Good News Translation

Ishbosheth Is Murdered

1 When Saul’s son Ishbosheth heard that Abner had been killed in Hebron, he was afraid, and all the people of Israel were alarmed.

2 Ishbosheth had two officers who were leaders of raiding parties, Baanah and Rechab, sons of Rimmon, from Beeroth in the tribe of Benjamin. (Beeroth is counted as part of Benjamin.

3 Its original inhabitants had fled to Gittaim, where they have lived ever since.)

4 Another descendant of Saul was Jonathan’s son Mephibosheth, who was five years old when Saul and Jonathan were killed. When the news about their death came from the city of Jezreel, his nurse picked him up and fled; but she was in such a hurry that she dropped him, and he became crippled.

5 Rechab and Baanah set out for Ishbosheth’s house and arrived there about noon, while he was taking his midday rest.

6 The woman at the door had become drowsy while she was sifting wheat and had fallen asleep, so Rechab and Baanah slipped in.

7 Once inside, they went to Ishbosheth’s bedroom, where he was sound asleep, and killed him. Then they cut off his head, took it with them, and walked all night through the Jordan Valley.

8 They presented the head to King David at Hebron and said to him, “Here is the head of Ishbosheth, the son of your enemy Saul, who tried to kill you. Today theLordhas allowed Your Majesty to take revenge on Saul and his descendants.”

9 David answered them, “I take a vow by the livingLord, who has saved me from all dangers!

10 The messenger who came to me at Ziklag and told me of Saul’s death thought he was bringing good news. I seized him and had him put to death. That was the reward I gave him for his good news!

11 How much worse it will be for evil men who murder an innocent man asleep in his own house! I will now take revenge on you for murdering him and will wipe you off the face of the earth!”

12 David gave the order, and his soldiers killed Rechab and Baanah and cut off their hands and feet, which they hung up near the pool in Hebron. They took Ishbosheth’s head and buried it in Abner’s tomb there at Hebron.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/363/32k/2SA/4-57ad3d7653970429966a15858dff8258.mp3?version_id=68—

David Becomes King of Israel and Judah

1 Then all the tribes of Israel went to David at Hebron and said to him, “We are your own flesh and blood.

2 In the past, even when Saul was still our king, you led the people of Israel in battle, and theLordpromised you that you would lead his people and be their ruler.”

3 So all the leaders of Israel came to King David at Hebron. He made a sacred alliance with them, they anointed him, and he became king of Israel.

4 David was thirty years old when he became king, and he ruled for forty years.

5 He ruled in Hebron over Judah for seven and a half years, and in Jerusalem over all Israel and Judah for thirty-three years.

6 The time came when King David and his men set out to attack Jerusalem. The Jebusites, who lived there, thought that David would not be able to conquer the city, and so they said to him, “You will never get in here; even the blind and the crippled could keep you out.” (

7 But David did capture their fortress of Zion, and it became known as “David’s City.”)

8 That day David said to his men, “Does anybody here hate the Jebusites as much as I do? Enough to kill them? Then go up through the water tunnel and attack those poor blind cripples.” (That is why it is said, “The blind and the crippled cannot enter theLord’s house.”)

9 After capturing the fortress, David lived in it and named it “David’s City.” He built the city around it, starting at the place where land was filled in on the east side of the hill.

10 He grew stronger all the time, because theLordGod Almighty was with him.

11 King Hiram of Tyre sent a trade mission to David; he provided him with cedar logs and with carpenters and stone masons to build a palace.

12 And so David realized that theLordhad established him as king of Israel and was making his kingdom prosperous for the sake of his people.

13 After moving from Hebron to Jerusalem, David took more concubines and wives, and had more sons and daughters.

14 The following children were born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon,

15 Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia,

16 Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet.

Victory over the Philistines

17 The Philistines were told that David had been made king of Israel, so their army set out to capture him. When David heard of it, he went down to a fortified place.

18 The Philistines arrived at Rephaim Valley and occupied it.

19 David asked theLord, “Shall I attack the Philistines? Will you give me the victory?”

“Yes, attack!” theLordanswered. “I will give you the victory!”

20 So David went to Baal Perazim and there he defeated the Philistines. He said, “TheLordhas broken through my enemies like a flood.” And so that place is called Baal Perazim.

