And it was so, as the ark of LORD came into the city of David, that Michal the daughter of Saul looked out at the window, and saw king David leaping and dancing before LORD, and she despised him in her heart.

Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, How glorious was the king of Israel today, who uncovered himself today in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants as on

And Nathan said to the king, Go, do all that is in thy heart, for LORD is with thee.

And 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 sons of iniquity afflict them any more, as at the first,

and [as] from the day that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel, and I will cause thee to rest from all thine enemies. Moreover LORD tells thee that LORD will make thee a house.

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

Then David the king went in, and sat before LORD. And he said, Who am I, O lord LORD, and what is my house, that thou have brought me thus far?

Therefore thou are great, O LORD God, for there is none like thee, neither is there any God besides thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears.

And what one nation on the earth is like thy people, even like Israel, whom God went to redeem to himself for a people, and to make him a name, and to do great things for you, and awesome things for thy land, before thy people whom

And now, O LORD God, the word that thou have spoken concerning thy servant, and concerning his house, confirm it forever, and do as thou have spoken.

And let thy name be magnified forever, saying, LORD of hosts is God over Israel, and the house of thy servant David shall be established before thee.

David also smote Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went to recover his dominion at the River.

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

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 thou Ziba? And he said, Thy servant is he.

And the king said, Is there not yet any of the house of Saul that I may show the kindness of God to him? And Ziba said to the king, Jonathan has yet 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 Lo-debar.

And he did obeisance, and said, What is thy servant that thou should look upon such a dead dog as I am?

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

And Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Mica. And all who dwelt in the house of Ziba were servants to Mephibosheth.

And 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. And David's servants came into the land of the sons of Ammon.

Be of good courage, and let us play the man for our people, and for the cities of our God. And LORD do that which seems good to him.

And David send and inquired after the woman. And he said, Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?

Who smote Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? Did not a woman cast an upper millstone upon him from the wall so that he died at Thebez? Why did ye go so near the wall? Then thou shall say, Thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.

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

And the shooters shot at thy servants from off the wall. And some of the king's servants are dead, and thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.

Then David said to the messenger, Thus thou shall say to Joab, Let not this thing displease thee, for the sword devours one as well as another. Make thy battle stronger against the city, and overthrow it. And encourage thou him.

And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man, and he said to Nathan, As LORD lives, the man who has done this is worthy to die.

Why have thou despised the word of LORD, to do that which is evil in his sight? Thou have smitten Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and have taken his wife to be thy wife, and have slain him with the sword of the sons of Ammon.

However, because by this deed thou have given great occasion to the enemies of LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born to thee shall surely die.

But when David saw that his servants were whispering together, David perceived that the child was dead. And David said to his servants, Is the child dead? And they said, He is dead.

Then his servants said to him, What thing is this that thou have done? Thou fasted and wept for the child while it was alive, but when the child was dead, thou arose and ate bread.

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.

And it came to pass after this, that Absalom the son of David had a fair sister whose name was Tamar. And Amnon the son of David loved her.

But Amnon had a friend whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David's brother. And Jonadab was a very sly man.

And I, where shall I carry my shame? And as for thee, thou will be as one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, I pray thee, speak to the king, for he will not withhold me from thee.

And she said to him, Not so, because this great wrong in putting me forth is [worse] than the other that thou did to me. But he would not hearken to her.

And Tamar put ashes on her head, and tore her garment of various colors that was on her. And she laid her hand on her head, and went her way, crying aloud as she went.

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

And it came to pass after two full years, that Absalom had sheep-shearers in Baal-hazor, which is beside Ephraim, and Absalom invited all the king's sons.

And the king said to Absalom, No, my son, let us not all go, lest we be burdensome to thee. And he pressed him. However he would not go, but blessed him.

Then Absalom said, If not, I pray thee, let my brother Amnon go with us. And the king said to him, Why should he go with thee?

And Absalom commanded his servants, saying, Notice ye now, when Amnon's heart is merry with wine, and when I say to you, Smite Amnon, then kill him. Fear not; have I not commanded you? Be courageous, and be valiant.

And the servants of Absalom did to Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king's sons arose, and every man got up upon his mule, and fled.

And it came to pass, while they were in the way, that the news came to David, saying, Absalom has slain all the king's sons, and there is not one of them left.

And Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David's brother, answered and said, Let not my lord suppose that they have killed all the young men the king's sons, for Amnon only is dead. For by the command of Absalom this has been determined fr

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

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

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 much.

And Joab sent to Tekoa, and fetched from there a wise woman, and said to her, I pray thee, feign thyself to be a mourner, and put on mourning apparel, I pray thee, and do not anoint thyself with oil, but be as a woman who has a lon

And the king said to her, What troubles thee? And she answered, Of a truth I am a widow, and my husband is dead.

And, behold, the whole family is risen against thy handmaid, and they say, Deliver him who smote his brother that we may kill him for the life of his brother whom he killed, and so destroy the heir also. Thus they will quench my co

Then she said, I pray thee, let the king remember LORD thy God, that the avenger of blood not destroy any more, lest they destroy my son. And he said, As LORD lives, there shall not one hair of thy son fall to the earth.

And the woman said, Why then have thou devised such a thing against the people of God? For in speaking this word the king is as he who is guilty, in that the king does not fetch home again his banished one.

For we must die, and are as water split on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again, neither does God take away life, but devises means that he who is banished be not an outcast from him.

