That day the battle was very severe, and Abner and the men of Israel were defeated by the servants of David.

So all the people and all Israel understood on that day that it had not been the desire of the king to put Abner the son of Ner to death.

And David said on that day, “Whoever strikes the Jebusites is to reach those who limp and those who are blind, who are hated by David’s soul, through the water tunnel.” For that reason they say, “People who are blind and people who limp shall not come into the house.”

So David was afraid of the Lord that day; and he said, “How can the ark of the Lord come to me?”

Then David said to Uriah, “Stay here today also, and tomorrow I will let you go back.” So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day and the day after.

The people of Israel were defeated there by the servants of David, and the slaughter there that day was great, twenty thousand men.

For the battle there was spread over the whole countryside, and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.

So the victory that day was turned into mourning for all the people, because the people heard it said that day, “The king is in mourning over his son.”

And the people entered the city surreptitiously that day, just as people who are humiliated surreptitiously flee in battle.

He rose up and struck the Philistines until his hand was weary and it clung to the sword, and the Lord brought about a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to plunder the dead.

David Builds an Altar

So Gad came to David that day and said to him, “Go up, erect an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.”