And David sent and took her; and she came to him, and he took her to his bed: (for she had been made clean;) then she went back to her house.

And David said to Uriah, Go down to thy house, and wash thy feet. And Uriah departed out of the king's house, and there followed him a mess of meat from the king.

And when David had called him, he did eat and drink before him; and he made him drunk: and at even he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord, but went not down to his house.

And charged the messenger, saying, When thou hast made an end of telling the matters of the war unto the king,

And when the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she made lamentation for her husband.

But the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter.

Now a traveller came to the house of the man of wealth, but he would not take anything from his flock or his herd to make a meal for the traveller who had come to him, but he took the poor man's lamb and made it ready for the man who had come.

And Nathan said to David, You are that man. The Lord God of Israel says, I made you king over Israel, putting holy oil on you, and I kept you safe from the hands of Saul;

So David made prayer to God for the child; and he took no food day after day, and went in and, stretching himself out on the earth, was there all night.

And the elders of his house arose and went to him to take him up from the earth. But he would not, neither yet eat meat with them.

Then it happened on the seventh day that the child died. And the servants of David were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they said, “Behold, while the child was still alive, we spoke to him and he did not listen to our voice. How then can we tell him that the child is dead, since he might do himself harm!”

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.

Then said his servants unto him, "What is this that thou hast done? Thou did fast and weep for thy child while it was alive, and as soon as it was dead thou didst rise up and didst eat meat."

And Joab sent men to David, saying, I have made war against Rabbah and have taken the water-town.

Then David got all the people together and went to Rabbah and made war on it and took it.

And he brought forth the people that were therein, and put them under saws, and under harrows of iron, and under axes of iron, and made them pass through the brickkiln: and thus did he unto all the cities of the children of Ammon. So David and all the people returned unto Jerusalem.

And it so troubled Amnon, that he made himself ill on account of Tamar his sister, for, a virgin, was she, and it was monstrous in Amnon's own eyes, to do, anything, unto her.

And Jonadab said unto him, Lay thee down on thy bed, and make thyself sick: and when thy father cometh to see thee, say unto him, I pray thee, let my sister Tamar come, and give me meat, and dress the meat in my sight, that I may see it, and eat it at her hand.

So Amnon lay down, and made himself sick: and when the king was come to see him, Amnon said unto the king, I pray thee, let Tamar my sister come, and make me a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat at her hand.

Then David sent home to Tamar, saying, Go now to thy brother Amnon's house, and dress him meat.

So Tamar went to her brother Amnon's house; and he was laid down. And she took flour, and kneaded it, and made cakes in his sight, and did bake the cakes.

And Amnon said unto Tamar, Bring the meat into the chamber, that I may eat of thine hand. And Tamar took the cakes which she had made, and brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother.

And she had a kirtle of divers colors upon her: for with such were the king's daughters that were virgins appareled; made strait unto them. Then his servant brought her out at the doors and locked the doors after her.

And the king said to Absalom, No, my son, let us not all go, or the number will be over-great for you. And he made his request again, but he would not go, but he gave him his blessing.

But Absalom went on requesting him till he let Amnon and all the king's sons go with him. And Absalom made a great feast like a feast for a king.

Now Absalom commanded his young men, “Watch Amnon until he is in a good mood from the wine. When I order you to strike Amnon, then kill him. Don’t be afraid. Am I not the one who has commanded you? Be strong and courageous!”

And it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end of speaking, that, behold, the king's sons came, and lifted up their voice and wept: and the king also and all his servants wept very sore.

and thy maid-servant hath two sons; and they strive both of them in a field, and there is no deliverer between them, and the one smiteth the other, and putteth him to death;

and lo, the whole family hath risen against thy maid-servant, and say, Give up him who smiteth his brother, and we put him to death for the life of his brother whom he hath slain, and we destroy also the heir; and they have quenched my coal which is left -- so as not to set to my husband a name and remnant on the face of the ground.'

And the woman saith, 'Let, I pray thee, thy maid-servant speak unto my lord the king a word;' and he saith, 'Speak.'

Now therefore that I am come to speak of this thing unto my lord the king, it is because the people have made me afraid: and thy handmaid said, I will now speak unto the king; it may be that the king will perform the request of his handmaid.

and thy maid-servant saith, Let, I pray thee, the word of my lord the king be for ease; for as a messenger of God so is my lord the king, to understand the good and the evil; and Jehovah thy God is with thee.'