21 When the Philistines fled, they left their idols behind, and David and his men carried them away.

22 Then the Philistines went back to Rephaim Valley and occupied it again.

23 Once more David consulted theLord, who answered, “Don’t attack them from here, but go around and get ready to attack them from the other side, near the balsam trees.

24 When you hear the sound of marching in the treetops, then attack because I will be marching ahead of you to defeat the Philistine army.”

25 David did what theLordhad commanded, and was able to drive the Philistines back from Geba all the way to Gezer.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/363/32k/2SA/5-42de5f519d3380f7870e56cb28b53fc7.mp3?version_id=68—

The Covenant Box Is Brought to Jerusalem

1 Once more David called together the best soldiers in Israel, a total of thirty thousand men,

2 and led them to Baalahin Judah, in order to bring from there God’s Covenant Box, bearing the name of theLordAlmighty, whose throne is above the winged creatures.

3 They took it from Abinadab’s home on the hill and placed it on a new cart. Uzzah and Ahio, sons of Abinadab, were guiding the cart,

4 with Ahio walking in front.

5 David and all the Israelites were dancing and singing with all their mightto honor theLord. They were playing harps, lyres, drums, rattles, and cymbals.

6 As they came to the threshing place of Nacon, the oxen stumbled, and Uzzah reached out and took hold of the Covenant Box.

7 At once theLordGod became angry with Uzzah and killed him because of his irreverence.Uzzah died there beside the Covenant Box,

8 and so that place has been called Perez Uzzahever since. David was furious because theLordhad punished Uzzah in anger.

9 Then David was afraid of theLordand said, “How can I take the Covenant Box with me now?”

10 So he decided not to take it with him to Jerusalem; instead, he turned off the road and took it to the house of Obed Edom, a native of the city of Gath.

11 It stayed there three months, and theLordblessed Obed Edom and his family.

12 King David heard that because of the Covenant Box theLordhad blessed Obed Edom’s family and all that he had; so he got the Covenant Box from Obed’s house to take it to Jerusalem with a great celebration.

13 After the men carrying the Covenant Box had gone six steps, David had them stop while he offered theLorda sacrifice of a bull and a fattened calf.

14 David, wearing only a linen cloth around his waist, danced with all his might to honor theLord.

15 And so he and all the Israelites took the Covenant Box up to Jerusalem with shouts of joy and the sound of trumpets.

16 As the Box was being brought into the city, Michal, Saul’s daughter, looked out of the window and saw King David dancing and jumping around in the sacred dance, and she was disgusted with him.

17 They brought the Box and put it in its place in the Tent that David had set up for it. Then he offered sacrifices and fellowship offerings to theLord.

18 When he had finished offering the sacrifices, he blessed the people in the name of theLordAlmighty

19 and distributed food to them all. He gave each man and woman in Israel a loaf of bread, a piece of roasted meat,and some raisins. Then everyone went home.

20 Afterward, when David went home to greet his family, Michal came out to meet him. “The king of Israel made a big name for himself today!” she said. “He exposed himself like a fool in the sight of the servant women of his officials!”

21 David answered, “I was dancing to honor theLord, who chose me instead of your father and his family to make me the leader of his people Israel. And I will go on dancing to honor theLord,

22 and will disgrace myself even more. Youmay think I am nothing, but those women will think highly of me!”

23 Michal, Saul’s daughter, never had any children.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/363/32k/2SA/6-7737fc0ffecc9c54f9471e61e94a84a9.mp3?version_id=68—

Nathan’s Message to David

1 King David was settled in his palace, and theLordkept him safe from all his enemies.

2 Then the king said to the prophet Nathan, “Here I am living in a house built of cedar, but God’s Covenant Box is kept in a tent!”

3 Nathan answered, “Do whatever you have in mind, because theLordis with you.”

4 But that night theLordsaid to Nathan,

5 “Go and tell my servant David that I say to him, ‘You are not the one to build a temple for me to live in.

6 From the time I rescued the people of Israel from Egypt until now, I have never lived in a temple; I have traveled around living in a tent.

7 In all my traveling with the people of Israel I never asked any of the leadersthat I appointed why they had not built me a temple made of cedar.’

8 “So tell my servant David that I, theLordAlmighty, say to him, ‘I took you from looking after sheep in the fields and made you the ruler of my people Israel.

