2 Samuel 19
1 It was told Joab, "Look, the king weeps and mourns for Absalom."
Then it was reported to Joab, “The king is weeping and mourning over 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 that day’s victory was turned into mourning for all the people, because on that day they were told, “The king is grieving over 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.
So they returned to the city quietly that day, as people steal away in humiliation after fleeing a battle.
4 The king covered his face, and he cried with a loud voice, "My son Absalom, Absalom, my son."
But the king covered his face and cried out at the top of his voice, “O my son Absalom! O 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;
Then Joab went into the house and said to the king, “Today you have disgraced all your servants who have saved your life and the lives of your sons and daughters, of your wives, and 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.
You love those who hate you and hate those who love you! For you have made it clear today that the commanders and soldiers mean nothing to you. I know today that if Absalom were alive and all of us were dead, it would have pleased you!
7 Now therefore get up, go out and speak kindly to your servants. For I swear by the LORD, 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."
Now therefore get up! Go out and speak comfort to your servants, for I swear by the LORD that if you do not go out, not a man will remain with you tonight. This will be worse for you than all the adversity that has befallen 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.
So the king got up and sat in the gate, and all the people were told: “Behold, the king is sitting in the gate.” So they all came before the king. Meanwhile, the Israelites had fled, each man to his home.
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 all the people throughout the tribes of Israel were arguing, “The king rescued us from the hand of our enemies and delivered us from the hand of the Philistines, but now he has fled 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.
But Absalom, the man we anointed over us, has died in battle. So why do you say nothing about restoring 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?
Then King David sent this message to Zadok and Abiathar, the priests: “Say to the elders of Judah, ‘Why should you be the last to restore the king to his palace, since the talk of all Israel has reached the king at his quarters?
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, my own flesh and blood. So why should you be the last to restore 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, ‘Aren’t you my flesh and blood? May God punish me, and ever so severely, if from this time you are not the commander of my army in place of Joab!’”
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."
So he swayed the hearts of all the men of Judah as though they were one man, and they sent word 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.
So the king returned, and when he arrived at the Jordan, the men of Judah came to Gilgal to meet him and escort him across 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,
Then Shimei son of Gera, a Benjamite from Bahurim, hurried 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,
along with a thousand men of Benjamin, as well as Ziba the steward of the house of Saul and his fifteen sons and twenty servants. They rushed down to 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 crossed at the ford to carry over the king’s household and to do what was good in his sight. When Shimei son of Gera crossed the Jordan, he fell down before the king
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 said, “My lord, do not hold me guilty, and do not remember your servant’s wrongdoing on the day my lord the king left Jerusalem. May the king not take it to 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 knows that I have sinned, so here I am today as the first of all the house of Joseph to come 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 the LORD's anointed?"
But Abishai son of Zeruiah said, “Shouldn’t Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the LORD’s anointed?”
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 replied, “Sons of Zeruiah, what have I to do with you, that you should be my adversaries today? Should any man be put to death in Israel today? Am I not indeed aware 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.
So the king said to Shimei, “You shall not die.” And the king swore an oath 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.
Then Mephibosheth, Saul’s grandson, went down to meet the king. He had not cared for his feet or trimmed his mustache or washed his clothes from the day the king had left until the day he returned safely.
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 he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, who asked him, “Mephibosheth, why did you not go with me?”
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.
“My lord the king,” he replied, “because I am lame, I said, ‘I will have my donkey saddled so that I may ride on it and go with the king.’ But my servant Ziba deceived me,
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 has slandered your servant to my lord the king. Yet my lord the king is like the angel of God, so do what 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 grandfather deserves death from my lord the king, yet you have set your servant among those who eat at your table. What further right, then, do I have to keep appealing to the king?”
29 the king said, "Why do you multiply your words? I say: You and Ziba divide the property."
The king replied, “Why say any more? I hereby declare that you and Ziba are to divide the land.”
30 And Mippibaal said to the king, "Yes, let him take it all, since my lord the king has come safely home."
And Mephibosheth said to the king, “Instead, since my lord the king has safely come to his own house, let Ziba take it all!”
31 Now Barzillai the Gileadite had come down from Rogelim, and he went with the king to conduct him from the Jordan.
Now Barzillai the Gileadite had come down from Rogelim to cross the Jordan with the king and send him on his way from there.
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.
Barzillai was quite old, eighty years of age, and since he was a very wealthy man, he had provided for the king while he stayed in Mahanaim.
33 And the king said to Barzillai, "Come over with me, and I will provide for your old age in Jerusalem with me."
The king said to Barzillai, “Cross over with me, and I will provide for you at my side in Jerusalem.”
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?
But Barzillai replied, “How many years of my life remain, that I should go up to Jerusalem with the king?
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 now eighty years old. Can I discern what is good and what is not? Can your servant taste what he eats or drinks? Can I still hear the voice of singing men and women? Why should your servant be an added burden to my lord the king?
36 Your servant will cross the Jordan with the king for a short distance. Why should the king compensate me in this way?
Your servant could go with the king only a short distance past the Jordan; why should the king repay me with such a reward?
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 return, that I may die in my own city near the tomb of my father and mother. But here is your servant Chimham. Let him cross over with my lord the king, and do for him what is good in your sight.”
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."
The king replied, “Chimham will cross over with me, and I will do for him what seems good in your sight, and I will do for you whatever you desire of me.”
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.
So all the people crossed the Jordan, and then the king crossed over. The king kissed Barzillai and blessed him, and Barzillai returned home.
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.
Then the king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham crossed over with him. All the troops of Judah and half the troops of Israel escorted the king.
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?"
Soon all the men of Israel came to the king and asked, “Why did our brothers, the men of Judah, take you away secretly and bring the king and his household across the Jordan, together with all of David’s men?”
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 replied to the men of Israel, “We did this because the king is our relative. Why does this anger you? Have we ever eaten at the king’s expense or received anything for ourselves?”
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.
“We have ten shares in the king,” answered the men of Israel, “so we have more claim to David than you. Why then do you despise us? Were we not the first to speak of restoring our king?” But the men of Judah pressed even harder than the men of Israel.