And the king saith, 'Is the hand of Joab with thee in all this?' And the woman answereth and saith, 'Thy soul liveth, my lord, O king, none doth turn to the right or to the left from all that my lord the king hath spoken; for thy servant Joab he commanded me, and he put in the mouth of thy maid-servant all these words;

This he did, hoping that the face of this business might be changed: and my lord is wise, with the wisdom of the angel of God, having knowledge of everything on earth.

Therefore Absalom sent for Joab, that he might send him to the king; but he would not come to him: and when he sent again the second time, he would not come.

And Absolom said unto Joab - Lo! I sent unto thee, saying - Come hither, that I may send thee unto the king, saying - Wherefore, am I come from Geshur? I, might as well have yet been there. Now, therefore, let me see the face of the king, and, if there is in me iniquity, then let him put me to death.

It happened afterward that Absalom made himself a chariot with horses and fifty men running before him.

Absalom said moreover, Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man which hath any suit or cause might come unto 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 made to Yahweh in Hebron,

for your servant made a vow while I [was] staying in Geshur in Aram, saying, '{If Yahweh will indeed let me return} to Jerusalem, then I will worship Yahweh.'"

And the king went out, and all his servants went after him, and made a stop at the Far House.

And lo! Zadok also, and all the Levites with him, were bearing the ark of the covenant of God, and they set down the ark of God, and Abiathar went up, until all the people had made an end of passing over out of the city.

And word came to David, saying, Ahithophel is among those who are joined to Absalom. And David said, O Lord, let the wisdom of Ahithophel be made foolish.

And it came to pass, that when David was come to the top of the mount, where he worshipped God, behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his coat rent, and earth upon his head:

and if to the city thou dost turn back, and hast said to Absalom, Thy servant I am, O king; servant of thy father I am also hitherto, and now, I am also thy servant; then thou hast made void for me the counsel of Ahithophel;

And when David was a little past the top of the hill, behold, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him, with a couple of asses saddled, and upon them two hundred loaves of bread, and an hundred bunches of raisins, and an hundred of summer fruits, and a bottle of wine.

Then said the king unto Ziba, Lo! thine, is all that pertained to Mephibosheth. And Ziba said - I have done homage, that I might find favour in thine eyes, my lord O king.

Later on, as King David approached Bahurim, Gera's son Shimei, who was related to the family of Saul's household, went out to meet David, cursing continually as he approached.

And David said to Abishai and to all his servants, You see how my son, the offspring of my body, has made designs against my life: how much more then may this Benjamite do so? Let him be, and let him go on cursing; for the Lord has given him orders.

Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Go in to your father’s concubines, whom he has left behind to take care of the house; then all Israel will hear that you have made yourself odious to your father. Then the hands of all who are with you will be strengthened [by your boldness and audacity].”

In those days the opinions of Ahithophel were valued as highly as if through him a man might get direction from God; so were they valued by David as much as by Absalom.

And I shall come upon him and he being weary and relaxed in hands, and I made him afraid: and all the people which are with him, fleeing; and I struck the king alone,

And Hushai said - Thou, knowest thy father and his men - that, men of might, they are, and, embittered in soul, they are, like a bear bereaved of her young, in the field, - thy father also, is a man of war, and will not lodge with the people.

then will, even the son of valour himself, whose heart is as the heart of a lion, utterly melt, - for all Israel do know that, a man of might, is thy father, and that, sons of valour, are they who are with him.

And Absalom and all the men of Israel said, The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel. For the LORD had appointed to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, to the intent that the LORD might bring evil upon Absalom.

Then Hushai said to Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, This is the suggestion made by Ahithophel to Absalom and the responsible men of Israel, and this is what I said to them.

Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz stayed by Enrogel; for they might not be seen to come into the city: and a wench went and told them; and they went and told king David.

And Absalom made Amasa captain of the host instead of Joab: which Amasa was a man's son, whose name was Ithra an Israelite, that went in to Abigail the daughter of Nahash, sister to Zeruiah Joab's mother.

honey, cheeses, sheep, and cheese made from cow's milk for David and his entourage because they had been reasoning, "The people are hungry, tired, and thirsty there in the wilderness."

And the people goeth out into the field to meet Israel, and the battle is in a forest of Ephraim;

And Absalom met the servants of David. And Absalom rode upon a mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak, and his head caught hold of the oak, and he was taken up between the heaven and the earth; and the mule that was under him went away.

Then Joab said, I would have made it safe for you. And he took three spears in his hand, and put them through Absalom's heart, while he was still living, in the branches of the tree.

