The <sc>Lordsc> has punished you for<n id="1" /> all the spilled blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you rule. Now the <sc>Lordsc> has given the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom. Disaster has overtaken you, for you are a man of bloodshed!&#8221;p>

Then David said to Abishai and to all his servants, &#8220;My own son, my very own flesh and blood,<n id="1" /> is trying to take my life. So also now this Benjaminite! Leave him alone so that he can curse, for the <sc>Lordsc> has spoken to him.

<p class="bodytext">In those days Ahithophel&#8217;s advice was considered as valuable as a prophetic revelation.<n id="1" /> Both David and Absalom highly regarded the advice of Ahithophel.<n id="2" />p>

If that happens even the bravest soldier &#8211; one who is lion-hearted &#8211; will virtually melt away. For all Israel knows that your father is a warrior and that those who are with him are brave.

My advice therefore is this: Let all Israel from Dan to Beer Sheba &#8211; in number like the sand by the sea! &#8211; be mustered to you, and you lead them personally into battle.

If he regroups in a city, all Israel will take up ropes to that city and drag it down to the valley, so that not a single pebble will be left there!&#8221;p>

The king gave this order to Joab, Abishai, and Ittai: &#8220;For my sake deal gently with the young man Absalom.&#8221; Now the entire army was listening when the king gave all the leaders this order concerning Absalom.p>

<p class="bodytext">So Joab visited<n id="1" /> the king at his home. He said, &#8220;Today you have embarrassed all your servants who have saved your life this day, as well as the lives of your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your concubines.

<p class="bodytext">So the king got up and sat at the city gate. When all the people were informed that the king was sitting at the city gate, they<n id="1" /> all came before him.p><t /><p class="bodytext">But the Israelite soldiers<n id="2" /> had all fled to their own homes.<n id="3" />

All the people throughout all the tribes of Israel were arguing among themselves saying, &#8220;The king delivered us from the hand of our enemies. He rescued us from the hand of the Philistines, but now he has fled from the land because of Absalom.

Say to Amasa, &#8216;Are you not my flesh and blood?<n id="1" /> God will punish me severely,<n id="2" /> if from this time on you are not the commander of my army in place of Joab!&#8217;&#8221;p>

After all, there was no one in the entire house of my grandfather<n id="1" /> who did not deserve death from my lord the king. But instead you allowed me to eat at your own table!<n id="2" /> What further claim do I have to ask<n id="3" /> the king for anything?&#8221;p>

<p class="bodytext">Then all the men of Israel began coming to the king. They asked the king, &#8220;Why did our brothers, the men of Judah, sneak the king away and help the king and his household cross the Jordan &#8211; and not only him but all of David&#8217;s men as well?&#8221;p> <p class="bodytext">

All the men of Judah replied to the men of Israel, &#8220;Because the king is our close relative! Why are you so upset about this? Have we eaten at the king&#8217;s expense?<n id="1" /> Or have we misappropriated anything for our own use?&#8221;

<p class="bodytext">Then the woman went to all the people with her wise advice and they cut off Sheba&#8217;s head and threw it out to Joab. Joab<n id="1" /> blew the trumpet, and his men<n id="2" /> dispersed from the city, each going to his own home.<n id="3" /> Joab returned to the king in Jerusalem.p>

<p class="bodytext">They buried the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan in the land of Benjamin at Zela in the grave of his father Kish. After they had done everything<n id="1" /> that the king had commanded, God responded to their prayers<n id="2" /> for the land.p>

<p class="poetry">My dynasty is approved by God,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">for he has made a perpetual covenant with me,p> <p class="poetry">arranged in all its particulars and secured.p> <p class="poetry">He always delivers me,p> <p class="poetry">and brings all I desire to fruition.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="bodytext">Jonadab, the son of David&#8217;s brother Shimeah, said, &#8220;My lord should not say, &#8216;They have killed all the young men who are the king&#8217;s sons.&#8217; For only Amnon is dead. This is what Absalom has talked about<n id="1" /> from the day that Amnon<n id="2" /> humiliated his sister Tamar.

Now the entire family has risen up against your servant, saying, &#8216;Turn over the one who struck down his brother, so that we can execute him and avenge the death<n id="1" /> of his brother whom he killed. In so doing we will also destroy the heir.&#8217; They want to extinguish my remaining coal,<n id="2" /> leaving no one on the face of the earth to carry on the name of my husband.&#8221;p>

The king said, &#8220;Did Joab put you up to all of this?&#8221;<n id="1" /> The woman answered, &#8220;As surely as you live, my lord the king, there is no deviation to the right or to the left from all that my lord the king has said. For your servant Joab gave me instructions. He has put all these words in your servant&#8217;s mouth.