9 I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have defeated all your enemies as you advanced. I will make you as famous as the greatest leaders in the world.

10-11 I have chosen a place for my people Israel and have settled them there, where they will live without being oppressed any more. Ever since they entered this land, they have been attacked by violent people, but this will not happen again. I promise to keep you safe from all your enemies and to give you descendants.

12 When you die and are buried with your ancestors, I will make one of your sons king and will keep his kingdom strong.

13 He will be the one to build a temple for me, and I will make sure that his dynasty continues forever.

14 I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he does wrong, I will punish him as a father punishes his son.

15 But I will not withdraw my support from him as I did from Saul, whom I removed so that you could be king.

16 You will always have descendants, and I will make your kingdom last forever. Your dynasty will never end.’”

17 Nathan told David everything that God had revealed to him.

David’s Prayer of Thanksgiving

18 Then King David went into the Tent of theLord’s presence, sat down and prayed, “SovereignLord, I am not worthy of what you have already done for me, nor is my family.

19 Yet now you are doing even more, SovereignLord; you have made promises about my descendants in the years to come. And you let a man see this,SovereignLord!

20 What more can I say to you! You know me, your servant.

21 It was your will and purpose to do this; you have done all these great things in order to instruct me.

22 How great you are, SovereignLord! There is none like you; we have always known that you alone are God.

23 There is no other nation on earth like Israel, whom you rescued from slavery to make them your own people. The great and wonderful things you did for themhave spread your fame throughout the world. You drove outother nations and their gods as your people advanced, the people whom you set free from Egypt to be your own.

24 You have made Israel your own people forever, and you,Lord, have become their God.

25 “And now,LordGod, fulfill for all time the promise you made about me and my descendants, and do what you said you would.

26 Your fame will be great, and people will forever say, ‘TheLordAlmighty is God over Israel.’ And you will preserve my dynasty for all time.

27 LordAlmighty, God of Israel! I have the courage to pray this prayer to you, because you have revealed all this to me, your servant, and have told me that you will make my descendants kings.

28 “And now, SovereignLord, you are God; you always keep your promises, and you have made this wonderful promise to me.

29 I ask you to bless my descendants so that they will continue to enjoy your favor. You, SovereignLord, have promised this, and your blessing will rest on my descendants forever.”

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/363/32k/2SA/7-eaad09ba48469e3b0c789c9b33a70f19.mp3?version_id=68—

David’s Military Victories

1 Some time later King David attacked the Philistines again, defeated them, and ended their control over the land.

2 Then he defeated the Moabites. He made the prisoners lie down on the ground and put two out of every three of them to death. So the Moabites became his subjects and paid taxes to him.

3 Then he defeated the king of the Syrian state of Zobah, Hadadezer son of Rehob, as Hadadezer was on his way to restore his control over the territory by the upper Euphrates River.

4 David captured seventeen hundred of his cavalry and twenty thousand of his foot soldiers. He kept enough horses for a hundred chariots and crippled all the rest.

5 When the Syrians of Damascus sent an army to help King Hadadezer, David attacked it and killed twenty-two thousand men.

6 Then he set up military camps intheir territory, and they became his subjects and paid taxes to him. TheLordmade David victorious everywhere.

7 David captured the gold shields carried by Hadadezer’s officials and took them to Jerusalem.

8 He also took a great quantity of bronze from Betah and Berothai, cities ruled by Hadadezer.

9 King Toi of Hamath heard that David had defeated all of Hadadezer’s army.

10 So he sent his son Joram to greet King David and congratulate him for his victory over Hadadezer, against whom Toi had fought many times. Joram took David presents made of gold, silver, and bronze.

11 King David dedicated them for use in worship, along with the silver and gold he took from the nations he had conquered—

12 Edom, Moab, Ammon, Philistia, and Amalek—as well as part of the loot he had taken from Hadadezer.

13 David became even more famous when he returned from killing eighteen thousand Edomites in Salt Valley.

14 He set up military campsthroughout Edom, and the people there became his subjects. TheLordmade David victorious everywhere.