Then the king was much moved, and went up into the room over the door, weeping, and saying, O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! if only my life might have been given for yours, O Absalom, my son, my son!

And the people made their way back to the town quietly and secretly, as those who are shamed go secretly when they go in flight from the war.

But, the king, muffled his face, and the king made outcry, with a loud voice, - O my son Absolom, O Absolom, my son, my son!

by loving those who hate you and hating those who love you. Indeed, you have made clear this day that you have no [regard for your] commanders or officers, for I have realized today that [were] Absalom alive, and all of us were dead, then [that would] have been right in your eyes!

And through all the tribes of Israel the people were having arguments, saying, The king made us safe from the hands of those who were against us and made us free from the hands of the Philistines; and now he has gone in flight from the land, because of Absalom.

And Absalom, whom we made a ruler over us, is dead in the fight. So now why do you say nothing about getting the king back? And word of what all Israel was saying came to the king.

So the king returned, and came to Jordan. And Judah came to Gilgal, to go to meet the king, to conduct the king over Jordan.

And Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite, which was of Bahurim, hasted and came down with the men of Judah to meet king David.

For thy servant doth know that I have sinned: therefore, behold, I am come the first this day of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king.

And Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king, and had neither dressed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came again in peace.

And it came to pass, when he was come to Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said unto him, Wherefore wentest not thou with me, Mephibosheth?

I am now eighty years old: good and bad are the same to me; have meat and drink any taste for me now? am I able to take pleasure in the voices of men or women in song? why then am I to be a trouble to my lord the king?

And all the men of Judah made answer unto the men of Israel - Because the king is, near of kin, unto us, wherefore, then, is it, that ye are angry over this matter? Have we, eaten, at the king's cost? or hath he, bestowed any gifts, on us?

And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, and said - Ten parts, have we in the king, therefore, even in David, have we more right than ye. Why, then, made ye light of us, so that our word was not heard first as to bringing back our king? And, the words of the men of Judah, were fiercer than, the words of the men of Israel.

And a man of Belial was met with there, and his name Sheba, son of Bichri, a man, a Jaminite: and he will strike upon the trumpet and say, No portion to us in David, and no inheritance to us in the son of Jesse: a man to his tent to Israel.

And there went out after him Joab's men and the Cherethites and the Pelethites and the men of might. And they departed out of Jerusalem to follow after Sheba the son of Bichri.

When they were at the great stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. And Joab was girded with his apparel of war that he had put on, and thereon was a girdle with a sword fastened upon his loins in the sheath thereof; and as he went forth it fell out.

Then the king sent for the Gibeonites; (now the Gibeonites were not of the children of Israel, but were the last of the Amorites, to whom the children of Israel had given an oath; but Saul, in his passion for the children of Israel and Judah, had made an attempt on their lives:)

And they said to the king, As for the man by whom we were wasted, and who made designs against us to have us completely cut off from the land of Israel,

But the king did not give up Mephibosheth, the son of Saul's son Jonathan, because of the Lord's oath made between David and Jonathan, the son of Saul.

And there came against David one of the offspring of the Rephaim, whose spear was three hundred shekels of brass in weight, and having a new sword, he made an attempt to put David to death.

And David made a song to the Lord in these words, on the day when the Lord made him free from the hands of all his haters, and from the hand of Saul:

I will send up my cry to the Lord, who is to be praised; so will I be made safe from those who are against me.

When the waves of death compassed me, the floods of ungodly men made me afraid;

The heavens were bent, so that he might come down; and it was dark under his feet.

And he made darkness pavilions round about him, dark waters, and thick clouds of the skies.

The Lord made thunder in the heavens, and the voice of the Highest was sounding out.

He delivered me from my strong enemy, From them that hated me; For they were mightier than I.

By your help I have made a way through the wall which was shutting me in: by the help of my God I have gone over a wall.

This God is my strong place of valor! He has made my life blameless.

He has made my feet like those of a deer, setting me secure on his high places!

He has trained my hands for battle readiness I can bend a bow made out of bronze.

Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy gentleness hath made me great.

You have made my steps wide under me, so that my feet make no slip.

For I have been armed by you with strength for the fight: you have made low under me those who came out against me.

Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies, that I might destroy them that hate me.

I pulverize them like dust of the earth;
I crush them and trample them like mud in the streets.

You have made me free from the fightings of my people; you have made me the head of the nations: a people of whom I had no knowledge will be my servants.