Kings II 19

1 And they brought Joab word, saying, Behold, the king weeps and mourns for Abessalom.

Then it was reported to Joab, “The king is weeping and mourning over 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.

And that day’s victory was turned into mourning for all the people, because on that day they were told, “The king is grieving over 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.

So they returned to the city quietly that day, as people steal away in humiliation after fleeing a battle.

4 And the king hid his face: and the king cried with a loud voice, My son Abessalom! Abessalom my son!

But the king covered his face and cried out at the top of his voice, “O my son Absalom! O Absalom, my son, my son!”

5 And Joab went in to the king, into the house, and said, You have this day shamed the faces of all your servants that have delivered you this day, and [have saved] the lives of your sons and of your daughters, and the lives of your wives, and of your concubines,

Then Joab went into the house and said to the king, “Today you have disgraced all your servants who have saved your life and the lives of your sons and daughters, of your wives, and of your concubines.

6 forasmuch as you love them that hate you, and hate them that love you; and you have this day declared, that your princes and your servants are nothing [in your sight]: for I know this day, that if Abessalom were alive, [and] all of us dead today, then it would have been right in your sight.

You love those who hate you and hate those who love you! For you have made it clear today that the commanders and soldiers mean nothing to you. I know today that if Absalom were alive and all of us were dead, it would have pleased you!

7 And now arise, and go forth, and speak comfortably to your servants; for I have sworn by the Lord, that unless you will go forth today, there shall not a man remain with you this night: and know for yourself, this thing [will] indeed [be] evil to you beyond all the evil that has come upon you from your youth until now.

Now therefore get up! Go out and speak comfort to your servants, for I swear by the LORD that if you do not go out, not a man will remain with you tonight. This will be worse for you than all the adversity that has befallen you 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 sat in the gate, and all the people were told: “Behold, the king is sitting in the gate.” So they all came before the king. Meanwhile, the Israelites had fled, each man to his home.

9 And all the people disputed amongst 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.

And all the people throughout the tribes of Israel were arguing, “The king rescued us from the hand of our enemies and delivered us from the hand of the Philistines, but now he has fled the land because of Absalom.

10 And Abessalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle: and now why are you silent about bringing back the king? And the word of all Israel came to the king.

But Absalom, the man we anointed over us, has died in battle. So why do you say nothing about restoring the king?”

11 And king David sent to Sadoc and Abiathar the priests, saying, Speak to the elders of Israel, saying, Why are you the last to bring back the king to his house? whereas the word of all Israel is come to the king to his house.

Then King David sent this message to Zadok and Abiathar, the priests: “Say to the elders of Judah, ‘Why should you be the last to restore the king to his palace, since the talk of all Israel has reached the king at his quarters?

12 You [are] my brethren, you [are] my bones and my flesh: why are you the last to bring back the king to his house?

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

13 And you shall say to Amessai, [Are] you not my bone and my flesh? and now God do so to me, and more also, if you shall not be commander of the host before me continually in the room of Joab.

And say to Amasa, ‘Aren’t you my flesh and blood? May God punish me, and ever so severely, if from this time you are not the commander of my army in place 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 you, and all your servants.

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.”

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.

So the king returned, and when he arrived at the Jordan, the men of Judah came to Gilgal to meet him and escort him across the Jordan.

16 And Semei the son of Gera, the Benjamite, of Baurim, hasted and went down with the men of Juda to meet king David.

Then Shimei son of Gera, a 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,

along with a thousand men of Benjamin, as well as Ziba the steward of the house of Saul and his fifteen sons and twenty servants. They rushed down to the Jordan before 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;

and crossed at the ford to carry over the king’s household and to do what was good in his sight. When Shimei son of Gera crossed the Jordan, he fell down before the king

19 and said to the king, Let not my lord now impute iniquity, and remember not all the iniquity of your servant in the day in which my lord went out from Jerusalem, so that the king should mind it.

and said, “My lord, do not hold me guilty, and do not remember your servant’s wrongdoing on the day my lord the king left Jerusalem. May the king not take it to heart.

20 For your servant knows that I have sinned: and, behold, I am come today before all Israel and the house of Joseph, to go down and meet my lord the king.

For your servant knows that I have sinned, so here I am today as the first of all the house of Joseph to come down to meet my lord the king.”

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?

But Abishai son of Zeruiah said, “Shouldn’t Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the LORD’s anointed?”