15 David ruled over all of Israel and made sure that his people were always treated fairly and justly.

16 Joab, whose mother was Zeruiah, was the commander of the army; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was in charge of the records;

17 Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelech son of Abiathar were priests; Seraiah was the court secretary;

18 Benaiah son of Jehoiada was in charge ofDavid’s bodyguards; and David’s sons were priests.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/363/32k/2SA/8-2ddb41f61252fc6475dcbf0119cd8586.mp3?version_id=68—

David and Mephibosheth

1 One day David asked, “Is there anyone left of Saul’s family? If there is, I would like to show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake.”

2 There was a servant of Saul’s family named Ziba, and he was told to go to David. “Are you Ziba?” the king asked.

“At your service, sir,” he answered.

3 The king asked him, “Is there anyone left of Saul’s family to whom I can show loyalty and kindness, as I promised God I would?”

Ziba answered, “There is still one of Jonathan’s sons. He is crippled.”

4 “Where is he?” the king asked.

“At the home of Machir son of Ammiel in Lodebar,” Ziba answered.

5 So King David sent for him.

6 When Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan and grandson of Saul, arrived, he bowed down before David in respect. David said, “Mephibosheth,” and he answered, “At your service, sir.”

7 “Don’t be afraid,” David replied. “I will be kind to you for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will give you back all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will always be welcome at my table.”

8 Mephibosheth bowed again and said, “I am no better than a dead dog, sir! Why should you be so good to me?”

9 Then the king called Ziba, Saul’s servant, and said, “I am giving Mephibosheth, your master’s grandson, everything that belonged to Saul and his family.

10 You, your sons, and your servants will farm the land for your master Saul’s family and bring in the harvest, to provide food for them. But Mephibosheth himself will always be a guest at my table.” (Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.)

11 Ziba answered, “I will do everything Your Majesty commands.”

So Mephibosheth ate at the king’stable, just like one of the king’s sons.

12 Mephibosheth had a young son named Mica. All the members of Ziba’s family became servants of Mephibosheth.

13 So Mephibosheth, who was crippled in both feet, lived in Jerusalem, eating all his meals at the king’s table.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/363/32k/2SA/9-6432d2ae7ed77e7540ecf478b70dbaa4.mp3?version_id=68—

David Defeats the Ammonites and the Syrians

1 Some time later King Nahash of Ammon died, and his son Hanun became king.

2 King David said, “I must show loyal friendship to Hanun, as his father Nahash did to me.” So David sent messengers to express his sympathy.

When they arrived in Ammon,

3 the Ammonite leaders said to the king, “Do you think that it is in your father’s honor that David has sent these men to express sympathy to you? Of course not! He has sent them here as spies to explore the city, so that he can conquer us!”

4 Hanun seized David’s messengers, shaved off one side of their beards, cut off their clothes at the hips, and sent them away.

5 They were too ashamed to return home. When David heard about what had happened, he sent word for them to stay in Jericho and not return until their beards had grown again.

6 The Ammonites realized that they had made David their enemy, so they hired twenty thousand Syrian soldiers from Bethrehob and Zobah, twelve thousand men from Tob, and the king of Maacah with a thousand men.

7 David heard of it and sent Joab against them with the whole army.

8 The Ammonites marched out and took up their position at the entrance to Rabbah, their capital city, while the others, both the Syrians and the men from Tob and Maacah, took up their position in the open countryside.

9 Joab saw that the enemy troops would attack him in front and from the rear, so he chose the best of Israel’s soldiers and put them in position facing the Syrians.

10 He placed the rest of his troops under the command of his brother Abishai, who put them in position facing the Ammonites.

11 Joab said to him, “If you see that the Syrians are defeating me, come and help me, and if the Ammonites are defeating you, I will go and help you.

12 Be strong and courageous! Let’s fight hard for our people and for the cities of our God. And may theLord’s will be done!”

13 Joab and his men advanced to attack, and the Syrians fled.

14 When the Ammonites saw the Syrians running away, they fled from Abishai and retreated into the city. Then Joab turned back from fighting the Ammonites and went back to Jerusalem.

15 The Syrians realized that they had been defeated by the Israelites, and so they called all their troops together.

16 King Hadadezer sent for the Syrians who were on the east side of the Euphrates River, and they came to Helam under the command of Shobach, commander of the army of King Hadadezer of Zobah.

