When he turned around and saw me, he called out to me. I answered, ‘Here I am!’

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

You made Israel your very own people for all time. You, O Lord, became their God.

Then David asked, “Is anyone still left from the family of Saul, so that I may extend kindness to him for the sake of Jonathan?”

Because he committed this cold-hearted crime, he must pay for the lamb four times over!”

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

So David sent Tamar to the house saying, “Please go to the house of Amnon your brother and prepare some food for him.”

He called his personal attendant and said to him, “Take this woman out of my sight and lock the door behind her!”

But Absalom said nothing to Amnon, either bad or good, yet Absalom hated Amnon because he had humiliated his sister Tamar.

Now two hundred men had gone with Absalom from Jerusalem. Since they were invited, they went naively and were unaware of what Absalom was planning.

Look, I will be waiting at the fords of the desert until word from you reaches me.”

Then the king replied to him, “Why should you continue speaking like this? You and Ziba will inherit the field together.”

Joab answered, “Get serious! I don’t want to swallow up or destroy anything!

The earth heaved and shook; the foundations of the sky trembled. They heaved because he was angry.

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.

So I will give you thanks, O Lord, before the nations! I will sing praises to you.

Heled son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ittai son of Ribai from Gibeah in Benjamin,

I, the servant of my lord the king, give it all to the king!” Araunah also told the king, “May the Lord your God show you favor!”

But Asahel refused to turn aside. So Abner struck him in the abdomen with the back end of his spear. The spear came out his back; Asahel collapsed on the spot and died there right before Abner. Everyone who now comes to the place where Asahel fell dead pauses in respect.