Then the army marched out to the field to fight against Israel. The battle took place in the forest of Ephraim.

When one ¹  of the men saw this, he reported it to Joab saying, “I saw Absalom hanging in an oak tree.

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

David also brought along the men who were with him, each with his family. They settled in the cities ¹  of Hebron.

His sixth son was Ithream, born to David’s wife Eglah. These sons ¹  were all born to David in Hebron.

“Go, tell my servant David: ‘This is what the Lord says: Do you really intend to build a house for me to live in?

Jonadab replied to him, “Lie down on your bed and pretend to be sick. ¹  When your father comes in to see you, say to him, ‘Please let my sister Tamar come in so she can fix some food for me. Let her prepare the food in my sight so I can watch. Then I will eat from her hand.’”

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.”

But Barzillai was very old – eighty years old, in fact – and he had taken care of the king when he stayed in Mahanaim, for he was a very rich ¹  man.

In my distress I called to the Lord; I called to my God. ¹  From his heavenly temple ²  he heard my voice; he listened to my cry for help. ³ 

The God of Israel spoke, the protector ¹  of Israel spoke to me. The one who rules fairly among men, the one who rules in the fear of God,

So they buried Abner in Hebron. The king cried loudly ¹  over Abner’s grave and all the people wept too.

All the people noticed this and it pleased them. ¹  In fact, everything the king did pleased all the people.

But evil people are like thorns – all of them are tossed away, for they cannot be held in the hand.

Now David’s soldiers ¹  and Joab were coming back from a raid, bringing a great deal of plunder with them. Abner was no longer with David in Hebron, for David ²  had sent him away and he had left in peace.

(He gave instructions that the people of Judah should be taught “The Bow.” ¹  Indeed, it is written down in the Book of Yashar.) ² 

So David said to Uriah, “Stay here another day. Tomorrow I will send you back.” So Uriah stayed in Jerusalem both that day and the following one. ¹ 

So the Lord sent Nathan ¹  to David. When he came to David, ²  Nathan ³  said, ⁴  “There were two men in a certain city, one rich and the other poor.

But she said to him, “No, my brother! Don’t humiliate me! This just isn’t done in Israel! Don’t do this foolish thing!

But he made a stand in the middle of that area. He defended ¹  it and defeated the Philistines; the Lord gave them a great victory.