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Now may Adonai show kindness and truth to you; and I too will show you favor because you have done this.

Ish-Boshet couldn't answer Avner a word, because he was afraid of him.

Just then David's men and Yo'av returned from a raid, bringing a lot of plunder with them. But Avner was not with David in Hevron, because he had sent him off under safe conduct.

Thus Yo'av and Avishai his brother killed Avner, because he had killed their brother ‘Asah'el during the battle in Giv‘on.

David grew greater and greater, because Adonai the God of Armies was with him.

When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, advance; because then Adonai has gone out ahead of you to defeat the army of the P'lishtim."

On hearing how they had been treated, David sent a delegation to meet them, because the men had been deeply humiliated. The king said, "Stay in Yericho until your beards have grown back, and then return."

For doing such a thing, he has to pay back four times the value of the lamb — and also because he had no pity."

Now therefore, the sword will never leave your house — because you have shown contempt for me and taken the wife of Uriyah the Hitti as your own wife.'

However, because by this act you have so greatly blasphemed Adonai , the child born to you must die."

On the seventh day, the child died. The servants of David were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, because they said, "While the child was still alive, we spoke to him, and he didn't listen to us; if we tell him now that the child is dead, he may do himself some harm."

He answered, "While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept; because I thought, ‘Maybe Adonai will show his grace to me and let the child live.'

Where could I go with such shame? And as for you, you will be regarded as one of Isra'el's vulgar brutes. Now therefore, please! Speak to the king, because he won't keep me from you."

"No," she objected, "because throwing me out like this is an even worse thing than what you've already done to me!" But he wouldn't listen to her;

Avshalom her brother said to her, "Has Amnon your brother been with you? But now, my sister, keep quiet; because he's your brother. Don't take the matter to heart." But Tamar remained desolate in her brother Avshalom's house.

Yo'av fell to the ground on his face, prostrating himself, and blessed the king; Yo'av said, "Today your servant knows that I have won your favor, my lord, king, because the king has done what your servant requested."

He would cut his hair only once a year, at the end of the year; and the only reason he cut it then was because it weighed him down. He weighed the hair from his head at 200 shekels (using the royal weight) [about five pounds].

Avshalom sent for Achitofel the Giloni, David's counselor, to come from his town Giloh and be with him while offering the sacrifices. The conspiracy grew strong, because the number of people favoring Avshalom kept increasing.

The king asked, "Where is your master's [grand]son?" Tziva answered the king, "He's staying in Yerushalayim, because he said, ‘Today the house of Isra'el will restore my father's kingship to me.'"

Adonai has brought back on you all the blood of the house of Sha'ul. You usurped his kingship, but Adonai has handed over the kingdom to Avshalom your son. Now your own evil has overtaken you, because you are a man of blood!"