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

If I had acted at risk of my own life<n id="1" /> &#8211; and nothing is hidden from the king! &#8211; you would have abandoned me.&#8221;<n id="2" />p>

<p class="bodytext">Then the Cushite arrived and said,<n id="1" /> &#8220;May my lord the king now receive the good news! The <sc>Lordsc> has vindicated you today and delivered you from the hand of all who have rebelled against you!&#8221;<n id="2" />

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;

Mephibosheth said to the king, &#8220;Let him have<n id="1" /> the whole thing! My lord the king has returned safely<n id="2" /> to his house!&#8221;p>

<p class="bodytext">The king replied, &#8220;Kimham will cross over with me, and I will do for him whatever I deem appropriate. And whatever you choose, I will do for you.&#8221;p>

<p class="bodytext">So all the people crossed the Jordan, as did the king. After the king had kissed him and blessed him, Barzillai returned to his home.<n id="1" />

When the king crossed over to Gilgal, Kimham<n id="1" /> crossed over with him. Now all the soldiers<n id="2" /> of Judah along with half of the soldiers of Israel had helped the king cross over.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="bodytext">So all the men of Israel deserted<n id="1" /> David and followed Sheba son of Bicri. But the men of Judah stuck by their king all the way from the Jordan River<n id="2" /> to Jerusalem.<n id="3" />p>

So Joab&#8217;s men, accompanied by the Kerethites, the Pelethites, and all the warriors, left Jerusalem to pursue Sheba son of Bicri.p>

Once he had removed Amasa<n id="1" /> from the path, everyone followed Joab to pursue Sheba son of Bicri.p>

They replied to the king, &#8220;As for this man who exterminated us and who schemed against us so that we were destroyed and left without status throughout all the borders of Israel &#8211;

<t /><n id="1" /><p class="bodytext">David sang<n id="2" /> to the <sc>Lordsc> the words of this song when<n id="3" /> the <sc>Lordsc> rescued him from the power<n id="4" /> of all his enemies, including Saul.<n id="5" />

Then they went to the fortress of Tyre<n id="1" /> and all the cities of the Hivites and the Canaanites. Then they went on to the Negev of Judah, to Beer Sheba.

But Asahel<n id="1" /> refused to turn aside. So Abner struck him in the abdomen with the back end of his<n id="2" /> spear. The spear came out his back; Asahel<n id="3" /> collapsed on the spot and died there right before Abner.<n id="4" /> Everyone who now comes to the place where Asahel fell dead pauses in respect.<n id="5" />p>

<p class="bodytext">Then Abner sent messengers<n id="1" /> to David saying, &#8220;To whom does the land belong? Make an agreement<n id="2" /> with me, and I will do whatever I can<n id="3" /> to cause all Israel to turn to you.&#8221;

Act now! For the <sc>Lordsc> has said to David, &#8216;By the hand of my servant David I will save<n id="1" /> my people Israel from<n id="2" /> the Philistines and from all their enemies.&#8217;&#8221;p>

You know Abner the son of Ner! Surely he came here to spy on you and to determine when you leave and when you return<n id="1" /> and to discover everything that you are doing!&#8221;p>

May his blood whirl over<n id="1" /> the head of Joab and the entire house of his father!<n id="2" /> May the males of Joab&#8217;s house<n id="3" /> never cease to have<n id="4" /> someone with a running sore or a skin disease or one who works at the spindle<n id="5" /> or one who falls by the sword or one who lacks food!&#8221;p>

<p class="bodytext">David instructed Joab and all the people who were with him, &#8220;Tear your clothes! Put on sackcloth! Lament before Abner!&#8221; Now King David followed<n id="1" /> behind the funeral bier.