1-3 Joab son of Zeruiah knew that the king, deep down, still cared for Absalom. So he sent to Tekoa for a wise woman who lived there and instructed her,…

1-2 As time went on, Absalom took to riding in a horse-drawn chariot, with fifty men running in front of him. Early each morning he would take up his post…

1 Shortly after David passed the crest of the hill, Mephibosheth’s steward Ziba met him with a string of pack animals, saddled and loaded with a hundred loaves of bread,…

1-3 Next Ahithophel advised Absalom, “Let me handpick twelve thousand men and go after David tonight. I’ll come on him when he’s bone tired and take him by complete surprise….

1-2 David organized his forces. He appointed captains of thousands and captains of hundreds. Then David deployed his troops, a third under Joab, a third under Abishai son of Zeruiah,…

David’s Grief for Absalom 1-4 Joab was told that David was weeping and lamenting over Absalom. The day’s victory turned into a day of mourning as word passed through the…

1 Just then a good-for-nothing named Sheba son of Bicri the Benjaminite blew a blast on the ram’s horn trumpet, calling out, We’ve got nothing to do with David, there’s…

Famine and War 1 There was a famine in David’s time. It went on year after year after year—three years. David went toGodseeking the reason. Godsaid, “This is because there…

1 David prayed toGodthe words of this song afterGodsaved him from all his enemies and from Saul. 2-3 Godis bedrock under my feet, the castle in which I live, my…

1 These are David’s last words: The voice of the son of Jesse, the voice of the man God took to the top, Whom the God of Jacob made king,…