2 Samuel 19

1 And it was told Joab, —Lo! the king, is weeping and mourning over Absolom.

Joab was told, “Behold, the king weeps and mourns for Absalom.”

2 So the victory, on that day, was turned into mourning, with all the people, —for the people heard, on that day, saying, The king is distressed for his son.

The victory that day was turned into mourning among all the people, for the people heard it said that day, “The king grieves for his son.”

3 And the people stole away, on that day, to go into the city, —as people steal away who are put to shame, when they flee in battle.

The people sneaked into the city that day, as people who are ashamed steal away when they flee in battle.

4 But, the king, muffled his face, and the king made outcry, with a loud voice, —O my son Absolom, O Absolom, my son, my son!

The king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, “My son Absalom, Absalom, my son, my son!”

5 Then came Joab unto the king, in the house, —and said—Thou hast, to-day, covered with shame the faces of all thy servants, who have rescued thy life to-day, and the lives of thy sons and thy daughters, and the lives of thy wives, and the lives of thy concubines;

Joab came into the house to the king, and said, “Today you have shamed the faces of all your servants who today have saved your life, and the lives of your sons and of your daughters, and the lives of your wives, and the lives of your concubines;

6 by loving them who hated thee, and hating them who loved thee, —for thou hast declared, to-day, that, nothing to thee, are princes or servants, for I perceive, to-day, that, if, Absolom, had lived, and, all we, to-day had died, that, then, it had been right in thine eyes.

in that you love those who hate you and hate those who love you. For you have declared today that princes and servants are nothing to you. For today I perceive that if Absalom had lived and we had all died today, then it would have pleased you well.

7 Now, therefore, rise—go forth, and speak unto the heart of thy servants, —for, by Yahweh, have I sworn, that, if thou do not go forth, not a man shall tarry with thee to-night, and this will be to thee, a greater misfortune, than all the misfortune that hath come upon thee from thy youth until now.

Now therefore arise, go out and speak to comfort your servants; for I swear by Yahweh, if you don’t go out, not a man will stay with you this night. That would be worse to you than all the evil that has happened to you from your youth until now.”

8 So the king arose, and took his seat in the gate, —and, to all the people, was it told, saying—Lo! the king, is sitting in the gate. Then came all the people before the king, but, Israel, had fled every man to his home.

Then the king arose and sat in the gate. The people were all told, “Behold, the king is sitting in the gate.” All the people came before the king. Now Israel had fled every man to his tent.

9 And it came to pass that all the people were reproaching one another, throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, —the king, delivered us out of the hand of our enemies, and, he, rescued us out of the hand of the Philistines, but, now, he hath fled out of the land, away from Absolom;

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; and now he has fled out of the land from Absalom.

10 and, Absolom, whom we anointed over us, hath died in the battle. Now, therefore, why are, ye, silent as to bringing back the king?

Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. Now therefore why don’t you speak a word of bringing the king back?”

11 And, King David, sent unto Zadok and unto Abiathar the priests, saying, Speak ye unto the elders of Judah, saying, Wherefore should ye be behindhand, in bringing back the king unto his home, —seeing that, the speech of all Israel, hath come unto the king, regarding his home?

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 house, since the speech of all Israel has come to the king, to return him to his house?

12 Mine own brethren, are ye, my bone and my flesh, are ye, —wherefore then should ye be behindhand in bringing back the king?

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

13 And, unto Amasa, shall ye say, Art not, thou, my bone and my flesh? So, let God do to me, and, so, let him add, if thou become not, prince of the army, before me continually, instead of Joab.

Say to Amasa, ‘Aren’t you my bone and my flesh? God do so to me, and more also, if you aren’t captain of the army before me continually instead of Joab.’”

14 Thus bowed he the heart of all the men of Judah, as one man, —and they sent unto the king, Return, thou, and all thy servants.

He bowed the heart of all the men of Judah, even as one man, so that they sent to the king, saying, “Return, you and all your servants.”

15 Then the king returned, and came as far as the Jordan, —and, Judah, came to Gilgal, to go and meet the king, to escort the king over the Jordan.

So the king returned, and came to the Jordan. Judah came to Gilgal, to go to meet the king, to bring the king over the Jordan.

16 Then hastened Shimei, son of Gera, the Benjamite, who was of Bahurim, —and came down, with the men of Judah, to meet King David.

Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjamite, who was of Bahurim, hurried and came down with the men of Judah to meet King David.

17 And, a thousand men, were with him, out of Benjamin, Ziba also, servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and twenty servants, with him, —and they went through the Jordan, before the king.

There were a thousand men of Benjamin with him, and Ziba the servant of Saul’s house, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him; and they went through the Jordan in the presence of the king.

18 But the ferry-boat kept crossing, to bring over the household of the king, and to do what was good in his eyes. And, Shimei, son of Gera, fell down before the king, when he had passed over the Jordan;

A ferry boat went to bring over the king’s household, and to do what he thought good. Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king when he had come over the Jordan.

19 and he said unto the king—Let not my lord impute to me iniquity, neither do thou remember the perverseness of thy servant, on the day that thou wentest out, my lord O king, from Jerusalem, that the king should lay it upon his heart.

He said to the king, “Don’t let my lord impute iniquity to me, or remember that which your servant did perversely the day that my lord the king went out of Jerusalem, that the king should take it to his heart.

20 For thy servant doth know, that, I, sinned, —lo! therefore, I have arrived to-day, as 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. Therefore behold, I have come today as the first of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king.”

21 Then responded Abishai, son of Zeruiah, and said, For this, shall not Shimei be put to death, for that he cursed the Anointed of Yahweh?

But Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered, “Shouldn’t Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed Yahweh’s anointed?”

