David

David assembled all the people, went to Rabbah, fought against it and captured it.

He took the crown off Malkam's head; it weighed sixty-six pounds, with its gold and precious stones; and it was placed on David's head. He carried off great quantities of spoil from the city.

In addition, he expelled the people who were in it and set them to work with saws, iron harrows and iron axes, or had them cross over to work in the brick factory. This is what he did to all the cities of the people of 'Amon. Then David and all the people returned to Yerushalayim.

Now Avshalom the son of David had a beautiful sister named Tamar. Some time after the previous events, Amnon the son of David fell in love with her.

But Amnon had a friend named Yonadav the son of Shim'ah David's brother; and Yonadav was a very shrewd fellow.

David sent this instruction home to Tamar: "Go now to your brother Amnon's house, and prepare him some food."

When King David heard about all these things, he became very angry.

While they were on their way, the news came to David that Avshalom had killed all the king's sons, and not one of them was left alive.

But then Yonadav, the son of Shim'ah, David's brother, spoke up; he said, "My lord shouldn't think they have killed all the young men, the king's sons. Only Amnon is dead; for Avshalom has meant to do this ever since the day he raped his sister Tamar.

Avshalom fled and went to Talmai the son of 'Ammihud, king of G'shur. David mourned for his son every day.

But as King David became reconciled to the death of his son Amnon, he was increasingly filled with longing to see Avshalom.

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.

A messenger came to David saying, "The men of Isra'el have aligned themselves with Avshalom."

David said to all his servants with him in Yerushalayim, "Get up! We must flee! Otherwise none of us will escape from Avshalom. Hurry, and leave; or he will soon overtake us, attack us and put the city to the sword."

"Go, move along," said David to Ittai; and Ittai the Gitti moved on, accompanied by all his men and the little ones with him.

David continued up the road to the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went up, head covered and barefoot; and all the people with him had their heads covered and wept as they went up.

One of them told David, "Achitofel is among the conspirators with Avshalom." David said, "ADONAI, please! Turn Achitofel's advice into foolishness!"

When David reached the top of the ascent, where it was customary to worship God, Hushai the Arki came to meet him with his tunic torn and earth on his head.

David said to him, "If you go on with me, you will become a burden to me.

So Hushai David's friend came into the city when Avshalom was about to enter Yerushalayim.

When David had gone a little past the summit, there was Tziva, the servant of M'fivoshet, who met him with a pair of donkeys saddled and on them 200 loaves of bread, 100 bunches of raisins, 100 pieces of summer fruit and a skin of wine.

When King David arrived at Bachurim, there came out from there a man from Sha'ul's family named Shim'i the son of Gera; and he came out pronouncing curses

and throwing stones at David and all King David's servants; even though all the people, including his bodyguard, surrounded him right and left.

The king said, "Do you sons of Tz'ruyah and I have anything in common? Let him curse. If ADONAI tells him, 'Curse David,' who has the right to ask, 'Why are you doing it?'"

David then said to Avishai and all his servants, "Look, my own son, who came from my own body, seeks my life. So how much more now this Binyamini! Let him alone; and let him curse, if ADONAI told him to.