Kings II 19
1 And they brought Joab word, saying, Behold, the king weeps and mourns for Abessalom.
Soon Joab was told, “The king is crying and mourning for Absalom.”
2 And the victory was turned that day into mourning to all the people, for the people heard say that day, The king grieves after his son.
Victory that day was turned into mourning for the whole army, because they were told, “The king is grieving for his son.”
3 And the people stole away that day to go into the city, as people steal away when they are ashamed as they flee in the battle.
They stole back into town that day like defeated people steal in, ashamed of running away from the battle.
4 And the king hid his face: and the king cried with a loud voice, My son Abessalom! Abessalom my son!
The king held his face in his hands and sobbed loudly, “My son Absalom! Absalom, my son, my son!”
5 And Joab went in to the king, into the house, and said, Thou hast this day shamed the faces of all thy servants that have delivered thee this day, and [have saved] the lives of thy sons and of thy daughters, and the lives of thy wives, and of thy concubines,
Then Joab went inside and told the king, “Today you have humiliated all your men who have saved your life, and the lives of your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your concubines.
6 forasmuch as thou lovest them that hate thee, and hatest them that love thee; and thou hast this day declared, that thy princes and thy servants are nothing [in thy sight]: for I know this day, that if Abessalom were alive, [and] all of us dead to-day, then it would have been right in thy sight.
You did this by loving those who hate you and hating those who love you. Today you have made it plain that the commanders and the men don't mean anything to you. Today I'm sure that you'd be quite happy if Absalom was alive and all of us were dead!
7 And now arise, and go forth, and speak comfortably to thy servants; for I have sworn by the Lord, that unless thou wilt go forth to-day, there shall not a man remain with thee this night: and know for thyself, this thing [will] indeed [be] evil to thee beyond all the evil that has come upon thee from thy youth until now.
So get up, go out, and thank your men. I swear by the Lord that if you don't, you won't have a man left by tonight. That will be far worse for you than all the disasters you've had from your youth until now.”
8 Then the king arose, and sat in the gate: and all the people reported, saying, Behold, the king sits in the gate. And all the people went in before the king to the gate; for Israel had fled every man to his tent.
So the king got up and went to sit at the town gate. Everybody was told: “Look, the king is sitting at the town gate.” They all came to see the king. In the meantime the Israelites had run away and gone to their homes.
9 And all the people disputed among all the tribes of Israel, saying, King David delivered us from all our enemies, and he rescued us from the hand of the Philistines: and now he has fled from the land, and from his kingdom, and from Abessalom.
Everyone among the tribes of Israel were arguing with each other, saying, “The king rescued us from the persecution of our enemies, he saved us from the Philistines, but now he's had to run from the country because of Absalom.
10 And Abessalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle: and now why are ye silent about bringing back the king? And the word of all Israel came to the king.
Now Absalom, the man we chose to be our king by anointing him, he's died in battle. Why don't we do something and invite King David to come back?”
11 And king David sent to Sadoc and Abiathar the priests, saying, Speak to the elders of Israel, saying, Why are ye the last to bring back the king to his house? whereas the word of all Israel is come to the king to his house.
King David sent this message to Zadok and Abiathar, the priests: “Tell the elders of Judah, ‘Are you going to be the last people to bring the king back to his palace, since the king has heard that all of Israel wants it?
12 Ye [are] my brethren, ye [are] my bones and my flesh: why are ye the last to bring back the king to his house?
You are my brothers, my own flesh and blood. Why should you be the last ones to want to bring the king back?’
13 And ye shall say to Amessai, [Art] thou not my bone and my flesh? and now God do so to me, and more also, if thou shalt not be commander of the host before me continually in the room of Joab.
Tell Amasa, ‘Aren't you my flesh and blood too? May God punish me very severely if from now on you're not the commander of my army instead of Joab!’”
14 And he bowed the heart of all the men of Juda as that of one man; and they sent to the king, saying, Return thou, and all thy servants.
Amasa convinced all the people of Judah to unitedly support David, so they sent a message to the king: “Please come back, you and everyone with you.”
