Then they went to the fortress of Tyre<n id="1" /> and all the cities of the Hivites and the Canaanites. Then they went on to the Negev of Judah, to Beer Sheba.

<t /><p class="bodytext">Afterward David inquired of the <sc>Lordsc>, &#8220;Should I go up to one of the cities of Judah?&#8221; The <sc>Lordsc> told him, &#8220;Go up.&#8221; David asked, &#8220;Where should I go?&#8221; The <sc>Lordsc> replied,<n id="1" /> &#8220;To Hebron.&#8221;

David was told,<n id="1" /> &#8220;The <sc>Lordsc> has blessed the family of Obed-Edom and everything he owns because of the ark of God.&#8221; So David went and joyfully brought the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David.

<p class="bodytext">As the ark of the <sc>Lordsc> entered the City of David, Saul&#8217;s daughter Michal looked out the window. When she saw King David leaping and dancing before the <sc>Lordsc>, she despised him.<n id="1" />

the Ammonite officials said to their lord Hanun, &#8220;Do you really think David is trying to honor your father by sending these messengers to express his sympathy?<n id="1" /> No, David has sent his servants to you to get information about the city and spy on it so they can overthrow it!&#8221;<n id="2" />p>

if the king becomes angry and asks you, &#8216;Why did you go so close to the city to fight? Didn&#8217;t you realize they would shoot from the wall?

David said to the messenger, &#8220;Tell Joab, &#8216;Don&#8217;t let this thing upset you.<n id="1" /> There is no way to anticipate whom the sword will cut down.<n id="2" /> Press the battle against the city and conquer<n id="3" /> it.&#8217; Encourage him with these words.&#8221;<n id="4" />p>

<t /><p class="bodytext">So the <sc>Lordsc> sent Nathan<n id="1" /> to David. When he came to David,<n id="2" /> Nathan<n id="3" /> said,<n id="4" /> &#8220;There were two men in a certain city, one rich and the other poor.

He took the crown of their king<n id="1" /> from his head &#8211; it was gold, weighed about seventy-five pounds,<n id="2" /> and held a precious stone &#8211; and it was placed on David&#8217;s head. He also took from the city a great deal of plunder.

He removed<n id="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<n id="2" /> with all the Ammonite cities. Then David and all the army returned to Jerusalem.<n id="3" />p>

While he was offering sacrifices, Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David&#8217;s adviser,<n id="1" /> to come from his city, Giloh.<n id="2" /> The conspiracy was gaining momentum, and the people were starting to side with Absalom.p>

So David said to all his servants who were with him in Jerusalem,<n id="1" /> &#8220;Come on!<n id="2" /> Let&#8217;s escape!<n id="3" /> Otherwise no one will be delivered from Absalom! Go immediately, or else he will quickly overtake us and bring<n id="4" /> disaster on us and kill the city&#8217;s residents with the sword.&#8221;<n id="5" />

Zadok and all the Levites who were with him were carrying the ark of the covenant of God. When they positioned the ark of God, Abiathar offered sacrifices until all the people had finished leaving<n id="1" /> the city.p>

But you will be able to counter the advice of Ahithophel if you go back to the city and say to Absalom, &#8216;I will be your servant, O king! Previously I was your father&#8217;s servant, and now I will be your servant.&#8217;

<p class="bodytext">Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz were staying in En Rogel. A female servant would go and inform them, and they would then go and inform King David. It was not advisable for them to be seen going into the city.

<p class="bodytext">When Ahithophel realized that his advice had not been followed, he saddled his donkey and returned to his house in his hometown. After setting his household in order, he hanged himself. So he died and was buried in the grave<n id="1" /> of his father.p>

Let me<n id="1" /> return so that I may die in my own city near the grave of my father and my mother. But look, here is your servant Kimham. Let him cross over with my lord the king. Do for him whatever seems appropriate to you.&#8221;p>

<p class="bodytext">Then David said to Abishai, &#8220;Now Sheba son of Bicri will cause greater disaster for us than Absalom did! Take your lord&#8217;s servants and pursue him. Otherwise he will secure<n id="1" /> fortified cities for himself and get away from us.&#8221;

So Joab&#8217;s men<n id="1" /> came and laid siege against him in Abel of Beth Maacah. They prepared a siege ramp outside the city which stood against its outer rampart. As all of Joab&#8217;s soldiers were trying to break through<n id="2" /> the wall so that it would collapse,

<p class="bodytext">Then the woman went to all the people with her wise advice and they cut off Sheba&#8217;s head and threw it out to Joab. Joab<n id="1" /> blew the trumpet, and his men<n id="2" /> dispersed from the city, each going to his own home.<n id="3" /> Joab returned to the king in Jerusalem.p>