17 When David heard of it, he gathered the Israelite troops, crossed the Jordan River, and marched to Helam, where the Syrians took up their position facing him. The fighting began,

18 and the Israelites drove the Syrian army back. David and his men killed seven hundred Syrian chariot drivers and forty thousand cavalry, and they wounded Shobach, the enemy commander, who died on the battlefield.

19 When the kings who were subject to Hadadezer realized that they had been defeated by the Israelites, they made peace with them and became their subjects. And the Syrians were afraid to help the Ammonites any more.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/363/32k/2SA/10-c49053d7e7740abf10198f908fe45c9d.mp3?version_id=68—

David and Bathsheba

1 The following spring, at the time of the year when kings usually go to war, David sent out Joab with his officers and the Israelite army; they defeated the Ammonites and besieged the city of Rabbah. But David himself stayed in Jerusalem.

2 One day, late in the afternoon, David got up from his nap and went to the palace roof. As he walked around up there, he saw a woman taking a bath in her house. She was very beautiful.

3 So he sent a messenger to find out who she was, and learned that she was Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.

4 David sent messengers to get her; they brought her to him and he made love to her. (She had just finished her monthly ritual of purification.) Then she went back home.

5 Afterward she discovered that she was pregnant and sent a message to David to tell him.

6 David then sent a message to Joab: “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” So Joab sent him to David.

7 When Uriah arrived, David asked him if Joab and the troops were well, and how the fighting was going.

8 Then he said to Uriah, “Go on home and rest a while.” Uriah left, and David had a present sent to his home.

9 But Uriah did not go home; instead he slept at the palace gate with the king’s guards.

10 When David heard that Uriah had not gone home, he asked him, “You have just returned after a long absence; why didn’t you go home?”

11 Uriah answered, “The men of Israel and Judah are away in battle, and the Covenant Box is with them; my commander Joab and his officers are camping out in the open. How could I go home, eat and drink, and sleep with my wife? By all that’s sacred, I swear that I could never do such a thing!”

12 So David said, “Then stay here the rest of the day, and tomorrow I’ll send you back.” So Uriah stayed in Jerusalem that day and the next.

13 David invited him to supper and got him drunk. But again that night Uriah did not go home; instead he slept on his blanketin the palace guardroom.

14 The next morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by Uriah.

15 He wrote: “Put Uriah in the front line, where the fighting is heaviest, then retreat and let him be killed.”

16 So while Joab was besieging the city, he sent Uriah to a place where he knew the enemy was strong.

17 The enemy troops came out of the city and fought Joab’s forces; some of David’s officers were killed, and so was Uriah.

18 Then Joab sent a report to David telling him about the battle,

19 and he instructed the messenger, “After you have told the king all about the battle,

20 he may get angry and ask you, ‘Why did you go so near the city to fight them? Didn’t you realize that they would shoot arrows from the walls?

21 Don’t you remember how Abimelech son of Gideon was killed? It was at Thebez, where a woman threw a millstone down from the wall and killed him. Why, then, did you go so near the wall?’ If the king asks you this, tell him, ‘Your officer Uriah was also killed.’”

22 So the messenger went to David and told him what Joab had commanded him to say.

23 He said, “Our enemies were stronger than we were and came out of the city to fight us in the open, but we drove them back to the city gate.

24 Then they shot arrows at us from the wall, and some of Your Majesty’s officers were killed; your officer Uriah was also killed.”

25 David said to the messenger, “Encourage Joab and tell him not to be upset, since you never can tell who will die in battle. Tell him to launch a stronger attack on the city and capture it.”

26 When Bathsheba heard that her husband had been killed, she mourned for him.

27 When the time of mourning was over, David had her brought to the palace; she became his wife and bore him a son. But theLordwas not pleased with what David had done.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/363/32k/2SA/11-1452ecf64998d8bc5758cd1b643d6195.mp3?version_id=68—

Nathan’s Message and David’s Repentance

1 TheLordsent the prophet Nathan to David. Nathan went to him and said, “There were two men who lived in the same town; one was rich and the other poor.

2 The rich man had many cattle and sheep,

3 while the poor man had only one lamb, which he had bought. He took care of it, and it grew up in his home with his children. He would feed it some of his own food, let it drink from his cup, and hold it in his lap. The lamb was like a daughter to him.

