Then the king told the woman, “Go to your home. I will give instructions concerning your situation.” ¹ 

The king said, “Bring to me whoever speaks to you, and he won’t bother you again!”

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

Absalom lived in Jerusalem for two years without seeing the king’s face.

Absalom would then say to him, “Look, your claims are legitimate and appropriate. ¹  But there is no representative of the king who will listen to you.”

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

Then Joab said to the Cushite, “Go and tell the king what you have seen.” After bowing to Joab, the Cushite ran off.

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

You are my brothers – my very own flesh and blood! ¹  Why should you delay any further in bringing the king back?’

So the king said to Barzillai, “Cross over with me, and I will take care of you while you are with me in Jerusalem.”

He gives his chosen king magnificent victories; ¹  he is faithful to his chosen ruler, ²  to David and to his descendants forever!”

The king asked, “Is there not someone left from Saul’s family, ¹  that I may extend God’s kindness to him?” Ziba said to the king, “One of Jonathan’s sons is left; both of his feet are crippled.”

So Amnon lay down and pretended to be sick. When the king came in to see him, Amnon said to the king, “Please let my sister Tamar come in so she can make a couple of cakes in my sight. Then I will eat from her hand.”

So your servant said, ‘May the word of my lord the king be my security, for my lord the king is like the angel of God when it comes to deciding between right and wrong! May the Lord your God be with you!’”

Then the king replied to the woman, “Don’t hide any information from me when I question you.” The woman said, “Let my lord the king speak!”

Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why should you come with us? Go back and stay with the new ¹  king, for you are a foreigner and an exile from your own country. ² 

The king asked Ziba, “Why did you bring these things?” ¹  Ziba replied, “The donkeys are for the king’s family to ride on, the loaves of bread ²  and the summer fruit are for the attendants to eat, and the wine is for those who get exhausted in the desert.” ³ 

The king asked, “Where is your master’s grandson?” ¹  Ziba replied to the king, “He remains in Jerusalem, ²  for he said, ‘Today the house of Israel will give back to me my grandfather’s ³  kingdom.’”

Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and cut off his head!”

The king gave this order to Joab, Abishai, and Ittai: “For my sake deal gently with the young man Absalom.” Now the entire army was listening when the king gave all the leaders this order concerning Absalom.