22 And David said, What have I to do with you, you sons of Saruia, that you as it were lie in wait against me this day? today no man in Israel shall be put to death, for I know not if I this day reign over Israel.

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?”

23 And the king said to Semei, You shall not die: and the king swore to him.

So the king said to Shimei, “You shall not die.” And the king swore an oath to him.

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 down to meet the king. He had not cared for his feet or trimmed his mustache or washed his clothes from the day the king had left until the day he returned safely.

25 And it came to pass when he went into Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said to him, Why did you not go with me, Memphibosthe?

And he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, who asked him, “Mephibosheth, why did you not go with me?”

26 And Memphibosthe said to him, My lord, O king, my servant deceived me; for your servant said to him, Saddle me the ass, and I will ride upon it, and go with the king; for your servant [is] lame.

“My lord the king,” he replied, “because I am lame, I said, ‘I will have my donkey saddled so that I may ride on it and go with the king.’ But my servant Ziba deceived me,

27 And he has dealt deceitfully with your servant to my lord the king: but my lord the king [is] as an angel of God, and do you that which is good in your eyes.

and he has slandered your servant to my lord the king. Yet my lord the king is like the angel of God, so do what is good in your eyes.

28 For all the house of my father were but as dead men before my lord the king; yet you have set your servant amongst them that eat at your table: and what right have I any longer even to cry to the king?

For all the house of my grandfather deserves death from my lord the king, yet you have set your servant among those who eat at your table. What further right, then, do I have to keep appealing to the king?”

29 And the king said to him, Why speak you any longer of your matters? I have said, You and Siba shall divide the land.

The king replied, “Why say any more? I hereby declare that you and Ziba are to divide the land.”

30 And Memphibosthe said to the king, Yes, let him take all, since my lord the king has come in peace to his house.

And Mephibosheth said to the king, “Instead, since my lord the king has safely come to his own house, let Ziba take it all!”

31 And Berzelli the Galaadite came down from Rogellim, and crossed over Jordan with the king, that he might conduct the king over Jordan.

Now Barzillai the Gileadite had come down from Rogelim to cross the Jordan with the king and send him on his way from there.

32 And Berzelli was a very old man, eighty years old; and he had maintained the king when he lived in Manaim; for he was a very great man.

Barzillai was quite old, eighty years of age, and since he was a very wealthy man, he had provided for the king while he stayed in Mahanaim.

33 And the king said to Berzelli, You shall go over with me, and I will nourish your old age with me in Jerusalem.

The king said to Barzillai, “Cross over with me, and I will provide for you at my side 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?

But Barzillai replied, “How many years of my life remain, that I should go up to Jerusalem with the king?

35 I am this day eighty years old: can I then distinguish between good and evil? Can your servant taste any longer what I eat or drink? can I any longer hear the voice of singing men or singing women? and therefore shall your servant any longer be a burden to my lord the king?

I am now eighty years old. Can I discern what is good and what is not? Can your servant taste what he eats or drinks? Can I still hear the voice of singing men and women? Why should your servant be an added burden to my lord the king?

36 Your servant will go a little way over Jordan with the king: and why does the king return me this recompense?

Your servant could go with the king only a short distance past the Jordan; why should the king repay me with such a reward?

37 Let, I pray you, your servant remain, and I will die in my city, by the tomb of my father and of my mother. And, behold, your servant Chamaam shall go over with my lord the king; and do you to him as it seems good in your eyes.

Please let your servant return, that I may die in my own city near the tomb of my father and mother. But here is your servant Chimham. Let him cross over with my lord the king, and do for him what is good in your sight.”

38 And the king said, Let Chamaam go over with me, and I will do to him what is good in my sight; and whatever you shall choose at my hand, I will do for you.

The king replied, “Chimham will cross over with me, and I will do for him what seems good in your sight, and I will do for you whatever you desire of me.”

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 all the people crossed the Jordan, and then the king crossed over. The king kissed Barzillai and blessed him, and Barzillai returned 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 went on to Gilgal, and Chimham crossed over with him. All the troops of Judah and half the troops of Israel escorted 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 you away, and caused the king and all his house to pass over Jordan, and all the men of David with him?

Soon all the men of Israel came to the king and asked, “Why did our brothers, the men of Judah, take you away secretly and bring the king and his household across the Jordan, together with all of David’s 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?

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 king’s expense or received anything for ourselves?”

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 you 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 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.