When someone approached to bow before him, Absalom ¹  would extend his hand and embrace him and kiss him.

I was blameless before him; I kept myself from sinning. ¹ 

God will severely judge Abner ¹  if I do not do for David exactly what the Lord has promised him, ² 

The king replied to him, “Go in peace.” So Absalom ¹  got up and went to Hebron.

David asked him, “Where are you coming from?” He replied, “I have escaped from the camp of Israel.”

These are the names of children born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon,

The king settled into his palace, ¹  for the Lord gave him relief ²  from all his enemies on all sides. ³ 

Now King David heard about all these things and was very angry. ¹ 

Some time later Absalom managed to acquire ¹  a chariot and horses, as well as fifty men to serve as his royal guard. ² 

David said to him, “If you leave ¹  with me you will be a burden to me.

The king said to Shimei, “You won’t die.” The king vowed an oath ¹  concerning this.

The earth heaved and shook; ¹  the foundations of the sky ²  trembled. ³  They heaved because he was angry.

Who is like your people, Israel, a unique nation ¹  on the earth? Their God ²  went ³  to claim ⁴  a nation for himself and to make a name for himself! You did great and awesome acts for your land, ⁵  before your people whom you delivered for yourself from the Egyptian empire and its gods. ⁶ 

When the time of mourning passed, David had her brought to his palace. ¹  She became his wife and she bore him a son. But what David had done upset the Lord. ² 

He asked Amnon, ¹  “Why are you, the king’s son, ²  so depressed every morning? Can’t you tell me?” So Amnon said to him, “I’m in love with Tamar the sister of my brother Absalom.”

So Joab went to the king and informed him. The king ¹  summoned Absalom, and he came to the king. Absalom ²  bowed down before the king with his face toward the ground and the king kissed him. ³ 

Then David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “My own son, my very own flesh and blood, ¹  is trying to take my life. So also now this Benjaminite! Leave him alone so that he can curse, for the Lord has spoken to him.

But Abishai the son of Zeruiah came to David’s aid, striking the Philistine down and killing him. Then David’s men took an oath saying, “You will not go out to battle with us again! You must not extinguish the lamp of Israel!”

David said to the young man ¹  who was telling him this, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?” ² 

The young man who was telling him this ¹  said, “I just happened to be on Mount Gilboa and came across Saul leaning on his spear for support. The chariots and leaders of the horsemen were in hot pursuit of him.