2 Samuel 19

1 It was told Joab, "Look, the king weeps and mourns for Absalom."

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

2 The victory that day was turned into mourning to all the people; for the people heard it said that day, "The king grieves for his son."

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.”

3 So the people went quietly into the city that day, the way that people who are humiliated creep away when fleeing in battle.

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;

4 The king covered his face, and he cried with a loud voice, "My son Absalom, Absalom, my son."

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

5 Then Joab went into the house to the king, and said, "Today you have humiliated the faces of all your servants, who have this day saved your life and the lives of your sons and of your daughters and the lives of your wives and the lives of your secondary wives;

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,

6 by loving those who hate you and hating those who love you. For you have made it clear today that commanders and servants are nothing to you. For you know that if Absalom were alive today, and all of us had died, then you would be pleased.

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.

7 Now therefore get up, go out and speak kindly to your servants. For I swear by Jehovah, if you do not go out, not a man will remain with you this night, and that will be worse for you than all the evil that has happened to you from your youth until now."

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.”

8 So the king got up and sat at the gate. And all the people were informed, saying, "Look, the king is sitting at the gate." And all the people came before the king. Meanwhile, Israel had fled each man to his tent.

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.

9 All the people were at strife throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, "The king delivered us out of the hand of our enemies, and he saved us out of the hand of the Philistines, but now he has fled from the land and from being over his kingdom.

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,

10 And Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. Now therefore why do you not speak a word of bringing the king back?" And the talk of all Israel came to the king.

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

11 So king David sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, saying, "Speak to the elders of Judah, saying, 'Why are you the last to bring the king back to his palace?

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;

12 You are my brothers, you are my bone and my flesh. Why then are you the last to bring back the king?'

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

13 And say to Amasa, 'Aren't you my bone and my flesh? Now then, God do so to me, and more also, if you aren't commander of the army before me continually in place of Joab. '"

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.”

14 Thus the heart of all the men of Judah was inclined as one man, so that they sent a message to the king, "Return, you and all your servants."

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.”

15 So the king returned and came to the Jordan. And Judah came to Gilgal, having come down to meet the king, to bring the king across the Jordan.

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,

16 And Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjamite who was from Bahurim, hurried and came down with the men of Judah to meet king David,

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

17 and a thousand men from Benjamin with him. But Ziba the servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him, waded through the Jordan ahead of the king,

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.

18 and did the work of bringing the king across and to do whatever he wished. And Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king, when he crossed the Jordan.

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,

19 Then he said to the king, "May my lord not consider punishment. Do not remember what your servant did wrong on the day when my lord the king left Jerusalem, so that the king should call it to mind.

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;

20 For your servant knows that I have sinned. Therefore, look, I have come today the first of all the house of Joseph to come down to meet my lord the king."

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.”

21 But Abishai the son of Zeruiah replied, "Should not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed Jehovah's anointed?"

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

22 But David replied, "What does this have to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah, that you should become my adversaries today? Should anyone be put to death in Israel today? For do you not know that today I begin to rule over Israel?"

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?”

23 Then the king said to Shimei, "You will not die." And the king gave him his oath.

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

24 Now Mippibaal son of Jonathan son of Saul came down to meet the king, and he had neither cared for his feet nor trimmed his beard nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came back safely.

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—

25 And it happened when he came to Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said to him, "Why did you not go with me, Mippibaal?"

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?”

26 So he answered, "My lord king, my servant deceived me. For your servant said to him, 'Saddle a donkey for me so that I may ride on it and go with the king,' for your servant is lame.

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;

27 And he has slandered your servant to my lord the king. But my lord the king did that which was good in my eyes, like an angel of God.

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,

28 For though all my father's house were but men doomed to death before my lord the king, yet you placed your servant among those who eat at your table. From whom, then, could I have finer treatment?" But when he cried out to the king,

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?”

29 the king said, "Why do you multiply your words? I say: You and Ziba divide the property."

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

30 And Mippibaal said to the king, "Yes, let him take it all, since my lord the king has come safely home."

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.”

31 Now Barzillai the Gileadite had come down from Rogelim, and he went with the king to conduct him from the Jordan.

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

32 Now Barzillai was a very old man, eighty years old; and he had provided for the king while he was staying at Mahanaim, for he was a very rich man.

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;

33 And the king said to Barzillai, "Come over with me, and I will provide for your old age in Jerusalem with me."

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

34 But Barzillai said to the king, "How many more days would I have there, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem?

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?

35 I am now eighty years old. Can I discern between good and bad? Can your servant taste what I eat or what I drink? Can I hear the voice of male and female singers? Why then should your servant be any further burden to my lord the king?

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?

36 Your servant will cross the Jordan with the king for a short distance. Why should the king compensate me in this way?

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

37 Please let your servant return, so that I may die in my own city near the tomb of my father and my mother. But look, here is your servant Kimham. Let him cross over with my lord the king, and do for him what seems good to you."

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.”

38 And the king answered, "Kimham will go over with me, and I will do for him whatever I consider appropriate, and whatever you require of me I will do for you."

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.”

39 All the people crossed over the Jordan, but the king remained. Then the king kissed Barzillai, and blessed him; and he returned to his own place.

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.

40 So the king went over to Gilgal, and Kimham went over with him. All the people of Judah brought the king over, and also half the people of Israel.

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.

41 Look, all the men of Israel came to the king, and said to the king, "Why have our brothers the men of Judah stolen you away, and brought the king, and his household, over the Jordan, and all David's men with him?"

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?”

42 The men of Judah answered the men of Israel, "Because the king is a close relative to us. Why then are you angry about this matter? Have we eaten at all at the king's cost? Has he given us a gift? Or has he brought us a portion?"

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?”

43 Then the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, and said, "We have ten shares in the king, and we are the firstborn rather than you. Why then did you treat us with contempt? Were we not the first to speak of bringing back our king?" But the comments of the men of Judah were more forceful than the comments of the men of Israel.

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.