Then the woman said, “Please permit your servant to speak to my lord the king about another matter.” He replied, “Tell me.”

So David went up as Gad instructed him to do, according to the Lord’s instructions.

So now, O Lord God, make this promise you have made about your servant and his family a permanent reality. ¹  Do as you promised, ² 

The one true God acts in a faithful manner; ¹  the Lord’s promise is reliable; ²  he is a shield to all who take shelter in him.

For the sake of your promise and according to your purpose ¹  you have done this great thing in order to reveal it to your servant. ² 

So David sent a message to Joab that said, “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” So Joab sent Uriah to David.

But the king’s edict stood, despite the objections of ¹  Joab and the leaders of the army. So Joab and the leaders of the army left the king’s presence in order to muster the Israelite army.

Wherever I moved among all the Israelites, I did not say ¹  to any of the leaders ²  whom I appointed to care for ³  my people Israel, “Why have you not built me a house made from cedar?”’

The men of Israel replied to the men of Judah, “We have ten shares in the king, and we have a greater claim on David than you do! Why do you want ¹  to curse us? Weren’t we the first to suggest bringing back our king?” But the comments of the men of Judah were more severe than those of the men of Israel.

(19:2) Joab was told, “The king is weeping and mourning over Absalom.”

In those days Ahithophel’s advice was considered as valuable as a prophetic revelation. ¹  Both David and Absalom highly regarded the advice of Ahithophel. ² 

Jonadab said to the king, “Look! The king’s sons have come! It’s just as I said!”

Then King David sent a message to Zadok and Abiathar the priests saying, “Tell the elders of Judah, ‘Why should you delay any further in bringing the king back to his palace, ¹  when everything Israel is saying has come to the king’s attention. ² 

The woman said, “Why have you devised something like this against God’s people? When the king speaks in this fashion, he makes himself guilty, for the king has not brought back the one he has banished.

He said: “The Lord is my high ridge, ¹  my stronghold, ²  my deliverer.

But Absalom, whom we anointed as our king, ¹  has died in battle. So now why do you hesitate to bring the king back?” ² 

Absalom said to Joab, “Look, I sent a message to you saying, ‘Come here so that I can send you to the king with this message: ¹  “Why have I come from Geshur? It would be better for me if I were still there.”’ Let me now see the face of the king. If I am at fault, let him put me to death!”

I have now come to speak with my lord the king about this matter, because the people have made me fearful. ¹  But your servant said, ‘I will speak to the king! Perhaps the king will do what his female servant ²  asks.

Abner advised ¹  the elders of Israel, “Previously you were wanting David to be your king. ² 

So David sent Tamar to the house saying, “Please go to the house of Amnon your brother and prepare some food for him.”