Quotes About Unity

So Joab and his troops advanced to fight the Arameans, who fled before him.

When the Arameans saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they regrouped.

and all his servants marched past him—all the Cherethites and Pelethites, and six hundred Gittites who had followed him from Gath.

“Not at all,” Hushai answered. “For the one chosen by the LORD, by the people, and by all the men of Israel—his I will be, and with him I will remain.

and bring all the people back to you as a bride returning to her husband. You seek the life of only one man; then all the people will be at peace.”

This proposal seemed good to Absalom and all the elders of Israel.

Instead, I advise that all Israel from Dan to Beersheba—a multitude like the sand on the seashore—be gathered to you, and that you yourself lead them into battle.

So David and all the people with him got up and crossed the Jordan. By daybreak, there was no one left who had not crossed the Jordan.

Then David went to Mahanaim, and Absalom crossed the Jordan with all the men of Israel.

Absalom had appointed Amasa over the army in place of Joab. Amasa was the son of a man named Ithra, the Ishmaelite who had married Abigail, the daughter of Nahash and sister of Zeruiah the mother of Joab.

So the Israelites and Absalom camped in the land of Gilead.

He sent out the troops, a third under Joab, a third under Joabís brother Abishai son of Zeruiah, and a third under Ittai the Gittite. And the king said to the troops, “I will surely march out with you as well.”

“I will do whatever seems best to you,” the king replied. So he stood beside the gate, while all the troops marched out by hundreds and by thousands.

Then Joab blew the ramís horn, and the troops broke off their pursuit of Israel because Joab had restrained them.

You are my brothers, my own flesh and blood. So why should you be the last to restore the king?í

So he swayed the hearts of all the men of Judah as though they were one man, and they sent word to the king: “Return, you and all your servants.”

And David replied, “Sons of Zeruiah, what have I to do with you, that you should be my adversaries today? Should any man be put to death in Israel today? Am I not indeed aware that today I am king over Israel?”

Then the king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham crossed over with him. All the troops of Judah and half the troops of Israel escorted the king.

And all the men of Judah replied to the men of Israel, “We did this because the king is our relative. Why does this anger you? Have we ever eaten at the kingís expense or received anything for ourselves?”

“We have ten shares in the king,” answered the men of Israel, “so we have more claim to David than you. Why then do you despise us? Were we not the first to speak of restoring our king?” But the men of Judah pressed even harder than the men of Israel.

Now a worthless man named Sheba son of Bichri, a Benjamite, happened to be there, and he blew the ramís horn and shouted: “We have no share in David, no inheritance in Jesseís son. Every man to his tent, O Israel!”

So all the men of Israel deserted David to follow Sheba son of Bichri. But the men of Judah stayed by their king all the way from the Jordan to Jerusalem.

So Joabís men, along with the Cherethites, the Pelethites, and all the mighty men, marched out of Jerusalem in pursuit of Sheba son of Bichri.

One of Joabís young men stood near Amasa and said, “Whoever favors Joab, and whoever is for David, let him follow Joab!”