4 One day a visitor arrived at the rich man’s home. The rich man didn’t want to kill one of his own animals to fix a meal for him; instead, he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared a meal for his guest.”

5 David became very angry at the rich man and said, “I swear by the livingLordthat the man who did this ought to die!

6 For having done such a cruel thing, he must pay back four times as much as he took.”

7 “You are that man,” Nathan said to David. “And this is what theLordGod of Israel says: ‘I made you king of Israel and rescued you from Saul.

8 I gave you his kingdom and his wives; I made you king over Israel and Judah. If this had not been enough, I would have given you twice as much.

9 Why, then, have you disobeyed my commands? Why did you do this evil thing? You had Uriah killed in battle; you let the Ammonites kill him, and then you took his wife!

10 Now, in every generation some of your descendants will die a violent death because you have disobeyed me and have taken Uriah’s wife.

11 I swear to you that I will cause someone from your own family to bring trouble on you. You will see it when I take your wives from you and give them to another man; and he will have intercourse with them in broad daylight.

12 You sinned in secret, but I will make this happen in broad daylight for all Israel to see.’”

13 “I have sinned against theLord,” David said.

Nathan replied, “TheLordforgives you; you will not die.

14 But because you have shown such contempt for theLordin doing this, your child will die.”

15 Then Nathan went home.

David’s Son Dies

TheLordcaused the child that Uriah’s wife had borne to David to become very sick.

16 David prayed to God that the child would get well. He refused to eat anything, and every night he went into his room and spent the night lying on the floor.

17 His court officials went to him and tried to make him get up, but he refused and would not eat anything with them.

18 A week later the child died, and David’s officials were afraid to tell him the news. They said, “While the child was living, David wouldn’t answer us when we spoke to him. How can we tell him that his child is dead? He might do himself some harm!”

19 When David noticed them whispering to each other, he realized that the child had died. So he asked them, “Is the child dead?”

“Yes, he is,” they answered.

20 David got up from the floor, took a bath, combed his hair, and changed his clothes. Then he went and worshiped in the house of theLord. When he returned to the palace, he asked for food and ate it as soon as it was served.

21 “We don’t understand this,” his officials said to him. “While the child was alive, you wept for him and would not eat; but as soon as he died, you got up and ate!”

22 “Yes,” David answered, “I did fast and weep while he was still alive. I thought that theLordmight be merciful to me and not let the child die.

23 But now that he is dead, why should I fast? Could I bring the child back to life? I will some day go to where he is, but he can never come back to me.”

Solomon Is Born

24 Then David comforted his wife Bathsheba. He had intercourse with her, and she bore a son, whom David named Solomon. TheLordloved the boy

25 and commanded the prophet Nathan to name the boy Jedidiah,because theLordloved him.

David Captures Rabbah

26 Meanwhile Joab continued his campaign against Rabbah, the capital city of Ammon, and was about to capture it.

27 He sent messengers to David to report: “I have attacked Rabbah and have captured its water supply.

28 Now gather the rest of your forces, attack the city and take it yourself. I don’t want to get the credit for capturing it.”

29 So David gathered his forces, went to Rabbah, attacked it, and conquered it.

30 From the head of the idol of the Ammonite god MolechDavid took a gold crown which weighed about seventy-five pounds and had a jewel in it. David took the jewel and put it in his own crown.He also took a large amount of loot from the city

31 and put its people to work with saws, iron hoes, and iron axes, and forced them to work atmaking bricks. He did the same to the people of all the other towns of Ammon. Then he and his men returned to Jerusalem.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/363/32k/2SA/12-cfc291c3a36c3164e054eb1c19842b16.mp3?version_id=68—

Amnon and Tamar

1 David’s son Absalom had a beautiful unmarried sister named Tamar. Amnon, another of David’s sons, fell in love with her.

2 He was so much in love with her that he became sick, because it seemed impossible for him to have her; as a virgin, she was kept from meeting men.

3 But he had a friend, a very shrewd man named Jonadab, the son of David’s brother Shammah.

4 Jonadab said to Amnon, “You are the king’s son, yet day after day I see you looking sad. What’s the matter?”

“I’m in love with Tamar, the sister of my half brother Absalom,” he answered.

