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

<p class="bodytext">David replied to Recab and his brother Baanah, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, &#8220;As surely as the <sc>Lordsc> lives, who has delivered my life from all adversity,

<p class="bodytext">When all the leaders<n id="1" /> of Israel came to the king at Hebron, King David made an agreement with them<n id="2" /> in Hebron before the <sc>Lordsc>. They designated<n id="3" /> David as king over Israel.

David said on that day, &#8220;Whoever attacks the Jebusites must approach the &#8216;lame&#8217; and the &#8216;blind&#8217; who are David&#8217;s enemies<n id="1" /> by going through the water tunnel.&#8221;<n id="2" /> For this reason it is said, &#8220;The blind and the lame cannot enter the palace.&#8221;<n id="3" />p>

<t /><p class="bodytext">When the Philistines heard that David had been designated<n id="1" /> king over Israel, they all<n id="2" /> went up to search for David. When David heard about it, he went down to the fortress.

David and all the men who were with him traveled<n id="1" /> to<n id="2" /> Baalah<n id="3" /> in Judah to bring up from there the ark of God which is called by the name<n id="4" /> of the <sc>Lordsc> of hosts, who sits enthroned between the cherubim that are on it.

David was told,<n id="1" /> &#8220;The <sc>Lordsc> has blessed the family of Obed-Edom and everything he owns because of the ark of God.&#8221; So David went and joyfully brought the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David.

<p class="bodytext">David replied to Michal, &#8220;It was before the <sc>Lordsc>! I was celebrating before the <sc>Lord,sc> who chose me over your father and his entire family<n id="1" /> and appointed me as leader over the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s people Israel.

and during the time when I appointed judges to lead my people Israel. Instead, I will give you relief<n id="1" /> from all your enemies. The <sc>Lordsc> declares<n id="2" /> to you that he himself<n id="3" /> will build a dynastic house<n id="4" /> for you.

David seized from him 1,700 charioteers<n id="1" /> and 20,000 infantrymen. David cut the hamstrings of all but a hundred of the chariot horses.<n id="2" />

<p class="bodytext">David said to him, &#8220;Don&#8217;t be afraid, because I will certainly extend kindness to you for the sake of Jonathan your father. You will be a regular guest at my table.&#8221;<n id="1" />

<p class="bodytext">Ziba said to the king, &#8220;Your servant will do everything that my lord the king has instructed his servant to do.&#8221; So Mephibosheth was a regular guest<n id="1" /> at David&#8217;s table,<n id="2" /> just as though he were one of the king&#8217;s sons.p>

When all the kings who were subject to Hadadezer<n id="1" /> saw they were defeated by Israel, they made peace with Israel and became subjects of Israel.<n id="2" /> The Arameans were no longer willing to help the Ammonites.p>

<t /><p class="bodytext">In the spring of the year, at the time when kings<n id="1" /> normally conduct wars,<n id="2" /> David sent out Joab with his officers<n id="3" /> and the entire Israelite army.<n id="4" /> They defeated the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David stayed behind in Jerusalem.<n id="5" />

But the poor man had nothing except for a little lamb he had acquired. He raised it, and it grew up alongside him and his children.<n id="1" /> It used to<n id="2" /> eat his food,<n id="3" /> drink from his cup, and sleep in his arms.<n id="4" /> It was just like a daughter to him.p>

<p class="bodytext">But the king said to Absalom, &#8220;No, my son. We shouldn&#8217;t all go. We shouldn&#8217;t burden you in that way.&#8221; Though Absalom<n id="1" /> pressed<n id="2" /> him, the king<n id="3" /> was not willing to go. Instead, David<n id="4" /> blessed him.p>

Your servant Joab did this so as to change this situation. But my lord has wisdom like that of the angel of God, and knows everything that is happening in the land.&#8221;<n id="1" />p>

So David said to all his servants who were with him in Jerusalem,<n id="1" /> &#8220;Come on!<n id="2" /> Let&#8217;s escape!<n id="3" /> Otherwise no one will be delivered from Absalom! Go immediately, or else he will quickly overtake us and bring<n id="4" /> disaster on us and kill the city&#8217;s residents with the sword.&#8221;<n id="5" />

<p class="bodytext">As David was going up the Mount of Olives, he was weeping as he went; his head was covered and his feet were bare. All the people who were with him also had their heads covered and were weeping as they went up.

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>