You prove to be loyal to one who is faithful; you prove to be trustworthy to one who is innocent.

You prove to be reliable to one who is blameless, but you prove to be deceptive to one who is perverse.

When the king crossed over to Gilgal, Kimham crossed over with him. Now all the soldiers of Judah along with half of the soldiers of Israel had helped the king cross over.

You deliver oppressed people, but you watch the proud and bring them down.

They brought it with the ark of God up from the house of Abinadab on the hill. Ahio was walking in front of the ark,

You rescue me from a hostile army; you preserve me as a leader of nations; people over whom I had no authority are now my subjects.

So David sent messengers to the people of Jabesh Gilead and told them, “May you be blessed by the Lord because you have shown this kindness to your lord Saul by burying him.

Let me return so that I may die in my own city near the grave of my father and my mother. But look, here is your servant Kimham. Let him cross over with my lord the king. Do for him whatever seems appropriate to you.”

O daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet as well as jewelry, who put gold jewelry on your clothes.

Abner advised the elders of Israel, “Previously you were wanting David to be your king.

The Lord was so furious with Uzzah, he killed him on the spot for his negligence. He died right there beside the ark of God.

King David dedicated these things to the Lord, along with the dedicated silver and gold that he had taken from all the nations that he had subdued,

Then David summoned him. He ate and drank with him, and got him drunk. But in the evening he went out to sleep on his bed with the servants of his lord; he did not go down to his own house.

Two years later Absalom’s sheepshearers were in Baal Hazor, near Ephraim. Absalom invited all the king’s sons.

Then Absalom went to the king and said, “My shearers have begun their work. Let the king and his servants go with me.”

In the meantime Absalom fled. When the servant who was the watchman looked up, he saw many people coming from the west on a road beside the hill.

The woman said, “Why have you devised something like this against God’s people? When the king speaks in this fashion, he makes himself guilty, for the king has not brought back the one he has banished.

Now David had been told, “Ahithophel has sided with the conspirators who are with Absalom. So David prayed, “Make the advice of Ahithophel foolish, O Lord!”

The army of Israel was defeated there by David’s men. The slaughter there was great that day – 20,000 soldiers were killed.

Shimei son of Gera the Benjaminite from Bahurim came down quickly with the men of Judah to meet King David.