15 And the king returned, and came as far as Jordan. And the men of Juda came to Galgala on their way to meet the king, to cause the king to pass over Jordan.
The king began his journey back, and when he arrived at the Jordan, the men of Judah met him at Gilgal to help him cross the river.
16 And Semei the son of Gera, the Benjamite, of Baurim, hasted and went down with the men of Juda to meet king David.
Shimei, son of Gera, the Benjamite from Bahurim, hurried down with the men of Judah to meet King David.
17 And a thousand men of Benjamin [were] with him, and Siba the servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons with him, and his twenty servants with him: and they went directly down to Jordan before the king,
With him were one thousand men from the tribe of Benjamin, including Ziba, servant of Saul's family, as well as Ziba's fifteen sons and twenty servants. They rushed down to the Jordan to meet the king.
18 and they performed the service of bringing the king over; and there went over a ferry-boat to remove the household of the king, and to do that which was right in his eyes. And Semei the son of Gera fell on his face before the king, as he went over Jordan;
They crossed at the ford to bring the king's household over and whatever else he wanted. Shimei crossed the Jordan and fell facedown before the king.
19 and said to the king, Let not my lord now impute iniquity, and remember not all the iniquity of thy servant in the day in which my lord went out from Jerusalem, so that the king should mind it.
“Your Majesty, please forgive me and disregard the wrong that I, your servant, did when Your Majesty left Jerusalem. Please forget all about it.
20 For thy servant knows that I have sinned: and, behold, I am come to-day before all Israel and the house of Joseph, to go down and meet my lord the king.
I, your servant, recognize that I have sinned. But look! Today I'm the first from any of the tribes of Joseph to come down and meet Your Majesty.”
21 And Abessai the son of Saruia answered and said, Shall not Semei therefore be put to death, because he cursed the Lord's anointed?
Abishai, son of Zeruiah, said, “Shouldn't Shimei be executed for this, because he cursed the Lord's anointed one?”
22 And David said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Saruia, that ye as it were lie in wait against me this day? to-day no man in Israel shall be put to death, for I know not if I this day reign over Israel.
But David replied, “What's that got do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? Do you want to be my enemies today? Is this a day to execute anybody in Israel? Aren't I certain that today I'm the king of Israel once more?”
23 And the king said to Semei, Thou shalt not die: and the king swore to him.
David turned to Shimei and swore an oath to him, “You're not going to die.”
24 And Memphibosthe the son of Saul's son went down to meet the king, and had not dressed his feet, nor pared his nails, nor shaved himself, neither had he washed his garments, from the day that the king departed, until the day when he arrived in peace.
Then Mephibosheth, Saul's grandson, went to meet the king. He had refused to look after his feet or trim his mustache or have his clothes washed from the day the king left until the day of his peaceful return.
25 And it came to pass when he went into Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said to him, Why didst thou not go with me, Memphibosthe?
When he arrived from Jerusalem to meet the king, the king asked him, “Why didn't you come with me, Mephibosheth?”
26 And Memphibosthe said to him, My lord, O king, my servant deceived me; for thy servant said to him, Saddle me the ass, and I will ride upon it, and go with the king; for thy servant [is] lame.
Mephibosheth answered, “Your Majesty, my servant Ziba tricked me. I told him, ‘Saddle up my donkey so I can ride her and leave with the king,’ because you know that I'm lame.
27 And he has dealt deceitfully with thy servant to my lord the king: but my lord the king [is] as an angel of God, and do thou that which is good in thine eyes.
Ziba has misrepresented me, your servant, to Your Majesty. However, Your Majesty is like an angel of God, so do what you think best.
28 For all the house of my father were but as dead men before my lord the king; yet thou hast set thy servant among them that eat at thy table: and what right have I any longer even to cry to the king?
All my grandfather's family could only expect death from Your Majesty, but you included me, your servant, among those who eat at your table. So what right do I have to ask the king for anything more?”
29 And the king said to him, Why speakest thou any longer of thy matters? I have said, Thou and Siba shall divide the land.
“Why talk any more about these issues of yours?” David responded. “I've decided that you and Ziba should divide the land.”
