It seems like you arrived just yesterday. Today should I make you wander around by going with us? I go where I must go. But as for you, go back and take your men ¹  with you. May genuine loyal love ²  protect ³  you!”

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.’”

Ahithophel replied to Absalom, “Have sex with ¹  your father’s concubines whom he left to care for the palace. All Israel will hear that you have made yourself repulsive to your father. Then your followers will be motivated to support you.” ² 

Gad went to David and told him, “Shall seven ¹  years of famine come upon your land? Or shall you flee for three months from your enemy with him in hot pursuit? Or shall there be three days of plague in your land? Now decide ²  what I should tell the one who sent me.”

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 

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. ¹  It used to ²  eat his food, ³  drink from his cup, and sleep in his arms. ⁴  It was just like a daughter to him.

They lamented and wept and fasted until evening because Saul, his son Jonathan, the Lord’s people, and the house of Israel had fallen by the sword.

(19:2) Joab was told, “The king is weeping and mourning over Absalom.”

Indeed, ¹  you are my lamp, ²  Lord. The Lord illumines ³  the darkness around me. ⁴ 

The one true God acts in a faithful manner; ¹  the Lord’s promise is reliable; ²  he is a shield to all who take shelter in him.

I grieve over you, my brother Jonathan! You were very dear to me. Your love was more special to me than the love of women.

Joab ¹  said, “If the Arameans start to overpower me, ²  you come to my rescue. If the Ammonites start to overpower you, ³  I will come to your rescue.

But Absalom fled and went to King Talmai son of Ammihud of Geshur. And David ¹  grieved over his son every day.

Indeed, ¹  who is God besides the Lord? Who is a protector ²  besides our God? ³ 

Then Absalom sent a message to Joab asking him to send him to the king, but Joab was not willing to come to him. So he sent a second message to him, but he still was not willing to come.

What more can David say to you? You have given your servant special recognition, ¹  O Lord God!

But Absalom said nothing to Amnon, either bad or good, yet Absalom hated Amnon because he had humiliated his sister Tamar.

The waves of death engulfed me; the currents ¹  of chaos ²  overwhelmed me. ³ 

Abner advised ¹  the elders of Israel, “Previously you were wanting David to be your king. ² 

David said to him, “Your blood be on your own head! Your own mouth has testified against you, saying ‘I have put the Lord’s anointed to death.’”