2 Samuel 19

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

Someone told Joab that the king was crying and mourning because Absalom had died.

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.”

All of David’s soldiers became sad. Instead of rejoicing about defeating [the soldiers who had fought with Absalom], they were sad because they heard that the king was mourning because Absalom [was dead].

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;

The soldiers returned to the city quietly, like [SIM] soldiers do when they are ashamed because they ran away 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!”

The king covered his face [with his hands] and kept crying loudly, “O, my son Absalom! O, 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,

Then Joab entered the room where the king was, and said to the king, “Today you have caused your soldiers to be ashamed! You have humiliated the men who saved your life and the lives of your sons and daughters and your ordinary wives and your slave wives!

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.

[It seems that] you love those who hate you and [that] you hate those who love you. You have caused it to be clear today that your commanders and your officers are not at all important to you. I think that if Absalom were still alive and we were all dead today, you would be happy.

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.”

So, now go and thank your soldiers [for what they did]. Because I solemnly declare that if you do not do that, none of them will still be with you by tomorrow morning and that would be worse [for you] than all the disasters/troubles that you have experienced since you were a boy.”

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.

So the king got up and went and sat near the city gate. And all the people were told, “Hey, the king is sitting at the gate!” So they all came and gathered around him. Meanwhile, all the Israeli troops [who had been with Absalom] had returned to their homes.

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,

Then all the people throughout the tribes of Israel started to quarrel among themselves. They said to each other, “King David rescued us from the people of Philistia and from our other enemies. But now he has fled from Absalom and left Israel!

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

We appointed [MTY] Absalom to be our king, but he died in the battle [against David’s soldiers]. So (why does someone not try to bring King David back?/surely someone should try to bring King David back.)” [RHQ]

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;

King David [found out what the people were saying. So he] sent the two priests, Zadok and Abiathar, to say to the leaders of Judah, “The king says that he has heard that all the Israeli people [want him to be king again]. And he says, ‘(Why should you be the last ones to bring me back to my palace?/It is not right that you be the last ones to bring me back to my palace.) [RHQ]

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 relatives; we have the same ancestor [IDM]. So (why should you be the last ones to bring me back?/you should certainly not be the last ones to bring me back.) [RHQ]’”

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, “You are one of my relatives. I hope/desire that God strike me dead [IDM] if I do not appoint you to be, from now on, the commander of my army instead 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.”

[By sending that message to them, ] David convinced all the people of Judah [IDM] [that they should (be loyal to him/accept him as their king]). So they sent a message to the king, saying “We want you and all your officials to return here.”

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,

So the king [and his officials started back toward Jerusalem]. When they reached the Jordan [River], the people of Judah came there to Gilgal to meet the king, and to bring him across the river.

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,

Shimei, the man from the tribe of Benjamin, also came down quickly [to the river] with the people 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.

There were 1,000 men from the tribe of Benjamin who came with him. And Ziba, who had been the servant of Saul, also hurried down to the Jordan [River], bringing 20 of his servants with him. They all came to the king,

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,

and then they all [prepared to] take the king and all his family across the river, at the place where they could walk across it. They wanted to do whatever the king wanted them to do. As the king was about to cross the river, Shimei came to him and prostrated himself in front of the king.

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;

He said to the king, “Your Majesty, please forgive me. Please do not keep thinking about the terrible thing that I did on the day that you left Jerusalem. Do not think about it any more.

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.”

Because I know that I have sinned. Look, I have come today, the first one from the northern tribes to come here to greet you today, Your Majesty.”

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

But Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, said, “He cursed the one that Yahweh appointed [MTY] to be the king! So (should he not be executed for doing that?/he certainly should be executed for doing that.)” [RHQ]

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?”

But David said, “You sons of Zeruiah, what am I going to do with you? (OR, you are not the ones who should decide [what to do to him]). [It is as though] you have become my enemies today. I know that I am the one who has now become the king of Israel, [so I say that] certainly no one [RHQ] in Israel should be executed today.”

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

Then the king said to Shimei, “I solemnly promise that I will not execute you.”

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—

Then Miphibosheth, Saul’s grandson, came down [to the river] to greet the king. He had not washed his feet or trimmed his beard or washed his clothes, from the time that the king left Jerusalem until the day that he returned.

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?”

When he arrived from Jerusalem to greet the king, the king said to him, “Mephibosheth, why did you not go with me?”

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;

He replied, “Your Majesty, [you know that] I am crippled. [When I heard that you were leaving Jerusalem, ] I said to my servant [Ziba], ‘Put a saddle on my donkey in order that I can ride on it and go with the king.’ But he deceived me [and left without me].

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,

And he lied to you about me. But, Your Majesty, you are [as wise] as God’s angel. So do whatever seems right 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?”

All of my grandfather’s family expected/deserved that we would be executed. But [you did not execute me; ] you allowed me to eat food with you at your table! So I certainly do not have [RHQ] the right to request you for anything more.”

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

The king replied, “You certainly do not need to say any more. I have decided that you and Ziba will divide [equally] the land [that belonged to your grandfather Saul].”

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.”

Mephibosheth replied to the king, “Your Majesty, [I am content that] you have returned safely. So allow him to take all the land.”

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;

Barzillai, the man from [the] Gilead [region], had come down to the Jordan [River] from [his town of] Rogelim, to escort the king across 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;

Barzillai was a very old man, 80 years old. He was a very wealthy man, and he had provided food for the king [and his soldiers] while they were at Mahanaim.

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

The king said to Barzillai, “Come with me to Jerusalem, and I will take care of you.”

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?

But Barzillai replied, “I certainly do not have [RHQ] many more years to live. So (why should I go with you to Jerusalem?/there is certainly no reason for me to go with you to Jerusalem.) [RHQ]

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?

I am now 80 years old. I do not [RHQ] know what is enjoyable and what is not enjoyable. I cannot [RHQ] enjoy what I eat and what I drink. I cannot [RHQ] hear the voices of men and women as they sing. So (why should I be another burden to you?/I do not want to be another burden to you.) [RHQ]

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

I will cross the Jordan [River] with you and go a little further, and that will be all the reward that I need [for helping you].

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.”

Then please allow me to return to my home, because that is where I want to die, near my parents’ grave. But here is [my son] Chimham. Your Majesty, allow him to go with you [and serve you], 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.”

The king replied, “Okay, he will cross [the river] with me, and I will do for him whatever seems good to you. And I will do for you whatever you want me to do.”

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.

Then King David and all the others crossed the Jordan [River]. He kissed Barzillai and [asked God to] bless him. Then Barzillai returned to his home.

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.

[After they crossed the river, ] Chimham went with the king, and all the army of Judah and half the army of the other Israeli tribes escorted/accompanied the king to Gilgal.

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?”

Then all the soldiers from the other Israeli tribes came to the king and said, “(Why is it that our relatives, the men from Judah, took you away from us and wanted to be the only ones to escort you and your family across the river, along with all your men?/It is not right that our relatives, the men from Judah, took you away from us and wanted to be the only ones to escort you and your family across the river, along with all your men.) [RHQ] [Why did you not request us to do that]?” [RHQ]

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?”

The soldiers from Judah replied, “We did it because the king is from Judah. So (why are you angry about that?/you should not be angry about that.) [RHQ] The king has never paid for our food, and he has never given us any gifts.”

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.

The men of the other Israeli tribes replied, “[There are ten tribes in Israel, and only one in Judah. So] it is ten times more right for us to say that David [is our king] than it is for you to say that. So why are you despising us [RHQ]? We were certainly [RHQ] the first ones to talk about bringing David back [to Jerusalem to be our king again].” But the men of Judah spoke more harshly than the men from the other tribes of Israel did.