From Tebah and Berothai, Hadadezer’s cities, King David took a great deal of bronze.

When King Toi of Hamath heard that David had defeated the entire army of Hadadezer,

David became famous when he returned from defeating the Arameans in the Valley of Salt, he defeated 18,000 in all.

Benaiah son of Jehoida supervised the Kerithites and Pelethites; and David’s sons were priests.

So King David had him brought from the house of Makir son of Ammiel in Lo Debar.

When David heard the news, he sent Joab and the entire army to meet them.

When Uriah came to him, David asked about how Joab and the army were doing and how the campaign was going.

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

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

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

Now King David heard about all these things and was very angry.

The king longed to go to Absalom, for he had since been consoled over the death of Amnon.

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.

David assembled the army that was with him. He appointed leaders of thousands and leaders of hundreds.

When he taunted Israel, Jonathan, the son of David’s brother Shimeah, killed him.

These four were the descendants of Rapha who lived in Gath; they were killed by David and his soldiers.

David was thirsty and said, “How I wish someone would give me some water to drink from the cistern in Bethlehem near the gate!”

He received honor from the thirty warriors, though he was not one of the three elite warriors. David put him in charge of his bodyguard.

Afterward David inquired of the Lord, “Should I go up to one of the cities of Judah?” The Lord told him, “Go up.” David asked, “Where should I go?” The Lord replied, “To Hebron.”