30 And Memphibosthe said to the king, Yea, let him take all, since my lord the king has come in peace to his house.
Mephibosheth replied to the king, “Let him have it all! I'm just happy that Your Majesty has returned home in peace.”
31 And Berzelli the Galaadite came down from Rogellim, and crossed over Jordan with the king, that he might conduct the king over Jordan.
Barzillai the Gileadite had also came down from Rogelim to help the king cross the Jordan and to make his way onwards from there.
32 And Berzelli was a very old man, eighty years old; and he had maintained the king when he dwelt in Manaim; for he was a very great man.
Barzillai was very old, eighty years of age, and because he was a very wealthy man, he had provided the king with food while he was staying in Mahanaim.
33 And the king said to Berzelli, Thou shalt go over with me, and I will nourish thine old age with me in Jerusalem.
The king said to Barzillai, “Cross the Jordan with me, and I will provide for you while you stay with me in Jerusalem.”
34 And Berzelli said to the king, How many [are] the days of the years of my life, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem?
“How much longer do you think I have to live so I could go to Jerusalem and stay there with the king?” Barzillai replied.
35 I am this day eighty years old: can I then distinguish between good and evil? Can thy servant taste any longer what I eat or drink? can I any longer hear the voice of singing men or singing women? and wherefore shall thy servant any longer be a burden to my lord the king?
“I'm already eighty. I don't enjoy anything anymore. I can't taste what I eat or drink. I can't hear when people sing. There's no point for me, your servant, to be another burden to Your Majesty!
36 Thy servant will go a little way over Jordan with the king: and why does the king return me this recompense?
For your servant to cross the Jordan River with the king is enough reward for me!
37 Let, I pray thee, thy servant remain, and I will die in my city, by the tomb of my father and of my mother. And, behold, thy servant Chamaam shall go over with my lord the king; and do thou to him as it seems good in thine eyes.
Then let your servant go back home, that I may die in my home town near the tomb of my father and mother. But here is your servant, my son Chimham. Let him cross over with Your Majesty, and treat him as you think best.”
38 And the king said, Let Chamaam go over with me, and I will do to him what is good in my sight; and whatsoever thou shalt choose at my hand, I will do for thee.
The king replied, “Chimham will cross over with me, and I will treat him as you think best, and I will do for you whatever you want.”
39 And all the people went over Jordan, and the king went over; and the king kissed Berzelli, and blessed him; and he returned to his place.
So everybody crossed the Jordan first, and then the king crossed over. The king kissed Barzillai and blessed him, and then Barzillai went back home.
40 And the king went over to Galgala, and Chamaam went over with him: and all the men of Juda went over with the king, and also half the people of Israel.
Then the king carried on to Gilgal, and Chimham went with him. The whole army of Judah and half the army of Israel accompanied the king.
41 And behold, all the men of Israel came to the king, and said to the king, Why have our brethren the men of Juda stolen thee away, and caused the king and all his house to pass over Jordan, and all the men of David with him?
But soon the men of Israel who were there came to the king and asked him, “Why did our brothers, the men of Judah, secretly take Your Majesty away and bring you and your household across the Jordan, together with all your men?”
42 And all the men of Juda answered the men of Israel, and said, Because the king is near of kin to us: and why were you thus angry concerning this matter? have we indeed eaten of the king's food? or has he given us a gift, or has he sent us a portion?
The men of Judah explained to the men of Israel, “We did this because the king is one of our relatives. Why are you getting upset about this? When did we ever eat the king's food? When did we ever get anything for yourselves?”
43 And the men of Israel answered the men of Juda, and said, We have ten parts in the king, and we are older than you, we have also an interest in David above you: and why have ye thus insulted us, and why was not our advice taken before that of Juda, to bring back our king? And the speech of the men of Juda was sharper than the speech of the men of Israel.
“We've got ten shares in the king,” the men of Israel replied, “so we have a greater claim on David than you do. So why do you look down us? Weren't we the first ones to talk about bringing back our king?” But the men of Judah argued even more strongly than the men of Israel.
