David’s power grew steadily, for the Lord God who commands armies was with him.

After Absalom fled and went to Geshur, he remained there for three years.

So Joab got up and went to Geshur and brought Absalom back to Jerusalem.

The king replied to him, “Go in peace.” So Absalom got up and went to Hebron.

So the messenger departed. When he arrived, he informed David of all the news that Joab had sent with him.

So David assembled all the army and went to Rabbah and fought against it and captured it.

So Amasa went out to call Judah together. But in doing so he took longer than the time that the king had allotted him.

Her husband went along behind her, weeping all the way to Bahurim. Finally Abner said to him, “Go back!” So he returned home.

When Joab and all the army that was with him arrived, Joab was told: “Abner the son of Ner came to the king; he sent him away, and he left in peace!”

So Joab went to the king and said, “What have you done? Abner has come to you! Why would you send him away? Now he’s gone on his way!

Then Nathan went to his home. The Lord struck the child that Uriah’s wife had borne to David, and the child became very ill.

But Absalom fled and went to King Talmai son of Ammihud of Geshur. And David grieved over his son every day.

So David and his men went on their way. But Shimei kept going along the side of the hill opposite him, yelling curses as he threw stones and dirt at them.

So the watchman called out and informed the king. The king said, “If he is by himself, he brings good news.” The runner came ever closer.

Then Abner spoke privately with the Benjaminites. Abner also went to Hebron to inform David privately of all that Israel and the entire house of Benjamin had agreed to.

Abner said to David, “Let me leave so that I may go and gather all Israel to my lord the king so that they may make an agreement with you. Then you will rule over all that you desire.” So David sent Abner away, and he left in peace.

Now David’s soldiers and Joab were coming back from a raid, bringing a great deal of plunder with them. Abner was no longer with David in Hebron, for David had sent him away and he had left in peace.

Then the king and his men advanced to Jerusalem against the Jebusites who lived in the land. The Jebusites said to David, “You cannot invade this place! Even the blind and the lame will turn you back, saying, ‘David cannot invade this place!’”

David and all the men who were with him traveled to Baalah in Judah to bring up from there the ark of God which is called by the name of the Lord of hosts, who sits enthroned between the cherubim that are on it.

David was told, “The Lord has blessed the family of Obed-Edom and everything he owns because of the ark of God.” So David went and joyfully brought the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David.