2 Samuel 19

1 Soon Joab was told, “The king is crying and mourning for Absalom.”

And it was told unto Joab, Behold, the king is weeping and he mourneth for Abshalom.

2 Victory that day was turned into mourning for the whole army, because they were told, “The king is grieving for his son.”

And the victory on that day was turned into mourning unto all the people; for the people heard it said on that day, that the king was grieved for his son.

3 They stole back into town that day like defeated people steal in, ashamed of running away from the battle.

And the people repaired by stealth on that day when coming into the city, as usually steal away the people who are ashamed when they flee in battle.

4 The king held his face in his hands and sobbed loudly, “My son Absalom! Absalom, my son, my son!”

But the king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, O my son Abshalom, O Abshalom, my son, my son!

5 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.

And Joab came to the king, into the house, and said, Thou hast covered with shame this day the faces of all thy servants, who have saved thy life this day, and the life of thy sons and of thy daughters, and the life of thy wives, and the life of thy concubines;

6 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!

Since thou lovest thy enemies, and hatest thy friends: for thou hast declared this day, that thou hast neither princes nor servants; for I perceive this day, that if Abshalom were but alive, and we all were dead this day, that then it would have been just right in thy eyes.

7 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.”

And now arise, go forth, and speak to the heart of thy servants; for by the Lord have I sworn, that if thou go not forth, there shall not remain one man with thee this night: and this would be worse unto thee than all the evil that hath befallen thee from thy youth until now.

8 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.

Then the king arose, and sat in the gate. And they told it unto all the people, saying, Behold, the king is sitting in the gate. And all the people came before the king; but Israel fled, every man to his tents.

9 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.

And all the people were contending throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, The king hath saved us out of the hand of our enemies, and he it was that hath delivered us out of the hand of the Philistines; and now he is fled out of the land from before Abshalom.

10 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?”

And Abshalom, whom we had anointed over us, died in battle: and now why are ye silent about bringing the king back?

11 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?

And king David sent to Zadok and to Ebyathar the priests, saying, Speak ye unto the elders of Judah, saying, Why will you be the last to bring the king back to his house? seeing the speech of all Israel is already come to the king, to his house.

12 You are my brothers, my own flesh and blood. Why should you be the last ones to want to bring the king back?’

My brothers are ye, my bone and my flesh are ye: wherefore then will you be the last to bring back the king?

13 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!’”

And to 'Amassa shall ye say, Art thou not my bone and my flesh? May God do so to me, and may he thus continue to do, if thou shalt not be captain of the army before me continually in the room of Joab.

14 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.”

And he turned the heart of all the men of Judah, as of one man: and these sent unto the king, Return thou, with all thy servants.

15 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.

So the king returned, and came as far as the Jordan; and Judah came to Gilgal, to go forth to meet the king, to conduct the king over the Jordan.

16 Shimei, son of Gera, the Benjamite from Bahurim, hurried down with the men of Judah to meet King David.

Then hastened Shim'i the son of Gera, the Benjamite, who was of Bachurim, and went down with the men of Judah to meet king David.

17 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.

And there were with him a thousand men of Benjamin, and Ziba the servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him; and they set hastily over the Jordan before the king.

18 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.

And there went over the ferry-boat to carry over the king's household, and to do what was good in his eyes. And Shim'i the son of Gera fell down before the king, as he was passing over the Jordan;

19 “Your Majesty, please forgive me and disregard the wrong that I, your servant, did when Your Majesty left Jerusalem. Please forget all about it.

And he said unto the king, Let not my Lord impute it unto me as iniquity, neither do thou remember that in which thy servant acted perversely on the day that my Lord the king went forth out of Jerusalem, so that the king should lay it to his heart.

20 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.”

For thy servant doth know that I have indeed sinned; and, behold, I am come this day the first of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my Lord the king.

21 Abishai, son of Zeruiah, said, “Shouldn't Shimei be executed for this, because he cursed the Lord's anointed one?”

But Abishai the son of Zeruyah spoke out and said, Shall Shim'i for this not be put to death, because he cursed the Lord's anointed?

22 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?”

