<p class="bodytext">So as Joab kept watch on the city, he stationed Uriah at the place where he knew the best enemy soldiers<n id="1" /> were.

The messenger said to David, &#8220;The men overpowered us and attacked us<n id="1" /> in the field. But we forced them to retreat all the way<n id="2" /> 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!&#8217;

<t /><p class="bodytext">Now David&#8217;s son Absalom had a beautiful sister named Tamar. In the course of time David&#8217;s son Amnon fell madly in love with her.<n id="1" />

<p class="bodytext">While they were still on their way, the following report reached David: &#8220;Absalom has killed all the king&#8217;s sons; not one of them is left!&#8221;

<p class="bodytext">Just as he finished speaking, the king&#8217;s sons arrived, wailing and weeping.<n id="1" /> The king and all his servants wept loudly<n id="2" /> as well.

Absalom had<n id="1" /> three sons and one daughter, whose name was Tamar. She was a very attractive woman.<n id="2" />p>

Absalom would then say, &#8220;If only they would make me<n id="1" /> a judge in the land! Then everyone who had a judicial complaint<n id="2" /> could come to me and I would make sure he receives a just settlement.&#8221;p>

<p class="bodytext">After four<n id="1" /> years Absalom said to the king, &#8220;Let me go and repay my vow that I made to the <sc>Lordsc> while I was in Hebron.

<p class="bodytext">When David reached the summit, where he used to worship God, Hushai the Arkite met him with his clothes torn and dirt on his head.

Zadok and Abiathar the priests will be there with you.<n id="1" /> Everything you hear in the king&#8217;s palace<n id="2" /> you must tell Zadok and Abiathar the priests.

When David&#8217;s friend Hushai the Arkite came to Absalom, Hushai said to him,<n id="1" /> &#8220;Long live the king! Long live the king!&#8221;p>

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" />

Moreover, whom should I serve? Should it not be his son? Just as I served your father, so I will serve you.&#8221;<n id="1" />p>

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.<n id="1" /> The entire army will return unharmed.&#8221;<n id="2" />p>

<p class="bodytext">When David came to Mahanaim, Shobi the son of Nahash from Rabbah of the Ammonites, Makir the son of Ammiel from Lo Debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim

The army of Israel was defeated there by David&#8217;s men.<n id="1" /> The slaughter there was great that day &#8211; 20,000 soldiers were killed.

The battle there was spread out over the whole area, and the forest consumed more soldiers than the sword devoured that day.p>

But he said,<n id="1" /> &#8220;Whatever happens, I want to go!&#8221; So Joab<n id="2" /> said to him, &#8220;Then go!&#8221; So Ahimaaz ran by the way of the Jordan plain, and he passed the Cushite.p>

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, &#8220;The king is grieved over his son.&#8221;