5 Jonadab said to him, “Pretend that you are sick and go to bed. When your father comes to see you, say to him, ‘Please ask my sister Tamar to come and feed me. I want her to fix the food here where I can see her, and then serve it to me herself.’”

6 So Amnon pretended that he was sick and went to bed.

King David went to see him, and Amnon said to him, “Please let Tamar come and make a few cakes here where I can see her, and then serve them to me herself.”

7 So David sent word to Tamar in the palace: “Go to Amnon’s house and fix him some food.”

8 She went there and found him in bed. She took some dough, prepared it, and made some cakes there where he could see her. Then she baked the cakes

9 and emptied them out of the pan for him to eat, but he wouldn’t. He said, “Send everyone away”—and they all left.

10 Then he said to her, “Bring the cakes here to my bed and serve them to me yourself.” She took the cakes and went over to him.

11 As she offered them to him, he grabbed her and said, “Come to bed with me!”

12 “No,” she said. “Don’t force me to do such a degrading thing! That’s awful!

13 How could I ever hold up my head in public again? And you—you would be completely disgraced in Israel. Please, speak to the king, and I’m sure that he will give me to you.”

14 But he would not listen to her; and since he was stronger than she was, he overpowered her and raped her.

15 Then Amnon was filled with a deep hatred for her; he hated her now even more than he had loved her before. He said to her, “Get out!”

16 “No,” she answered. “To send me away like this is a greater crimethan what you just did!”

But Amnon would not listen to her;

17 he called in his personal servant and said, “Get this woman out of my sight! Throw her out and lock the door!”

18 The servant put her out and locked the door.

Tamar was wearing a long robe with full sleeves,the usual clothing for an unmarried princess in those days.

19 She sprinkled ashes on her head, tore her robe, and with her face buried in her hands went away crying.

20 When her brother Absalom saw her, he asked, “Has Amnon molested you? Please, sister, don’t let it upset you so much. He is your half brother, so don’t tell anyone about it.” So Tamar lived in Absalom’s house, sad and lonely.

21 When King David heard what had happened, he was furious.

22 And Absalom hated Amnon so much for having raped his sister Tamar that he would no longer even speak to him.

Absalom’s Revenge

23 Two years later Absalom was having his sheep sheared at Baal Hazor, near the town of Ephraim, and he invited all the king’s sons to be there.

24 He went to King David and said, “Your Majesty, I am having my sheep sheared. Will you and your officials come and take part in the festivities?”

25 “No, my son,” the king answered. “It would be too much trouble for you if we all went.” Absalom insisted, but the king would not give in, and he asked Absalom to leave.

26 But Absalom said, “Well, then, will you at least let my brother Amnon come?”

“Why should he?” the king asked.

27 But Absalom kept on insisting until David finally let Amnon and all his other sons go with Absalom.

Absalom prepared a banquet fit for a king

28 and instructed his servants: “Notice when Amnon has had too much to drink, and then when I give the order, kill him. Don’t be afraid. I will take the responsibility myself. Be brave and don’t hesitate!”

29 So the servants followed Absalom’s instructions and killed Amnon. All the rest of David’s sons mounted their mules and fled.

30 While they were on their way home, David was told: “Absalom has killed all your sons—not one of them is left!”

31 The king stood up, tore his clothes in sorrow, and threw himself to the ground. The servants who were there with him tore their clothes also.

32 But Jonadab, the son of David’s brother Shammah, said, “Your Majesty, they haven’t killed all your sons. Only Amnon is dead. You could tell by looking at Absalom that he had made up his mind to do this from the time that Amnon raped his sister Tamar.

33 So don’t believe the news that all your sons are dead; only Amnon was killed.”

34 In the meantime Absalom had fled.

Just then the soldier on sentry duty saw a large crowd coming down the hill on the road from Horonaim.He went to the king and reported what he had seen.

35 Jonadab said to David, “Those are your sons coming, just as I said they would.”

36 As soon as he finished saying this, David’s sons came in; they started crying, and David and his officials also cried bitterly.

37-38 Absalom fled and went to the king of Geshur, Talmai son of Ammihud, and stayed there three years. David mourned a long time for his son Amnon;

39 but when he got over Amnon’s death, he was filled with longing for his son Absalom.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/363/32k/2SA/13-bc5c41edefd4757586a18ab6c118b84e.mp3?version_id=68—