2 Samuel 19

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

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

2 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].

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

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

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

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 [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.

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 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.”

Now therefore arise, go out and speak to comfort your servants; for I swear by the LORD, if you do not 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 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.

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 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!

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 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]

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

11 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]

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 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]’”

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

13 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.”

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

14 [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.”

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 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.

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

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 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.

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 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.

He said to the king, “Do not 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 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.”

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 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]

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

22 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.”

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 do not I know that I am king over Israel today?”

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

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

24 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.

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

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

26 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].

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

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 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.”

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 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].”

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

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

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

31 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.

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

32 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.

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

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

34 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]

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 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]

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 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].

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

37 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!”

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 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.”

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 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.

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 [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.

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 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]

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 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.”

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 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.

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.