Benaiah son of Jehoida was a brave warrior from Kabzeel who performed great exploits. He struck down the two sons of Ariel of Moab. He also went down and killed a lion in a cistern on a snowy day.

Now Amnon had a friend named Jonadab, the son of David’s brother Shimeah. Jonadab was a very crafty man.

He then handed out to each member of the entire assembly of Israel, both men and women, a portion of bread, a date cake, and a raisin cake. Then all the people went home.

When David had gone a short way beyond the summit, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth was there to meet him. He had a couple of donkeys that were saddled, and on them were two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred raisin cakes, a hundred baskets of summer fruit, and a container of wine.

The rich man had a great many flocks and herds.

Then Joab sent a full battle report to David.

The Benjaminites formed their ranks behind Abner and were like a single army, standing at the top of a certain hill.

The one true God acts in a faithful manner; the Lord’s promise is reliable; he is a shield to all who take shelter in him.

But he made a stand in the middle of that area. He defended it and defeated the Philistines; the Lord gave them a great victory.

The king chanted the following lament for Abner: “Should Abner have died like a fool?

Now David, wearing a linen ephod, was dancing with all his strength before the Lord.

He also killed an impressive-looking Egyptian. The Egyptian wielded a spear, while Benaiah attacked him with a club. He grabbed the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear.

He will build a house for my name, and I will make his dynasty permanent.

In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it with Uriah.

Then a messenger came to David and reported, “The men of Israel are loyal to Absalom!”

David said to him, “If you leave with me you will be a burden to me.

But a young man saw them on one occasion and informed Absalom. So the two of them quickly departed and went to the house of a man in Bahurim. There was a well in his courtyard, and they got down in it.

He mounted a winged angel and flew; he glided on the wings of the wind.

Indeed, who is God besides the Lord? Who is a protector besides our God?

Absalom would then say, “If only they would make me a judge in the land! Then everyone who had a judicial complaint could come to me and I would make sure he receives a just settlement.”