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but the poor man had nothing except one small ewe lamb that he had bought. He raised it, and it grew up with him and his children. It shared his food and drank from his cup; it slept in his arms and was like a daughter to him.

You have acted in secret, but I will do this thing in broad daylight before all Israel.'"

The elders of his household stood beside him to help him up from the ground, but he was unwilling and would not eat anything with them.

On the seventh day the child died. But David's servants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they said, "Look, while the child was alive, we spoke to him, and he would not listen to us. So how can we tell him the child is dead? He may even harm himself."

"What is this you have done?" his servants asked. "While the child was alive, you fasted and wept, but when he died, you got up and ate."

But now that he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me."

Then she brought the pan and set it down before him, but he refused to eat. "Send everyone away!" said Amnon. And everyone went out.

But Amnon refused to listen to her, and being stronger, he violated her and lay with her.

"No," she replied, "sending me away is worse than this great wrong you have already done to me!" But he refused to listen to her.

"No, my son," the king replied, "we should not all go, or we would be a burden to you." Although Absalom urged him, he was not willing to go, but gave him his blessing.

But Absalom urged him, so he sent Amnon and the rest of the king's sons.

But Jonadab, the son of David's brother Shimeah, spoke up: "My lord must not think they have killed all the sons of the king, for only Amnon is dead. In fact, Absalom has planned this since the day Amnon violated his sister Tamar.

Now Absalom fled and went to Talmai son of Ammihud, the king of Geshur. But David mourned for his son every day.

But the woman of Tekoa said to the king, "My lord the king, may any blame be on me and my father's house, and may the king and his throne be guiltless."

For surely we will die and be like water poured out on the ground, which cannot be recovered. Yet God does not take away a life; but He devises ways so that the banished one may not remain estranged from Him.

Joab your servant has done this to bring about this change of affairs, but my lord has wisdom like the wisdom of the Angel of God, to know everything that happens in the land."

But the king added, "He may return to his house, but he must not see my face." So Absalom returned to his own house, but he did not see the king.

Then he sent for Joab to send him to the king, but Joab refused to come. So Absalom sent the second time, but Joab still would not come.

Absalom would say, "Look, your claims are good and right, but the king has no deputy to hear you."

Then the king set out, and his entire household followed him. But he left behind ten concubines to take care of the palace.