David assembled the army that was with him. He appointed leaders of thousands and leaders of hundreds.

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

Then ten soldiers who were Joab’s armor bearers struck Absalom and finished him off.

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.”

So Amasa went out to call Judah together. But in doing so he took longer than the time that the king had allotted him.

When David was told what Rizpah daughter of Aiah, Saul’s concubine, had done,

When he taunted Israel, Jonathan, the son of David’s brother Shimeah, killed him.

These four were the descendants of Rapha who lived in Gath; they were killed ¹  by David and his soldiers. ² 

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.

The men of Judah came and there they anointed David as king over the people ¹  of Judah. David was told, ²  “The people ³  of Jabesh Gilead are the ones who buried Saul.”

David sent messengers to Ish-bosheth son of Saul with this demand: ¹  “Give me my wife Michal whom I acquired ²  for a hundred Philistine foreskins.”

Abner said to David, “Let me leave so that I may go and gather all Israel to my lord the king so that they may make an agreement ¹  with you. Then you will rule over all that you desire.” So David sent Abner away, and he left in peace.

They had entered ¹  the house while Ish-bosheth ²  was resting on his bed in his bedroom. They mortally wounded him ³  and then cut off his head. ⁴  Taking his head, ⁵  they traveled on the way of the Arabah all that night.

David said on that day, “Whoever attacks the Jebusites must approach the ‘lame’ and the ‘blind’ who are David’s enemies ¹  by going through the water tunnel.” ²  For this reason it is said, “The blind and the lame cannot enter the palace.” ³ 

When the Philistines heard that David had been designated ¹  king over Israel, they all ²  went up to search for David. When David heard about it, he went down to the fortress.

They loaded the ark of God on a new cart and carried it from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were guiding the new cart.

They brought the ark of the Lord and put it in its place ¹  in the middle of the tent that David had pitched for it. Then David offered burnt sacrifices and peace offerings before the Lord.

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?”’

He defeated the Moabites. He made them lie on the ground and then used a rope to measure them off. He put two-thirds of them to death and spared the other third. ¹  The Moabites became David’s subjects and brought tribute. ²