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 thy handmaid said, I will now speak to the king. It may be that the king will perform the request of hi

Then thy handmaid said, Let, I pray thee, the word of my lord the king be gracious, for as an agent of God, so is my lord the king to discern good and bad. And LORD thy God be with thee.

And the king said, Is the hand of Joab with thee in all this? And the woman answered and said, As thy soul lives, my lord the king, none can turn to the right hand or to the left from anything that my lord the king has spoken, for

Thy servant Joab has done this thing to change the face of the matter. And my lord is wise, according to the wisdom of an agent of God, to know all things that are on the earth.

Now in all Israel there was none to be so much praised as Absalom for his beauty; from the sole of his foot even to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him.

And to Absalom there were born three sons, and one daughter whose name was Tamar. She was a woman of a fair countenance.

Therefore 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 Absalom said to him, See, thy matters are good and right, but there is no man appointed by the king to hear thee.

But Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, As soon as ye hear the sound of the trumpet, then ye shall say, Absalom is king in Hebron.

And David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, Arise, and let us flee, for otherwise none of us shall escape from Absalom. Make speed to depart, lest he overtake us quickly, and bring down evil upon us, and smit

Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, Why do thou also go with us? Return, and abide with the king, for thou are a foreigner, and also an exile. [Return] to thine own place.

Whereas thou came but yesterday, should I this day make thee go up and down with us, seeing I go where I may? Return thou, and take back thy brothers. Mercy and truth be with thee.

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

But if he says thus, I have no delight in thee, behold, here I am. Let him do to me as seems good to him.

And David went up by the ascent of the [mount of] Olives, and wept as he went up, and he had his head covered, and went barefoot. And all the people who were with him covered every man his head, and they went up, weeping as they we

And it was told David, saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. And David said, O LORD, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.

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

And the king said to Ziba, What do thou mean by these? And 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 wildern

And the king said, And where is thy master's son? And Ziba said to the king, Behold, he abides at Jerusalem, for he said, Today the house of Israel will restore for me the kingdom of my father.

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

And when king David came to Bahurim, behold, there came out from there a man of the family of the house of Saul whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera. He came out, cursing as he came.

LORD has returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul in whose stead thou have reigned. And LORD has delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son, and, behold, thou are [taken] in thine own mischief because thou

So David and his men went by the way, and Shimei went along on the hill-side opposite him, and cursed as he went, and threw stones at him, and cast dust.

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

And again, whom should I serve? [Is it] not in the presence of his son? As I have served in thy father's presence, so I will be in thy presence.

And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he gave in those days, was as if a man inquired at the oracle of God; so was all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom.

And I will come upon him while he is weary and weak-handed, and will make him afraid. And all the people who are with him shall flee. And I will only smite the king,

and I will bring back all the people to thee. The man whom thou seek is as if all returned, [so] all the people shall be in peace.

Then Absalom said, Call now Hushai the Archite also, and let us hear likewise what he says.

And Hushai said to Absalom, The counsel that Ahithophel has given this time is not good.

Hushai said moreover, Thou know thy father and his men, that they are mighty men, and they are chafed in their minds, as a bear robbed of her whelps in the field. And thy father is a man of war, and will not lodge with the people.

Behold, he is hid now in some pit, or in some [other] place. And it will come to pass, when some of them are fallen at the first, that whoever hears it will say, There is a slaughter among the people who follow Absalom.

And even he who is valiant, whose heart is as the heart of a lion, will utterly melt, for all Israel knows that thy father is a mighty man, and those who are with him are valiant men.

But I counsel that all Israel be gathered together to thee, from Dan even to Beersheba, as the sand that is by the sea for multitude, and that thou go to battle in thine own person.

So we shall come upon him in some place where he shall be found, and we will light upon him as the dew falls on the ground, and of him and of all the men who are with him we will not leave so much as one.

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

And Absalom set Amasa over the army instead of Joab. Now Amasa was the son of a man, whose name was Ithra the Israelite, who went in to Abigal the daughter of Nahash, sister to Zeruiah, Joab's mother.

But the people said, Thou shall not go forth. For if we flee away, they will not care for us, neither if half of us die, will they care for us, but thou are worth ten thousand of us. Therefore now it is better that thou be ready to

Otherwise if I had dealt falsely against his life (and there is no matter hid from the king), then thou thyself would have set thyself against [me].

Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and reared up for himself the pillar which is in the king's valley, for he said, I have no son to keep my name in remembrance. And he called the pillar after his own name, and it is called Absa

And Joab said to him, Thou shall not be the bearer of news this day, but thou shall bear news another day. But this day thou shall bear no news, because the king's son is dead.

And the watchman cried, and told the king. And the king said, If he is alone, there is news in his mouth. And he came apace, and drew near.

And the watchman said, I think the running of the foremost is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok. And the king said, He is a good man, and comes with good news.

And Ahimaaz called, and said to the king, All is well. And he bowed himself before the king with his face to the earth, and said, Blessed be LORD thy God, who has delivered up the men who lifted up their hand against my lord the ki

And the king said, Is it well with the young man Absalom? And Ahimaaz answered, When Joab sent the king's servant, even me thy servant, I saw a great tumult, but I knew not what it was.

And the king said to the Cushite, Is it well with the young man Absalom? And the Cushite answered, The enemies of my lord the king, and all who rise up against thee to do thee hurt, be as that young man is.