And David said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruyah, that ye should become a hindrance this day unto me? shall this day any man be put to death in Israel? for do I not know that this day I am king over Israel?

23 David turned to Shimei and swore an oath to him, “You're not going to die.”

And the king said unto Shim'i, Thou shalt not die. And the king swore unto him.

24 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.

And Mephibosheth the [grand] son of Saul came down to meet the king, and he had not dressed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day that the king departed until the day that he came home in peace.

25 When he arrived from Jerusalem to meet the king, the king asked him, “Why didn't you come with me, Mephibosheth?”

And it came to pass, when he was come to Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said unto him, Wherefore didst thou not go with me, Mephibosheth?

26 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.

And he answered, My Lord, O king, my servant deceived me; for thy servant said, I will saddle for me the ass, that I may ride thereon, and go with the king; because thy servant is lame.

27 Ziba has misrepresented me, your servant, to Your Majesty. However, Your Majesty is like an angel of God, so do what you think best.

And he slandered thy servant unto my Lord the king; but my Lord the king is like an angel of God: do then what is good in thy eyes.

28 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?”

For all of my father's house were nothing but men deserving death with my Lord the king: and yet didst thou set thy servant among those that eat at thy own table. What other merit therefore have I, and what to complain of yet farther unto the king?

29 “Why talk any more about these issues of yours?” David responded. “I've decided that you and Ziba should divide the land.”

And the king said unto him, For what purpose speakest thou yet thy words? I have said, Thou and Ziba shall divide the field.

30 Mephibosheth replied to the king, “Let him have it all! I'm just happy that Your Majesty has returned home in peace.”

And Mephibosheth said unto the king, Yea, let him take the whole, since that my Lord the king is come [back] in peace unto his own house.

31 Barzillai the Gileadite had also came down from Rogelim to help the king cross the Jordan and to make his way onwards from there.

And Barzillai the Gil'adite came down from Rogelim; and he passed over the Jordan with the king, to accompany him over the Jordan.

32 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.

Now Barzillai was very aged, eighty years old: and he had sustained the king while he lay at Machanayim; for he was a very great man.

33 The king said to Barzillai, “Cross the Jordan with me, and I will provide for you while you stay with me in Jerusalem.”

And the king said unto Barzillai, Come thou over with me, and I will sustain thee near me in Jerusalem.

34 “How much longer do you think I have to live so I could go to Jerusalem and stay there with the king?” Barzillai replied.

But Barzillai said unto the king, How many yet are the days of the years of my life, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem?

35 “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!

I am eighty years old this day: can I discern between good and evil? or can thy servant taste what I eat or what I drink? or can I listen yet to the voice of singing men and singing women? wherefore then should thy servant become yet a burden unto my Lord the king?

36 For your servant to cross the Jordan River with the king is enough reward for me!

Thy servant will pass a little way over the Jordan with the king: and why should the king recompense me with this reward?

37 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.”

Let thy servant, I pray thee, turn back again, that I may die in my own city, by the sepulchre of my father and of my mother. But, behold, thy servant Kimham will pass over with my Lord the king; and do to him what is good in thy eyes.

38 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.”

And the king said, Kimham shall pass over with me, and I will do to him that which shall seem good in thy eyes: and whatsoever thou wilt desire of me, will I do for thee.

39 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.

And all the people passed over the Jordan, after the king had passed over; and the king kissed Barzillai, and blessed him; and he returned unto his own place.

40 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.

Then did the king pass on to Gilgal, and Kimham passed on with him: and all the people of Judah conducted the king, and also half the people of Israel.

41 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?”

And, behold, all the men of Israel came to the king, and said unto the king, Why have our brethren the men of Judah stolen thee away, and have conducted the king and his household over the Jordan, and all David's men with him?

42 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?”

And all the men of Judah replied to the men of Israel, Because the king is near of kin to us: wherefore then are ye so angry for this matter? have we eaten the least from the king? or hath he given us any gift?

43 “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.

And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, and said, Ten parts have we in the king, and also in David have we more right than ye: why then did ye esteem us lightly? and was not our word the very first to bring back our king? And the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel.