The Benjaminites formed their ranks behind Abner and were like a single army, standing at the top of a certain hill.

However, the war was prolonged between the house of Saul and the house of David. David was becoming steadily stronger, while the house of Saul was becoming increasingly weaker.

All the people and all Israel realized on that day that the killing of Abner son of Ner was not done at the king’s instigation.

When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the trees, act decisively. For at that moment the Lord is going before you to strike down the army of the Philistines.”

I have not lived in a house from the time I brought the Israelites up from Egypt to the present day. Instead, I was traveling with them and living in a tent.

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.

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

so you may gain lasting fame, as people say, ‘The Lord of hosts is God over Israel!’ The dynasty of your servant David will be established before you,

Now, O sovereign Lord, you are the true God! May your words prove to be true! You have made this good promise to your servant!

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

David placed garrisons in the territory of the Arameans of Damascus; the Arameans became David’s subjects and brought tribute. The Lord protected David wherever he campaigned.

Then the king summoned Ziba, Saul’s attendant, and said to him, “Everything that belonged to Saul and to his entire house I hereby give to your master’s grandson.

Messengers told David what had happened, so he summoned them, for the men were thoroughly humiliated. The king said, “Stay in Jericho until your beards have grown again; then you may come back.”

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.

Joab said, “If the Arameans start to overpower me, you come to my rescue. If the Ammonites start to overpower you, I will come to your rescue.

So as Joab kept watch on the city, he stationed Uriah at the place where he knew the best enemy soldiers were.

The messenger said to David, “The men overpowered us and attacked us in the field. But we forced them to retreat all the way to the door of the city gate.

So now the sword will never depart from your house. For you have despised me by taking the wife of Uriah the Hittite as your own!’

Now David’s son Absalom had a beautiful sister named Tamar. In the course of time David’s son Amnon fell madly in love with her.

While they were still on their way, the following report reached David: “Absalom has killed all the king’s sons; not one of them is left!”