Winning the war was the easy part. David's real challenge began the moment Absalom was dead—because a kingdom that had just rebelled against its king does not simply welcome him home.

Every tribe in Israel had followed Absalom. Now they sent messengers reminding each other of David's past benefits, embarrassed that they had backed a usurper who was already dead. David, shrewd as ever, sent word through the high priests Zadok and Abiathar to his own tribe of Judah: "You are my kinsmen—why should you be the last to bring me back?" He also promised Amasa, who had served as Absalom's general, that he would replace Joab as commander of the army. It was a bold political move—co-opting the enemy's top officer.

At the Jordan crossing, the reunions were loaded with tension. Shimei, who had cursed David and hurled stones during his flight, arrived with a thousand men, fell at the king's feet, and begged forgiveness. Abishai wanted him dead. David refused: "Will you never leave off, sons of Zeruiah? I begin my reign today—I will not execute anyone."

Mephibosheth, Saul's grandson, appeared next—unwashed, unshaven, his hair wild with grief since the day David fled. His steward Ziba had told David that Mephibosheth was plotting to reclaim Saul's throne. Now Mephibosheth told a different story: Ziba had abandoned him and lied. David, perhaps weary of sorting truth from self-interest, split the estate between them. Mephibosheth's reply was striking: "Let Ziba take it all—it is enough that my lord has returned safely."

Old Barzillai the Gileadite, who had fed and sheltered David's forces at Mahanaim, escorted the king to the river. David invited him to Jerusalem. Barzillai declined—he was eighty years old, could no longer taste food or hear music, and wanted only to die near his family's burial place. He sent his son Chimham in his stead.

But unity fractured almost immediately. The northern tribes accused Judah of stealing the king's return. Judah shot back that David was their kinsman. Israel retorted: "We have eleven parts in the king—you have one." Into this tinderbox stepped Sheba son of Bichri, a Benjaminite, who blew a trumpet and declared: "We have no part in David!" The northern tribes followed him.

David ordered Amasa to muster Judah's forces within three days. When Amasa was late, David sent Joab instead. At Gibeon, the two generals met. Joab let his sword drop as if by accident, picked it up, greeted Amasa with a kiss, then drove the blade into his belly. It was murder—pure jealousy over the command—and Josephus calls it exactly that.

Joab chased Sheba to the city of Abel Beth-Maacah. A wise woman called down from the wall, negotiated, and the city threw Sheba's head over the ramparts. The rebellion ended.

After this, a three-year famine gripped the land. God revealed the cause: Saul's unpunished massacre of the Gibeonites, who had been guaranteed safety by Joshua's ancient oath. The Gibeonites demanded seven of Saul's descendants. David delivered them—sparing only Mephibosheth—and the rains returned. David also fought his last battles against the Philistines, nearly dying when a giant named Achmon cornered him. After that, his soldiers made him swear he would never fight again.

In his final years, the warrior king composed songs and hymns—trimeters and pentameters, Josephus notes—and built instruments of ten strings and twelve notes for the Levites to play on the Sabbath. The man who had killed tens of thousands ended his career making music.