All the people noticed this and it pleased them. ¹  In fact, everything the king did pleased all the people.

and will bring the entire army back to you. In exchange for the life of the man you are seeking, you will get back everyone. ¹  The entire army will return unharmed.” ² 

Then Joab blew the trumpet ¹  and the army turned back from chasing Israel, for Joab had called for the army to halt.

So the victory of that day was turned to mourning as far as all the people were concerned. For the people heard on that day, “The king is grieved over his son.”

That day the people stole away to go to the city the way people who are embarrassed steal away in fleeing from battle.

The king and all the people set out on foot, pausing ¹  at a spot ²  some distance away.

When David finished offering the burnt sacrifices and peace offerings, he pronounced a blessing over the people in the name of the Lord of hosts.

He put his brother Abishai in charge of the rest of the army ¹  and they were deployed ²  against the Ammonites.

When Uriah came to him, David asked about how Joab and the army were doing and how the campaign was going. ¹ 

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

The king and all the people who were with him arrived exhausted at their destination, where David ¹  refreshed himself.

Now when Absalom and all the men ¹  of Israel arrived in Jerusalem, ²  Ahithophel was with him.

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

Then the army marched out to the field to fight against Israel. The battle took place in the forest of Ephraim.

David inquired, “How were things going? ¹  Tell me!” He replied, “The people fled from the battle and many of them ²  fell dead. ³  Even Saul and his son Jonathan are dead!”

He then handed out to each member of the entire assembly of Israel, ¹  both men and women, a portion of bread, a date cake, ²  and a raisin cake. Then all the people went home. ³ 

He removed ¹  the people who were in it and made them do hard labor with saws, iron picks, and iron axes, putting them to work at the brick kiln. This was his policy ²  with all the Ammonite cities. Then David and all the army returned to Jerusalem. ³ 

All the land was weeping loudly ¹  as all these people were leaving. ²  As the king was crossing over the Kidron Valley, all the people were leaving ³  on the road that leads to the desert.

David then sent out the army – a third under the leadership of Joab, a third under the leadership of Joab’s brother Abishai son of Zeruiah, and a third under the leadership of Ittai the Gittite. The king said to the troops, “I too will indeed march out with you.”

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 ¹  all came before him.But the Israelite soldiers ²  had all fled to their own homes. ³