2 Samuel 19

1 And it is declared to Joab, “Behold, the king is weeping and mourning for Absalom”;

Now it was reported to Joab that the king was weeping and mourning for his son.

2 and the salvation on that day becomes mourning to all the people, for the people have heard on that day, saying, “The king has been grieved for his son.”

And so the victory on that day was turned into mourning for all the people. For the people heard it said on that day, “The king is grieving over his son.”

3 And the people steals away, on that day, to go into the city, as the people steal away, who are ashamed, in their fleeing in battle;

And the people declined to enter the city on that day, in the manner that the people were accustomed to decline if they had turned and fled from battle.

4 and the king has covered his face, indeed, the king cries [with] a loud voice, “My son Absalom! Absalom, my son, my son!”

And the king covered his head, and he was crying out in a great voice: “My son, Absalom! Absalom, my son, my son!”

5 And Joab comes into the house to the king and says, “Today you have put to shame the faces of all your servants, those delivering your life today, and the life of your sons, and of your daughters, and the life of your wives, and the life of your concubines,

Therefore, Joab, entering to the king in the house, said: “Today you have shamed the faces of all your servants, who saved your life, and the lives of your sons and your daughters, and the lives of your wives, and the lives of your concubines.

6 to love your enemies, and to hate those loving you, for today you have declared that you have no princes and servants, for today I have known that if Absalom [were] alive, and all of us dead today, that then it were right in your eyes.

You love those who hate you, and you hate those who love you. And you have revealed this day that you have no concern for your leaders and for your servants. And truly, I know now that if Absalom had lived, and if we all had been killed, then it would have pleased you.

7 And now, rise, go out and speak to the heart of your servants, for I have sworn by YHWH, that [if] you are not going out—there does not lodge a man with you tonight; and this [is] worse for you than all the evil that has come on you from your youth until now.”

Now then, rise up and go out, and speak so as to make amends to your servants. For I swear to you by the Lord that if you will not go forth, not even one person will be left with you this night. And this will be worse for you than all the evils that have come to you, from your youth even to the present.”

8 And the king rises, and sits in the gate, and they have declared to all the people, saying, “Behold, the king is sitting in the gate”; and all the people come in before the king, and Israel has fled, each to his tents.

Therefore, the king rose up, and he sat at the gate. And it was announced to all the people that the king was sitting at the gate. And the entire multitude went before the king. But Israel fled to their own tents.

9 And it comes to pass, all the people are contending through all the tribes of Israel, saying, “The king delivered us out of the hand of our enemies, indeed, he himself delivered us out of the hand of the Philistines, and now he has fled out of the land because of Absalom,

And all the people were conflicted, in all the tribes of Israel, saying: “The king has freed us from the hand of our enemies. He himself saved us from the hand of the Philistines. But now he flees from the land for the sake of Absalom.

10 and Absalom whom we anointed over us [is] dead in battle, and now, why are you silent—to bring back the king?”

But Absalom, whom we anointed over us, has died in the war. How long will you be silent, and not lead back the king?”

11 And King David sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, saying, “Speak to [the] elderly of Judah, saying, Why are you last to bring back the king to his house, since the word of all Israel has come to the king, to his house;

Then truly, king David sent to Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, saying: “Speak to those greater by birth of Judah, saying: ‘Why have you arrived last to lead back the king into his house? (For the talk in all of Israel had reached the king in his house.)

12 you [are] my brothers, you [are] my bone and my flesh, and why are you last to bring back the king?

You are my brothers; you are my bone and my flesh. Why are you the last to lead back the king?’

13 And say to Amasa, Are you not my bone and my flesh? Thus God does to me, and thus He adds, if you are not head of the host before me instead of Joab [for] all the days.”

And say to Amasa: ‘Are you not my bone and my flesh? May God do these things, and may he add these other things, if you will not be the leader of the military in my sight, for all time, in the place of Joab.’”

14 And he inclines the heart of all the men of Judah as one man, and they send to the king, “Return, you and all your servants.”

And he inclined the heart of all the men of Judah, as if one man. And they sent to the king, saying, “Return, you and all your servants.”