22 But David said, What have I in common with you, ye sons of Zeruiah, for ye would become to me, to-day, a very traitor! Shall there, to-day, be put to death a man in Israel? for do I not know, that, to-day, I, am king over Israel?

David said, “What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah, that you should be adversaries to me today? Shall any man be put to death today in Israel? For don’t I know that I am king over Israel today?”

23 Then said the king unto Shimei—Thou shalt not die. And the king sware to him.

The king said to Shimei, “You will not die.” The king swore to him.

24 And, Mephibosheth, son of Saul, came down to meet the king, —he had neither dressed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor, his clothes, had he washed, from the day the king departed, until the day that he entered in peace.

Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king; and he had neither groomed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came home in peace.

25 And it came to pass, when he entered Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said unto him, Wherefore wentest thou not with me, Mephibosheth.

When he had come to Jerusalem to meet the king, the king said to him, “Why didn’t you go with me, Mephibosheth?”

26 And he said, My lord, O king, my servant, betrayed me, —for thy servant said—I will even saddle me mine ass, that I may ride thereon, and go with the king, for, lame, is thy servant.

He answered, “My lord, O king, my servant deceived me. For your servant said, ‘I will saddle a donkey for myself, that I may ride on it and go with the king,’ because your servant is lame.

27 And he hath slandered thy servant, unto my lord the king, —but, my lord the king, is as a messenger of God, do therefore what is good in thine own eyes.

He has slandered your servant to my lord the king, but my lord the king is as an angel of God. Therefore do what is good in your eyes.

28 For, when all the house of my father were nothing better than dead men, unto my lord the king, then didst thou set thy servant among them that used to eat at thy table, —what then have I further, by way of right, or to cry out any further unto the king?

For all my father’s house were but dead men before my lord the king; yet you set your servant among those who ate at your own table. What right therefore have I yet that I should appeal any more to the king?”

29 Then the king said unto him, Wherefore shouldst thou speak any further of thine affairs? I have said—Thou and Ziba, shall share the land.

The king said to him, “Why do you speak any more of your matters? I say, you and Ziba divide the land.”

30 And Mephibosheth said unto the king, Even the whole, let him take, —now that my lord the king hath entered, in peace, into his own house.

Mephibosheth said to the king, “Yes, let him take all, because my lord the king has come in peace to his own house.”

31 And, Barzillai the Gileadite, came down from Rogelim, —and passed, with the king, over the Jordan, to escort him over the Jordan.

Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim; and he went over the Jordan with the king to conduct him over the Jordan.

32 Now, Barzillai, was very aged, eighty years old, —and, he himself, had sustained the king, throughout his sojourn in Mahanaim, for he was, an exceeding great man.

Now Barzillai was a very aged man, even eighty years old. He had provided the king with sustenance while he stayed at Mahanaim, for he was a very great man.

33 So then the king said unto Barzillai, —Thou, come over with me, and I will sustain thee with me, in Jerusalem.

The king said to Barzillai, “Come over with me, and I will sustain you with me in Jerusalem.”

34 But Barzillai said unto the king, —Like unto what, are the days of the years of my life, that I should come up with the king, to Jerusalem.

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

35 Eighty years old, am I to-day—could I discern between good and bad? or could thy servant taste what I might eat, and what I might drink? or could I hearken any more to the voice of singing men and singing women? Wherefore, then, should thy servant yet be a burden unto my lord the king?

I am eighty years old, today. Can I discern between good and bad? Can your servant taste what I eat or what I drink? Can I hear the voice of singing men and singing women any more? Why then should your servant be a burden to my lord the king?

36 Just a little way, will thy servant pass over the Jordan with the king, —but wherefore should the king recompense me with this reward?

Your servant will just go over the Jordan with the king. Why should the king repay me with such a reward?

37 Let thy servant, I pray thee, turn back again, that I may die in mine own city, by the grave of my father, and my mother. But here is thy servant Chimham—let him pass over with my lord the king, and do unto him that which may be good in thine eyes.

Please let your servant turn back again, that I may die in my own city, by the grave of my father and my mother. But behold, your servant Chimham; let him go over with my lord the king; and do to him what shall seem good to you.”

38 Then said the king, With me, shall Chimham pass over, and, I, will do unto him that which shall be good in thine eyes, —and, whatsoever thou shalt choose to lay upon me, I will do for thee.

The king answered, “Chimham shall go over with me, and I will do to him that which shall seem good to you. Whatever you request of me, that I will do for you.”

39 And, when all the people had passed over the Jordan, then, the king, passed over, —and the king kissed Barzillai, and blessed him, and he returned unto his own place.

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

40 And the king passed over to Gilgal, and, Chimham, passed over with him, —and, all the people of Judah, escorted the king, yea moreover, half the people of Israel.

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

41 Then lo! all the men of Israel, were coming unto the king, —and they said unto the king—Why did our brethren the men of Judah steal thee away, and escort the king and his household over the Jordan, and all the men of David with him?

Behold, 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?”

42 And all the men of Judah made answer unto the men of Israel—Because the king is, near of kin, unto us, wherefore, then, is it, that ye are angry over this matter? Have we, eaten, at the king’s cost? or hath he, bestowed any gifts, on us?

All 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? Or has he given us any gift?”

43 And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, and said—Ten parts, have we in the king, therefore, even in David, have we more right than ye. Why, then, made ye light of us, so that our word was not heard first as to bringing back our king? And, the words of the men of Judah, were fiercer than, the words of the men of Israel.

The men of Israel answered the men of Judah, and said, “We have ten parts in the king, and we have also more claim to David than you. Why then did you despise us, that our advice should not be first had in bringing back our king?” The words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel.