<t /><p class="bodytext">As the war continued between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner was becoming more influential<n id="1" /> in the house of Saul.

That night the <sc>Lordsc> told Nathan,<n id="1" />

The rich man had a great many flocks and herds.

Ira the Jairite was David&#8217;s personal priest.<n id="1" />p>

<p class="poetry">I was blameless before him;p> <p class="poetry">I kept myself from sinning.<n id="1" />p>

David was king in Hebron over the people of Judah for seven and a half years.<n id="1" />p>

<p class="bodytext">Abner advised<n id="1" /> the elders of Israel, &#8220;Previously you were wanting David to be your king.<n id="2" />

I will become his father and he will become my son. When he sins, I will correct him with the rod of men and with wounds inflicted by human beings.

<t /><p class="bodytext">Two years later Absalom&#8217;s sheepshearers were in Baal Hazor,<n id="1" /> near Ephraim. Absalom invited all the king&#8217;s sons.

<p class="bodytext">Now in all Israel everyone acknowledged that there was no man as handsome as Absalom.<n id="1" /> From the sole of his feet to the top of his head he was perfect in appearance.<n id="2" />

<p class="bodytext">Later there was another battle with the Philistines, this time in Gob. On that occasion Sibbekai the Hushathite killed Saph, who was one of the descendants of Rapha.

<p class="bodytext">After Absalom fled and went to Geshur, he remained there for three years.

<p class="poetry">They confronted<n id="1" /> me in my day of calamity,p> <p class="poetry">but the <sc>Lordsc> helped me.<n id="2" />p>

In the past, when Saul was our king, you were the real leader in Israel.<n id="1" /> The <sc>Lordsc> said to you, &#8216;You will shepherd my people Israel; you will rule over Israel.&#8217;&#8221;p>

<p class="bodytext">Now sons were born to David in Hebron. His firstborn was Amnon, born to Ahinoam the Jezreelite.

for the Beerothites fled to Gittaim and have remained there as resident foreigners until the present time.)<n id="1" />p>

Those who carried the ark of the <sc>Lordsc> took six steps and then David<n id="1" /> sacrificed an ox and a fatling calf.

I am willing to shame and humiliate myself even more than this!<n id="1" /> But with the slave girls whom you mentioned let me be distinguished!&#8221;

Now Michal, Saul&#8217;s daughter, had no children to the day of her death.p>

<t /><p class="bodytext">The king settled into his palace,<n id="1" /> for the <sc>Lordsc> gave him relief<n id="2" /> from all his enemies on all sides.<n id="3" />