After the death of Saul, when David had returned from defeating the Amalekites, he stayed at Ziklag for two days.

The king settled into his palace, for the Lord gave him relief from all his enemies on all sides.

When Joab saw that the battle would be fought on two fronts, he chose some of Israel’s best men and deployed them against the Arameans.

So the king got up and sat at the city gate. When all the people were informed that the king was sitting at the city gate, they all came before him.But the Israelite soldiers had all fled to their own homes.

He brought me out into a wide open place; he delivered me because he was pleased with me.

The Lord rewarded me for my godly deeds; he took notice of my blameless behavior.

Nathan told David all these words that were revealed to him.

He turned them over to the Gibeonites, and they executed them on a hill before the Lord. The seven of them died together; they were put to death during harvest time – during the first days of the beginning of the barley harvest.

Now Mephibosheth had a young son whose name was Mica. All the members of Ziba’s household were Mephibosheth’s servants.

Later the king of the Ammonites died and his son Hanun succeeded him.

When David got up the next morning, the Lord had already spoken to Gad the prophet, David’s seer:

So Tamar went to the house of Amnon her brother, who was lying down. She took the dough, kneaded it, made some cakes while he watched, and baked them.

Moreover, whom should I serve? Should it not be his son? Just as I served your father, so I will serve you.”

My God is my rocky summit where I take shelter, my shield, the horn that saves me, my stronghold, my refuge, my savior. You save me from violence!

He said to me, ‘Stand over me and finish me off! I’m very dizzy, even though I’m still alive.’

So Hanun seized David’s servants and shaved off half of each one’s beard. He cut the lower part of their robes off so that their buttocks were exposed, and then sent them away.

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

Then David prayed to God for the child and fasted. He would even go and spend the night lying on the ground.

He placed garrisons throughout Edom, and all the Edomites became David’s subjects. The Lord protected David wherever he campaigned.

They replied to the king, “As for this man who exterminated us and who schemed against us so that we were destroyed and left without status throughout all the borders of Israel –