2 Samuel 19

1 And it was tolde Ioab, Behold, the King weepeth and mourneth for Absalom.

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

2 Therefore the victorie of that day was turned into mourning to all the people: for the people heard say that day, The King soroweth for his sonne.

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 And the people went that day into the citie secretly, as people confounded hide them selues when they flee in battell.

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 So the King hid his face, and the King cryed with a loude voyce, My sonne Absalom, Absalom my sonne, my sonne.

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 Ioab came into the house to the King, and said, Thou hast shamed this day the faces of all thy seruants, which this day haue saued thy life and the liues of thy sones, and of thy daughters, and the liues of thy wiues, and the liues of thy 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 In that thou louest thine enemies, and hatest thy friendes: for thou hast declared this day, that thou regardest neither thy princes nor seruants: therefore this day I perceiue, that if Absalom had liued, and we all had dyed this day, that then it would haue pleased thee well.

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 Nowe therefore vp, come out, and speake comfortably vnto thy seruants: for I sweare by the Lord, except thou come out, there will not tarie one man with thee this night: and that wil be worse vnto thee, then all the euill that fell on thee from thy youth hitherto.

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 Then the King arose, and sate in the gate: and they tolde vnto all the people, saying, Beholde, the King doeth sit in the gate: and all the people came before the King: for Israel had fled euery man to his tent.

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 Then all the people were at strife thorowout all the tribes of Israel, saying, The King saued vs out of the hand of our enemies, and he deliuered vs out of the hande of the Philistims, and nowe he is fled out of the lande for 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 And Absalom, whome we anoynted ouer vs, is dead in battel: therefore why are ye so slow to bring the King againe?

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

11 But King Dauid sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the Priestes, saying, Speake vnto the Elders of Iudah, and say, Why are ye behind to bring the King againe to his house, (for the saying of al Israel is come vnto the king, euen to his house)

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 Ye are my brethren: my bones and my flesh are ye: wherefore then are ye the last that bring the King againe?

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

13 Also say ye to Amasa, Art thou not my bone and my flesh? God do so to me and more also, if thou be not captaine of the hoste to me for euer in the roume of Ioab.

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 So he bowed the heartes of all the men of Iudah, as of one man: therefore they sent to the King, saying, Returne thou with all thy seruants.

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 So the King returned, and came to Iorden. And Iudah came to Gilgal, for to goe to meete the King, and to conduct him ouer Iorde.

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 And Shimei the sonne of Gera, ye sonne of Iemini, which was of Bahurim, hasted and came down with the men of Iudah to meete king Dauid,

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 And a thousande men of Beniamin with him, and Ziba the seruant of the house of Saul, and his fifteene sonnes and twentie seruants with him: and they went ouer Iorden before ye 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 And there went ouer a boate to carie ouer the Kings houshold, and to do him pleasure. Then Shimei the sonne of Gera fell before the King, when he was come ouer Iorden,

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 And saide vnto the King, Let not my lorde impute wickednesse vnto me, nor remember ye thing that thy seruant did wickedly when my lorde the King departed out of Ierusalem, that the King should take it to his heart.

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 For thy seruant doeth knowe, that I haue done amisse: therefore beholde, I am the first this day of al the house of Ioseph, that am come to goe downe to meete my lord the King.

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 But Abishai the sonne of Zeruiah answered, and said, Shal not Shimei die for this, because he cursed the Lordes anoynted?

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 And Dauid saide, What haue I to do with you, ye sonnes of Zeruiah, that this day ye should be aduersaries vnto me? shall there any man die this day in Israel? for doe not I know that I am this day King ouer Israel?

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 Therefore the King saide vnto Shimei, Thou shalt not die, and the king sware vnto him.

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

24 And Mephibosheth the sonne of Saul came downe to meete the king, and had neither washed his feete, nor dressed his beard, nor washed his clothes from the time the king departed, vntill he returned in peace.

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 And when he was come to Ierusalem, and met the king, the king said vnto him, Wherefore wentest not thou 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 And he answered, My lorde the king, my seruant deceiued me: for thy seruant said, I would haue mine asse sadled to ride thereon, for to goe with the king, because thy seruant is 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 And he hath accused thy seruant vnto my lorde the king: but my lorde the king is as an Angel of God: doe therefore thy pleasure.

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 For all my fathers house were but dead men before my lord the king, yet diddest thou set thy seruant among them that did eate at thine owne table: what right therefore haue I yet to crye any more vnto the king?

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 And the king said vnto him, Why speakest thou any more of thy matters? I haue said, Thou, and Ziba deuide the landes.

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 And Mephibosheth saide vnto the king, Yea, let him take all, seeing my lorde the king is come 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 Then Barzillai the Gileadite came downe from Rogelim, and went ouer Iorden with the king, to conduct him ouer Iorden.

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 Nowe Barzillai was a very aged man, euen fourescore yeere olde, and he had prouided the king of sustenance, while he lay at Mahanaim: for he was a man of very great substance.

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 And the king said vnto Barzillai, Come ouer with me, and I will feede thee with me in Ierusalem.

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

34 And Barzillai said vnto the king, Howe long haue I to liue, that I should goe vp with the king to Ierusalem?

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 am this day fourescore yeere olde: and can I discerne betweene good or euill? Hath thy seruant any taste in that I eat or in that I drinke? Can I heare any more the voyce of singing men and women? wherefore then should thy seruant be anymore a burthen vnto my lord the king?

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 Thy seruant will goe a litle way ouer Iorden with the King, and why wil the king recompence it me with such a rewarde?

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

37 I pray thee, let thy seruant turne backe againe, that I may die in mine owne citie, and be buryed in the graue of my father and of my mother: but beholde thy seruant Chimham, let him goe with my lorde the king, and doe to him what shall please thee.

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 And the king answered, Chimham shall go with me, and I will do to him that thou shalt be content with: and whatsoeuer thou shalt require of me, that will I do for thee.

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 all the people went ouer Iorden: and the King passed ouer: and the King kissed Barzillai, and blessed him, and hee returned vnto his owne place.

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 went to Gilgal, and Chimham went with him, and all the people of Iudah conducted the King, and also halfe ye people of Israel.

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 And behold, all the men of Israel came to the King, and sayd vnto the King, Why haue our brethren the men of Iudah stollen thee away, and haue brought the King and his houshold, and all Dauids men with him ouer Iorden?

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 And all the men of Iudah answered the men of Israel, Because the King is neere of kin to vs: and wherefore now be ye angry for this matter? haue we eaten of the Kings cost, or haue wee taken any bribes?

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 And the men of Israel answered the men of Iudah, and saide, Wee haue ten partes in the King, and haue also more right to Dauid then ye: Why then did ye despise vs, that our aduise should not bee first had in restoring our King? And the wordes of the men of Iudah were fiercer then the wordes of 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.