So David asked the Lord what he should do. This time the Lord said to him, “Don’t march straight up. Instead, circle around behind them and come against them opposite the trees.

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

If I had acted at risk of my own life – and nothing is hidden from the king! – you would have abandoned me.”

The one who touches them must use an iron instrument or the wooden shaft of a spear. They are completely burned up right where they lie!”

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.

When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside at the gate as if to speak privately with him. Joab then stabbed him in the abdomen and killed him, avenging the shed blood of his brother Asahel.

I was with you wherever you went, and I defeated all your enemies before you. Now I will make you as famous as the great men of the earth.

But the king said, “What do we have in common, you sons of Zeruiah? If he curses because the Lord has said to him, ‘Curse David!’, who can say to him, ‘Why have you done this?’”

My advice therefore is this: Let all Israel from Dan to Beer Sheba – in number like the sand by the sea! – be mustered to you, and you lead them personally into battle.

Then David built an altar for the Lord there and offered burnt sacrifices and peace offerings. And the Lord accepted prayers for the land, and the plague was removed from Israel.

David then grabbed his own clothes and tore them, as did all the men who were with him.

Abner said to Joab, “Let the soldiers get up and fight before us.” Joab said, “So be it!”

Later David defeated the Philistines and subdued them. David took Metheg Ammah from the Philistines.

Then Mephibosheth bowed and said, “Of what importance am I, your servant, that you show regard for a dead dog like me?”

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

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

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

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

Now Joab son of Zeruiah realized that the king longed to see Absalom.

Go to the king and speak to him in the following fashion.” Then Joab told her what to say.