15 And the king turns back, and comes to the Jordan, and Judah has come to Gilgal, to go to meet the king, to bring the king over the Jordan,

And the king returned. And he went as far as the Jordan, and all of Judah went as far as Gilgal, so as to meet the king, and to lead him across the Jordan.

16 and Shimei son of Gera, the Benjamite, who [is] from Bahurim, hurries, and comes down with the men of Judah, to meet King David,

And Shimei, the son of Gera, the son of Benjamin, from Bahurim, hurried and descended with the men of Judah to meet king David,

17 and one thousand men [are] with him from Benjamin, and Ziba servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him, and they have gone prosperously over the Jordan before the king.

with one thousand men from Benjamin, and with Ziba, the servant from the house of Saul. And with him were his fifteen sons and twenty servants. And going into the Jordan,

18 And the ferry-boat has passed over to carry over the household of the king, and to do that which [is] good in his eyes, and Shimei son of Gera has fallen before the king in his passing over into the Jordan,

they crossed the fords before the king, so that they might lead across the house of the king, and might act in accord with his order. Then, Shimei, the son of Gera, prostrating himself before the king after he had now gone across the Jordan,

19 and he says to the king, “Do not let my lord impute iniquity to me; neither remember that which your servant did perversely in the day that my lord the king went out from Jerusalem—for the king to set [it] to his heart;

said to him: “May you not impute to me, my lord, the iniquity, nor call to mind the injuries, of your servant in the day that you, my lord the king, departed from Jerusalem. And may you not store it up in your heart, O king.

20 for your servant has known that I have sinned; and behold, I have come today, first of all the house of Joseph, to go down to meet my lord the king.”

For as your servant, I acknowledge my sin. And for this reason, today, I arrive as the first from all the house of Joseph, and I descend to meet my lord the king.”

21 And Abishai son of Zeruiah answers and says, “Is Shimei not put to death for this—because he reviled the anointed of YHWH?”

Yet truly, Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, responding, said, “Should not Shimei, because of these words, be killed, since he cursed the Christ of the Lord?”

22 And David says, “And what do I [have to do] with you, O sons of Zeruiah, that today you are for an adversary to me? Is any man put to death in Israel today? For have I not known that today I [am] king over Israel?”

And David said: “What is it to me and to all of you, O sons of Zeruiah? Why are you acting toward me this day like Satan? Why should any man be put to death on this day in Israel? Or do you not know that today I have been made king over Israel?”

23 And the king says to Shimei, “You do not die”; and the king swears to him.

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

24 And Mephibosheth son of Saul has come down to meet the king—and he did not prepare his feet, nor did he prepare his upper lip, indeed, he did not wash his garments, even from the day of the going away of the king, until the day that he came in peace—

And Mephibosheth, the son of Saul, descended to meet the king, with unwashed feet and uncut beard. And he had not washed his garments from the day that the king had departed, until the day of his return in peace.

25 and it comes to pass, when he has come to Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king says to him, “Why did you not go with me, Mephibosheth?”

And when he had met the king at Jerusalem, the king said to him, “Why did you not go with me, Mephibosheth?”

26 And he says, “My lord, O king, my servant deceived me, for your servant said, I saddle the donkey for myself, and ride on it, and go with the king, for your servant [is] lame;

And in response, he said: “My lord the king, my servant spurned me. And I, your servant, spoke to him so that he might saddle a donkey for me, and I might climb upon it and go with the king. For I, your servant, am lame.

27 and he utters slander against your servant to my lord the king, and my lord the king [is] as a messenger of God; and do that which is good in your eyes,

Moreover, he also accused me, your servant, to you, my lord the king. But you, my lord the king, are like an Angel of God. Do whatever is pleasing to you.

28 for all the house of my father have been nothing except men of death before my lord the king, and you set your servant among those eating at your table, and what right do I have anymore—even to cry anymore to the king?”

For my father’s house was deserving of nothing but death before my lord the king. Yet you have placed me, your servant, among the guests of your table. Therefore, what just complaint might I have? Or what else can I cry out to the king?”

29 And the king says to him, “Why do you speak anymore of your matters? I have said, You and Ziba—share the field.”

Then the king said to him: “Why are you still speaking? What I have spoken is fixed. You and Ziba shall divide the possessions.”

