The elders of his house stood over him and tried to lift him from the ground, but he was unwilling, and refused to eat food with them.p>

<p class="bodytext">Then Absalom said, &#8220;If you will not go,<n id="1" /> then let my brother Amnon go with us.&#8221; The king replied to him, &#8220;Why should he go with you?&#8221;

Now two hundred men had gone with Absalom from Jerusalem. Since they were invited, they went naively and were unaware of what Absalom was planning.<n id="1" />

So David said to Ittai, &#8220;Come along then.&#8221;<n id="1" /> So Ittai the Gittite went along,<n id="2" /> accompanied by all his men and all the dependents<n id="3" /> who were with him.p>

<p class="bodytext">The king said to Zadok the priest, &#8220;Are you a seer?<n id="1" /> Go back to the city in peace! Your son Ahimaaz and Abiathar&#8217;s son Jonathan may go with you and Abiathar.<n id="2" />

Hushai replied to Absalom, &#8220;No, I will be loyal to the one whom the <sc>Lordsc>, these people, and all the men of Israel have chosen.<n id="1" />

When I catch up with<n id="1" /> him he will be exhausted and worn out.<n id="2" /> I will rout him, and the entire army that is with him will flee. I will kill only the king

honey, curds, flocks, and cheese.<n id="1" /> For they said, &#8220;The people are no doubt hungry, tired, and thirsty there in the desert.&#8221;<n id="2" />p>

<p class="bodytext">Now when Barzillai the Gileadite had come down from Rogelim, he crossed the Jordan with the king so he could send him on his way from there.<n id="1" />

<p class="bodytext">Barzillai replied to the king, &#8220;How many days do I have left to my life, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem?

I will cross the Jordan with the king and go a short distance.<n id="1" /> Why should the king reward me in this way?

<p class="bodytext">The king replied, &#8220;Kimham will cross over with me, and I will do for him whatever I deem appropriate. And whatever you choose, I will do for you.&#8221;p>

<p class="bodytext">Then Abner sent messengers<n id="1" /> to David saying, &#8220;To whom does the land belong? Make an agreement<n id="2" /> with me, and I will do whatever I can<n id="3" /> to cause all Israel to turn to you.&#8221;

Abner said to David, &#8220;Let me leave so that I may go and gather all Israel to my lord the king so that they may make an agreement<n id="1" /> with you. Then you will rule over all that you desire.&#8221; So David sent Abner away, and he left in peace.p>

When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside at the gate as if to speak privately with him. Joab then stabbed him<n id="1" /> in the abdomen and killed him, avenging the shed blood of his brother Asahel.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="bodytext">David instructed Joab and all the people who were with him, &#8220;Tear your clothes! Put on sackcloth! Lament before Abner!&#8221; Now King David followed<n id="1" /> behind the funeral bier.

David and all the men who were with him traveled<n id="1" /> to<n id="2" /> Baalah<n id="3" /> in Judah to bring up from there the ark of God which is called by the name<n id="4" /> of the <sc>Lordsc> of hosts, who sits enthroned between the cherubim that are on it.

Wherever I moved among all the Israelites, I did not say<n id="1" /> to any of the leaders<n id="2" /> whom I appointed to care for<n id="3" /> my people Israel, &#8220;Why have you not built me a house made from cedar?&#8221;&#8217;p>

When all the kings who were subject to Hadadezer<n id="1" /> saw they were defeated by Israel, they made peace with Israel and became subjects of Israel.<n id="2" /> The Arameans were no longer willing to help the Ammonites.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>