with you. Ahimaaz your son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar.

David said to him, If you pass on with me, then you shall be a burden to me.

And the king said to Ziba, What are these to you? And Ziba said, The asses are for the king's household to ride upon. And the bread and summer fruit are for the young men to eat. And the wine is so that the ones who are faint in the wilderness may drink.

And the king said, And where is your master's son? And Ziba said to the king, Behold, he remains at Jerusalem. For he said, Today the house of Israel shall restore to me the kingdom of my father.

And the king said to Ziba, Behold, All that belonged to Mephibosheth is yours. And Ziba said, I humbly beg you that I may find grace in your sight, my lord, O king.

And 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.

And the king said, What have I to do with you, sons of Zeruiah? Let him curse, because Jehovah has said to him, Curse David. Who then shall say, Why have you done so?

And David said to Abishai and to all his servants, Behold, my son, who came forth from my bowels, seeks my life; and surely now this Benjamite? Let him alone and let him curse, for Jehovah has spoken to him.

And it happened, when Hushai the Archite, David's friend, had come to Absalom, Hushai said to Absalom, Let the king live, let the king live!

And Absalom said to Hushai, Is this your kindness to your friend? Why did you not go with your friend?

And Hushai said to Absalom, No, but whom Jehovah and this people, and all the men of Israel choose, his will I be, and I will stay with him.

And Absalom said to Ahithophel, Give your advice. What shall we do?

And Ahithophel said to Absalom, Go in to your father's concubines, that he left to keep the house. And all Israel shall hear that you are abhorred by your father. And the hands of all who are with you will be strong.

And Ahithophel said to Absalom, Please let me choose out twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue after David tonight.

And Hushai said to Absalom, The advice which Ahithophel has given is not good at this time.

And Hushai said to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, This and this Ahithophel advised Absalom and the elders of Israel, and this and this I have advised.

And when Absalom's servants came to the woman, to the house, they said, Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan? And the woman said to them, They have gone over the brook of water. And when they had searched and could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem.

And it happened after they had departed, they came up out of the well, and went and told King David. And they said to David, Arise and pass quickly over the waters, for this is what Ahithophel has advised against you.

And David sent forth a third of the people under the hand of Joab, and a third under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, and a third under the hand of Ittai the Gittite. And the king said to the people, I will also surely go forth with you myself.

And the king said to them, I will do what is good in your eyes. And the king stood by the side of the gate, and all the people came out by hundreds and by thousands.

And Joab said to the man who told him, And, behold, you saw him, and why did you not strike him there to the ground? And I would have given you ten shekels of silver and a girdle.

And the man said to Joab, Though I should receive a thousand silverlings in my hand, yet I would not put forth my hand against the king's son. For in our ears the king charged you and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Beware you who go against the young man, against Absalom.

And Joab said to him, You shall not bear news today, but you shall bear good news some other day. But today you shall bear no tidings, because the king's son is dead.

And Joab said to Cushi, Go tell the king what you have seen. And Cushi bowed himself to Joab, and ran.

But he said, Yet whatever, let me run! And he said to him, Run. And Ahimaaz ran by the way of the plain, and ran past the Cushite.

And Ahimaaz called and said to the king, Peace! And he fell down upon his face before the king, and said, Blessed be Jehovah your God, who has delivered up the men who lifted up their hand against my lord the king.

And the king said to Cushi, Peace to the young man, to Absalom? And Cushi answered, May the enemies of my lord the king, and all who rise against you to do you hurt, be as the young man.

And he said to the king, Let not my lord charge iniquity to me. Do not remember the perverse way your servant acted in the day that my lord the king went out of Jerusalem, for the king to take it to his heart.

And the king said to Shimei, You shall not die. And the king swore to him.