30 And Mephibosheth says to the king, “Indeed, let him take the whole, after that my lord the king has come in peace to his house.”

And Mephibosheth responded to the king, “But now let him take it all, since my lord the king has been returned peacefully into his own house.”

31 And Barzillai the Gileadite has gone down from Rogelim, and passes over the Jordan with the king, to send him away over the Jordan;

Likewise, Barzillai the Gileadite, descending from Rogelim, led the king across the Jordan, having prepared also to follow him beyond the river.

32 and Barzillai [is] very aged, a son of eighty years, and he has sustained the king in his abiding in Mahanaim, for he [is] a very great man;

Now Barzillai the Gileadite was very old, that is, eighty years old. And he provided the king with sustenance when he was staying at the encampment. For indeed, he was an exceedingly rich man.

33 and the king says to Barzillai, “Pass over with me, and I have sustained you in Jerusalem with me.”

And so the king said to Barzillai, “Come with me, so that you may rest securely with me in Jerusalem.”

34 And Barzillai says to the king, “How many [are] the days of the years of my life, that I go up with the king to Jerusalem?

And Barzillai said to the king: “How many days remain in the years of my life, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem?

35 I [am] a son of eighty years today; do I know between good and evil? Does your servant taste that which I am eating, and that which I drink? Do I listen anymore to the voice of male and female singers? And why is your servant for a burden to my lord the king anymore?

Today I am eighty years old. Are my senses quick to discern sweet and bitter? Or is food and drink able to delight your servant? Or can I still hear the voice of men and women singers? Why should your servant be a burden to my lord the king?

36 As a little thing, your servant passes over the Jordan with the king, and why does the king repay me this repayment?

I, your servant, shall proceed a little ways from the Jordan with you. I am not in need of this recompense.

37 Please let your servant turn back again, and I die in my own city, near the burying-place of my father and of my mother—and behold, your servant Chimham, let him pass over with my lord the king, and do to him that which [is] good in your eyes.”

But I beg you that I, your servant, may be returned and may die in my own city, and may be buried beside the sepulcher of my father and my mother. But there is your servant Chimham; let him go with you, my lord the king. And do for him whatever seems good to you.”

38 And the king says, “Chimham goes over with me, and I do to him that which [is] good in your eyes, indeed, all that you fix on me I do to you.”

And so the king said to him: “Let Chimham cross over with me, and I will do for him whatever will be pleasing to you. And all that you ask of me, you shall obtain.”

39 And all the people pass over the Jordan, and the king has passed over, and the king gives a kiss to Barzillai, and blesses him, and he turns back to his place.

And when the entire people and the king had crossed over the Jordan, the king kissed Barzillai, and he blessed him. And he returned to his own place.

40 And the king passes over to Gilgal, and Chimham has passed over with him, and all the people of Judah, and they bring over the king, and also the half of the people of Israel.

Then the king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham went with him. Now all the people of Judah had led the king across, but only as much as one half part of the people of Israel were there.

41 And behold, all the men of Israel are coming to the king, and they say to the king, “Why have our brothers, the men of Judah, stolen you—and they bring the king and his household over the Jordan, and all the men of David with him?”

And so, all the men of Israel, running to the king, said to him: “Why have our brothers, the men of Judah, stolen you away. And why have they led the king and his house across the Jordan, and all the men of David with him?”

42 And all the men of Judah answer against the men of Israel, “Because the king [is] near to us, and why [is] this [that] you are displeased about this matter? Have we eaten of the king’s [substance] at all? Has he lifted up a gift to us?”

And all the men of Judah responded to the men of Israel: “Because the king is nearer to me. Why are you angry over this matter? Have we eaten anything belonging to the king, or have any gifts been given to us?”

43 And the men of Israel answer the men of Judah, and say, “We have ten parts in the king, and also more than you in David; and why have you lightly esteemed us, that our word has not been first to bring back our king?” And the word of the men of Judah is sharper than the word of the men of Israel.

And the men of Israel responded to the men of Judah, and said: “I have the greater amount, ten parts, with the king, and so David belongs to me more so than to you. Why have you caused me injury, and why was it not announced to me first, so that I might lead back my king?” But the men of Judah answered more firmly than the men of Israel.